Top n Tilt on the cheap - long

[IvanS]

Blame it all on Henro....

A long story form my prospective, but I think I have just about all I need to build a T&T for my B7800 now!

It all started while I was designing my own grass/leaf collection system for my Kubota F2260 front mower. Kubota wants ~ $4K for this setup for my mower:
Grass Catcher

I decided I could do it myself much cheaper. While I was looking for hydraulic cylinders and valves for the dump portion of the collection system, I stumbled on Henro's post through Google - already being a sometimes lurker – I knew if it was from Henro the information would be good:
Henro's Post

Henro's posting on T&T got me to thinking how handy that would be for the B7800 – did I mention I was not looking for a T&T solution?

I found some cylinders on eBay from a seller in Iowa. Henro indicated that his solution included a Prince 2.5 inch x 8” stroke top-link cylinder – I got one for $40 from the seller:

Top Cylinder

I then saw he was using 4” stroke side cylinders – got 4 (1 ½” x 3” stroke, not 4”) of them for $30 each (only needed two for the original mower project – tell me - how did I end up here?):

Side Cylinders

I bought all the cylinders thinking that eventually I would do the T&T thing on the tractor - key word – Eventually. Today I got to thinking that I needed to get a valve for the mower project – so it was off to eBay again. I did not find a valve for the mower, but I did find these:

Hydraulic Valves

Short story, I bought 4 of these with inlet and outlet sections including power beyond port and handles for $249. These are the valves with check valves built in like Henro used I think. My intention is to mount them behind the seat and fabricate some cables to run them from handles mounted on the fender - sorry Hero - I just can't go with the Rops mount overhead.

That adds up to $349 for all the major parts. I hope that if I can buy all the hoses and fittings I need for less than $200 I'll only have $550 invested in this solution. I may be a bit optimistic on the hose and fitting cost, but I’ve got some local sources for help on that. I see that CCM is seeling thier package now for $600 - a good price, but I will have two tilt cylinders and an extra remote which will work nicely for the York rake. Dang, now I need another cylinder!

If you are interested in some of these parts, contact the seller – krussell@cfu.net they have been good to work with – usual disclaimer – I have no affiliation with these folks, just a happy customer.

You’ll have to excuse me now while I go back to eBay to buy some Miller products – Mig Welder, Tig/ Stick Welder and a Plasma Cutter.

Guy’s, I could use some help with the following when the wife gets home tonight:

“See Dear, I saved all this money on the grass collector and the Top and Tilt for the tractor – I’ll be able to clean up the yard and grade the drive and work the yard so much faster…. And Miller is having a 3% increase tomorrow (true BTW) And you see, the welders and Plasma cutter only cost $3500 so that added to the cost of the cylinders and valves and I still paid only a little more than the $4000 that it would have cost for the grass collector alone….”

Stay tuned for the outcome of both projects.

Thanks Henro…..

 

[MadReferee]

You should look here for my solution to mounting the valve block.

TNT for Kubota B-series

 

[Henro]

<font color="blue"> Blame it all on Henro.... </font>

/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif Used to that...it started about 32 years ago with the words "I do." /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

I'd say you did real well on cost of parts so far. I bet I paid over $250 more than you did...for essentially the same stuff.

I am pretty sure that 3" stroke will be ample for side cylinders when using two. I remember a post by someone in the past that was satisfied with one 4" stroke tilt cylinder.

One thing to be careful about is heat when welding the ends on those 3" stroke cylinders, especially the rod end. I had to take it slow and do multiple welds with cooling time in between to fell comfortable and keep the heat down at the seal area...

Later I saw a post where someone (need a better memory, remember the post and pictures, but forget who posted it /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif ) actually took their cylinder apart, and I guess that could be an option when welding short stroke cylinders.

Fittings and hoses are a relatively large part of the project, cost wise, from what I can see. Hope you have better luck with your supplier than I did.

Seems like I choose the proper title for that thread you referred to above. For me the "T&T Path" truly seems to have become "never ending..." You will probably have you system put together and operating before I even get hoses for mine in my hands... /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

Look forward to more updates on your project.

By the way, I have about 30 tach hours on the tractor since I put that control valve up on my ROPS, and while I doubt I would want it there if I did not have that "head protector" on the tractor, I have found it to be totally out of the way as far as tractor/backhoe opertion goes. It still remails to be seen whether I will actually like using it though.

Good luck and have fun with your project!