Hydraulink top link reviews?

[puckgrinder85]

Anyone buy one of these? Looking to replace my top link, didnt want to dive into the hydraulic realm with a valve, hoses and a cylinder but this product looks like it would fit my need. The only thing I'm slighltly hesitant about is the air trapped in the cylinder acting as an absorber, Im not so sure I want any air in the cylinder at all. Surely there is a way to bled this air out to make it more rigid. So, have anyone here bought one of these and tried it out? I've seen other threads about it and the main one from the manufacturer but it didnt really answer my questions, just a bunch of back and forth on this is better than this, with no real information about the product.

 

[peabody]

ho bulids it ?

 

[peabody]

who builds it ?

 

[puckgrinder85]

http://www.hydraulink.net/

 

[murphy1244]

who builds it ?

Hydraulink

 

[greg_g]

That's not actually a hydraulic top link in the conventional sense. Others may disagree, but I think it's gimmicky.. So lets start by asking what you think you want this top link to do for you

//Greg//

 

[puckgrinder85]

Yes, I know what the product is and how it works and no, its not a hydraulic top link. Im looking for some first person experience with the product. If i had rear remotes and a simple way to attach a hydraulic top link I probably would, but at this point its added expense beyond what a cylinder is and thats not what I want to do.

I'm just looking for something to make it a bit easier to adjust the top link without really adding a whole lot of hydraulic bs, this looks like it and was just asking for personal experience. If you dont have it then you're opinion is kind of a moot one for what im asking.

 

[bcp]

The only thing I'm slighltly hesitant about is the air trapped in the cylinder acting as an absorber, Im not so sure I want any air in the cylinder at all. Surely there is a way to bled this air out to make it more rigid.

The air compresses to let the piston move. There is more room on one side of the piston than on the other because the rod is in there on one side. If the cylinder and lines were completely full of fluid, it could not move.

Bruce

 

[greg_g]

Yes, I know what the product is and how it works.

Ok. Then if you're satisfied with 4 inches of "air adjustment", it's your money. Otherwise the other end screws in and out just like a regular old turnbuckle toplink. Might be just me, but it's just not something I'd invest in.

//greg//

 

[94BULLITT]

With a hydraulic you need to be able to reach the toplink from the seat of the tractor. Have you watch the videos of how it operates? You can't adjust it on the fly like you can a hydraulic toplink. I did not realize you only had 4" of travel. You could buy a hydraulic toplink for what the hydraulink costs but you would still need a remote but I think it would be the better way to go.

 

[puckgrinder85]

Gotcha, makes sense that there is more volume on the open side than the rod side. You're right you'd have to have that compressability in there otherwise it wouldnt work the way it does.

 

[puckgrinder85]

I can reach the top link no problem, its just turning it to make larger adjustments its kind of a bad angle to get a grip on the handle and a little more of a pain to do. I'm just looking for unbiased review of it, not opinions. If 4" is what they claim it seems to be sufficient to me. I dont adjust my top link more than a few turns in or out from my starting point anyway, I dont have that need. From the videos it looks like it extends more than 4" but I could be wrong.

 

[JoeBuyer]

Do these "bounce" when the load changes?

 

[creekbend]

Thanks for posting.

 

[puckgrinder85]

Its a great idea im just worried about how the (necessary air) in the cylinder affects its operation if at all. The air has to be in there or this physically wouldnt work. You cant plumb a double acting cylinder together due to the open side holding more oil than the rod size because the rod takes up some volume as well. The air is acting as an accumulator and making this all work. My question to the people that have this cylinder, does it negatively effect how the thing works?

 

[jeff9366]

I have a Hydraulink.

Here is a recent post with my opinions:

(See Post #2)

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/owning-operating/265868-how-do-you-use-your.html

 

[phiferpharm]

I have one, that I bought for my old tractor. My Kioti has a fit rite hydraulic top link. I would say it works, but not really any better than my screw -type link did. It now serves as a backup in case my regular hydraulic link fails. I would not have purchased one if I had been able to try it prior to purchase.

 

[puckgrinder85]

Thanks guys!

Jeff- Yea thats what I got out of reading all those posts too, lots of bitching about how its not suppose to work and this and that, but no real first hand experience with it, just opinion. I may have to settle for the whole hydro top link and be done with it.