hayden
Veteran Member
Well, I've embarked down the TnT path too, hopefully learning from those who braved it before me. I though I'd share what I've found so far and the various decisions made. I'm just beginning, so this could provide some good entertainment if I vear off into the weeds along the way.
For background, I'm inflicting this project on a B2910. The objective is to get a hydraulic top link and one side link. First thing I did was measure out the length of my manual links in both their open and closed positions. All measurements are pin center to pin center.
Top link: Closed - 17"; open - 27"; Cat 1 swivel balls on both ends. To make an exact replica I would need something with Cat 1 balls on both ends that is 17" closed with a 10" stroke.
Side link: Closed - 14 1/2", open - 18 1/2", 16 1/2" matches fixed link length, clevis on both ends. Both clevis ends are at angles to the rod, so angles would have to be replicated. This one would ideally be 14 1/2" closed with a 4" stroke.
Armed with this I started shopping. First thing I did was look into ready-made kits and parts and abandoned both because the parts were not really the right size or they were way over priced. Details are....
My local dealer carries Tisco parts, and they make a line of top and side links with a variety of sizes and end configuations. I got copies of the catalog pages and browsed through and found nothing that would really work. They were either too long or too short for the top link, and the side links were either the wrong length, had the wrong type of ends, or were straight not angled ends. I'll post scans of the pages for reference. It looked like they had stuff that would work on the L series.
Next I called Gearmore. They have a kit (TT271-3K) that is supposed to fit, but it's $840 and only includes the two cylinders and valve. No hoses or other fittings are included. They was way more than I was willing to pay.
I also called woods/Gannon and they faxed me their list of cylinder sizes etc. Again, no reasonable fit, and the cylinders were all in the $275 range.
This left me with building my own, so I started looking at valves and cylinders.
For the valves, I want to mount them below the loader control like ronjhall did. I like that location. Next, I want to plumb it up as a power beyond. I agree with Bird that in most cases is doesn't matter, but since I don't really know what I'll ultimately use the valves to control besides the TnT, I figure I should just do it right from the start. I just ordered Prince stacked SV valves (12GPM capacity) with two control sections, an inlet, and a PB outlet from Northern Tool. The stacked valves will permit me to add more in the future if desired. Total cost just under $200 delivered.
On the cylinders, I called a local hydraulic sales/repair shop and found a very helpful fellow who pointed me at Prince's "Wizard" line of cylinders since it's available with blank ends so you can weld on whatever you want. I then called Prince and they were extreemly helpful. The guy faxed me spec sheets, dimensions, etc on the wizard line and concurred it was the line to use. I'll post these as well.
Plowing through yielded two cylinders, one 2x4, and one 2x8 that would serve as the base cylinders. Ideally the top link would have been a 2x10 to get the full desired stroke, but the length of that cyl closed was too long to meet the 17" closed length of the overall top link. I ordered them yesterday. Total cost about $250 delivered for both.
Next challenge is how to create the ends for the top and side links. First the top link.
My local dealer has the cat 1 ball swivels for welding on to whatever. They are $7 each, so I'll get two. These will get welded on to the 2x8 cyl to create the top link. I expect to have to add a 2" spacer between the cyl butt end and the swivel to get the proper 17" closed length and to get the cyl butt away from the 3PH top link anchor bracket on the tractor so it doesn't intefere.
The side link poses more of a challenge in creating the clevis brackets and getting them on at the correct angles. I decided the easiest way to do it is to purchase from Kubota a replacement fixed link, which of course already has the correct clevis brackets already welded on at the correct angles. I priced it and it's under $30. I'll then simply cut out the appropriate section of connecting rod between the brackets and weld in the 2x4 cylinder in it's place. Sounds easy - we'll see how it really goes when the parts arrive.
So far I'm happy with how this is coming along, but the real test is still to come. I've spend $450 and expect to spend another $50 to $75 to get the equivalent of what Gearmore wanted $840, so I expect to be $300+ ahead of the game. I'll figure out the plumbing fittings and hoses and control mounting once the parts are all here.
