Why so few hydraulic top links?

SpringBox · Apr 25, 2006

A big thanks to all who have contributed to this forum in the past - for me it has inspired the making of a number of 3 pt implements such as a sprayer, box blade, scarifier and rear counterweight for my Kubota BX2300 which make life much easier (oh and helps me justify some of the more expensive tools). /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

However, one of the most useful additions to any CUT must be a hydraulic top link as the manual ones can be a real pain. They cannot be difficult to make if you start with correctly sized bits.

Does anyone have any experience of ram size, stroke, pipe dia etc? Any advice would be much appreciated.

MadReferee · Apr 25, 2006

Why make one when they can be purchased, with double pilot operated check valves, for under $200?

Save yourself time and aggravation and go to Carter & Carter and order one of theirs. Best $189 you will have ever spent. Plenty of us here on TBN have already done so.

dfkrug · Apr 26, 2006

I have bought a number of the hyd toplinks ready-made,
but you can make one for only $75 in materials. Agri-supply
has cylinders for $60 and the swivel eyes for 3.99 ea.
Hoses add another $15. If I did it over again, I would make
one myself because then I can make one with extra long
action.

SpringBox · Apr 26, 2006

Thanks for the replies guys.

Boy are you spoilt living in the USA - despite what you might think, everything is SO cheap there !

Here in the UK a similar hydraulic top link (if you can find one small enough for a cat 1 linkage) is about $600 and the parts to make one are not available from agricultural merchants.

Now a bit of a moan because it has been a long day...

Unleaded petrol (gas) is nearly $8 a gallon, income tax is 50%, sales tax 17.5% on almost everything, land and housing is EXTREMELY expensive and it rains all the time; our lunatic government has banned hunting and will soon try to ban fishing whilst uncontrolled immigration (often of people who's alien culture would like to destroy the very country which welcomes them in no questions asked) is making it seem a foreign land - no place like home eh?

Thanks, that feels better....

Back to the point - crazily I have brought a few items over from the states - paid retail in US, shipped it across the Atlantic, paid import duty, sales tax, had it shipped by road to my house & it is still less than half UK prices !!

Whilst I am not going to allow you to be too smug, you are lucky having so much choice.

Keep up the good work.

MadReferee · Apr 26, 2006

At least you should be able to get the double pilot operated check valves in the UK. A few weeks ago while surfing the net for hydraulic supplies, I stumbled across a hydraulic supplier in Ireland if I recall, and he had the stuff we can't seem to find over here.

Reg · Apr 26, 2006

( I have bought a number of the hyd toplinks ready-made,
but you can make one for only $75 in materials. Agri-supply
has cylinders for $60 and the swivel eyes for 3.99 ea.
Hoses add another $15. If I did it over again, I would make
one myself because then I can make one with extra long
action. )

I'd be interested to know WHICH cylinder to order from Agri. Bore and stroke, check valves, etc.
I'd like to do the same on the right side link too.
I think "Top 'n Tilt" is the commercial name for those in combination.

Reg · Apr 26, 2006

Hey SpringBox,
There isn't any REAL beer here.
They didn't tell me about THAT ! before I left.

(-:

Sarge · Apr 27, 2006

I have a B1700 with a 301 FEL. Reading the owners manual it says that on the Hydraulic Block there is a "power beyond port". Does this mean that I can hook a hose to this and then run it to the valve control for the rear remotes?????

MadReferee · Apr 27, 2006

Sort of. The power beyond hose from the loader probably connects to that port on the hydraulic block. To add another valve to control rear remotes you must put the valve in series with the power beyond port. That means take the hose that connects to the power port on the block (probably comes from the loader) and connect it to the inlet of your new aux valve. Connect the power beyond port of your aux valve back to the power beyond port on the hydraulic block. Connect the tank line from your aux valve to wherever the tank line from the loader valve goes, usually on the transmission somewhere. This line can be teed and is the only line that can be teed.

You are now all set.

Sarge · Apr 27, 2006

explained well,,, thanks Mad

OldMcDonald · Apr 28, 2006

Spring Box, To quote Max Boyce "Yeah, I know". Come to Portugal. I cannot afford to live in the UK, but have a very good life here on very little money. Start looking at places for sale on the Internet. Suggest you buy somewhere that already has a house rather than a ruin. Talk to me direct if you are interested. I have no connection with any estate agents, but there are a few Brits like us near Castelo Branco and I would suggest one agent in particular as being very honest and very helpful. Old McDonald.

JRP · Apr 30, 2006

Springbox,

Some people really like to work, so they don't get a hyd top link or a quick hitch. It gives them lots of opportunity to get on and off the tractor and to create new combinations of four letter words. They may also be trying real hard to get injured so they can have their chance at lawsuit-lotto.

You must also keep in mind that in order for some us us to have average intellegence that 50% of all people have to have below average intellegence.

It you like the top link, try a Speeco or JD I-mathch quick hitch. These cost about $200-$230 in US.

Reg · Apr 30, 2006

( Springbox,

Some people really like to work, so they don't get a hyd top link or a quick hitch. It gives them lots of opportunity to get on and off the tractor and to create new combinations of four letter words. They may also be trying real hard to get injured so they can have their chance at lawsuit-lotto.

