Any experience with Kubota Top n Tilt on Grand L40?

[C4Ranch]

Guess that was one of the things I did not understand. I thought it was all one kit. So I can just get the OEM three valve rear remote kit and it will come with the controls that go into the available slots on the factory control station next to the fender and then just get the better cylinders from elsewhere? I am wanting a clean installation so it looks like it belongs and not a bulky control station bolted somewhere with levers sticking up from a big valve block.

Yes. I'm doing it right now. Started a thread yesterday on adding factory triple remotes. You can see from the pic, they include everything. Levers, valves, brackets, hoses and quick connectors. Yes, they're pricy from Kubota. Once you have that, you can't do a thing with them unless you have "remote" hydraulic implements or TNT cylinders installed.

 

[paulwestski]

The Kubota T&T kit only comes with the hoses and cylinders, you still need the two rear remotes.
Sounds like you need a T&T kit and rear remotes kit.

In my opinion the Kubota cylinders are poorly made. The paint on them appears to only be primer, the welds are ugly and they do leak down.
I never timed how long it takes for them to leak down.

My dealer had to add some stroke limiters to prevent the tilt from hitting the backhoe sub frame (which limits the up stroke)
I still need to look at that and see what the real issue may be.
I wish I had just ordered them from Brian at Fit Rite.

The set that Fit Rite built for my L3800 were first class all the way, welds, paint, cylinder quality and hose assemblies.

Contact Fit Rite they can probably set you up with both.

Although the factory rear remotes are very, very nice, they are also expensive.

If you do buy the factory rear remotes see if you dealer can offer you "whole goods" pricing.

 

[TripleR]

I have Kubota OEM as well as FitRite; both are in my opinion excellent quality.

 

[MtnViewRanch]

Well absolutely I want to get the "most" from my system.... :cool2: Do tell.

What do I want? Help me out. I am afraid I am new to the owning tractor and outfitting it correctly thing so I am learning. I have just jumped on borrowed tractors in the past and started chopping, discing and seeding with whatever equipment was on hand. I am using this tractor to do food plots, about 18 that are 1/2-1/4 acre in size and maintain trails on 300 acres in pretty hilly country. I am also getting a dual cylinder grapple bucket for the front to help clear trails and move brush, limbs and trees so I need a set of front remotes with controls. I just want a clean install that looks like it belongs there which is why I was looking at OEM. I also don't want to deal with leaking down as I do not want to have to remove this system for other chores. I would like to put this TNT on and it just stay there whether I am doing trail clearing/leveling or bush hogging or discing and not have to fight a system that leaks down and I am having to readjust to keep things level and working properly for the task at hand. That will just slow the whole process down and give me the red arse, especially if I paid to have the system added on.

Most of the time, especially for the Grand Ls, getting the OEM rear remote control valves is the cleanest and easiest installation. If you decide to not get the units from Hay Tools, then get 2 of the valves with the float function. There are many uses for the float function with the "T&T" cylinders. If you have the check valves, then any use of the float function is eliminated.

Keep in mind that the check valves in use with the "T&T" units is not for the cylinders, it is for the faulty control valves that a person might have. If the cylinders are bad, the check valves DO NOTHING for them. They will still move if the problem is the cylinder. More than 99 out of 100 times, the leak down problems that people talk about is not the cylinder, but the control valve.

You can get after market control valves that are less money and better quality than the OEM units, the problem with the after market valves is to get them in an acceptable location. There have been a few people that have gone to the trouble to get their after market valves tucked down in between the seat and the fender and when all said and done, "most" people would not even know that they were not OEM controls.

I could go on and on, but don't really have the time. Do some research and you can see both points of view. Both sides are viable, really depends on what you intend to use your top & tilt set for.

Good luck.

 

[The Fred]

In my opinion the Kubota cylinders are poorly made. The paint on them appears to only be primer, the welds are ugly and they do leak down.
I never timed how long it takes for them to leak down.

The leakdown is in the tractor end and NOT the cylinders.
I would assume Kubota designed this into their system. Strange that I can leave my FEL up all the way for 3 weeks and it never moves yet the TNT cylinders will leak down unless the hoses are disconnected.

Fred

 

[Oiltech]

I added the TNT to my L3540, dealer sold me the Kubota aux kit and I installed on my tractor, it took about 5-6 hours, I then mounted the hydraulic cylinder that I had laying around which simply pinned to the tractor where the fixed link was. I then purchased the required length hydraulic hoses and I'm quite satisfied with the set up.

 

[jmc]

About ten years ago, I ordered a Grand L 4330 with the Kubota 3 rear valves and Kubota factory T n T, which turned out to be Gannon. The Kubota valves are great but I didn't like the Gannon setup so my dealer took it back and I ordered a set from another company, Integration Engineering, (who may have eventually supplied Carter and Carter? Hope someone here knows). Anyway, below are links to my experience:


http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/customization/43368-tnt-kubotas-vs-integration-engineering.html

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/customization/43370-tnt-kubo-atas-vs-integration.html

As an update, I now think that there is one minor disadvantage in piloted check valves in that the minimum pressure to actuate the cylinders is whatever the pilot pressure is set to- 500 psi in my case. So if I want to just tweet the tilt of my back blade, I get a 500 psi surge into the cylinder, which moves the blade too much, unless I just barely and slowly crack the valve. One of these days I may try putting flow restrictors inline.

 

[Fallon]

My Fit-Rite TNT kit (including the valves) has noticeable droop after a little over a day. Not much, but noticeable. However my loader beat my back blade to the ground from 1.5' over a week or so.

The flexibility of TNT is so worth it. I'd be happy with twice the leakage.

 

[TripleR]

I had what I considered excessive leak down initially and the dealer rebuilt the valves.I still have some leak-down, but it's not problematic.