Stay tuned
<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by hayden on 05/22/01 09:03 PM (server time).</FONT></P>
For background, I'm inflicting this project on a B2910. The objective is to get a hydraulic top link and one side link. First thing I did was measure out the length of my manual links in both their open and closed positions. All measurements are pin center to pin center.
Top link: Closed - 17"; open - 27"; Cat 1 swivel balls on both ends. To make an exact replica I would need something with Cat 1 balls on both ends that is 17" closed with a 10" stroke.
Side link: Closed - 14 1/2", open - 18 1/2", 16 1/2" matches fixed link length, clevis on both ends. Both clevis ends are at angles to the rod, so angles would have to be replicated. This one would ideally be 14 1/2" closed with a 4" stroke.
Armed with this I started shopping. First thing I did was look into ready-made kits and parts and abandoned both because the parts were not really the right size or they were way over priced. Details are....
My local dealer carries Tisco parts, and they make a line of top and side links with a variety of sizes and end configuations. I got copies of the catalog pages and browsed through and found nothing that would really work. They were either too long or too short for the top link, and the side links were either the wrong length, had the wrong type of ends, or were straight not angled ends. I'll post scans of the pages for reference. It looked like they had stuff that would work on the L series.
Next I called Gearmore. They have a kit (TT271-3K) that is supposed to fit, but it's $840 and only includes the two cylinders and valve. No hoses or other fittings are included. They was way more than I was willing to pay.
I also called woods/Gannon and they faxed me their list of cylinder sizes etc. Again, no reasonable fit, and the cylinders were all in the $275 range.
This left me with building my own, so I started looking at valves and cylinders.
For the valves, I want to mount them below the loader control like ronjhall did. I like that location. Next, I want to plumb it up as a power beyond. I agree with Bird that in most cases is doesn't matter, but since I don't really know what I'll ultimately use the valves to control besides the TnT, I figure I should just do it right from the start. I just ordered Prince stacked SV valves (12GPM capacity) with two control sections, an inlet, and a PB outlet from Northern Tool. The stacked valves will permit me to add more in the future if desired. Total cost just under $200 delivered.
On the cylinders, I called a local hydraulic sales/repair shop and found a very helpful fellow who pointed me at Prince's "Wizard" line of cylinders since it's available with blank ends so you can weld on whatever you want. I then called Prince and they were extreemly helpful. The guy faxed me spec sheets, dimensions, etc on the wizard line and concurred it was the line to use. I'll post these as well.
Plowing through yielded two cylinders, one 2x4, and one 2x8 that would serve as the base cylinders. Ideally the top link would have been a 2x10 to get the full desired stroke, but the length of that cyl closed was too long to meet the 17" closed length of the overall top link. I ordered them yesterday. Total cost about $250 delivered for both.
Next challenge is how to create the ends for the top and side links. First the top link.
My local dealer has the cat 1 ball swivels for welding on to whatever. They are $7 each, so I'll get two. These will get welded on to the 2x8 cyl to create the top link. I expect to have to add a 2" spacer between the cyl butt end and the swivel to get the proper 17" closed length and to get the cyl butt away from the 3PH top link anchor bracket on the tractor so it doesn't intefere.
The side link poses more of a challenge in creating the clevis brackets and getting them on at the correct angles. I decided the easiest way to do it is to purchase from Kubota a replacement fixed link, which of course already has the correct clevis brackets already welded on at the correct angles. I priced it and it's under $30. I'll then simply cut out the appropriate section of connecting rod between the brackets and weld in the 2x4 cylinder in it's place. Sounds easy - we'll see how it really goes when the parts arrive.
So far I'm happy with how this is coming along, but the real test is still to come. I've spend $450 and expect to spend another $50 to $75 to get the equivalent of what Gearmore wanted $840, so I expect to be $300+ ahead of the game. I'll figure out the plumbing fittings and hoses and control mounting once the parts are all here.
Stay tuned
<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by hayden on 05/22/01 09:03 PM (server time).</FONT></P>
