Adding External Hydraulics to a JD 870

[terry.dinerman]

Hello Neighbors!

Has anyone added external hydraulics to their 870 and can you share a few pointers?

My 870 does not currently have any external hydraulics or a FEL.

My main intent is to drive a hydraulic top-n-tilt tho I would like to have enough capacity to serve a log-splitter in the future....

Be Safe!

Terry

 

[kennyd]

Terry,

The easiest way to get it set up to to try to find the Power Beyond/Rear Auxiliary kit for your machine. With this you can plumb in a new joystick valve to operate the TnT cylinders. The part number should be BM18010. Because of the banjo type fittings used on the tractor, getting hoses made locally may be very difficult-thats I why I am suggesting the kit as a good place to start.

Also, you need to figure out if it worth it money wise to you, this will not be a inexpensive upgrade:

PB kit>$250 or so
Joystick Valve>$200
TnT Cylinders>$300-$400
Hoses, fittings, misc.>$200-$300

 

[terry.dinerman]

Terry,

The easiest way to get it set up to to try to find the Power Beyond/Rear Auxiliary kit for your machine. With this you can plumb in a new joystick valve to operate the TnT cylinders. The part number should be BM18010. Because of the banjo type fittings used on the tractor, getting hoses made locally may be very difficult-thats I why I am suggesting the kit as a good place to start.

Also, you need to figure out if it worth it money wise to you, this will not be a inexpensive upgrade:

PB kit>$250 or so
Joystick Valve>$200
TnT Cylinders>$300-$400
Hoses, fittings, misc.>$200-$300

KennyD-

From the reactions I've got from the area JD dealers, the "Power Beyond" kit should be named the "Priced Beyond" kit...apparently an older tractor like mine requires gold plated fittings, and diamond valves...

So - I am going to come up with a simpler and less expensive plan...

Since a splitter is a long-term dream, and I really NEED to be able to adjust my box-blade and forks a little more easily, my needs are quite minimal.

After scouting all the "Toplink" threads, I would like ask you and the rest of the sages for comments on the attached design for a Manual Hydraulic Toplink...

I have a first class junque-yard nearby with a nice selection of cylinders and valves, some VERY heavy duty , and at popular prices too...


Design Considerations:

• This is a single acting design utilizing a "cylinder of opportunity" with the appropriate diameter, length and end fittings controlled by a 5000psi ball valve...you can "feather" the flow or dump the load as you choose.
• A pipe plug filter / breather is installed on the rod end to convert the cylinder to single action.
• I chose to place the oil on the topside of the cylinder in expectation of shock loading from the box-blade or other ground engaging implements hitting roots or rocks. It is my understanding that in single action cylinders, putting an oil column into compression is more desirable than creating a vacuum during shock loading.
• Low pressure hydraulic return hose leads to the bottom of a non-pressurized reservoir constructed of 2" galvanized pipe and pipe caps. Reservoir size is dependent on a volume of 125% the expected extended volume of the cylinder.
• The reservoir will be "U" bolted to the ROP frame above the level of the valve.
• The caps will be drilled and threaded to accept NPT fittings, JIC hose at the bottom and a pipe cap drilled as a filler / breather at the top.

So what do all you "hydro-sages" think?

Be Safe!

Terry

 

[kennyd]

Terry, I just do not see how having a SA cylinder on the T/L will be helpful. I do applaud you ingenuity though I just do not see it as being practical.

I have another avenue for you to try...Contact Woods Equipment and see if they will sell you a kit...that have a backhoe that fits your machine, so they must have a way to tap into the hydraulics to operate it. HERE is link to the subframe manual, I could not find one for the hydraulics though...


What did JD want for the PB kit?


I told you it was not going to be cheap

 

[terry.dinerman]

Terry, I just do not see how having a SA cylinder on the T/L will be helpful. I do applaud you ingenuity though I just do not see it as being practical.

I have another avenue for you to try...Contact Woods Equipment and see if they will sell you a kit...that have a backhoe that fits your machine, so they must have a way to tap into the hydraulics to operate it. HERE is link to the subframe manual, I could not find one for the hydraulics though...


What did JD want for the PB kit?


I told you it was not going to be cheap

KennyD-

The only dealer that has responded so far wanted $395 + tax and shipping...searches on the Net have proved fruitless...

The price for this piece of the puzzle alone is way more than I want to spend for the entire setup...cest la guerre...

This is one of the issues you face buying an older but well-loved tractor....I can't blame JD...parts for this tractor have been gathering dust since 1990...and supply dictates demand...

So - now that I have had a reality check, all I really want to do is adjust the length of the toplink without leaving the seat.

