Toplink Which top link hole?

[cityfarma]

I have just had my new Kubota L4400 delivered and have only done 3hrs on it. I have a 5' slasher and will be making some more attachments such as a middle buster and boom pole. I would like to know which of the 3 holes I should use for what, and, why? Your assistance would be much appreciated.

Also, has anyone built their own roof for this tractor? Pictures please.

Cityfarma.

 

[greg_g]

On a tractor without draft control, use the hole that makes the toplink as parallel as possible with the lower lift arms when the implement is at operating height.

Can't help with the canopy though, sorry

//greg//

 

[Farmwithjunk]

I have just had my new Kubota L4400 delivered and have only done 3hrs on it. I have a 5' slasher and will be making some more attachments such as a middle buster and boom pole. I would like to know which of the 3 holes I should use for what, and, why? Your assistance would be much appreciated.

Also, has anyone built their own roof for this tractor? Pictures please.

Cityfarma.

The answer should be in the tractors manual. I'm not familiar with that particular tractor, but a person with "Kubota experience" might be able to tell you which EXACT hole to use. With other tractors, those 3 holes are there to provide different sensitivity through the draft control. As you may already know, you shouldn't be using draft sensing with a bush hog. (position control on implements like that) It probably SHOULD end up with top link reasonably close to parallel to lower links (draft arms) but that's not always the case. With the middle buster, you'll need to use the same top link position as a moldboard plow in all likelyhood. With a high draft load like a plow will give, you DO NOT want a top link position that gives highest sensitivity to the draft control or you'll have a heck of a time keeping the implement at a constant depth.

Again, consult the owners manual on this one. I'd guarantee it's in there. (Too important not to be) OR... get the answer from another Kubota L4400 owner. Any specific answer from any one else is just a guess at best.

 

[n8wrl]

I do not have draft control on my L5030, but the only time that the choice of top-link hole mattered was with my post hole digger. The lowest hole gave me the most height when the PHD was raised. The rest of the time, I'm usually in 2nd or top to keep the link level, or whatever it was last time I used it

 

[woodlandfarms]

I think someone has made a nice canopy out of a Golf Cart canopy. The costs are much less than a factory version, but it takes a bit of fabbing...

 

[SFish]

For whatever it is worth, my JD manual says the top link should be in the-

Lowest hole for medium draft loads (e.g. landscape rake).

Middle hole for medium and heavy draft loads (e.g. tiller or boxblade).

Bottom hole for heavy draft loads (e.g. plow or ripper).

It appears to be related to what the pull load is rather than how much you are lifting.

Steve

 

[greg_g]

Before this draft control business takes us too far down the wrong street, let me rephrase my original reply

Since the Kubota spec sheet does not show their L4400 equipped with draft control, use the hole that makes the toplink as parallel as possible with the lower lift arms when the implement is at operating height.

//greg//

 

[Farmerford]

cityfarma:

The lower hole will (usually) cause the tail (aft) end of the implement to raise higher that the higher hole(s) because the upper link will be more out of parallel with the lower links when it is in the lower hole. Therefore I prefer the lower hole with a rotary mower (slasher) because it kicks the tailwheel up higher to clear obstructions and, if I am raising the mower and backing up over brush, it lets me back over higher brush.

When the tail is raised higher while the front of the implement stays at the same height, the implement is necessarily tilted down at the front. I have never found that to be a problem with the kinds of implements I use, but I suppose it could be undesirable if you wanted the implement as level a possible when raised (say if you had a platform for carrying things).

The only negative to the lower holes (other than the tilt of the implement) is that the stress on the top link and the tractor attachment point increases because of the increased angle of the top link relative to the lower links. I grew up with true farm tractors where the three point hitch was heavily made and we never worried about the stress issue (and never had a problem). However I have seen posts on TBN about weak attachment points for the top link that pulled away from the tractor. So if the implement were near the maximum weight for the tractor I might pick a higher hole. But I think your 5' mower is probably no more than 1/2 the weight the 4400 TPH is rated for, so I would pick the lower hole for increased height.

 

[greg_g]

I respectfully disagree with your premise FarmerFord. Regardless of which hole it's using, a properly adjusted toplink and/or flexible toplink bracket will prevent the tail wheel from doing as you describe.

The justification behind selecting the hole that aligns the TL most closely parallel to the lower lift arms is plain old geometry. The more parallel you can get the TL to the lower lift arms, the less amount of stress is introduced to both the toplink AND to the tractor end bracket to which it's pinned.

Now if the tractor happens to be draft control equipped, the varying amounts of pull relative to the hole position are what activate the lift leveling procedure. In this case the stress is not on the tractor end toplink bracket, but on the draft linkage itself. In this case, the parallel to the lower lift arms rule of thumb does NOT apply.

//greg//

 

[kentrodngun]

I think someone has made a nice canopy out of a Golf Cart canopy. The costs are much less than a factory version, but it takes a bit of fabbing...

That would have been me. It worked out great and I'm very please with the cost & result. Here's the link:
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/build-yourself/92695-canopy-looking-input.html