iMatch & telescoping links

   / iMatch & telescoping links #11  
Hoss,

How much modification is necessary with your system. And, educate me a little bit -- How do the telescoping links work? My impression is they would extend to varying degrees to help a person not have to back up perfectly to an implement. Are they simply a mechanical extension or what? I have no mental picture and am obviously green on this subject. I was thinking of buying the iMatch, but learned of LandPride's model and then wondered about lack of a standard. I do want to get good value on implements and am considering KK tiller and perhaps boxblade. Are you saying that your system or others won't work with KK? Do you have to measure distance between attachment points on the implement or what? Thanks for helping with this; need to get a sense of it in my mind.

Bill
 
   / iMatch & telescoping links #12  
I'll go against the grain a bit on this one... I see telescoping lower links as nearly required in Cat II & III sized implements... However for smaller Cat I sized stuff... you can move it around a bit to line up... There are probably exceptions to this (like BHs), but I certainly do not miss not having them on smaller tractors...

OK ... Telescoping-link-supporters... take you best shot!
 
   / iMatch & telescoping links #13  
Thanks for your comments, Steve. It will be interesting to see where this leads.

Bill
 
   / iMatch & telescoping links #14  
Bill,
The modifications would have to be to the implements themselves, not the quick hitch. Most of the time, the problem is interference from support structure or brackets on the implement. While some of these could be modified fairly easily, it would then mean that they would not function without the quick hitch. Other implements would require considerable cutting, relocating, and welding of the hitch structure to make them work.

As far as the telescoping links, you can see a picture of mine that I posted when I bent one of them <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.tractorbynet.com/forumfiles/10-112147-mvc-242f.jpg>here</A>. You lift up on the latch and pull out on the end. Has around 3" of movement. You should be able to get a pretty good idea of how the latch works from the photo. While an attachment, like the KK finish mower that sets on four wheels, is fairly easy to pull to the tractor, as is the really light weight stuff, my cutter, box blade, rear blade, all weigh more than I want to drag around. Not being incapacitated for two weeks after I throw my back out again is worth more than the couple of hundred bucks for the links.

Hoss
 
   / iMatch & telescoping links #15  
Hoss,

Based on your profile, you have years more tractor experience than I'll ever have. We do share a bad back in common. So.... does it make sense to buy a quick hitch and matching implements? I'm going after a JD 4310 with 430 loader. Give me your experience/impression of LP vs. KK. The KK stuff seems to be a good value based on what I've read on TBN. Still, you got a LP boxblade as I recall. Why? Also, tell me how you have been using the boom pole, etc. I think I need a boxblade (there is a KK 5 tine BBlade in town at Orcheiln (sp?) for around $260 -- LPs are 500-600. Worth the difference? How do you use the rake and is it a good implement for you? I'm learning that paint color isn't as important as value, especially with the cost of a 4310. Help. Thanks.

Bill
 
   / iMatch & telescoping links #16  
<font color=blue>on your profile, you have years more tractor experience than I'll ever have.</font color=blue>

Man Bill, ya made me go look at my profile to figure out what I said to make you think that. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif Must have been the "workin' on farms in my youth" comment. Only problem is, that wasn't with compacts and implements like box blades and such AND, my youth was a looooong time ago.

Remember that most free advice is worth what you pay for it and, in my case, you may want to ask for a rebate. I'm also only at about 80 hrs on my 4400, so I haven't torture tested my implements like others on this board have. I'm sure they could give much better advice. Still, I'll try to answer your questions as best I can.

So.... does it make sense to buy a quick hitch and matching implements?
Not for me. I hate limiting myself to one type or brand. The beauty of a 3ph is it's versatility. Why restrict that. Now, with that said, I have about 3 implements that I switch back and forth on a pretty regular basis. I may go ahead and make the modifications I have to for them to work with the quick hitch, but I wouldn't want to be locked into a particular brand just to fit the hitch. I guess you never would actually be locked in, as you could always take off the quick hitch, but then you're back to wrestling implements to line them up with the links.

