Top and Tilt for BX24

RayCo · Apr 28, 2008

This seems to be a hard topic to search for and I haven't found a definitive answer. Is there anyone who has a top and tilt setup on a BX24? And just so that I confirm I understand what a top and tilt is, it is something that would allow me to adjust the right and left heights of a 3pt attachment independently, correct? I live on a hillside, so the idea of getting off every 6 feet and manually adjusting the support arms on my 3pt seems inefficient. If getting a top and tilt is feasible and affordable, I suspect I could benefit from it.

Thank you

ChuckinNH · Apr 28, 2008

Top, and tilt will also let you adjust the forward, and rear angle of rear attachments like a box blade to control how they are digging / scraping. It can be done on a BX24, and here is a picture of one installation, but I think it can be pretty expensive.

8561 · Apr 28, 2008

It's do-able, but I wouldn't characterize it as cheap. You'll need to tap the hydraulics system of your tractor, purchase and mount a hydraulic valve, purchase a hydraulic top link and a hydraulic side link, and then install it all. The top part (hydraulic top link) isn't too bad, they are readily available from site sponsor CCM. The side on a sub-compact is much tougher. You'll need to get one short enough for the application. I have a B2410 with top'n'tilt and it is fantastic. I love it. That said, I had to do a fair amount of modifying to get a side link short enough to work, and my tractor is larger than a BX24. Having check valves on both cylinders is highly desirable as they prevent drift.

Yankee Clipper · Apr 28, 2008

Check with your selling dealer and see if he sells Gearmore attachments.

They have a nice kit for the BX tractors that is a clean mount and can be readily removed if not needed.

Good luck!

Renob · Apr 28, 2008

Rayco,

Here is the setup I fabricated for my BX24.

I purchased most of the parts from Surplus Supply and welded the mounting plate from scrap in my garage.

The unit is plumbed into the the backhoe hydraulics with quick connects so it is easily removeable.

Tom_H · Apr 28, 2008

I asked this same question a couple of months ago and got no reply. The archives are a bit hard to search because of a server change/transfer a few years ago, but I did finally find a pretty long thread about this when the BX line first came out. Henro and quite a few of the old timers who were very knowledgeable went into a long discussion of the lengths the cylinders would need to be. I think I remember the gist of the discussion being that the shortness of the top and adjustable side arm were the main problem. I will see if I can dig that thread up and post a link in the next day or two.

Renob, I see your hoses and levers, but can't make out cylinders. Do you have any pics of the cylinders? What did all this cost you? I'd love to have top 'n tilt for my BX2200 and Gannon box blade. I already have a rear remote for my Woods BH6000.

RayCo · Apr 28, 2008

Thanks to everyone for the feedback and pictures. It sounds like it's something that's a bit more complicated than ordering a kit or stopping at TSC and picking something up.

For my needs, I'll hope to be able to get by with a chain solution or something along those lines.

ampsucker · Apr 28, 2008

i would settle for an old fashioned hand crank model. i have one on our old ford 800 3 pt. basically, it just allows you to reach back form the driver position and crank a small handle that turns a worm gear and spins the one side of the 3 point linkage up and down. it works great and is indespensible for "grading" a road when you want to crown it or put a slope across the whole surface or fill wheel ruts.

i would think something like that would work great on a little bx model and would be cheap, too. if anybody knows a good source, post it up. maybe the old ford part could be adapted to our tractors? i think most of the parts are still available or can be found in tractor "grave yards".

amp

mpowrd · Apr 29, 2008

The picture that ChuckInNH posted is of our BX24 when we got it last November. The top and tilt kit on it is a Gearmore and is removable if you don't want the valves sitting there all the time (although I haven't taken ours off yet). It is plumbed so it connects to the backhoe source and return when the backhoe is off.

The kit was about $1250 installed when we purchased the tractor and it has been real useful when doing box blade work (like you, we have a lot of side-hill areas we're working on).

It also makes hitching up implements easier since you can make fine adjustment with a pull of the levers.

Overall, I can't imagine doing any significant amount of blade or rake work without it, but it depends on whether you want to spend the extra $$.

Below is a shot of the 3PH with the cylinders.