Top Link positioning, L3130

[Jibber]

New owner of an L3130. I'm using a 65" Bush Hog box blade for spreading and levelling gravel. The blade was purchased with the tractor and when it arrived the top link was positioned in the top of the three holes on the tractor bracket. I'm a good reader and in the Kubota manual there is a graph of which position to use for what type of implement. Hole 1 is the top.. hole 3 the bottom. Hole 1, the one which was used by my dealer in setting up the machine, is recommended for virtually nothing but light stuff. Hole three.. closest to the PTO shaft.. is what is recommended (by the manual) for a box blade, mower, other heavy or high drag implements (plows included). But, and here's the rub, if you look at Kubota's literature.. every shot you see of someone using ANYTHING.. including a box blade.. the top link is in hole one..

Does this "positioning" mean anything really? It seems to me that when the box blade is in it's working position.. down on the gravel.. the top link would be more parallel with the ground and tractor in that top (hole one) position. Not that I'm a physics major.. but that would seem to be the best for the tractor .. stress and leverage and blah blah.

anyway. Would love to hear how you folks attach your implements.. would love to hear what Kubota engineers had in mind when they printed this manual.. my dealer's set-up man says they always use the top hole.. but he didn't seem to know why..

 

[chrisjbell]

I use the top hole most of the time, with no problems. I've only got two of 'em, but my dealer has recommended the top for pretty much all of my attachments. He set up my backhoe attachment using the top hole, and that is the biggest thing I've got.

On the other hand, it does make sense that the lower holes would provide better leverage. Think I'll give that a shot - and be keeping an eye on this post for recommendations.

 

[JATO_RaT]

My manual says to use any hole. I have a L48

 

[CTyler]

I have the same tractor and a Woods HB 65" box blade. I'm using the middle hole, I have 3 on the bracket. I'm still pretty new at this and haven't played with it much. It sure pulls it without any problem though! The 65" SR with more capacity would have been better for me.

Here are my thoughts on it. Depending on where you connect the toplink the arc will change more/less when lifting/dropping the implement. It also appears that the higher you connect on the top link the easier it is for the blade to lift under load.

Now, how much difference are you going to notice? Don't know, haven't played with it. I'm sure someone with more experiance can elaborate.