top and tilt usage

[jtheise4]

I'm thinking about adding at least hydraulic top control to my tractor and possibly top and tilt. I've read that most people use the top control 80% of the time and rarely use the tilt function. I'm wondering if those of you who have both top and tilt find you use both functions and if so, can you justify the additional cost to add the tilt funciton? Thanks.

 

[Redneck in training]

It depends for what implement you will use it. If you use a box blade to make ditches, cut new road across the slope and in general moving and spreading material you want both. I just reshaped the ground in front of my shed requiring moving, spreading and leveling a lot of dirt and spent great deal of time off the tractor adjusting the top and side links. It slowed me down quite a bit. I have few more jobs around the property involving moving relatively large amount of dirt so I will add both top and tilt at some point.

 

[MtnViewRanch]

A lot depends on what you are going to be doing and with what type of implement. In my opinion "TnT" is for grading. Not sure it would really be needed for AG type of work. Most people that say that they can't see the reason for a hydraulic side link or they just would not use it enough either do not have one or do not do much grading or do not do a very good job of grading.

You will see about every commercially used tractor that is used for grading has "TnT". There is a reason for that. One of the reasons that so many more people have hydraulic top links is because they are less $$$ to buy and are more readily available. The other main reason is because they use them to tilt their box blade forward and backward to get the full use of the blades on the box blades. A lot of people also use them to engage the rippers, in my opinion that is the wrong use of the top link, but none the less people do use their top link for that purpose.

I think that you will find that people that have box blades use the top link a lot more than people use the top link with other grading implements. Now as far as the hydraulic side links, when you are grading usually roads or driveways you will find that the side link gets a lot of use.

I have 4 different types of grading implements that I use on my over 2 miles of roads that I have. Each one is better than the others for its own specific functions. But what I'm getting at is that I use my hydraulic side link more than the hydraulic top link with all of them. Now this may be just me and what I have to be accomplished, but it is what it is.

 

[steve08]

Would not be without Top and Tilt!:thumbsup:

 

[eepete]

Ladia and Brian are right on. Side link is all about projects that require grading. Can't improve on what they said.

Pete

 

[jdjdjd]

I use both a lot, mostly for grading, but I found an additional benefit when using a post -hole digger. Makes it easy to adjust side tilt when you are not on level ground.
I have found that the side cylinder makes it easier to hook up stuff. I have a 10.5' disc cutter that weighs just over 1500 pounds. Much easier.

 

[picker77]

Spent today cutting down the shoulders and re-crowning our 1/4 mile gravel lane using TnT and a box blade. I used the side link a LOT, the top link only a few times (to get the cut depth like I wanted it). I would never own another tractor without both top and tilt.

Once you've paid for dual rear remotes and a top link, adding a side link is easy and no more expensive than a top link. You can buy a side link cylinder ready made with custom clevis already welded on from CCM for about $250, or if you can do basic welding home brew your own with a $90 cylinder from Surplus Center. I did the latter, wasn't all that hard to do, but mine doesn't (yet) have a DPOCV on it like the ones from CCM come with. One of these days I'll get that sorted out.

If you've already blown $900 to have a dealer add dual remotes, seems a shame not to make use that second remote, and having tilt really is a good thing, more useful than you can imagine.