New Mods to Loretta's 284 Jinma

[3RRL]

Richard,
The FEL and grapple are controlled by these valves below.
That valve is an after market valve I bought from Ronald at Ranchhand Supply. It has power beyond (like the dump trailer valve) and has float and rapid regen. It's much better than the stock ZL-20 FEL valve. It's attached via a custom mount to her right FEL tower. It has a joystick control for the FEL and an electric over hydraulic solenoid valve to control the grapple. There is a rocker switch on the joystick handle for open and close of the grapple. It is plumbed to be a true third function operation. If you "feather" the FEL valve to restrict flow, you can operate dump/curl/raise/lower and the grapple all at the same time. Realistically, there is not enough flow to operate them all at the same time, but feathering the FEL valve properly will allow you to do it.

 

[3RRL]

I had intended to use the stock ZL-20 FEL valve for her hydraulic side links at first.
So I made a bracket to mount it on the right side. But it started malfunctioning and I have since removed it and sent it to Mariner who will fix it and use it on his Jinma. There is also a stock rear remote valve and one set of rear remotes that came on her tractor. I found that valve to be just as crappy so I am replacing that one as well. Those two valves are what the new Prince stack valve will be replacing. The Prince has power beyond on it as well. Here are some photos of the the valves that will be replaced. I'll need to make another bracket for the dual sets of rear remotes.

 

[3RRL]

The rear end on her Jinma will end up looking different than stock.
All of the turnbuckle top and side links will be replace with hydraulic cylinders. Here are pictures of the stock set up.



If I can get the Double pilot operated check valves to fit the side links, they will all have them on it. DPOCV's guard against leak down of the valve and also keeps the cylinder in the exact position you set it. Having them hard plumbed right on the cylinder will keep the cylinder in position even if she blew a hose.
With "Top and Tilt", she will have the ability to reposition here top link and side links "On the Fly". This is especially handy for setting and controlling the rear implement, especially a box blade when doing grading or road work.

 

[valley]

Rob, Looks good! Sounds good! I like the hydraulic dump trailer. Your modifacation allowing more bucket curl [on another thread] is very good and is what I need. I see there are boots on some valves. Did the origional FEL valve have a boot? Mine didn't have one I wonder if it was meant to. Richard

 

[3RRL]

Thanks Richard,
Yes, the original FEL valve had a rubber boot on it.
Here are some comparison photos of the replacement valve from Ranchhand Supply and also a couple threads about the valves. One is installing the Ranchhand valve and one is a comparison of the two valves. They look similar but the Ranchhand valve is far superior. Others have that valve installed and noticed the same.
The silver one is the Ranchhand Supply valve and the black one is the OEM ZL-20 valve.

Here are the two threads:
ZL-20 FEL Valve Comparison
RanchHand Supply FEL Valve for Jinma 284

 

[dfkrug]

Next thing I got started on was the Top and Tilt.
I ordered a 4 spool stack valve from Surplus center with power beyond. Of course they sent me the wrong outlet section so they are shipping me the power beyond sleeve. But here is the assembly of that new valve. You lay it down on the side with the tie rod bolts sticking up and place each section in the order you want. I got 3 sections that are spring loaded returning to center and one that is detented. Then you place the "O" rings between each section and torque it up to 150 inch pounds.

Nice pix of the stack valves before they are assembled. I wish I had take
pix of mine way back when. Did you get any of the optional features for
any of the work sections, like float or detents?

Are you going to modify your cyls for the TnT, or just use the lengths you
bought?

Looks great!

 

[rtdiggr]

Richard,
The Prince 4 spool valve will not operate the grapple nor the FEL.
The Prince 4 spool valve is to operate the hydraulic top link and the 2 hydraulic side links. Then one spool is left to operate rear remotes. In reality, I will plumb the 2 side links directly to the new valve. The other 2 spools will go to 2 sets of rear remotes with quick disconnects on a bulkhead. I will use one of the rear remotes mostly for her top link which leaves the remaining one open for a hydraulic attachment on the 3pt. That one is detented so we can run the log splitter off it. However, if she doesn't need the top link on, she will 2 rear remotes available.
For example, she doesn't need the top link when using the post hole digger, back hoe or dump trailer. But of course there is no hydraulic need for those implements.

The hydraulic Dump Trailer already has a single acting valve plumbed to run it. It sits on her left rear fender and I installed that one last year.

Hey Rob maybe when you retire you can come up to Canada and give me a hand, wait a minute you are retired

Nice work as always.

So the single valve is an open spool which comes from your power beyond [i assume] So my question is from the exit port of the single valve did that then go to the new valve set up or did you make that valve completely separate from the single valve?

Shane

 

[3RRL]

Nice pix of the stack valves before they are assembled. I wish I had take
pix of mine way back when. Did you get any of the optional features for
any of the work sections, like float or detents?

Are you going to modify your cyls for the TnT, or just use the lengths you
bought?

Looks great!

Thanks Dave,
I got one of the four sections to be a detented section.
That one is for the true rear remote so we can run the log splitter from it as well as any other hydraulic implement.
I will use the lengths as they are. I think the top link has an 8" or 10"stroke (it's from CCM) and the side links have 6" strokes.

 

[3RRL]

Hey Rob maybe when you retire you can come up to Canada and give me a hand, wait a minute you are retired

Nice work as always.

So the single valve is an open spool which comes from your power beyond [i assume] So my question is from the exit port of the single valve did that then go to the new valve set up or did you make that valve completely separate from the single valve?

Shane

Hi Shane,
You know I've never been to Canada and always wanted to visit there.
A trip up there to help you out could be in the future. I've gone to New Mexico to visit and help Larry G before.

