Top & Tilt for 4200?

[Gary_in_Indiana]

I started out wanting a hydraulic top link for my 4200 but have now been toying with the idea of a hydraulic top & tilt for it. I'm wondering if anyone has done this and how it worked for them, how it's working and how they did it, what all was used, what it cost, etc.?

Has anyone done this who can help me out here?

 

[hazmat]

<font color=green>I started out wanting a hydraulic top link for my 4200 but have now been toying with the idea of a hydraulic top & tilt for it</font color=green>

It's a disease! You start with humble ambitions, then decide you need all the bells and whistles.

How is the "convertable" conventional / fifth wheel auto transporter project coming?

 

[Green_in_MI]

I had a hydraulic top link made for my deere. I bought a yellow off the shelf hydraulic cylinder from deere and had a welding shop put a ball end on the extendable shaft and a right angle swivel type contraption on the fixed end. I used the same design that I saw on Baileynet Hydraulics web site for their hydraulic toplink. I hooked it up to the 3rd selective valve output on the back of the tractor. I never use the MMM anymore because the tractor is too busy doing real work. I had the counter guys at Deere make the hoses and quick connects. The quick connects were special sizes i had to get from deere. The cylinder was about $70, hoses $25, welding $75. Ability to adjust the implement while sitting on the tractor = priceless.

I have often contemplated how I could get another cylinder in there to do the tilt on the implement. It would take lots more fabrication than the toplink and it would require a diverter valve if i only planned on using my single rear outlet pair. Deere now makes a top and tilt kit for the 4000 series. Real expensive.

When I do finally fabricate a secong hydraulic control at the rear of my 4200, i will probably use it more to rotate an implement like a rake. The hydrualic top link is awesome and now I could not do without it. I just don't see the need for the side link hydraulics considering how much cost and fabrication it would take. For the very few time i need to move the implement from horizontal i just turn the turnbuckle by hand,

 

[OkieG]

Gary,

The General Forums section has a current thread: "hydraulic top-link?" that has some good infomation. One of the posts has a link to a cylinder source that looks like a good prospect.

My tractor is a couple of versions out of date, but I just bought an auxillary outlet kit (Deere) that is available with either 2 quick connects (for one cylinder, ie top) or 4 quick connects (for two cylinders, ie top n tilt). You can use power- beyond for fluid and buy the 2 spool valve of your choice.

There are many old threads addressing this topic. Too many to confortably read on the computer screen (for me, at least), so I printed them all, read them at my leisure, and hi-lighted parts of particular interest. I also jotted down web sites mentioned in the threads on a single piece of paper for my own reference once I get serious about top n tilt for my tractor.

I haven't heard of anybody disappointed in their TnT. A question I have, however, deals with drift and settling of the implement once positioned using TnT. My loader drifts down noticeably in a few minutes. I expect the box blade or whatever is towed behind the tractor will drift and settle, too. I don't know if that is much of a problem or not.

I think I recall someone here on TBN saying that for precision work where drift and settling would be a problem, he repalces the TnT with the OEM top and side links.

OkieG

 

[Gary_in_Indiana]

Stephen,

I literally laughed out loud at your post. It wouldn't have been nearly so funny if it hadn't been so true. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

As to the dolly, I'm trying to get a dolly maker to do one up to my spec's as a 'prototype' for me. I don't know if I'll be able to pull that off or not, but it would sure help the pricing. /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

 

[Gary_in_Indiana]

<font color=blue>"I hooked it up to the 3rd selective valve output on the back of the tractor"</font color=blue>

Is that standard on all 4200's or was that an option needed for the MMM? I seem to think the latter is true in which case I don't believe mine has that option.

Showing my total ignorance on the subject, I will mention I have a backhoe so should have some hydraulics I wouldn't be using with the backhoe off and the three point hitch arms in place. Would those be of use to me in this quest?

 

[OkieG]

Would those be of use to me in this quest?

Yes!! Your backhoe fluid is likely from the power-beyond function. Once your TnT hardware is in place, the high pressure hose that would go to the backhoe will be connected to the input side of your spool valve. A hose at the other end of the spool valve will return fluid to the tractor reservoir, just as the backhoe does. In between will be hoses to the quick disconnects which will allow the valve to actuate a cylinder. Good luck, Gary.

OkieG

 

[hazmat]

<font color=blue>As to the dolly, I'm trying to get a dolly maker to do one up to my spec's as a 'prototype' for me. I don't know if I'll be able to pull that off or not, but it would sure help the pricing</font color=blue>

Sounds like a good plan.

As to your Top & Tilt. with the backhoe hydraulics, you definitely have a place to tap into for the T&T.

Might be time to invite your buddy, the Kubota Dealer, and maybe his mechanic /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif over for a couple cold ones & some tractor talk. They should be able to point you in the right direction as to what valves, hoses, & fittings etc you need. Then you can buy your hoses from him.

I like to buy hardware locally, always easier to see in person if hose A attaches to Connection B than over the net or telephone. Worth paying a premium if need be.

 

[Gary_in_Indiana]

As luck would have it I was reading your post when a customer who works for a local company called PHC came in. I never knew what PHC was or what they did. I just knew he did a lot of hands on design and service work for them. Well, as it turns out PHC was originally Power Hose Couplings and specialized in hydraulic hoses and couplings but has since expanded to other areas as well and, hence, the name change.

The bottom line is this guy tells me what a piece of cake doing something like this would be, especially with lines already in place for my backhoe. He said he can get the parts I need at a good price and would put it all together for me at a reasonable cost, too. While I sure want to get some more specific numbers than "good price" and "reasonable cost," this sounds like it could well be the way for me to go on this. He also told me to go ahead and see how much I'd spend on parts elsewhere so as to make sure I'm getting the best deal possible. I mentioned the hydraulic cylinders from Green Mfg. at $90 + $9 shipping and he said he thought that was a very good price, for example. I'd prefer to buy something locally unless I'm going to have to pay a huge premium to do so. What would be a good price to spend for having just the hydraulic top link? What would be a good price to have to top and tilt done at the same time?

One more question about this. Something he suggested was a four position lever like the SCV that controls my FEL rather than two separate control levers. At first blush the four position lever sounds pretty cool. Are there any pros or cons to either method?

 

[Green_in_MI]

The 3rd selector was included as part of the MMM. The lever is located on top of the fender by the cup holder. The 3rd selector valve setup is $200 on the Deere build site. That does not include labor for aftermarket installation, but, I would consider that option because the extra lines would not interfere with your ease of backhoe hookup like using the power beyond lines would.