Factory vs. DIY Rear Remotes

NF6X

NF6X

Member

Equipment
L3301HST w/ LA525 & BH77
Mar 19, 2017
106
6
18
Riverside, CA
www.nf6x.net
I'm hoping to get a new L3301HST soon, after I get my Bobcat 753 sold off. It would be really nice to have rear hydraulic remotes so I could do things like setting up a hydraulic top and tilt, hooking up a hydraulic winch, etc. From reading other posts here, it seems like two spring-return valves and one valve with float would be a nice combination.

List prices on the Kubota web site for that setup would add around $2,000 to the tractor price. I figure I could probably build my own remote setup for less, though it probably wouldn't look as neat as the factory setup. I've found a youtube video from an L-series owner who made his own two-spool rear remote setup, and his installation looks like it turned out pretty nicely.

What do y'all think about the factory rear remote setup vs. a DIY setup?

Is it easy to find hydraulic cylinders to replace the stock top link and leveling link on an L-series, or should I expect to need to do some fabrication to get cylinders with the right end fittings and angles?
 
MtnViewRanch

MtnViewRanch

Active member
Oct 10, 2012
719
176
43
Lakeside Ca.
The factory valves are simply to much $$$ for what you get IMO. :eek:
But there are a lot of people that think other wise.

If you go with a non Kubota system, don't get the cheapest valves that you can find, you most likely will not be happy with the amount of internal leakage that many of them have. Also get 2 valves with the float feature to be used with the top & tilt units and the std spring return to center valve for your implement valve. ;)

As far as the actual top & tilt cylinders, several ways to go, do your research before making a decision. They are not all the same by any means.

Good luck. ;)
 
NF6X

NF6X

Member

Equipment
L3301HST w/ LA525 & BH77
Mar 19, 2017
106
6
18
Riverside, CA
www.nf6x.net
Thank you for your input! As I was googling around, I found hydraulic top links from Agristore which have built-in check valves to prevent them from drifting, but I presume that also means that they can't be floated. I guess that might be either a plus or a minus, depending on the application.
 
W

whirly

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Lifetime Member

Equipment
MX5100HST
Dec 16, 2016
42
0
6
Pepeekeo, HI
I did the DYI on my old Fordson. It worked great and I saved having a shop or mechanic doing it. However, it took time and planning to complete the job.

When I bought my used MX5100 I had the dealer install 3 remotes because I'm 20 yrs older and I needed them NOW not the end of the next month.

Time is money and if you aren't in a hurry and have the patience to plan it out ... go for it. If not, pay someone to do it for you.
 
TripleR

TripleR

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Equipment
BX2200, BX2660, L5740 HSTC, M8540HDC and some other tractors and equipment
Sep 16, 2011
1,911
7
38
SE Missouri
MtnViewRanch said:
The factory valves are simply to much $$$ for what you get IMO. :eek:
But there are a lot of people that think other wise.

If you go with a non Kubota system, don't get the cheapest valves that you can find, you most likely will not be happy with the amount of internal leakage that many of them have. Also get 2 valves with the float feature to be used with the top & tilt units and the std spring return to center valve for your implement valve. ;)

As far as the actual top & tilt cylinders, several ways to go, do your research before making a decision. They are not all the same by any means.

Good luck. ;)
Click to expand...
Brian, I thought you recommended factory controls over after market on some tractors. I couldn't find a decent looking setup for our Grand L or M Series though I about a hydraulic top link from you.
 
MtnViewRanch

MtnViewRanch

Active member
Oct 10, 2012
719
176
43
Lakeside Ca.
TripleR said:
Brian, I thought you recommended factory controls over after market on some tractors. I couldn't find a decent looking setup for our Grand L or M Series though I about a hydraulic top link from you.
Click to expand...
Larry, several problems have been coming up with factory rear remote valves more recently, so now about the only time that I recommend the OEM stuff is for the cab tractors.

As far as the OEM systems on their layout and being integrated with the tractor, pretty tough to beat that with any 3rd party systems, mine included. :(
 
ItBmine

ItBmine

Well-known member

Equipment
B2620, RTV-X1100C
Jan 21, 2014
1,328
335
83
Canada
What kind of problems have you been seeing with the factory rear remotes MtnView?

Just so I know what to watch for.
 
MtnViewRanch

MtnViewRanch

Active member
Oct 10, 2012
719
176
43
Lakeside Ca.
ItBmine said:
What kind of problems have you been seeing with the factory rear remotes MtnView?

Just so I know what to watch for.
Click to expand...
Internal leakage. So the cylinder ends up drifting. (extending on it's own) :(

It use to only show up on the L models, both std and Grands. But it has since migrated to the MXs (understandable basically being an economy Grand L) and the Ms which until the 60 series machines, I had never heard of. Now that's not saying that it didn't exist, just that I had never heard of an M series having problems before the 60 series machines.

Internal leakage is common and acceptable in small amounts, but when the cylinder rod drifts an excessive amount (over 1/2" in an hour) in only a few (3-5) minutes, this is totally unacceptable in my opinion.

Other manufacturers have similar problems, I just hear about it more with Kubota because there are so many more Kubota tractors out there. ;)
 
NF6X

NF6X

Member

Equipment
L3301HST w/ LA525 & BH77
Mar 19, 2017
106
6
18
Riverside, CA
www.nf6x.net
Do you know who manufactures the valves used in the factory rear remotes? I wouldn't want to roll my own and end up using the same dodgy valves that are ending up in the factory installation.
 
MtnViewRanch

MtnViewRanch

Active member
Oct 10, 2012
719
176
43
Lakeside Ca.
NF6X said:
Do you know who manufactures the valves used in the factory rear remotes? I wouldn't want to roll my own and end up using the same dodgy valves that are ending up in the factory installation.
Click to expand...
I do not know who makes them.

Also, need to keep in mind, all valves from the same manufacturer may not be low quality. I'm sure that some of the manufacturers produce several quality levels.

So just because a certain company chooses to use a lesser quality product produced by a certain manufacturer-supplier does not indicate that everything from that particular manufacturer-supplier is of poorer quality. Just that they happen to have different levels of quality available.
 
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