Box Scraper Hydraulic Top Link Length and Box Blade

[Spudland_Dave]

I used one of those cylinders with a 2" diameter for a while. The ball that is mounted on the body of the cylinder is to close to the cylinder. When the cylinder would turn to one side or the other the body would contact the hitch point on the tractor. I have some pretty big grooves in the cylinder because of that.

Jerry, what do you mean by "pretty big grooves" on the cylinder? I've got the 8" stroke version of that cylinder (the 1.5" one) in use on another project and looking at it the other day I saw no reason it wouldnt fit....one of these days when I get the time I was gonna remove it and try it out for fit on my 3520.....I already know the cylinder I have is too short, plus its already in use so I need to get another one either way......

 

[GIJOE]

Jerry, what do you mean by "pretty big grooves" on the cylinder? I've got the 8" stroke version of that cylinder (the 1.5" one) in use on another project and looking at it the other day I saw no reason it wouldn't fit....one of these days when I get the time I was gonna remove it and try it out for fit on my 3520.....I already know the cylinder I have is too short, plus its already in use so I need to get another one either way......

Spudland,
If you look at the drawings in those links I posted, you will notice there is 1" from the body of the cylinder to the center of the swivel eye. Measuring the top link attachment point on the tractor there is 7/8" from the edge of the attachment point to the center of the pin hole. That only leaves you 1/8" of room for movement of the cylinder. If it binds, it could damage either the cylinder (groves), or the attachment point on the tractor. I think that's what Jerry was talking about.

Joe

 

[Spudland_Dave]

Gotcha... That being said...If your handy with a welder...

Why not get the 8" Stroke Version and cut off the base end and extend it out 2" further? That puts you in the correct ballpark..Specs I have for the factory HTL from JD for my 3520"
Closed Length: 19.25"
Extended Length: 25.5"
Thats a 6" Stroke...using the 8" Cylinder you could have a little more range of motion (18"-26")...and still be under 100 bucks for the whole thing.

IMO its one of them deals where its not that the CCM unit is bad...I dont think I've read a bad thing about em anywhere...just that for a Farm Boy/Do It Yourselfer like me, its just not worth $100.00 more to me. If I could get the CCM unit for lets say $125.00 then fine, its probably not worth my time to fiddle with it...

 

[HayDR]

Gotcha... That being said...If your handy with a welder...

Why not get the 8" Stroke Version and cut off the base end and extend it out 2" further? That puts you in the correct ballpark..Specs I have for the factory HTL from JD for my 3520"
Closed Length: 19.25"
Extended Length: 25.5"
Thats a 6" Stroke...using the 8" Cylinder you could have a little more range of motion (18"-26")...and still be under 100 bucks for the whole thing.

IMO its one of them deals where its not that the CCM unit is bad...I dont think I've read a bad thing about em anywhere...just that for a Farm Boy/Do It Yourselfer like me, its just not worth $100.00 more to me. If I could get the CCM unit for lets say $125.00 then fine, its probably not worth my time to fiddle with it...

The main differences in our Hydraulic Toplinks and the Surplus cylinders are:

1. Our Hydraulic toplinks are designed out of the box to be toplinks. IE CAT 1 & II
2. Our Hydraulic toplinks have forged ends and hardened and chromed rods.
3. Our Hydraulic toplinks have double piloted check valves so they stay where they are set.

Our Hydraulic Toplinks are OEM quality and designed for many years of commercial use.

 

[Spudland_Dave]

The main differences in our Hydraulic Toplinks and the Surplus cylinders are:

1. Our Hydraulic toplinks are designed out of the box to be toplinks. IE CAT 1 & II
2. Our Hydraulic toplinks have forged ends and hardened and chromed rods.
3. Our Hydraulic toplinks have double piloted check valves so they stay where they are set.

Our Hydraulic Toplinks are OEM quality and designed for many years of commercial use.

