Rear remote and hydraulic top link pros and cons

milanmark

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B2601, Bucket, Grapple, Brush hog, stump bucket is ordered!
Jul 7, 2021
80
40
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Milan, MI
I have a B2601 and considering adding a rear remote with a hydraulic top link... I'm 70 and always looking to make things easier! Dealer says he doesn't recommend on that small of a tractor... going to go see him tomorrow to chat about it... Also reading another thread someone mentioned can put the top link into float? Is that something special? Interested in pros and cons and if you have uses other than the top link. Should mention I have a quick hitch on also... and any of this stuff if it interferes with hooking up the PTO is a concern as that already isn't my favorite job! Thanks guys!
 

MOOTS

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MX6000
Jun 27, 2019
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Find a new dealer first off. Or at least a better salesman.

Hydraulic top links are nice for multiple reasons, from box blading to cutting. Can add a side link, and never get off the tractor to hook up an implement, short of the PTO.

The float feature is in the valve itself. Move lever past a detent, and the cylinder will move in and out as needed.
 
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ctfjr

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L3800HST
Dec 7, 2009
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central ct
milanmar, I'm 75 and have a top n tilt from Fitrite. I also have Pat's easy hitch. In combination they make life so much easier on the tractor. I don't have to worry about an implement being set down close to level. By adjusting the tilt I can just back under the pins, raise the arms and done. The adjustable top link also make hookup easier in that it takes no time to lengthen or shorten it. Since putting these on I have yet had to 'horse' an implement around to hook up.
As the previous poster mentions if you have a box blade you will wonder how you used it before. I use the box and rear blades to grade my driveway - changing angles easily or how aggressively I want to engage the ground or use the blade for smoothing.
50 years ago I bought my 1st tractor. This is the first with a top n tilt and quick hitch. I'll never have another tractor without them.
 
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GreensvilleJay

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BX23-S,57 A-C D-14,58 A-C D-14, 57 A-C D-14,tiller,cults,Millcreek 25G spreader,
Apr 2, 2019
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Whether you 'need' a hydraulic top link depends on what implements you use, and how often. Over the past 20+ years, I've acquired a subsoiler, rototiller, read blade, cultivator,3F plow. Have never actually needed to adjust the top links more than a few times. My 'trick', is that each implement has it's own top link BOLTED to it and 'preset' for proper operation. While I could easily plumb a hydraulic toplink, at 68 , well, maybe I'm just set in my ways. Heck, I prefer my 'armstrong' tractor over the PS one...
everyone has different ground and equipment needs,sometimes it's a health issue, like turning around to adjust 'this or that'....so if it makes your life easier...go for it
 

SDT

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multiple and various
Apr 15, 2018
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SE, IN
Whether you 'need' a hydraulic top link depends on what implements you use, and how often. Over the past 20+ years, I've acquired a subsoiler, rototiller, read blade, cultivator,3F plow. Have never actually needed to adjust the top links more than a few times. My 'trick', is that each implement has it's own top link BOLTED to it and 'preset' for proper operation. While I could easily plumb a hydraulic toplink, at 68 , well, maybe I'm just set in my ways. Heck, I prefer my 'armstrong' tractor over the PS one...
everyone has different ground and equipment needs,sometimes it's a health issue, like turning around to adjust 'this or that'....so if it makes your life easier...go for it
Agreed.

A hydraulic top link is handy for a few implements but of little use for most.

It and the requisite remote valve is also an expensive package.

Yes, I do have a hydraulic top link that is rarely used.

SDT
 
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mikester

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M59 TLB
Oct 21, 2017
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www.divergentstuff.ca
I have three rear remotes and generally use two at a time. Float depends on your valves, mine have that ability. I wish mine had the valve always on detent instead - better than a bungee cord when using my chipper power infeed.
 

Captain13

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M7040 4WD ROPS, ZD28, Woods (84” box blade, 72” harrow, 48” pallet forks)
Feb 27, 2019
516
168
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Kathleen, GA
I’m about to change to a hydraulic top link now. With planters and cultivators it takes me a few adjustments to get them set up right and the HTL with help a lot. With harrows, sometimes I want them level, sometimes, i want the front to cut deeper and the rear to smooth. Box blade, no question about why. And with the mower, I can tilt the rear up to back into thick areas and then let it back down without getting off the tractor. Do I have to have one….no. Will it save getting on and off the tractor when setting up top link sensitive implements.…..yes.
 