Still, you got a LP boxblade as I recall. Why?
Because my Deere dealer also sells LandPride. When I ordered the tractor, there were three implements that I knew I wanted right out of the gate. A box blade, roto tiller, & a rotary cutter. These three implements were package priced in with the tractor deal and, as such, cost me much less than buying them separately.

Give me your experience/impression of LP vs. KK.
I won't take anything away from the LP stuff. They are finished beautifully, the welds are solid and they perform as advertised. They are also expensive when compared to KingKutter. The KK implements have a butt-ugly paint job but seem to be built darn tough. For ground engaging equipment (box blades, rear blades, rotary cutters, mowers, rakes, tillers, etc.) I tend to look at the weights of comparable sizes and, if applicable, the rating of the gearbox. If the weight is about the same, they should be built from about the same materials. That leaves welds and finish. I don't worry too much about the finish. If you use these things, they're going to get beat up anyway. If you don't like the color, a little paint can fix that. The welds aren't terribly important for me either. I have a mig welder, stick welder, cutting torch and a plasma cutter. If a weld breaks, I can take care of that. If I had to haul these to a welding shop if something broke, I may put a little more emphasis on the weld quality but, so far, nothing on any of my KK implements has broken.

I think I need a boxblade (there is a KK 5 tine BBlade in town at Orcheiln (sp?) for
around $260 -- LPs are 500-600. Worth the difference?

KK lists two box blades with 5 shanks. A 60" at 415 lbs and 66" at 435 lbs. My LP 2566 box blade is listed at 423 lbs, so the KK meets my weight test. If it looks solid and the welds look good, I'd say it's a good value at that price. Even as part of the tractor package, I can guarantee you that my LP was a lot more than $260.00.

How do you use the rake and is it a good implement for you?
I actually bought the rake to rake the sod clumps out of freshly tilled ground. It has worked fairly well for that, but I'm thinking about taking out every other tooth. The teeth are only spaced about 1" apart, which should be great for spreading and leveling gravel or driveway rock, but it tends to not let much dirt go through. This is one implement that, had it not been for the price of the KK brand, I wouldn't own one. I don't anticipate that I could have gotten enough use out of one to pay 6 or 7 hundred dollars for one.

Also, tell me how you have been using the boom pole
So far, not for much. I've used it a few times to load an extra implement on the trailer when I was taking the tractor to a different location, but that's about it. When I bought the rake at Atwoods, the boom pole was just sittin' there with a $67.00 price tag on it. For that, I thought I should take it home with me.

I'm learning that paint color isn't as important as value, especially with the cost of a 4310.
For the most part, I agree with that. If I had unlimited funds, I might like to have everything green/yellow to match the tractor. Since I don't, I bought a couple gallons of paint and saved a bunch on the implements. However, price cannot be your ONLY criteria. You obviously think so too, or you wouldn't be spending the money for a Deere when there's a lot of less expensive stuff out there. When it comes to the KK equipment, I do think they offer a very good value for the dollar, though they may not be the "best dressed" at the party.

Hoss
 
   / iMatch & telescoping links #17  
Hoss,

Thanks for the quality/content of your response. Guess I forgot to ask about the tiller (KK about one half the cost of LP, but is it worth it?), whether you have a HD bucket on the 430 loader? Speaking of which, any recommendations on how I can move brush piles? Will be cutting down several Eastern Red Cedars (tons of limbs) and moving the logs, perhaps to have cut for posts or even rough-sawn lumber. The problem is how to move them with a bad back -- don't want to do more with it than I have to. Would loader forks be the best option in your opinion? (others please chime in). Is there a way to add a grapple to a 430 loader that JD already has designed?

That boom pole -- can one lift implements on and off a trailer with one? -- idea being if I get these implements outside the package deal at some store, how can I get them home? I read in the KK manual that they are designed for lifting around 500 pounds NON-moving. If that's the case, what can one do with them? How do you stabilize the load? Chains, straps?