Oh I have no doubt they are probably the best you can buy...My gripe was cost...
-Like I mentioned, I currently have one of these exact cylinders (8" Stroke) in a "Severe Duty" application...to be honest, its suprising me. There is NO WAY using it as a toplink would break that cylinder...

-Hardened Rod...I couldnt tell you... Chromed Rod: Yep realistically, How many cylinders without chrome rods?

-PERSONALLY, I think the Piloted Check Valves are an optional...not saying they dont work and dont have their place...just that I dont want/need em. I can blip the SCV every now & then...

How much would you/could you sell just the plain ol HTLL cylinder for? No Piloted Check Valve, etc... Like I said...I do think you sell the "Caddillac" of HTL's...If I were to get a complete top & tilt, I'd get it from you guys..

For 200.00 I can buy 2 cylinders, fab both of them up and have a spare just in case it does break...Heck I could always put the standard Top Link back on in a bind while I fix the 1 cylinder...

Seriously speaking...could you/would you offer a non checkvalve version of that cylinder? If so, shoot me a PM and if the price is right I'll take 2 (one for my old man..late fathers day gift)....

 

[3RRL]

I have done a bit of boxblading myself and I can tell you Jerry is right on. You want to be able to move the boxblade tilting forward and backwards to make it as versatile as you can. I would mount the boxblade and set it on the ground so both the front and rear blade are touching ... so it is in a neutral position. Whatever that length is would be the middle of the top link range, allowing adjustment in either direction. If this position is hard to achieve, I would opt to have a little more range to the front, being able to tilt more to the front if anything. As long as you get the front cutting blade off the ground and the rear touching for smoothing, that is an OK position for the boxblade IMHO.

The DPOCV from CCM can play an important role in keeping your adjustment exactly where you want it while doing a bunch of boxblade work.

 

[greg_g]

If I understand this correctly, I need to sit the BB down on level ground with the rear blade about four inches off the ground, and that should be close to the shortest length of the HTL I need (maybe allow an extra inch).

Don't worry about the extra inch, 3" to 4" is enough. I think you may be over-estimating how much those rear blades can actually cut. They can scrape some, but don't count on getting any depth in anything other than loose material. They're more suited for leveling (and scraping). You lower (or angle) the scarifiers for actual cutting, then rock the box back to collect/level/spread what they churned up.

//greg//

 

[GIJOE]

Thanks for the info guys.

CCI,
I am looking at the CAT 1 21-32" and would also like to know if you offer the HTL without the DPCV, and, what diameter rod does that cylinder have?


Greg,
Thanks for the info. I'm not expecting to cut much if any at all with the rear blade. I was concerned about having enough travel to tilt forward enough to "churn up" with the scarifiers, and tilt rearward enough to get the front blade off the ground to spread and smooth. Everything else should fall within those two extremes.

Joe

 

[greg_g]

I was boxblading this morning, and decided to see just how far my HTL would extend. To my surprise, it's not an 8 incher after all. Didn't have a tape in the field, but looked to be a good 12 inches. I use the HTL on half a dozen different implements, never had cause to extend it much more than 6 inches. I figured 8 was the extreme. Nice to know that it will go 12, but can't feature what I'd need that much for

//greg//

 

[dfkrug]

IMO its one of them deals where its not that the CCM unit is bad...I dont think I've read a bad thing about em anywhere...just that for a Farm Boy/Do It Yourselfer like me, its just not worth $100.00 more to me. If I could get the CCM unit for lets say $125.00 then fine, its probably not worth my time to fiddle with it...

I hear you, SPUDLAND. I have made up 4 or 5 hyd toplinks, and it has cost
about $55 for a 2x8x1.125 cyl, and $12 for two forged swivel eyes. I can
then make the toplink the length I want for the particular tractor. That adds
a bit for some 1/2" plate. No DPOCVs, but I agree those are optional. Hoses
and fittings add some $, so a total materials cost of about $100 does it. I
once used a tie rod cyl, but I did not like it. I has gotten hard to find decent
inexpensive surplus 2x8 welded cylinders these days....I should have bought
more when they were on sale at Surplus Center.