Fit Rite vs HayTools Hydraulic Top Links

[LD1]

I thought that keeping "certain people" off the tractor prevented buckled and bent braces (and other parts)! LOL

Sometimes certain people have nothing to do with it.

Alot of cutters used to be made rigid. That was the norm. My old bushhog 306 was that way. Looked similar to this one



And when on uneven terrain, like crossing a waterway, as the front of the tractor comes up, it tries to jam the tailwheel into the ground. No problem on the bushhog, because those diagonal braces were strong enough and the whole cutter simply floated up and raised the 3PH. Didnt leave a very even cut though, and a floating toplink would have made a more even cut.

But when those angle braces are just made out of 1/4" x 2" flat bar......they arent strong enough to stay straight, and buckle. They are designed to be in tension only. And dont hold up to lifting the whole cutter by just the tailwheel.

Operator error has nothing to do with it. A cheaply designed cutter has everything to do with it. And a simple floating toplink makes the cut a whole lot better, and puts a whole lot less stress on the cutter on uneven ground

 

[DK35vince]

Looks like my control valves won't allow floating.

I'm almost sure my top link and tilt cylinders came from Haytools around 15 years ago. (looks like they no longer offer the tilt cylinders).
Never had a problem with them and with the check valve they never leak down.
My opinion, if your valves don't have float, do yourself a favor and get the cylinders with check valves.

 

[Dadnatron]

I purchased both top and tilt cylinders from FitRite. They are top quality, there is no doubt.

If you get both, be prepared for a couple things.

1. Unless you have more than 2 sets of hydraulic connections... you lose them both and I am forever switching out hoses. I need to get at least 3 more remote valves, but then I don't have a good place to actually put them. I hate moving hoses to hook things up.

2. With the TopLink, you lose your holder. ie, it just hangs down and you have to figure out how to keep it from flopping all over the place. There have been a few fixes posted on this site, but this issue alone would give me pause and make me have an answer before I had the problem. Thus far, I've just held the toplink up with a super strong rubber bungee. But between the toplink, side/tilt, hoses and bungee to hold the toplink up when not in use, I am constantly frustrated.

I think some enterprising soul should make a clampon connector onto which you can reinstall your original holder/connector. IT aggrivates me to pay as much as I did, and then need to also figure out how I am going to hold it. I would have paid an additional $20 if a clampon connector block would have been included.

Think about the hoses and where you will keep them when you have 2 sets coming in from your equipment.

When I have everything hooked up... the back of my tractor looks like it is being attacked by an Octopus.

 

[ericm979]

I put some sturdy cable ties arund the top cylinder and two more in a loop that sticks up. I hook the factory top link holder on the loop to hold the cylinder. It was a quick hack but it's still working so I have not made a more permanant solution. That'll probably be the same idea with stronger materials.

 

[Fallon]

I purchased both top and tilt cylinders from FitRite. They are top quality, there is no doubt.

If you get both, be prepared for a couple things.

1. Unless you have more than 2 sets of hydraulic connections... you lose them both and I am forever switching out hoses. I need to get at least 3 more remote valves, but then I don't have a good place to actually put them. I hate moving hoses to hook things up.

2. With the TopLink, you lose your holder. ie, it just hangs down and you have to figure out how to keep it from flopping all over the place. There have been a few fixes posted on this site, but this issue alone would give me pause and make me have an answer before I had the problem. Thus far, I've just held the toplink up with a super strong rubber bungee. But between the toplink, side/tilt, hoses and bungee to hold the toplink up when not in use, I am constantly frustrated.

I think some enterprising soul should make a clampon connector onto which you can reinstall your original holder/connector. IT aggrivates me to pay as much as I did, and then need to also figure out how I am going to hold it. I would have paid an additional $20 if a clampon connector block would have been included.

Think about the hoses and where you will keep them when you have 2 sets coming in from your equipment.

When I have everything hooked up... the back of my tractor looks like it is being attacked by an Octopus.

I'm on my 2nd Fit Rite TnT setup. First ran off with the old L3200. Took forever to get the 2nd set for my new L4060 after the dealer couldn't get anything to fit (and not leak massively). I think my latest Fit Rite toplink has a hose clamp on the toplink to hold it when nothing is attached. My solution to that problem is a Quick Hitch. Toplink is always attached to that (So I don't remember for sure on the hose clamp to hand the toplink on as I never need it). If you have TnT, you can pretty much hitch up or drop anything off the 3pt without getting off the machine unless there is a PTO shaft or other hydraulics to deal with. You need to modify some implements, but after you make everything QH compatible life gets so much easier.

TnT pretty much eats up 2 spools permanent. I have a 3rd for hydraulics on implements. No need for a 4th yet. Although I am putting a manual diverter on my loader 3rd function. It will run power SSQA.

 

[Dadnatron]

A quick hitch would definitely take the sting out of hookups, and I have one... sitting on blocks. I have too many incompatible implements at the moment and haven’t taken the time for alteration. When I get a shop built, perhaps I can get some time to address these issues.

I still hate losing the hookups. I have thought about altering the cylinders themselves, attaching solid hydraulic ‘hoses’ along the side and have only a very short rubber connector hose to deal with the required movement. I really hate all the hoses getting in the way. My sidelink hose is always up against my toplink, if it is not on a 3pt. There has to be a better way for all this.

 

[npalen]

High pressure ball valve Forged steel A15 3/8" NPT Hydraulic Anti-corrosion US | eBay

Just one solution to cylinder drift without pilot operated check valves while still allowing use of a float spool.

The 1/2" version:
High pressure ball valve Forged steel A15 1/2" NPT Hydraulic Anti-corrosion US | eBay

 

[MtnViewRanch]

A quick hitch would definitely take the sting out of hookups, and I have one... sitting on blocks. I have too many incompatible implements at the moment and haven稚 taken the time for alteration. When I get a shop built, perhaps I can get some time to address these issues.

I still hate losing the hookups. I have thought about altering the cylinders themselves, attaching solid hydraulic 蘇oses along the side and have only a very short rubber connector hose to deal with the required movement. I really hate all the hoses getting in the way. My sidelink hose is always up against my toplink, if it is not on a 3pt. There has to be a better way for all this.

Sorry about no top link retainer, but with the type of retainer that you have, there just is nothing simple to get to work with what is there. Maybe my std retainer and a good rubber strap?

For more valves that you need, diverters, simple easy, clean. I should have some pictures here pretty soon of a set that one of my customers put on his 5065e.


That's what I did on my tractors to go from 1 to 4 and on the other to go from 3 to 5 sets.

 

[JRobyn]

Brian, what is your "std retainer"?

 

[Ford850]

My original top link retainer looked like a big fish hook that attached with a single bolt through the eye of the hook. It worked so well on the standard top link, I decided to copy it and make a larger hook for the hydraulic top link. I used 1/8" or 3/16" rod I think. Bent it with some hand tools and a vice, big enough to cradle the larger diameter of the hydraulic cylinder, and it fits great.