Finally, about my 401K performance.................

Thanks again!

Bill
 
   / iMatch & telescoping links #18  
Bill,
Man, you're goin' to make me work for my pay tonight, aren't ya! O.K., here ya go.

about the tiller (KK about one half the cost of LP, but is it worth it?
I never looked at the KK tiller. At the time I ordered my tractor, I wasn't even aware that KK made a tiller. At that time, it was not listed on their web site. Someone (I believe it may have been John Miller) was talking once before about the virtues of the KK tiller, mainly that it is gear drive as opposed to chain drive. You might try a search and see if you can find a reference to it.

whether you have a HD bucket on the 430 loader?
No, but if I had to do over again, I would. I've been pushing up a lot of trees into brush piles and I'm banging mine up pretty good. Using the J.D. equipment configurator, (run that word through your spell checker) it should cost less than $200.00 to upgrade to a 73" H.D. bucket over the standard bucket.

Speaking of which, any recommendations on how I can move brush piles?
I've been moving a lot of brush, but I've just been pushing it on the ground into piles. I've ordered a toothbar from Carver Equipment that, according to everything I've read on TBN, should be a valuable asset, but it hasn't shown up yet so I can't offer anything from personal experience.

Is there a way to add a grapple to a 430 loader that JD already has designed?
I believe so, though I'm not aware of one from J.D. The ones I've seen on the net are made by Long and can be seen at <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.carverequipment.com/wrlong_loader_attachments.htm>Carver Equipment's Web Site</A>. It looks like these are complete buckets though and would probably require a third SCV on the tractor. That's a cost that only you can decide if it's worth it or not.

That boom pole -- can one lift implements on and off a trailer with one?
O.K., with all appropriate disclaimers of "Don't try this at home" and "Do as I say, not as I do", I have lifted implements off and on the trailer. The heaviest being the KK 72" finish mower which is listed at 650 lbs. At it's highest point (lifting it off of the trailer), I made sure that I was on level ground. As soon as I had cleared the trailer, I lowered the unit to just off the ground (it was still in a crate). I then drove the tractor to the place where I was going to uncrate and assemble the unit. With the FEL on the tractor, I never got a feeling of the front end being light, but I definitely got a sense of side to side instability. I drove with one hand on the 3ph lever so that it could be dropped if I felt the tractor become too unstable, but never had to do this. Be Careful!!

How do you stabilize the load?
I hook it up with a chain and get the chain in the shortest position possible. This helps to keep swaying to a minimum.

Finally, about my 401K performance.................
Considering what I lost in the market a couple of years ago, are you ever barkin' up the wrong tree. The "investments" profile listing for occupation is kind of misleading, but I couldn't think of a better term. I am a franchisee, though I don't do day to day operations of the units. I'm what I refer to as "semi-retired". It is from my "investment" in these businesses that I make my meager little income.

Hoss
 
   / iMatch & telescoping links #19  
Hoss, what a guy! In one night, you've made it to my personal TBN Hall of Fame. Of course, the reward for that is to (hopefully) field additional naive, newbie-type questions. The other two of the "Big Three" may not realize it, but this could be the best motivation you might have to buy Orange or Blue. Of course, you could try to talk me in that direction, but you were right earlier - there are numerous reasons for buying green. Thanks for your time tonight. BTW, I was doing all this while preparing for court testimony tomorrow a.m. -- MUCH rather think tractors that psychometric properties of psychological tests that could be challenged by the black and white thinking associated with the legal system (no offense to anyone). Glad I'm in my realm and not theirs, but I digress............

Bill
 
   / iMatch & telescoping links #20  
<font color=blue>MUCH rather think tractors that psychometric properties of psychological tests</font color=blue>

/w3tcompact/icons/hmm.gifSay What!!!/w3tcompact/icons/hmm.gif

Hoss
 

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