Need advice, rear hydraulics, top and tilt

[Squirrely Baker]

Im in the process of buying a lx2620 and need to know which direction to go on rear hydraulics. Ive convinced myself i need top and tilt for the box scraper. Lots of driveway to learn to fix.

Questions I have:

Should i go with the 2 factory kubota rear remotes or is this leak down issue i hear about avoidable with a better aftermarket solution? If aftermarket, which one?

Should I go with the factory top and tilt cylinders, or something like fit rite I hear good things about? This is more a question of whether the cash price for fit rite makes enough sense for a newbie, or will I be satisfied enough with kubota's factory t&t, considering i can include it in the loan?

Assuming I start with the factory remote hydraulic setup, do I want the 2nd position double acting valve, or float detent valve? Again, the only purpose i have for rear hydraulics, for now, is the box scraper.

Many thanks for any input

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Have you looked at a Landplane for driveway maintenance?

Factory TNT is fine, I don't think in an LX your going to push it that hard.
You don't need float for TNT but might come in handy later on.

 

[Squirrely Baker]

Have you looked at a Landplane for driveway maintenance?

Factory TNT is fine, I don't think in an LX your going to push it that hard.
You don't need float for TNT but might come in handy later on.

That would be a grading plane? Ive seen them, and both salesman tried to sell me on it rather than a box scraper. I have some well worn ruts, lots of river rocks in the soil, not much gravel on the surface and just a lot of grading work to do. I tried to impress on the sales guys that but im not sure they heard it. Or maybe I am all wrong on the scraper?

Would i better off going that route?

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

That would be a grading plane? Ive seen them, and both salesman tried to sell me on it rather than a box scraper. I have some well worn ruts, lots of river rocks in the soil, not much gravel on the surface and just a lot of grading work to do. I tried to impress on the sales guys that but im not sure they heard it. Or maybe I am all wrong on the scraper?

Would i better off going that route?

I love my land plane, it works great at getting rid of ruts, it will move rock right into the ruts.
Add some 3/4 minus and you'll have a excellent driveway in nothing flat.

 

[PaulL]

Your first maintenance may be a bit harder with a land plane. Every use thereafter I believe will be easier. You may be able to borrow a box blade for that first go (if the land plane can't do it).

 

[TheOldHokie]

Im in the process of buying a lx2620 and need to know which direction to go on rear hydraulics. Ive convinced myself i need top and tilt for the box scraper. Lots of driveway to learn to fix.

Questions I have:

Should i go with the 2 factory kubota rear remotes or is this leak down issue i hear about avoidable with a better aftermarket solution? If aftermarket, which one?

Should I go with the factory top and tilt cylinders, or something like fit rite I hear good things about? This is more a question of whether the cash price for fit rite makes enough sense for a newbie, or will I be satisfied enough with kubota's factory t&t, considering i can include it in the loan?

Assuming I start with the factory remote hydraulic setup, do I want the 2nd position double acting valve, or float detent valve? Again, the only purpose i have for rear hydraulics, for now, is the box scraper.

Many thanks for any input

Factory remotrs are certainly the best integrated.

Looks like two OEM valves cost ~$1500.
A third party kit will be as much if not more and if you roll your own from scratch you might save $700. Neither will be nearly as well integrated and many wind up being ugly warts.

You are going to have leakdown with any valve. You can get better aftermarket valves but you will pay a substantial premium over OEM.

Adding a $90 lock valve to an OEM or aftermarket valve/cylinder will totally eliminate leakdown/drift but you will lose the ability to float the cylinder. I have one on my leaky low dollar DIY valve and top link. Its rock solid and I have never wanted or missed float. YMMV.

A TnT kit from Fitrite is clearly the gold standard but you will pay more and lead times are long.

Dan

 

[old and tired]

Factory remotes are certainly the best integrated....

....Adding a $90 lock valve...

Ditto on the Factory option being the cleanest best looking install... Also cost the most.

As for the lock valve, you can read more - look up, "Hydraulic Double Pilot Check Valve" or "DPCV" - works great, no drift what so ever.

What is your driveway like now? Mine has large rocks below a shallow layer of crush and run... I can not use a Land Plain / Grader due to those large rocks. Adding gravel (lots of gravel) and someday I might use a Land Grader. That's more than I am willing to pay for.

Once you learn how to effectively use a box blade, I'm not sure the "One Trick Pony" grader blade is worth it. Most videos I've seen using a Land Plain, the driveways didn't need to be "smoothed out". They just fluff up the rock. I would like to see a video of the land plain tearing up a potholed, rutted driveway.

 

[Squirrely Baker]

Ditto on the Factory option being the cleanest best looking install... Also cost the most.