The three implements I want to use this on will all adjust in the same fashion...lower via gravity and raise by dropping the hitch and rolling forward to adjust the angle...the only real gray area in this plan I anticipate in this plan is "Hold" under load being dependent on the seals in the cylinder...

When a load is "hanging" from the toplink, the ram will be in tension, creating a vacuum in the bore...the seals may leak by...

Using salvage parts, I am shooting for a budget $100 +/- to put this together...my favorite yard has racks full of possible materials...I just have to be home from work to get to it...(I am in West Africa as I write this)

Anyway...if it works...Great!

If it fails...I have a cylinder to hook up to a PB kit...or build something else out of....and I stayed out of my Precious Brides hair for a few hours fabricating and testing it...

So I believe I will give my gizmo a try...every once in a while I surprise myself...and it really bugs Precious Bride when I actually use some "treasure" from my junquepile / box / drawer / rack / etc for something useful...

Be Safe!

Terry

 

[kennyd]

Good luck Terry...Please post back with your progress.

 

[Haroldm]

KennyD-

From the reactions I've got from the area JD dealers, the "Power Beyond" kit should be named the "Priced Beyond" kit...apparently an older tractor like mine requires gold plated fittings, and diamond valves...

So - I am going to come up with a simpler and less expensive plan...

Since a splitter is a long-term dream, and I really NEED to be able to adjust my box-blade and forks a little more easily, my needs are quite minimal.

After scouting all the "Toplink" threads, I would like ask you and the rest of the sages for comments on the attached design for a Manual Hydraulic Toplink...

I have a first class junque-yard nearby with a nice selection of cylinders and valves, some VERY heavy duty , and at popular prices too...


Design Considerations:

• This is a single acting design utilizing a "cylinder of opportunity" with the appropriate diameter, length and end fittings controlled by a 5000psi ball valve...you can "feather" the flow or dump the load as you choose.
• A pipe plug filter / breather is installed on the rod end to convert the cylinder to single action.
• I chose to place the oil on the topside of the cylinder in expectation of shock loading from the box-blade or other ground engaging implements hitting roots or rocks. It is my understanding that in single action cylinders, putting an oil column into compression is more desirable than creating a vacuum during shock loading.
• Low pressure hydraulic return hose leads to the bottom of a non-pressurized reservoir constructed of 2" galvanized pipe and pipe caps. Reservoir size is dependent on a volume of 125% the expected extended volume of the cylinder.
• The reservoir will be "U" bolted to the ROP frame above the level of the valve.
• The caps will be drilled and threaded to accept NPT fittings, JIC hose at the bottom and a pipe cap drilled as a filler / breather at the top.

So what do all you "hydro-sages" think?

Be Safe!

Terry

Your thinking is close, maybe if you hooked the 2 ports together with a valve in the middle, and with an additional valve on one side or the other teed to the reservoir. Bleed all the air out, then the cylinder would be solid, and you would not have to deal with a low pressure condition drawing air in past the rings on the piston. I haven't masterd computer drawing, so I hope you can envision it.

Harold (newbee)

 

[terry.dinerman]

Your thinking is close, maybe if you hooked the 2 ports together with a valve in the middle, and with an additional valve on one side or the other teed to the reservoir. Bleed all the air out, then the cylinder would be solid, and you would not have to deal with a low pressure condition drawing air in past the rings on the piston. I haven't masterd computer drawing, so I hope you can envision it.

Harold (newbee)

Harold-

Excellent!

Your suggestions satisfy several of the shortcomings in my design...with oil on both sides of the piston, closing the two valves will lock the ram up tightly...This also addresses the issues raised due to the smaller volume of the rod side of the cylinder and giving me use of the full length of the ram.

A much smaller reservoir would be needed now as well...with the bulk of the oil cycling from one side of the piston to the other...and any air that may enter the system will naturally gravitate to the reservoir

When I sketched this up, I also noted that it would be easy to "gang" the valve handles, and also extend them....making it even more convenient to reach this gizmo from the drivers seat...

Thanks for your ideas! I can't wait to get home and give this a try....

Be Safe!

Terry

 

[dodge85rc]

What you could do is buy a priority valve and install it before your steering valve and then adjust it so you have enough to steer. Then run a hose from the 2nd output to the valve of your choice and then plumb in the lines. You shouldn't need a very big priority valve, so I would guess a new one could be had for under $70, then its just the cost for lines and the control valve and the TNT cylinder.

 

[terry.dinerman]

What you could do is buy a priority valve and install it before your steering valve and then adjust it so you have enough to steer. Then run a hose from the 2nd output to the valve of your choice and then plumb in the lines. You shouldn't need a very big priority valve, so I would guess a new one could be had for under $70, then its just the cost for lines and the control valve and the TNT cylinder.

There are days when I wish I had power steering...

Be Safe!

Terry