Pat's Easy Change Pat's Easy Change System - Need help with a proble

beowulf · Mar 25, 2005

Pat\'s Easy Change System - Need help with a proble

I just installed Pat's E-change and backed up to my Gearmore 66" box blade and raised up and it worked fine - snapped right in there. So happy at that point. But when I went to hook up the top link, it was now too short to reach the implement - by about 2" due to fact that the EC exends the lower arms. I called the company and they indicated I could send them back for a refund, or modify (I assume they mean the implement) or get a longer top link (I have TnT). I want to keep the system if possible, but don't know what I need to do to modify the implement, and am concerned about cost. If I get a longer top link, what does that involve ? The entire cylinder or just the rod being replaced ? Any ideas re how to fix this . . the only other implement I have which will present a problem potentially is the RMMower...but it looks like it will be long enough for that because there is an extended swivel "u" shaped connectot. The PHD won't be affected, so it may be that I only need to modify the Box Blade.....suggestion ? costs? options? thanks!

RoyJackson · Mar 25, 2005

Re: Pat\'s Easy Change System - Need help with a proble

I'd go for a longer top link. Hopefully, this will be easily added to your existing TnT.

Pat's system is pretty nice...

Bob_Skurka · Mar 25, 2005

Re: Pat\'s Easy Change System - Need help with a proble

Roy, I thought the same thing. But he has TNT so in order to use the TNT with his box blade, he'd want to use the top cylinder. Is there any way to extend the top cylinder without replacing it with a longer one?

When I bought my TNT system I already had Pat's so I just made sure I ordered a long top cylinder for my top link. Here we have a poster who already has the top cylinder and it might cost a couple hundred bucks to get a longer one with a check valve? Hence, maybe it could simply be extened somehow (fairly inexpensively????) I just have no clue how to do that.

PineRidge · Mar 25, 2005

Re: Pat\'s Easy Change System - Need help with a proble

I have welded a few cylinder rods after the ends broke off so I'm sure it would just be a matter of cutting off the original cylinder end adding the correct length of solid steel rod and then welding the cylinder assembly back together.

I also suggest keeping the cylinder cool and the cylinder rod extended while you make the modification. Use some kind of a heat sink including but not limited to a cool damp bunch of rags on the cylinder body while welding.

If you have no way to do the welding yourself any shop can make the modification for you.

JohninCT · Mar 25, 2005

Re: Pat\'s Easy Change System - Need help with a proble

If your blade is like the one in the attached pic it looks like you could pick up some flat bar stock and by drilling two holes in each make some longer angle braces. This would let you pivot the top link part of the bracket further toward the tractor reducing the distance your top link needs to reach.

Another option might be to make a short "extender bracket" similar to the U bracket you mentioned is on your mower to shorten the distance.

John

JerryG · Mar 26, 2005

Re: Pat\'s Easy Change System - Need help with a proble

Just weld a piece of flat stock with a hole for the pin to each side of the implements top attachment. They would need to have the length correspond to the additional length of the easy change.

bncsauve · Mar 26, 2005

Re: Pat\'s Easy Change System - Need help with a proble

I had the same problem with my snow blower, except that the pto shaft had to extend too far. After studing the snowblower for awhile, I noticed that with a couple of cuts and redrilling of some mounting holes, I could move it closer to the tractor and make up the distance. I really like Pats easy change and would not want to give them up.

notamustang · Mar 26, 2005

Re: Pat\'s Easy Change System - Need help with a proble

PineRidge and Roy seem to have the best solutions jmo. The only other I can come up with is extending the mount on the tractor. More work than swapping cylinders or extending one. You only have to adapt once, but if you get a new attachment(s) then you will be adapting again. Not a big deal just something else to consider

Steven

Rick_Taylor · Mar 26, 2005

Re: Pat\'s Easy Change System - Need help with a proble

I had the same problem with my new L4330 w/ Kubota TnT. When I installed my EZ Change the top cylinder just wouldn't extend far enough to tip the BB back so I could use the rear blade to smooth. I was rather upset to say the least. My dealer suggested having a machine shop cut off the clevis at the cylinder (tractor side) end and replacing it with one that was several inches longer. I didn't really like doing that to my brand new cylinder. I checked on the web for other TnT suppliers and found that my cylinder was two inches longer plus had two inches longer stroke than anyone elses so that wasn't an option. I had hooked up the other implements and they seemed to work just fine so I decided just the box blade needed a modification. I have a Landpride 2572 blade whose top cylinder hookup is two parallel stubs about three inches apart with the pin hole. The end of the top link goes between them and a longish pin holds it a together. We made 3 1/2" extentions from 1/2" steel and welded them on the outside of each stub. The hardest part was drilling the holes for the pin. So far the BB has worked just fine. The top cylinder can roll the blade from full front down (just the scarifiers touching the ground) to full front up (with nothing but the rear drag blade touching). With the hydraulics this can be done on the fly. So far I'm very happy with it. BTW, I went by Camping World the other day and bought one of those large levels that is designed to be installed on the front of an RV so it can be seen through the rear window of the tow vehicle. It has a large black ball that's easy to see. I'm going to mount that on the from side of the BB so I can see it from the cab. That should help immensly when doing side to side tilting and trying to find level. At least it sounds good if you say it fast. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

normde2001 · Mar 27, 2005

Re: Pat\'s Easy Change System - Need help with a proble

"there is an extended swivel "u" shaped connector."

Can you attach that connector to your boxblade frame?