Cheap made in India top links

[Pete Judd]

I bought a top link a couple of months ago, and had trouble putting the pins in, bought new pins, with a sharper angle and still needed a 3 pound hammer to get them seated. Both of the knuckes at each end are frozen one at an odd angle, But I took it back to the feed store that I bought it, and they added "Break Free" then lubed it. As well as clamping it into a large vice and got both ends moving, but one end sounded like a firecracker when it let go. Buyer Beware on some of these parts.

 

[jenkinsph]

I would keep it lubed up and if it binds up again then you know you need to replace it with a better one.

 

[mjncad]

Time to get a hydraulic top-link!

 

[greg_g]

Buyer Beware on some of these parts.

Not really a buyer beware issue. Country of origin is not the problem in this case. No matter where they're made, the swivel balls on economy grade links simply don't get greased at the factory. It's a transportation safety thing. More expensive links will be individually boxed or wrapped which obviates the rust issue. Given that you bought it in a feed store, I'd say it's probably been sitting idle for a few year - gathering rust. I have several of the economy links on implements parked in my pasture, I typically clean the rust off them every spring.

I just bought a new John Deere 3720, on which all four swivel balls were frozen. Not from rust in this case, though. They were painted shut, and that's even harder to clean off than rust. So relative to your buyer beware comment, I don't think having to free the swivel balls on an American tractor that lists for over $42k is very impressive either.

//greg//

 

[Pete Judd]

Also need to add that the feed store had 3 more on the shelf that were in the same condition, both ends frozen. And there was no sign of rust on any of them.

 

[SixHoeBob]

Over the years with use, the balls will become very loose. Given enough use, the piece of metal holding the ball wili become thin and break. Most top links end up getting bent, long before they wear out. Then the new one will need to be freed up.