Toplink Top link doesn't reach

[hayden]

I tried hooking up my chipper today and discovered that the top link doesn't reach. In looking at the Salsco hitch design I noticed that the top pin sits 3-4" aft of the lower pins where on all my other implements the top pin is directly above the lower pins, or in some cases it's forward of the lower pins.

Anyone run into this issue? Is there sucha thing as a top link extender link? I'm thinking of something that pins to the implement and to the top link and gives 6 inches or so of extra reach.

Any ideas? I did a quick search for the spec for hitches but I could only find them for purchase. The tables I did find only give lower pin spacing and pid dimensions. I haven't found anthing that stipulates the realtive fore-aft positioning of the top pin with respect to the lower pins.

 

[Farwell]

Sounds like it may be time for a trip to Tractor Supply and pick yourself up a longer upper arm.

 

[sandman2234]

I have a couple of top links that are different lengths. Measure to see what size you need for this longer attachment and then go on a witch hunt to find it. It is probably out there, just waiting on you to write the check.
David from jax

 

[greg_g]

Cat 1 adjustable toplinks are so cheap, that I have one for each implement. They come in several lengths, I get the one that most closely matches the working length I need for a specific implement, then I simply leave it permanently pinned to that implement. There are a few odd sizes. But the most common Cat 1 come in 13", 16", and 20" sizes. That's the body length. Approximate eye to eye lengths follow;
13" has a working length of roughly 18 to 25 inches
16" has a working length of roughly 21 to 29 inches
20" has a working length of roughly 25 to 33 inches

Try TOP LINKS Available at Agri Supply® where we have something for everyone

//greg//

 

[MarkV]

I’ve switched to top links from Tractor Supply because I actually like them better than the Kubota units. As I recall they were in the $25 range.

MarkV

 

[Soundguy]

Ditto what the others said.. find a larger ( longer ) toplink if the one you have is less than 20" or so..

Soundguy

 

[greg_g]

It's too late to edit yesterday's post. But I should have added the Kubota Cat1 numbers for comparison.

Generic 13" has a working length of roughly 18 to 24 inches
Kubota 14.5" has a working length of roughly 19 to 25 inches
Generic 16" has a working length of roughly 21 to 29 inches
Generic 20" has a working length of roughly 25 to 33 inches

There are others, but these seem to be the most common

//greg//

 

[Ductape]

My local tractor dealer has three different top links in stock. I have only needed the mid-length top link for all of my impliments, but i guess this problem is why they make more than one length. Pick up a longer top link, they aren't terribly expensive, and you'll have it for future use.

 

[rbargeron]

Peter, It would seem a short "foldable" section in your top link would be desireable for a chipper - any chance the machine normally has one? The baseplate wants to sit on the ground when it's running - top link is only really needed for transport.

 

[hayden]

Peter, It would seem a short "foldable" section in your top link would be desireable for a chipper - any chance the machine normally has one? The baseplate wants to sit on the ground when it's running - top link is only really needed for transport.

I agree - this is the route I'm going. I bought a hydraulic top link so I wouldn't have to hassle with different links and screw adjustments. I envision a link shapped like a tuning fork where the tail pins to the implement, and the "U" part of the fork forms a spot for the tractor link to pin in. It would be 8" or so long. I've seen something like this on the top link of field mowers so it can swing.

I talked to Joe Rizzo (presumably the brother or son of Sal Rizzo of Salsco (get it, Sal's Co.) They are going to engineer something like this and send it to me. That's great service and the sign of a great company. I told him all the 3PH implements I've seen have the pins directly over/under each other, occationally with the top pin forward of the lower pins, but never with the top pin aft of the lower pins. I'm sure they have their chippers set up this way for a reason, but suggested they consider changing the design. It's probably more complicated that that.

 

[RalphVa]

Looks like Greg has given you good information on what TSC has. Orsheln(sp?) also is like TSC in the Oklahoma and Texas areas and probably have an assortment of top link lengths. I use 2 on my soil ripper. One connects to a drawbar hitch; the other runs from the drawbar hitch top link area to the top of the soil ripper. It gives me lots of adjustment to the tilt of the soil ripper, as I have it fitted with disc hillers in the front and ripper tines in the rear.

One thing that I discovered with top links on brush hogs is if the top link is longer than the bottom links, the brush hog won't lift very far. The geometry of the 3ph will want to drive the tail wheel down into the dirt rather than up into the air. I resolved this on my brush hog by moving its bottom pin locations down. This pitched the top link closer to the tractor and made it the same to slightly shorter than the bottom links. Don't know whether you have something like this situation on your shredder links.

Ralph

 

[hayden]

Yesterday I got a call from Salsco. As promised, they are just finishing up the extension bracket and will be shipping it to me today or Monday. So far I'm very impressed with them.

 

[RalphVa]

You need a braket similar to the top link part of my drawbar hitch attached.

I use this to link up with my old JD M soil ripper. The soil ripper attaches to the drawbar and has a top part that attached to the top 2 holes on this drawbar setup, above the top link that comes off the tractor, via another top link. If your top link is too long, e.g. without this in-between link of the 2 top links, lifting the implement will drive its rear end into the ground first before the bottom links end up lifting the implement's front end. It's just geometry at work.

Ralph

 

[40_acre_mule]

Cat 1 adjustable toplinks are so cheap, that I have one for each implement. They come in several lengths, I get the one that most closely matches the working length I need for a specific implement, then I simply leave it permanently pinned to that implement. There are a few odd sizes. But the most common Cat 1 come in 13", 16", and 20" sizes. That's the body length. Approximate eye to eye lengths follow;
13" has a working length of roughly 18 to 25 inches
16" has a working length of roughly 21 to 29 inches
20" has a working length of roughly 25 to 33 inches

Try TOP LINKS Available at Agri Supplyｮ where we have something for everyone

//greg//

I'm with Greg on this one. I have a top link for each implement. They are only $25-$30. The time it saves from having to adjust each time I swap implements is well worth it to me as actual seat time is precious and rare for most of the year.

 

[hayden]

I'm with Greg on this one. I have a top link for each implement. They are only $25-$30. The time it saves from having to adjust each time I swap implements is well worth it to me as actual seat time is precious and rare for most of the year.

But this is exactly why I got a hydraulic top link - so I could adjust it on the fly to any situation without having to have a pile of top links. The issue is that the Salsco 3PH is set up in a non-standard configuration - just enough so that my hydraulic top link doesn't reach even when fully extended. If the Salsco top pin were over the lower pins like it should be it would reach fine, but it's set so far back that it won't.

The good news is that the extension link that Salsco made up arrived today. I won't get to try it out until this weekend, but it looks like it will work fine.

 

[greg_g]

But this is exactly why I got a hydraulic top link - so I could adjust it on the fly to any situation without having to have a pile of top links.

Well, I have a hydraulic toplink as well. But it was clear early on that the HTL was never going to be suitable 100% of the time. That's why I have various sized conventional toplinks as well.

If you want to remain a HTL purist, you're going to have to get something like this fabricated:

But I'm gonna warn you, the price you pay for one of those to be made will probably buy several Cat 1 toplinks.

//greg//