You must also keep in mind that in order for some us us to have average intellegence that 50% of all people have to have below average intellegence.

It you like the top link, try a Speeco or JD I-mathch quick hitch. These cost about $200-$230 in US.

)

Not so,
Unless you know a LOT more about the statistical distribution of intelligence than I do (possible, but unlikely).
50% above the average and 50% below the average would be true only for some particular distribution(s).

Farwell · Apr 30, 2006

Huh?
Must be that I fall in one of the lower categories, I can't even spell statistical with out a spell checker.
Farwell

SpringBox · May 2, 2006

Hi Guys - thanks for your comments and your humour.

I would like to come clean & dispell a few myths here - very usefull but nevertheless play tractors like mine (Kubota BX 2200) exist for a number of reasons

1) to keep you out of the house
2) to keep you away from the wife (that is why tractors only have one seat)
3) they are made specially loud so that you cannot hear her words (so many to describe simple concepts)
4) people build 3 pt sprayers spewing forth nasty chemicals to re-enforce point 2 above
5) To allow us to build implements thus justifying tools which we previously told her were usefull and would save money
8) To mow the grass and look after the garden

I think we should all admit thet playing tractor is <<almost>> the most fun you can have on your own and most will have tried ravishing your (own) woman whilst covered in grease and smelling of diesel - a whole new idea for outdoor persuits !!

Keep up the good work.

PS Old McDonald

Just between you & me the UK is still the best place to live but you are right, it is getting more & more expensive to have a bit of your own space.

dfkrug · May 4, 2006

Which parts to buy for a home-made TnT setup?

ASC is very inexpensive but I do not prefer the tie-rod
cyls. I like welded cyls cuz less crap gets hung up on them.
I do not have a need for the additional check valves and
many others do not either. You need to measure the
strokes you want for both cyls and buy what your tractor
needs. Then you have to cut the ends and weld on the
swivel joints. 2.5 or 3" bore is fine, as are 1/4" hoses
and fittings.

srjones · May 4, 2006

( Unless you know a LOT more about the statistical distribution of intelligence than I do (possible, but unlikely).
50% above the average and 50% below the average would be true only for some particular distribution(s). )

However, roughly 50% of people are above and below the median intelligence level. If the average and median are the same, then it's also true for the average.

Hey, I did remember something from school??!! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Back on the subject of hydraulic top links, does anybody know to incorporate a laser level detector into the control system? (for precision grading, etc). I know there are commericial systems available, but they are waaaay out of my price range. For example...http://www.laser-grade.com/

I suspect that a limited system could built with standard hardware and few modifications. Has anyone done this?

JRP · May 4, 2006

srjones,

One of the problems with most detectors is that they are made to be very accurate, and they have a very small heigth window. Many actually see with about a 1.5" high sensor. If you go over a bump it could loose the signal. They also indicate high or low if your off level by only a vary tiny amount 0.020" perhaps. This would reallly jerk your cylinder around. In short they are made for hand use, not a tractor.

I bought a spectra CR600, which is a dual purpose detector for hand or excavator use, and has a magnet mount. It has a 6" detector with 1" coarse setting for machine use.

http://www.trimble.com/cr600.shtml

It would be posible to open the caase and solder wires onto the UP and DOWN diode legs. These wires could operate an inexpensive solid state relay called an "opto-isolator" which would power the solenoid coild for UP and DOWN. Opto-22 is a popular brand and about $10 on ebay.

It would take a five-way, three position valve with two 12V solenoid coils. Five way is needed so the valve would have "open-center". Further detail on the valve is beyound the scope of this post. I think I got this part right.

Any how, for now I have a reciever for the back of my box and I use the boom pole stinger inserted into the reciever as a place for the magnet to stick to. The UP-DOWN LEDs are bright and beeper is real loud so I am the valve. It works pretty good out of the box.

/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif Link to CR600

Hope this helps

srjones · May 5, 2006

Thanks JRP, that's exactly the kind of information I was looking for /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

JRP · May 7, 2006

Feel free to email me. I'm also interested in this project. I design and repair control systems so could help you.

The CR600 detector remembers if the laser if off of the sensor and flashes the last reading. You will need a limit switch at each end of the top link so if the cylinder is at the end of stroke the control can no longer comand the solenoid to send more oil. This prevents the hydraulic system from being dead headed. The logic is simple.

If the detector needs the scraper down and the cylinder is not already at the end of down stroke then send oil to move the scraper down.

If the detector needs the scraper up and the cylinder is not already at the end of up stroke then send oil to move the scraper up.

If you are serious about this project then you should make a new post with an appropriate title. Many of the parts would be available on ebay.

Budget:
CR600 $600
Sol valve $300
Cylinder with integral magnetic liimit switches $400
Opto-22 modules $20

When you start to look at what it really costs then a used commercial unit from ebay, with a much lower technical risk of not working, starts to look not too bad. Also, the human control element (my current method) seems pretty cheap.

My recomendation for now is to get a CR600 and play with it.