$2500 for a belly mower hydraulic lift - JD 2305???

[TXChinook]

My John Deere 2305 is great. I have a quick-detach front loader with all its hydraulics and a belly mower driven by a mid-PTO. Now, to raise my mower, I have to raise the rear three-point lift to its max and then a lever raises (mechanically) the mower.

I had the tractor at the dealer today for regular service and I asked about adding a hydraulic lift to the mower. My options were: 1) use the valves/controls of my front loader at a cost of $600-700 parts plus labor (say $1200 total), or 2) add a separate system at a cost of circa $1500 parts ($2500-3000 total). Both these costs seem unbelievably high.

I'd like to had a hydraulic lift to this mower deck but not at these costs. Any other ideas???

Thanks

 

[Midniteoyl]

Hydraulic parts aren't cheap.. especially at the dealers..

 

[TXChinook]

If we assume the hydraulic lift mechanism on the mower deck is the same for either of my options, it must be about $600-700). That implies the cost of the valves and controls must be about $800-$800. That's not just "not cheap". That's ridiculous...

Is there a third-party solution?