Losing toplink pins while brushcutting

[Strider]

Hi folks,

As I mentioned in another post recently, we just bought a 5' KingKutter roatary brush cutter, and I have just finished about 4 or so acres with it. Unfortunately, I have gone through about 4 toplink pins (I think that's what they're called - its the pin that attaches the toplink to the implement). I have tried using the spring-type lynch pins, regular clip pins, and the clip pins with the retainer that makes them look like the letter 'D'. I ended up attaching both the link pin and the lynch pin to the mower with lengths of string, so I wouldn't lose so many. Is this normal? I didn't think toplink pins were supposed to be consumables.... The brushcutter has a "swivel yoke" that rotates up and down; could this be contributing to this problem? I might also mention that the field I was cutting had been plowed while very wet a couple of years ago, and the ride was very rough!
Thanks!

 

[beenthere]

Try using a bolt with a lock nut to keep it in place. Also, watch that the pin/bolt is not too long, which might be causing it to catch on the 'swivel yoke'.

 

[Knight9]

Strider,

You may find this <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.tractorbynet.com/cgi-bin/compact/showflat.pl?Cat=&Board=implement&Number=63877&page=&view=&sb=&o=&vc=1>thread</A> useful. I have had the same problem.

I'm rather /w3tcompact/icons/blush.gif to admit it, but I've done nothing suggested to correct the problem. As a result I just spent an hour the other day walking over what I had cut looking for my top link pin. Fortunately I found it...and the first one I lost!! /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

I think I'm going to ponder the issue prior to my next bush hoggin' experience!!!

Kevin

 

[JerryG]

Strider,
Try asking your dealer about a locking lynch pin. They have a spring loaded hoop just like the regular ones except it is D shaped and both sides of the D has to be squeezed together before the hoop will release. They work really well except they are about $2-$2.50 each.

 

[dullpain]

That "swivel yoke" is probably catching your lynch pin and opening it and so bye bye pin. On the side the lynch pin goes in put a LARGE washer under it. Between pin and swivel yoke. Guaranteed!

 

[Inspector507]

Strider,
Might try a small padlock. Worked for me.

 

[Hillbilly]

That is a good idea...I always used wire...never thought of the padlock...

 

[Inspector507]

I kept losing pins out of the finish mower when I back up under the branches if the fruit trees. I tired wiring them down, but still lost a few. Padlocks.......no lost pins. I get them real cheap at the Big Lots store. Made in China but hey, they're still there.

 

[Hillbilly]

Thats the main thing...they are still there,a cheap lock would be fine....It's not something that you are worried about being stolen anyway. I went to my JD dealer which is in Marietta and ordered extra pins everything on my lift arms and linkage,just to keep in my toolbox in case I lost something.I hate to make a 60 mile round trip over a $2.00 item.

 

[gator]

Since I started doing mine like McCallum said with the big washer (I use a twist of 17ga. electric fence wire on the lynch pin ring to hold it to pin) I haven't lost once since.

 

[Strider]

Hi beenthere,

I tried your suggestion today with one of the spare shear bolts I keep for the mower, and it didn't fall out, but it looks a little small for the holes in the yoke and the toplink bushing - maybe I'll get a bigger bolt or...

Inspector507, What a great idea! I might just get me a small padlock for the existing pin, and put the key on the ring with the Kubota key.

Thanks everybody else for the other suggestions - they sound like they will work fine too. Knight9, I should have done a search first. /w3tcompact/icons/blush.gif Thanks for the other thread.

 

[JimMc]

Just another possibility. We had problems losing pins in shipping on our products. Hard to believe, but they would vibrate out while riding on the trucks. We began using hairpins, but instead of inserting them to the detent position, we pushed them all the way to the end loop. If you look at Gary in Indiana's box blade pics, you can see the scarifier pin retained in this manner. So I tried brush cutting this way and lo and behold, no more lost pins. Long explaination for something simple, but it works.

 

[Gary_in_Indiana]

Here's the pic you mentioned. After reading your post I had to go back and check it out myself. I really didn't give that a thought one way or the other and didn't even remember it that way until I looked again. It sure seems like pushing the pin on further like that would work.

Of course, when I turned my scarifiers around I only put the pins in the conventional way. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[Soundguy]

Here's what i use. The toplink pin has an attatched chain with a spring clip ( and standard pin ) on the chain. The spring clip locks the pin in place. I guess that a strong branch could still rip the chain off, etc.. but it is better than nothing.

Soundguy

 

[BTI]

Have the ship them right to you. If your time is worth anything and your gas I know is worth something, it'll be worth it./w3tcompact/icons/hmm.gif BTW I love those little tidbits you put in the Off topic category. Keep it up.
BTI

 

[jtn]

Strider,

Try one of these:

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.pivotpins.com/catalog/RueRing.shtml>http://www.pivotpins.com/catalog/RueRing.shtml</A>

By the way, are you a Tolkien fan or is your screen name a coincidence?

JT

 

[GarageSmoker]

Heck..I lost the pin holdong the back tire of my bush hog on day two. Didn't realize it and fortunately it happened just as I was coming in for a break. Went for a walk with the wife to show her what I had accomplished the past couple of hours and came across the tire. #%$&*^??? I asked? Dashed up to the tractor and discovered to my dismay it was mine.

Remebering this thread I looked up at the top link and %$#^%*(*^$!!!! Sure enough the I had the same problem there as well. Spent the first hour this morning getting a supply of pins. Put some tie wraps around them so they would get lost if pulled out. They lasted 10 minutes...

Good news is today went well. But darn that tire is heavy!


GS

 

[TresCrows]

That has been happening to me also. Today, I made sure the pin was in because I figured I must be just forgetting so I made a special point to put the pin in, well, it ain't in there anymore, so beats me how that flip over lock pin could get out of the toplink pin hole???????????? I always preflight/postflight my tractor so I was beginning to think I was having a brain cloud but fortunately it is not me after all--it is coming out somehow!!! Next time I will safety wire the sucker in and see how it likes that. J

 

[Gary_in_Indiana]

You don't suppose this is why Tractor Supply always has shelves full of all of the various sizes of these pins, do you? /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif/w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif/w3tcompact/icons/grin.gif/w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif/w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif/w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

 

[TimSullivan]

I saw the pin get pull right out of the right side of my bush hog today. I wasn't using it and it was just on the tractor. I was too lazy to take it off while I was moving some logs with the FEL.

I was backing up and the side of the cutter was sliding along a wild rose bush. A branch flipped up the ring and out popped the pin.

I took the chain from the tool box and pulled the bush out. I do not have too many of these left. I have been pulling them out for two years.