As for the lock valve, you can read more - look up, "Hydraulic Double Pilot Check Valve" or "DPCV" - works great, no drift what so ever.

What is your driveway like now? Mine has large rocks below a shallow layer of crush and run... I can not use a Land Plain / Grader due to those large rocks. Adding gravel (lots of gravel) and someday I might use a Land Grader. That's more than I am willing to pay for.

Once you learn how to effectively use a box blade, I'm not sure the "One Trick Pony" grader blade is worth it. Most videos I've seen using a Land Plain, the driveways didn't need to be "smoothed out". They just fluff up the rock. I would like to see a video of the land plain tearing up a potholed, rutted driveway.

Your driveway sounds like mine, depending on how big of rocks you are talking about. River rock through and through out here. I have the same impression of the land plane, but ive never used either. I think ill go the box scraper route and learn as i go.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

possible option
hire a guy with bulldozer to properly build you a driveway, using correct materials.
after that every couple of weeks drag a heavy bar and chains up and down it, after church...before brunch.
No need for landplane, box blade, grader blade IF the driveway's done RIGHT the 1stt time.
One guy I helped, bulldozed his 800' driveway, covered it with used 4' diameter grinding stones. Took us all summer to haul and place. Covered them with 3/4- ,tamped that down. It was fine for 10-12 years then needed 2 truck loads to 'dress up and make pretty'.
It's all about the 'prep'. start off right, it's easy.....if not ,you're fighting a losing battle, every day.

 

[MudMaster]

I had the LP T-n-T on my LX2610 and ordered it with my new MX5400, too. In response to your queries:

1) My dealer said that all OEM T-n-T kits are now sold as Kubota, not Land Pride. Something about Kubota previously outsourcing some of the parts, which made no sense since their LP subsidiary makes it all. In any event, I second the comments above about fitment being critical. With that much force, I wanted to be 100% certain that the geometry was all spot-on;

2) I don’t use my BB or rake enough to keep the hydraulic side link on always. Between the leak down and occasionally hitting the 2nd remote lever without knowing it, it rarely stayed level when I’m puttering around moving logs or brush. I keep the turnbuckle side link on most of the time (so only have the hydraulic top link running) and it’s a quick swap in of the hydraulic side link when I need it. In fact, I almost bought the top link alone for my MX, but pricing made it stupid to not get the side link (even though the cylinder spends most of it’s time on the shelf).

3) I haven’t found the 2nd lever float detente to be that useful for my purposes, but as one poster said, it’s a nice-to-have when you might need it (for the extra $30 or so that it costs).

Most important point for me, though, was ensuring proper figment. Which is why I stayed with OEM. Last thing I want is for one of the cylinders to punch its way through whatever else may be hanging back there.

 

[MtnViewRanch]

If you think that purchasing the OEM Kubota items for the best fitment is the best idea, then good luck with that.
I know for a fact that they do not provide the optimum working lengths, and as far as not having any issues, talk to the people that have had the rod end of the top link literally pull apart on the cat 1-2 machines.
I believe that they use the same exact T&T kit for all of the Grand Ls and MX series tractors.
If they were supposed to be all the same, then why are all of the fixed length left side side links different?
Why does the side link have an angle at the top of the all the Grand Ls and at the clevis on the MX series? That is how they build the manual & fixed links for the std links, why not for the hydraulic links?
The cat 1 only Grand Ls have the shortest side link of the 3, then the cat 1-2 Grand ls are about 1" longer and the MX series is yet another 1" longer than the cat 1-2 Grand Ls.

They use the same top link which is shorter for the cat 1 Grand Ls and the Grand L cat 1-2 and MX series should have the same cat 1-2 top link which should be longer than the Grand L cat 1 top link that should be used for the cat 1 Grand Ls. In the hydraulic T&T set, they use the shorter top link, but with cat 1-2 capability for all 3 model types-sizes. So the top links are actually too short for the MX series as well as the cat 1-2 Grand Ls.

Does the Kubota hydraulic T&T set work for the applications, yes. But far from being optimum.

As far as not needing the float feature, anyone that says that clearly has never performed a task that benifits from having and knowing when to use that feature on both of the top & side links.
But do you really need it, no, just a nice option to have available that makes life easier.

As far as all the rear remote valves and the internal leakage, it is true that they all leak. But there is a big difference between having a rod extend 1" over hours of use and one that extends inches in minutes.

One of the saddest things IMO is that Kubota most likely has the best loader valves of all the under 100HP tractors, but the worst rear remotes of most of the under 100hp tractors.

So just because it is OEM does not indicate that it is the best item available for any particular make & model, because it very well may not be the case.