FitRite Top and Tilt on MX6000 - My Experience

[LD1]

ALL valves will leak down.

Cylinders have seals. Valves do not. Its simply a VERY close tolerance metal on metal. But no actual seals.

How fast a valve leaks down ultimately depends on manufacturing tolerances and (cost). And what is acceptable to one may not be acceptable to others.

For me....NO amount of leak down on the side link is acceptable when mowing. I may be mowing for 6 hours straight.....and even at 1/4" per hour leakdown is gonna require adjustment several times during the job....just not as many adjustments as 1.5" per hour. However.....neither is acceptable in my book for mowing.

The toplink however doesnt matter when mowing for me. For starters when the tailwheels of the mower are on the ground....its not under any kind of load to induce movement. And second.....its a floating clevis for the toplink of the mower....so the toplink mount isnt rigid. Its allowed to "float" based on terrain.

To solve the sidelink issue....I simply go back to the factory setup for everything that does NOT require tilt adjustment. And when I want to put the blade on....it takes maybe a minute to throw the sidelink back on. And since when blading....Im constantly adjusting the sidelink and toplink anyway.......slight cylinder creep throughout the day is not noticeable due to constant adjustment anyway.

 

[bdhsfz6]

ALL valves will leak down.

Cylinders have seals. Valves do not. Its simply a VERY close tolerance metal on metal. But no actual seals.

How fast a valve leaks down ultimately depends on manufacturing tolerances and (cost). And what is acceptable to one may not be acceptable to others.

For me....NO amount of leak down on the side link is acceptable when mowing. I may be mowing for 6 hours straight.....and even at 1/4" per hour leakdown is gonna require adjustment several times during the job....just not as many adjustments as 1.5" per hour. However.....neither is acceptable in my book for mowing.

The toplink however doesnt matter when mowing for me. For starters when the tailwheels of the mower are on the ground....its not under any kind of load to induce movement. And second.....its a floating clevis for the toplink of the mower....so the toplink mount isnt rigid. Its allowed to "float" based on terrain.

To solve the sidelink issue....I simply go back to the factory setup for everything that does NOT require tilt adjustment. And when I want to put the blade on....it takes maybe a minute to throw the sidelink back on. And since when blading....Im constantly adjusting the sidelink and toplink anyway.......slight cylinder creep throughout the day is not noticeable due to constant adjustment anyway.

In my case, I put the manually adjustable link on the opposite drag link from the tilt cylinder and adjust it to match the fully extended length of the cylinder. With the cylinder fully extended, there is no fluid left to bleed down. Yes, this limits the lift height of the implement somewhat but the top link cylinder can be used to raise the implement higher if necessary.

 

[clarksvilleal]

In my case, I put the manually adjustable link on the opposite drag link from the tilt cylinder and adjust it to match the fully extended length of the cylinder. With the cylinder fully extended, there is no fluid left to bleed down. Yes, this limits the lift height of the implement somewhat but the top link cylinder can be used to raise the implement higher if necessary.

I have just installed a Fit-Rite top-n-tilt kit on my new Kubota LX3310. I keep a JD iMatch quick hitch always installed. I just noticed the bleed down of the tilt cylinder when the tractor is not in use - about an inch overnight. I'm guessing the bleed down will be faster when operating with a heavy implement like my Woods 65" box blade or 6' landscape rake, and may even interfere with grading operations depending on how fast the bleed down is.

I don't like the idea of having to remove the tilt cylinder whenever I don't need the tilt function. Maybe I'm missing something; but doesn't your method of adjusting the manually adjustable link to match the fully extended tilt cylinder length limit you to only being able to tilt the implement down to only one side - i.e., the side opposite the tilt cylinder?

 

[K5lwq]

On my Fit Rite tilt cylinders I used pilot operated check valves. They never leak down no matter how I adjust them.

 

[clarksvilleal]

On my Fit Rite tilt cylinders I used pilot operated check valves. They never leak down no matter how I adjust them.

View attachment 712518

Looks like you have dual tilt cylinders. Just out of curiosity, why? I had assumed that a single tilt cylinder was sufficient.

 

[K5lwq]

I used two so I could adjust the height for different implements. It makes using the quick hitch easier swapping between the finish mower and bush hog. Before I got the two cylinders I had to drop the finish mower on blocks so the quick hitch could get low enough. Now I can lower it plenty low to just back under.

On the bush hog it was so tall the 3pt lever was right in the curve and my stop would not hold. I can just adjust the Cylinders higher and keep the lever in a spot the stop works well.

 

[bdhsfz6]

I have just installed a Fit-Rite top-n-tilt kit on my new Kubota LX3310. I keep a JD iMatch quick hitch always installed. I just noticed the bleed down of the tilt cylinder when the tractor is not in use - about an inch overnight. I'm guessing the bleed down will be faster when operating with a heavy implement like my Woods 65" box blade or 6' landscape rake, and may even interfere with grading operations depending on how fast the bleed down is.

I don't like the idea of having to remove the tilt cylinder whenever I don't need the tilt function. Maybe I'm missing something; but doesn't your method of adjusting the manually adjustable link to match the fully extended tilt cylinder length limit you to only being able to tilt the implement down to only one side - i.e., the side opposite the tilt cylinder?

Yes, it does limit the tilt to just one side when adjusted this way. Whenever I need 2 way tilt, IE when using a stone rake, I simply adjust the manual link to match the half extended tilt cylinder. Takes about 30 seconds to adjust when using a portable drill to crank it.

 

[LD1]

Pilot operated check valves would work as long as the cylinder is of good quality and not already the source of the leak down. But you do give up the option to use float.

Everything in life is a trade-off. Just gotta find what you want and what works best for you

 

[K5lwq]

The cylinder is great quality and I have never had a leak down using the checks.

Yes, you can not float but I have never had a situation that I wanted to float a tilt cylinder. The entire three point floats. The top link is a different story.

 

[LD1]

The cylinder is great quality and I have never had a leak down using the checks.

Yes, you can not float but I have never had a situation that I wanted to float a tilt cylinder. The entire three point floats. The top link is a different story.

IF you never have a need to float a sidelink its great. But some like floating it when just surface grading or plowing snow with a rear blade while trying to maintain the crown in a road or driveway.