Top and Tilt debacle...A pictorial guide on how to shoot ones self in the foot (Part 1)

[Runs With Scissors]

Ok, I can't help but posting, The Good, The Bad and the Ugly.

I suppose there is value in posting mistakes, as well as triumphs.

Background: In the year 2020 BK (Before Kubota), I ordered my tractor and and one of the things I wanted was a Top and Tilt kit. I had never even sat on a tractor before; However, knowing myself and my loathing of every "hand powered tool", I knew my laziness would get the better of me so I had the dealer install a TNT kit.

I was very happy with it......mostly.....

The only problem I had was with the constant 'leaking down'. Then I found this forum and found out about these nifty little gadgets called "Double Pilot Operated Check Valves".

Simple....Right?

I poured over the internet and decided to go to with the Agristore's DPOCV

Yes....... even though they clearly state that these are ONLY replacements for their "specific brand", I ordered them and figured that I will/can make them fit.

After hours of pouring over hydraulic web sites, I get what I think will be the proper fittings, thinking that I know I will have to modify some of them a little.

Below are cylinders I start with, and a "general overview" of the cylinders and DPOCV's

 

[Runs With Scissors]

Since the Agristore brand are a little too long to fit nicely between the ports on the short cylinder, I decide to tackle the long cylinder first.

After all, I have never done this, so putting a W in the win column is uplifting, then I can tackle the hard one.

The long cylinder has the ports fittings facing the side, so I mocked up one of the DPOCV's so that the hoses will connect to the side, similar to the originals.

The 1st problem in pic 2 is that the Banjo fittings do not have a threaded end to connect to the hose.

My solution was to take a fitting that had thread fittings on each side and just TIG them together like in pic 3.....If you look in the upper center of pic three, you can see the other fitting's female end and what it looks like.

 

[Runs With Scissors]

The welding was pretty straight forward, and turned out ok.

The second one was not quite as pretty, and a tad crooked, but I figure I can overcome this minor error.

 

[Runs With Scissors]

Now for the 90's that go from the cylinder to the DPOCV. I could not for the life of me find a 90 degree fitting that had the proper ends. In Pic 1, you can see the O-ring end, that I need to go into the cylinder, but that female "spinny part" will not connect to the tube that goes to the DOPCV.

So my answer to everything is...Cut that bi@@ch off and F@@king weld it. LOL

So it's off to the band saw. Pic 2

Pic 3 is just for reference, it has the a new fitting beside the cut one.

 

[Runs With Scissors]

After cleaning up the burrs I cut a piece of tube to weld to the fitting. I cut it a skosh long so that I could trim it to the proper length in a little while.

Pic 3 is the finished product. Not my finest welding, but I deem it "good nuff".

 

[GreensvilleJay]

I love your 'bodging' !!!! Sad thing is I probably have the EXACT fittings you need here, amongst the 4 DECADES of 'collectin junk'.......

yesterday neighbour came by with a MESS of fittings( 8 or 9 ),wanted me to cut the pipe down as it was tooo long....rummaged through 3-4 pails, got him down to TWO fittings. So I have less in my pail ? Wrong, he gave me his 'mess' in return.... oh well...someone will need something ,someday.....

 

[Runs With Scissors]

I decide to "check it" by installing it and instantly realized something was off.

I really hadn't thought that my "eyeballing it" was that bad, but you can clearly see that the CV is dipping towards the cylinder

No worries, I will just make up for that in the 2nd tube.

Sure it wont be pretty, but as long as i functions, I guess I'm ok with that.

Afterall, who is ever gonna see it besides me (and now the world)

 

[Runs With Scissors]

This is getting uglier and uglier by the minute....I should stop and think things through.....

"STOP AND THINK???????......HELL NO!!!!!.....ALL AHEAD FULL.....RAMMING SPEED SCOTTY"

My only option at this point is to "tweak" the tube a little and weld her up.

And for all you Hydraulic Guru's out there, You should immediately see my F@@k up.....

At the time I do not realize that the light at the end of this tunnel is actually a locomotive...

So besides the "sh!t show" weld job, what is the problem?

Hit me with it......I'll post results tomorrow.

 

[civlized]

I got to say, I really enjoy reading your stuff. I'm either smiling or laughing every time.
Thanks.

 

[Runs With Scissors]

I got to say, I really enjoy reading your stuff. I'm either smiling or laughing every time.
Thanks.

Thanks man.

It's kind of therapeutic in some sort of demented way.

 

[Runs With Scissors]

I love your 'bodging' !!!! Sad thing is I probably have the EXACT fittings you need here, amongst the 4 DECADES of 'collectin junk'.......

yesterday neighbour came by with a MESS of fittings( 8 or 9 ),wanted me to cut the pipe down as it was tooo long....rummaged through 3-4 pails, got him down to TWO fittings. So I have less in my pail ? Wrong, he gave me his 'mess' in return.... oh well...someone will need something ,someday.....

Thanks.

And yep, that's kind of how my "surplus area" of my shop grows too.

Well that, and I am always too lazy to go back to the store and return things that I didn't need...

 

[D2Cat]

Seeing things that should have been done is much easier to see after it's been done!

 

[TheOldHokie]

I am a KISS sort of guy. I think I would just put the DPOCV in the hoses going to the cylinder.....

Dan

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Are we PM's are answers or posting them here?

 

[Runs With Scissors]

Are we PM's are answers or posting them here?

Post them here...I will reveal the big mistake tomorrow.

BTW you are very close to correct......

 

[Runs With Scissors]

I am a KISS sort of guy. I think I would just put the DPOCV in the hoses going to the cylinder.....

Dan

Dan, I'm not sure how I would do that? Do you mean to have 2 hoses going from tractor to DPOCV, and 2 hoses going from DPOCV to cylinder?

Paul

 

[TheOldHokie]

Dan, I'm not sure how I would do that? Do you mean to have 2 hoses going from tractor to DPOCV, and 2 hoses going from DPOCV to cylinder?

Paul

Precisely. The check valve does not have to be mounted on the cylinder to do its job.

Dan

 

[will721]

I would like to see the tubes be of equal length. But not the worst thing I've seen by far. Welds are pretty good all things considered.

 

[cthomas]

Having something that holds hydraulic fluid on a welding bench? Not quite as bad as a cardboard box full of flares under a welding bench(Yes, I worked at a shop that did something that stupid). Okay, my guess is you welded the fitting in place and melted the rubber seal..... Or is it the spray can on the welding bench.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

My PM earlier to him was:
"You're going to pay up if either of the cylinder fittings have a leak, kind of rough to loosening or tighten those fittings."

My other thought was if welding rod plugged up the inside of the fitting.
Really hard to butt weld fittings with a gap in between them.

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