Going down the Top N Tilt path

[JATO_RaT]

Hayden, you will like having top and tilt. I am amazed how much this subject comes up. I always assumed everybody had it since it is only logical to get maximum utility out of a tractor. The ability to have an adjustable "top" cylinder is the biggest bonus. On my tractors, I have always put on 3 valves. One, the 3rd valve is tied to a pair of remotes. They can be used for hydraulic rippers, my powered landscape rake, and any other implement that uses hydraulic power like hydraulic gauging wheels on a mower. I have also found various qualities in valves, cylinders etc. Gannon and Gearmore make some heavy duty stuff. The Gannon cylinders I have purchased typically cost me about $300 with the ends already in place. Northern Tool has a much hydraulic equipment, I find their quality to be medium. For valves, both Gannon and Dinoil make great valves. You will pay for it though, but only once. Rat...

P.S. I cannot imagine mounting my TnT control valves under the loader control. The top cylinder requires constant adjustment for fine finishing with a box scraper. You will be turned or cocked to the back continuosly only looking forward to insure where you are going. Putting the controls up front would be a major problem for me. I have never seen it and probably for a very good reason. I'd think twice about that. It may look neat and trim but practical function will be limited. Tilt cylinders although not required to be on the right side almost always are unless of course your running a pair of tilts. You will be looking over your right shoulder, steering with your left hand and controling with your right. With controls at the joystick, you would loose this constant visual reference you will need with a box scraper or even a blade.

 

[hayden]

Ummm. You got me thinking and I'll probably get in trouble now. I'll play "make believe" this weekend on my tractor to get an appreciation for what your're saying, but it intuitively makes sense.

ronjhall - care to comment? Didn't you put them by the loader control? How's that working out?

 

[Bird]

I agree, Rat, I like my controls for the Top "N Tilt on the fender just in front of the ROPS so I can use my right hand on them while I steer with the left while I'm looking back at the box blade (and I did about an hour and a half of that today).

Bird

 

[ronjhall]

Peter
I would agree with having the valve mounted on the fender. The front valve is used to angle my snowplow. I have a third valve mounted on the fender to allow adjustments to any cylinder that I have hooked to it. I have hooked the Top or Tilt cylinders to the rear valve to make adjustments as needed. Mounting your valve under the FEL valve may not be bad if control handles are long enough.

 

[JohnT]

Hayden,

Read your post with great interest. You and I went down nearly identical paths with trying to match the open and closed lenghts of the manual links. FYI - I found that I din't have to match the fully extended length of the manual links.

I went with TISCO's hydraulic center and side links on my TC45D. The TISCO center link is 1 inch shorter than the manual one when closed and is a 2x8 cylinder. I learned shorter is better. My TISCO side link has is a 2x4. Note - my tractor came with an manually adjustable side link, which I kept. I have a 3 valve setup that is factory.

I'm using TNT with a Woods HD72 box scraper. This setup allows plenty of control. As a matter of fact I can put incredible angles and pitch on my scaper now - too extreme!

 

[Caretaker]

Hayden,

Thanks very much for your post. Just before reading it I'd posted a message asking exactly the questions you answered!

Once again, the folks on the Tractor Board come through! /w3tcompact/icons/cool.gif

 

[GlueGuy]

I agree Rat. My control valves for the TnT are mounted on the ROPS, and extend forward from it. My right hand falls naturally on the control box/arm, and I find it's real easy to leave my hand there while turned a little to the right and looking back at the 3PH. If I had to reach all the way forward to the FEL area, it would be tres awkward.

The GlueGuy

 

[GlueGuy]

I question whether that will come out in your favor or not. I would estimate that $300 is only 6 hours of time, and would not cover the actuall amount of time that it takes to engineer and build this whole setup. That's not counting the trips to the store and the inevitable "whoopses". To me, the $840 sounds very cheap.

The GlueGuy

 

[hayden]

You're correct that I have not factored in any value for my time (many people will argue it's not worth much to begin with), but the work I have to do between the piece parts and Gearmore isn't much. I expect most of the time will be in figuring out control placement and mounting and hose routing etc., and I have to do that with both approaches. I'm also concerned, perhaps unjustly, that I'd get the GearMore and find it doesn't really fit properly. Your experience suggests this is an unfounded fear, but problems like this always seem to happen to me.

And then of course, there's the ultimate wild card .... I'm having fun.

By the way, the cylinders came yesterday and the control valves today. The real fun is just beginning.

Peter

 

[GlueGuy]

<font color=blue>the ultimate wild card .... I'm having fun.</font color=blue>

Well that's totally different then! /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif I do a lot of those kinds of things too. Economics is highly over-rated.

The GlueGuy