BX25 hydraulic top link

[J_J]

Your leak down could just as easily be the control valve, and not the cyl.

 

[CHDinCT]

Your leak down could just as easily be the control valve, and not the cyl.

True, but I somehow doubt it. I'd have to try another cylinder to see, but I don't have one just laying around. Wouldn't check valves solve either issue? Can you suggest a low cost option? I see check valves at SC, but not sure which is best for my issue.

 

[J_J]

You could use a pilot operated check valve, but they are expensive. You could also use a needle valve located at the control to stop all fluid flow. If the cylinder is bypassing, it will try to equalize pressure. You can test your cylinder by pressurizing one side of your cyl, and see if fluid is coming out the open port.

 

[J_J]

Try this company for hyd products. check and lock valves

Hydraulic Cylinder Components, Products

 

[jinman]

Here's the link I built. I bought the cylinder (2.5"x8"), pilot check valve & hoses from Surplus Center. The cylinder originally had clevis ends, I bought 2 weld-on swivel eye ends from Tractor Supply and cut them off by hand with a hacksaw. I was able to get the exact length I needed this way to fit my tractor's needs. Borrowed a friend's welder and installed the swivel ends. This rig has worked well for about 5 years for me so far and it has taken quite a bit of heavy work. I've got less than $180 in the whole thing, fittings and all.

For most of my uses, the ability to go shorter is more important than going longer, especially for the boxblade and bushog and transporting the finish mower. I used my boxblade as the guide when figuring the length I needed and it worked well for everything else. For my 2 bottom plow I have to use a very long top link and it's the only implement I can't use my cylinder with and have a dedicated mechanical link set for it.

Skip, that is one of the ugliest toplinks I think I have ever seen. Who cares? If it works and doesn't get in the way of things, it's perfect. The hoses do look a little short. Do you have a full range of motion with them? I think you and Rob (3RRL) should get DIY awards for your links with DPOCVs. Great job!

 

[jinman]

I added an HTL to my BX last Spring. I read various post here about the shorter lenght of the top link being more important than the fully extended length and decided to go with a SC swivel eye 13"-19" cylinder. This was the closest I could find to the stock 14"-22" top link. Unlike most, however, I wish I had gone longer, but this could be implement dependent....

Chris, my first HTL was about 2" longer than my OEM toplink. I have one boxblade with scarifiers that rotate forward when the HTL is extended just enough that they catch the cleats of the rear tires if the 3PH is lifted. The boxblade really jumped when it happened, but the tire wasn't badly damaged. After that, I quit extending the HTL all the way and/or lifting the 3PH while it was extended.

You just have to consider that when the HTL extends, anything below the lift arm pins will be coming forward. Depending on the implement, as you stated, too long can be a problem. Also, if you get the HTL too short, you will lose the triangulation of the 3PH hitch and the toplink will go over-center and down as the implement engages the ground. All tractors and implements have a minimum and maximum length. The easy way I always suggest is to measure the min and max of the OEM toplink and try to stay in those parameters. If you can't match them exactly, then you will have to experiment with your tractor and implements and use the necessary caution. If not, you'll be like me and experience both the scarifiers into cleats and the overcenter of the toplink at some point.

 

[CHDinCT]

jinman, don't have a box blade at this point nor any plans for one right now. There is no way any of my 3PH implements could hit the tires that I can see, but I could see where a BB with the scarifiers up front and pointing towards the tractor could be a problem.

My OEM top link is 14"-22". Couldn't match that so I went with 13"-19" which gave me an extra inch on the short side while sacrificing 3" on the long side. What would be nice is a 14" cylinder with an 8" stroke to match my OEM top link, but they just don't make one (that I can find) I now know I should have gone 15" -23" (IIRC - next size up had an 8" stroke). In a perfect world, I'd have both but that ain't happening.