The single valve is a single spool valve and is single acting for her dump trailer. It has a power beyond port where I feed the next valve in line which will be the new 4 spool stack valve I'm now installing. The exit port on the single valve returns back to sump (tank). I have a couple "T"s for all the return to sump lines for the valves with power beyond. When you have a valve with power beyond, you use that port to feed the next valve and it will always need a return to sump. If you don't have power beyond, then the exit line is used to feed the next valve in line, but that is not the proper way to plumb the system. Always use power beyond to feed the next valve in line.

 

[rtdiggr]

I am trying to understand hydraulics but man everytime you think you understand it, there is a different way to do it.

You guys should come up for a visit, i am 5 mins. from the falls, and have lots of room. You would love it. Me i have been here all my life so the novelty has worn off a bit. But that is okay it is still a beautiful place.

Shane

 

[3RRL]

Speaking of power beyond, I got the sleeve for the new valve and installed it.



I also got the first shipment of stuff from Discount Hydraulics but I haven't opened the box yet.
I've been busy working on the rear FEL braces today. I'll get back to the top and tilt later on.

 

[3RRL]

Shane,
Loretta and I would love to come up and visit.
Maybe you could PM me and we can work something out? What is it exactly that you want to do with your hydraulics? If there's something I can help you with, (doesn't have to be hydraulics) we could order parts and have them all there for the visit. We could stay several days to finish up a project you've been wanting to do.
That would be cool.

 

[3RRL]

Now a little on the rear FEL braces.
This mod is to help distribute a load placed on the bell housing and transmission bolts when using an FEL. My Koyker loader had this as a standard feature, but it seems the Chinese ZL loaders lack this rear brace.

Here is a photo of the plate under the rear end.
The fenders and ROPS are bolted to the rear end via this plate. Also a photo of the loader mount to the tractor. My plan is to tie those two together so the tractor will be braced from front to rear.

 

[3RRL]

I said I wasn't going to show you a lot of machining detail, but I have to show you a couple of them for this project.
I bought some 3" x 3"-1/4" thick wall square tubing at the scrap yard. I'll show a couple of cuts I had to make to fit it where I plan on welding this heavy duty tube to that rear end plate. I cut a piece off the top about 4" back. And the last photo shows how it's going to fit over that rear end plate.
I got 3" so as not to interfere with the bolt pattern when welded together.

 

[3RRL]

The next thing I had to do was make some brackets that would be welded to the tube of the FEL mount.
I had to bore them to fit the round FEL tube. Also a couple of plates that would bolt the square tube to the brackets on the FEL mount. The last two photos show how I fixtured the pieces where they will bolt together.

 

[3RRL]

Here is a close up of how the braces fit the front FEL tube before I welded them.
The next picture is of the front bracket all welded together and ready to weld onto the FEL tube.



The photos below show the rear tube and it's bolt plate. Then the front bracket welded to the round FEL tube.
It was tough welding upside down and around the tube. There was very little room to position yourself so you could see and get the stick in there without burning yourself, knocking your helmet off or arcing against something else. My glasses got knocked off every time I bumped my helmet. So those welds aren't the greatest, but it should look alright when painted.

The last photo is of the square tubing welded to that rear plate.
I needed a heavy gusset since the plate is off-sett to the square tubing. Guess what, I happened to have a couple of broken scarifier pieces left from when I cut them to make the bucket reinforcements.
So I used those. They are at the bottom of the last photo.



That's all I got done today.
Tomorrow I'll try to finish painting and re-assemble everything.
Rob-

 

[Diamondpilot]

Very nice Rob. I made some for my ZL20 loader years back but not nearly as spiffy. All I did was use some 1.5" round tube with a 1/4" thick plate welded on each end that is bent 90 deg and drilled. On the bell housing end I got axle spring perches and welded them onto the plate and used U bolts to attach. On the rear axle end it mounts buy removing the 2 outer bolts and sandwiching the axle and roll bar/fender bottom plate.


Very nice work though. Maybe we should send you to China and you could show Jinma how to build/reinforce/plumb/ect theses tractors.

Chris

 

[rtdiggr]

Shane,
Loretta and I would love to come up and visit.
Maybe you could PM me and we can work something out? What is it exactly that you want to do with your hydraulics? If there's something I can help you with, (doesn't have to be hydraulics) we could order parts and have them all there for the visit. We could stay several days to finish up a project you've been wanting to do.
That would be cool.

I will pm you Rob.

Shane

 

[3RRL]

I will pm you Rob.

Shane

Got it Shane and responded with my personal information ... thanks!

 

[3RRL]

Very nice Rob. I made some for my ZL20 loader years back but not nearly as spiffy. All I did was use some 1.5" round tube with a 1/4" thick plate welded on each end that is bent 90 deg and drilled. On the bell housing end I got axle spring perches and welded them onto the plate and used U bolts to attach. On the rear axle end it mounts buy removing the 2 outer bolts and sandwiching the axle and roll bar/fender bottom plate.


Very nice work though. Maybe we should send you to China and you could show Jinma how to build/reinforce/plumb/ect theses tractors.

Chris

Thanks Chris,
Those stabilizer braces to rear end are super beefy and robust.
Even more so than what is on the Kama with the Koyker loader. There is always more than one way to do something. I chose this way but your way works too, of course. I copied what Koyker had done for their loader stabilizers to the rear end except did not make the additional plate to sandwich in between.

One thing I wanted was to have the rear section be separate from the loader arm tube for disassembly purposes. But any surface that was to be bolted, I wanted the butt plates to take the stress... butting up to each other in the direction of the load. There is no chance of bolts sliding out of position that way even if they loosen slightly. They only hold the plates in positon and are not used to hold the force or stress themselves.
Thanks for your keen observation.
Rob-