Top link for B6100 Hste

[maj_primate]

Greeting-New member here. Enjoy the site alot and have learnd alot as well.My quandry?I've been looking for a top link for the 3pt on my newly aquired B6100 HSTE (1984 going by the serial number)). Going thru a dealer , you have to buy the pieces,RH and LH link joints (51.80 a piece)and what they call the top link ( It's the center piece I refer to as the barrel @ 69.75. I don't usually mind paying a little premium, but in this case I am looking for an alternative. Has anyone had to do this before. I've done lot of searching and the only solution that comes to mind is milling the top ball on a standard cat 1 top link(1 3/4) down so it will fit the 1 1/2 slot where it attaches to the tractor.Am I missing something? After all I am a rookie. (first tractor) Seems this kubota link is a hybred, part cat 1, part cat 0. I haven't even got a good look at one to see how long it might be. Any info or suggestions or pictures?
Also, it has a very slow drip coming out the mid PTO. I order the parts to fix it but wonder if there is anything to watch out for when replacing the oil seal. It looks pretty straight forward, but Ive been surprised before.
Again, Thank You, all you posters. Sharing all your knowledge and experience with those new to tractors is well appreciated.

PS: If you have never read "Love, Sex and Tractors" byRoger Welsch, Give it a read, it's a hoot.

 

[lsmurphy]

TS has the top link for $30. There is a short cat1 top but you'll have to find someone that carries it........Rock Hill does IIRC........look around.
On mine I cut out about 3" and welded it back up.
The side lift links are from Tisco.......go to and independent dealer......after market parts, also $30 each.
You don't need to mill anything down......it's all available.

 

[lsmurphy]

BTW.......

You are looking for 'sub compact' parts, they are cat1 with cat0 spacing.

And yeah, I got adjustable links on both sides, I like uniformity.

 

[lsmurphy]

http://www.tractorpartmart.com/us/index.html?target=products&product_id=12899

I ground off the bars on the tubes......you can turn by hand easy enough.

 

[maj_primate]

the picture of the side link is what is being used on my tractor now as a top link. I was at TS today and there was limited choice on cat one top links. The balls at top of their links were 1and 3/4, The spacing on the tractor bracket is 1 and 1/2.My problem is geting it attached to tractor.I like your side links alot.

 

[MtnViewRanch]

Grind it down or pay the price. I believe that those are your options. If you are half way good with a grinder, it will take you all of 5 minutes. There is no good reason to go to all the trouble of setting it up in a mill. It's a tractor none precision part. It just is not that big of a deal.

 

[hodge]

Welcome to OTT Maj_Primate! It's a great place.
Grinding an 1/8" off each side of the ball would be quick and easy, and save money.

 

[lsmurphy]

It isn't going to matter much about the 1/4" width.....his top link is still too long for most of his attachments.

He needs the short cat1 which TS does not sell.

He needs the right parts.

 

[lsmurphy]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/3-POINT-HIT...729?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3a7d8b5241

This is the one you need.....or similar.

 

[B7100]

If you insert a cat1 pin 3/4 of the way through the ball end and gaffa tape it,it will help hold it nice and straight without flopping about when grinding. when done,repeat on the other side.
The top link on my B7100 is 17 1/2" closed,23 1/2" extended and the barrel is 12" so that size should also suit your B6100.
For anyone considering the adjustable lift rods as shown in a previous post a word of caution: if one has original Kubota lift arms the they will probably be of a straight design so the end of the lift rods will be cranked over to line up on them.The after market rods are straight to suit the cranked over lift arms so would need to be modified.
The pic shows a B5100 lift rod resting next to a B7100 to show there are different off sets.
dave

 

[maj_primate]

I had to go to a tractor supply farther away and got he link I wanted to adapt. Hodge ,MtnViewRanch andB7100 I took your suggestions and ground a 1/8 off each side of the top ball then did a little file work to deburr and it came out just fine . About 20-30 mins tops. Was working on mid pto oil seal replacement today but will get a pic of top link tomorrow. thanks all

 

[lsmurphy]

I had to go to a tractor supply farther away and got he link I wanted to adapt. Hodge ,MtnViewRanch andB7100 I took your suggestions and ground a 1/8 off each side of the top ball then did a little file work to deburr and it came out just fine . About 20-30 mins tops. Was working on mid pto oil seal replacement today but will get a pic of top link tomorrow. thanks all

What length did you get?

 

[maj_primate]

What length did you get?

I went with one that goes from about 20" up to 27". I needed it longer because the positioning where you connect the top link to the box blade I picked up is kicked back from vertical and I needed about 24" just to reach it. This link will allow me some tilt forward and back. From what I have read the Cat 0 max length is about 18"-19". I still need to get a real cat 0 top link eventually and get rid of that odd ball that came with the tractor.

 

[lsmurphy]

I went with one that goes from about 20" up to 27". I needed it longer because the positioning where you connect the top link to the box blade I picked up is kicked back from vertical and I needed about 24" just to reach it. This link will allow me some tilt forward and back. From what I have read the Cat 0 max length is about 18"-19". I still need to get a real cat 0 top link eventually and get rid of that odd ball that came with the tractor.

Good, you understand then.......

Once you get a couple of other attachments you'll realize that that top link is too long.

Also as you go looking for cat1 attachments.......some refer to them as a 'baby' box or rake etc....sub-compact fit better.