Hydraluic TopLink - Transfered from QDMA forum

[yoderjac]

Well, I've done it. I ordered one. Here is the one I ended up with: http://www.agristoreusa.com/collect...nk-cylinder/products/hydraulic-top-link-06004
It is supposed to arrive on Thursday. I'm picking up my Kioti from the shop of Friday, so I'll have them make me hoses to fit.
I has an 11" stroke and goes from about 21" to about 32".
I've been trying to figure out how to improve my Kasco No-till Versadrill. One problem I have is lifting the drill high enough for transport and still getting proper pressure on the trailing cultipacker for good coverage. And just like all 3-point drills, getting it to conform to the ground as the tractor goes over small hills and dips in the field.
I have a detent leaver in the cab with a set of hydraulic outlets on the rear, but there is no float position. I had considered trying to install some kind of hydraulic float circuit to allow the drill to conform to the ground but decided against it due to cost.
Instead, I plan to use a combination of the hydraulic toplink and a chain. The shortest my toplink ever needs to be to lift the drill with proper cultipacker clearance is 24" and 28" puts it level on the ground with plenty of cultipacker pressure. If I add a piece of 3" chain to the end of the toplink, when it is retracted to 21", I should have plenty of clearance. When I go to use the drill, I'll simply extend it until there is slack in the chain. That slack should allow the drill to tilt rearward slightly as the tractor goes over uneven ground.
The longest my existing toplink can be extended safely is about 32", so I should be able to use this with a variety of implements.
I'll report back as to how well it works.
Thanks,
Jack

 

[yoderjac]

You made a real time saving and implement improvement devise. I would purchase one also if I had rear remotes. I'm considering installing 4 rear remotes so I can install top link and tilt link.
Good luck and post pictures - especially with the chain hook-up.

Sounds neat,I put a quick hitch on my tractor a couple years ago and rigged all my implements.It's the best thing I ever did,no fighting the swing arms at all.Back up raise get off flip 2 levers and hook up top link

 

[yoderjac]

I have a quickhitch for a smaller tractor and it works pretty well. I haven't seen the need for my Kioti. The arms have sliding extensions which make hook up pretty easy. I also have cement floor in the barn and I made dollies for my implements so I can move them around pretty easily for hookup.
I will post some pics when the hydraulic toplink is rigged up.

 

[yoderjac]

Please do post pics of the chain hook-up. I'm very interested as well.
Thanks!
Cy

 

[yoderjac]

The unit came in yesterday. I picked up my tractor from the shop today and they made me a set of hoses on the spot. Here is the link by itself:

Here it is extended a bit with a tiller attached:

Very nice!
Thanks,
Jack

 

[yoderjac]

Clean installation.....and good hose locations. I got a hydraulic top link on my wish list. I've read lots of folks are happy with 'em....especially with box blade use.....and may be nice with a cutter or disc I would think.

Nice!!! I been wanting me one of those!

 

[yoderjac]

I have not had a chance to hook up the no-til drill, but I did hook up my big finish mower today. The concept should be exactly the same. Here are the pictures:
I used a 3/4" hitch pin to go through the toplink to make sure I did not damage it using something smaller than 3/4". I took a pair of turnbuckles and put one on each side of the top link over the hitch pin. I connected each end of a 1' chain to the turnbuckles. On the mower side, I put another turnbuckle around the pin, and attached it to the middle of the chain.

You can see the setup in the picture above. The toplink is fully retracted in the picture. The picture below shows how high I can lift the mower for transport.

With the toplink fully retracted, if I lower the hitch, you can see from the picture below that the rear wheels don't quite touch the ground.

Continued on the next post...

 

[yoderjac]

When I drop the hitch and extend the toplink, the mower rests on all four wheels as it is supposed to.

You can see in the picture below, with the toplink extended enough that there is slack in the chain, the mower will follow the contour of the ground with all four wheels behind the tractor regardless of undulation.

I mowed a bunch of fields with it today and it works like a dream!
Thanks,
Jack

 

[yoderjac]

looks great!! I bet that will make life much better!!

 

[yoderjac]

Someone was asking about the Kasco Versadrill for an ATV in an other thread and it reminded me that I had not updated this thread.
The only change I needed to use the hydraulic toplink with the Kasco was to use a different length chain. I couldn't find any pictures of it, but it really looks no different than the other implements shown above in terms of the toplink connection.
I got a chance to use it during the fall plant. I drilled GHR into my established clover fields. The unit worked great with the hydraulic toplink. Basically, I shorten the toplink to its shortest length and then lift the unit. This provides lots of clearance of the cultipacker for transport. Once in position to plant a row, I drop the unit with the 3-point hitch. I then extend the toplink until the chain has some slack in it and then plant the row.
The result is much better performance from the drill. I no longer get "missed spots" where the terrain causes the tractor to lift the cultipacker enough to stop seed flow. (The cultipacker is used for the ground driven seed metering). I no longer have any issues in terms of the cultipacker not compressing spots because the drill follows the contour of the ground.
In addition to the hydraulic toplink, I added a foamer just like the one on my sprayer. On some ground I could easily see my last pass, but depending on the trash in the field, some times I would leave gaps between rows. The foamer has helped with that. Here are the pictures:

Thanks,
Jack

 

[yoderjac]

Yoder, Man, that is a very well Engineered set up you have these days! :D
I never realized how far back that cultipacker stuck. Hey, I can't say I remember seeing any fall plant photos. You got any? I need visual proof to insepect those rows. :p

Sorry Cave, you'll have to wait for the spring plant to critique my rows. I drilled GHR strips into my clover fields in Aug so the gaps between rows were intentional. Planting GHR in Aug worked very well. I got great forage and much bigger tubers than when I planted in Sept. There is less need to suppress the clover in Aug due to dormancy. My wife took me on an Alaska cruise so I was really running late getting everything done before the season and I didn't take any pics. The forage looks about the same as the pictures I posted last fall, but the tubers on the GHR are bigger.
The cover crop, rye, crimson clover, and PTT I surface broadcast into the standing beans worked great. I broadcast the PTT in Aug when I drilled the GHR. I waited until Sept to broadcast the WR and Crimson. The cover crop did well. PTTs are huge and the others fill in around them.
You are right about the cultipacker. The Hydraulic toplink seems to have been a good answer.

 

[yoderjac]

Bringing this back to the top because of my problem leveling three point equipment,
http://www.qdma.com/forums/showthread.php?t=68960
I've decided to buy one of these, but not sure what size to get. My tractor is a 5095 John Deere, 95 HP, with category 2 links. Measuring the manual top link that is on there, it goes from 22 inches to 28 inches so I was thinking of getting this one:
http://www.agristoreusa.com/collect...ic-top-link/products/01597-hydraulic-top-link
What do you think??

My tractor is only 40 hp but it has interchangeable lower arms and I primarily use cat 2 and cat 2 equipment. I used a number of different length top links on my tractor depending on what implement I was using. I wanted to buy one that would work for everything. I basically put on the implement that required the shortest top-link tightened as much as possible and measured it. I then hooked up implement that required the longest top-link extended as far as possible and measured it. That gave me the general range I was looking for. I made a few adjustments to the numbers based on the fact that I planed to use a short length of chain with some equipment.
I ended up with the one described in the first post with an 11" range. It works very well for me. I would go through a similar exercise if I were you to get a feel for what length stroke and what the shortest and longest lengths you need are.
I guess I'm using what is equivalent to a cat 1 top-link with cat 2 lift arms, primarily on small cat 2 equipment. I have no issues with my equipment. If I had a 90 hp tractor, I would definitely look for a cat 2 hydraulic toplink.

 

[yoderjac]

Good idea!!! If I'm going to spend that kind of money I don't want to screw it up!!
One downside that I can see to the hydraulic top link is that its going to be a pain to get it hooked up if you're by yourself. With a manual top link, once you have the bottom two arms of the three point hooked up, you can just turn the manual top link until you get the pin in. With the hydraulic one, its going to be up and down on the tractor, adjusting the hydraulic link, until you get it just right.

Actually, I find it much easier to hookup with the hydraulic toplink. Here is what I do. I keep the toplink held upright with a bungie cord when it is not in use. When I'm ready to hook up an implement, I extend the top link as far as it goes. I then hook up the arms and put the toplink pin into the implement without the toplink. I then remove the bungie and lower the toplink so it is sitting on the pin. I then shorten it until the hole is right over the pin. I then remove the pin, drop the toplink in line, and hook it up.
Thanks,
Jack

 

[yoderjac]

Like Jack, I find it much easier. I don't know how big your tractor is, but on mine I can reach the hydro lever through the rear window of my cab. It's MUCH nicer than the manual top link ever was. My tractor is only 46 hp and I'm 6-1, so if it's a taller tractor and a shorter person, I can see where it would be a problem.
Btw, a maintenance guy at work made mine for me. He took the lengths I needed, bought a cylinder at Rural King, had hoses made at Napa, made reducers, and assembled it. I have about $125 in mine.

Thanks!!! Makes sense!!!
Thats what I like about this forum, guys sharing their personal experience!!! It really helps shorten the learning curve!!

I thought about that, looking at the local farm stores for a hydraulic top link you realize its just a hydraulic cylinder with different ends, but by the time I pay a blacksmith to cut off and change them, I may as well buy one ready made.

Good point, I forgot that he also had to weld on new ends.

 

[yoderjac]

Updated Picture Links.