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NCL4701

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L4701, T2290, WC68, grapple, BB1572, Farmi W50R, Howes 500, 16kW IMD gen, WG24
Apr 27, 2020
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I didn’t get rear remotes on mine when I bought it. Had been running tractors 40 years at that point and never had the hydraulic top link or side link. I knew I had a mildly daunting grading project coming up where they’d be nice but figured once I got past that they’d be just more stuff to maintain and not worth the cost. After that project was done, I started to see that I was doing touch up grading fairly routinely. For grading work being able to quickly adjust the box blade/back blade/rake is quite helpful to efficiency. It can also be helpful to have the ability to let the side link float to follow the contour of the ground for something such as pulling gravel out of a ditch.

Also, some of the areas I bush hog are very rough. Rough to the point the area bush hogged is determined by what the tractor can actually traverse without going wheels up. There are creeks/ditches I have to cross which require 3 point all the way up and top link fully shortened. Also areas where I had to take the toplink off (or swap it for a chain) to get close to following the contour of the ground. Being able to flip the deck up to cross the ditches, set it back down in float, pop it out of float to raise over an obstacle, and back down into float from the operator seat in less time than it took to type this sentence was worth the price if the top link and remotes to me.

All that said, much of my prior experience on tractors in general involved pulling trailers and draft implements such as disc harrow, moldboard plow, spike harrow, broadcast spreader, skidding logs, augering post holes. For that stuff, yeah you need to set the hitch right but it’s more of a get it set and run until you’re done thing. If that’s what I was still doing, I probably wouldn’t have spent the money on them.

So, pros/cons…

Pros: Can adjust hitch very quickly without leaving the operator station or stopping the machine.

Cons: Cost to purchase and cost to fix if something breaks.
 
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B737

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LX3310
Jun 9, 2019
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B2601....
yes to rear top and tilt, and get a quick hitch too. Thinking about hooking up attachments will be a thing of the past, and whatever work you are doing, will come out better as well.

Con #1: Beware, the rear valve controls on the B2601 are positioned in such a way if your thumb is on the inside lever, it is directly below the metal armrest bracket on the seat. When the seat bounces, your finger is squashed with your body weight. The valve ports are tucked away inconveniently on B2601 but clear of outside hazards. My biggest beef was black / lost fingernails.

Con #2: leaky internal kubota valves. Varies valve by valve, they can be prone to leaking. Some worse than others. The ones on my 2601 leaked badly which necessitated a check valve on the tilt side, otherwise it would drift and it was causing extra work. I was seeing about an inch drift per hour. Check valve fixes that, but using a check valve negates float function.

Con #3: the top inside fitting on the top link can hit the rear fender cross brace bending it when certain implements are raised full up. The fitting should be on the side.

Given these 3 very minor cons, there are a million other reasons why a T&T is worth it. I wouldnt own a machine without.

B2601


valve set behind rops frame



This is a poor perspective, but the lower metal edge of the arm rest is highlighted yellow here and falls out directly over the lever with little clearance.


bent cross bar that I flattened and cut to allow clearance. I eventually removed this cross bar all together.
 
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MtnViewRanch

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Oct 10, 2012
767
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Lakeside Ca.
B737, would having the ports down work better?

If the ports were on the side, any clearance issues with the lift arms?
Specifically if-when the hitch moves side-side? :unsure:

Please let me know, thanks.
 
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B737

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Bottom fittings I don't think would work but off the right (as viewed from rear) would be clear. I bent the cross piece on the LX doing the same thing lol lifting full up to clear the trailer deck while unloading. Quick hitch mitigates this since top link geometry becomes fixed at a lower angle. Without QH the top link hookup is much higher on things like rake ect.
 

MtnViewRanch

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Oct 10, 2012
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Lakeside Ca.
The man himself!
Bottom fittings I don't think would work but off the right (as viewed from rear) would be clear. I bent the cross piece on the LX doing the same thing lol lifting full up to clear the trailer deck while unloading. Quick hitch mitigates this since top link geometry becomes fixed at a lower angle. Without QH the top link hookup is much higher on things like rake ect.
Thanks for the response. I have had issues with the side ports and people allowing their hitch to sway side-side more than they should, thus the top ports. But maybe it would be better with the side ports and a specific warning against side-side movement.

Thanks again. (y)
 
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NHSleddog

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B2650
Dec 19, 2019
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For a visual,

 
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