Help sourcing a part

[Indygunworks]

This might sound long winded, and if you don't follow feel free to ask and I will try to explain. I have a ford 340 from 1980... that's the front half anyways... as best I can tell the back half is a ford 4000 around 1977 or so.

I just picked up a Long 1119a backhoe w/ PTO pump and want to take the weight of the backhoe off the 3 point arms during use. I have read enough horror stories of the cast iron parts of the tractor just not holding up. I do have a very substantial front end loader mounted all the way under the tractor. At one point it was a part of a rollover cage and canopy. I didn't like the canopy so I had it cut off but I left the two uprights in the back at a little above wheel height. I want to add a weldable end to the upright and use top links w/ top link pins to attach the lift arms to up uprights of the subframe for the loader. the lift arms already have a 3/4 inch pin through them where they USED to have extendable arms but they were welded at some point.

essentially I would hook up the backhoe using the pats easy change and raise the backhoe high enough to connect the two top links on either side. I would then take just a smidge of pressure off the lift arms transferring the weight to the subframe.

the problem is this distance for the top links needs to be around 38-42 inch's give or take. the top links also need to take 3/4 inch top link pins. I believe that makes it a cat 1 top link. I cannot for the life of me find 36 inch and greater lengths of top links. I think I may have to fabricate them. or have them fabricated. I have a welder, its a Lincoln 120v mig w/ gas.

Can anybody either direct me to greater than 36 inch top links that take 3/4 inch pins, or suggest someone that might be able to fabricate them?

 

[Soundguy]

take a toplink, cut it and weld a pipe int he middle to make it longer.

however... here's the rub. a hoe is gonna tug on that toplink fiercely.. and the draft hyds may not like that.

when i added a woods 6500 hoe to my ford 850, i welded up a semi frame under the axles.. but also a cage on top that grabbed top cover bolts and axle trumped bolts and provided a toplink connection point OTHER than the tractor toplink. might think about that.

 

[Indygunworks]

Not following what you are saying by "draft hyds"??? This is ran off a PTO driven pump and the frame of the backhoe is a 7.5 gallon reservoir.

I understand it will tug, but I really only want to accomplish two things by doing this.

1. During transport take the weight off the 3 point arms and prevent there from being lots of stress in the middle of the tractor as it "leverages" after bumps... cast iron while a long lasting material is not the strongest... the steel for the subframe is and will disperse the weight very evenly throughout the tractor.

2. During use I will have the legs down so all the two top links in the rear would be doing is carrying the load of whatever weight makes it past the "pivot" point... I feel like it will help firm things up quite a bit.

I am not following what you did w/ your tractor... do you have pictures?

 

[Indygunworks]

Pic of the backhoe if it will help at all.

 

[Soundguy]

the toplink rockeron most fords is hooked to draft sensing linkage unde rthe hyds cover. tugging on it with a hoe can be tough on those parts that are meant to feel a plow going thru soil, etc.

all i did was weld up brackets that spread out the weight other than the 3 points a 3pt hoe normally hangs off of.

 

[Indygunworks]

Is there anyway to disable the draft? I understand whats being said now... its a "hinged" mechanism for lack of a better term. It actually has two places I can hook the backhoe top link to, a lower area and an upper... is there a better choice there? I don't need draft control as this will never be used to plow anything besides a 1/8th of an acre garden and my soil is very consistent and sandy/gravely loam. besides the draft control parts taking a beating would that transfer into other issues w/ my 3 point hitch? If so that is unacceptable.

Also, by adding these top links to either side wouldn't I be shoring the whole thing up enough to prevent the backhoe from doing exactly what you guys are saying it will do?

 

[Soundguy]

I personally would not connect the hoe in any way to the tractor toplink rocker. I'd mount it so it used entirely OTHER conenction points. if you can do that and some sort of subframe.. then you are doing pretty good.

anyting is better than straight 3pt hookup.