Adding stiffener to FEL

[IslandTractor]

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I take my 3 pt arms off every time I put the backhoe on Island. Otherwise the darn things can get in the way of the backhoe sub frame.

rim

I have to correct what I said last week. I don't take my 3PT arms off. I just take off the adjustable spring loaded linkage thingie at the end of the 3PT arms. That gives enough clearance so there is no interference with my BH mount. It has been about five months since I dismounted the BH and I forgot about how I do it until I saw an old photo. Removing the sliding linkage thingies only takes a few minutes and they are easily removed just standing in back of the tractor rather than needing to crawl around near the axle.

 

[Coyote machine]

I have to correct what I said last week. I don't take my 3PT arms off. I just take off the adjustable spring loaded linkage thingie at the end of the 3PT arms. That gives enough clearance so there is no interference with my BH mount. It has been about five months since I dismounted the BH and I forgot about how I do it until I saw an old photo. Removing the sliding linkage thingies only takes a few minutes and they are easily removed just standing in back of the tractor rather than needing to crawl around near the axle.

IT, If the second pic shown here is of the rear of your DK-40 I suggest you look at Murphy's (recent) DK-40 backhoe mount thread pics to see the one which shows the updated routing of the hydraulic line to the red vent tube on the right side of your rig which then gets replaced with the newer design QD fitting. The vent then attaches to the left side of the upper housing, using a smaller black tube in the shape of a shepard's crook, on a smaller brass colored tube). This supposedly gives better flow to the hoe and therefore more usable power to the hydraulics with no other effects to the system's overall design. I can't testify to this beyond the fact that it was installed by my dealer no charge on both my DK-35 and my DK-40. I have not used a DK with the original setup- like you have currently, to compare output(s), but I can say, why would the kit have been made available if it didn't offer improvements.
PM me or Murph if you have specific questions- (though he may not know it was an upgrade to his system), it probably just came with it from the dealer.