Top Link Safety Modification: Avoiding Chaos, Death & Destruction (

[@patrickcarr9428]

I'm a new tractor owner, but an old airplane mechanic, and at 6:51 I see what looks like a crack, that may have started as a tear in your Top Link body. Since this video is a year old now, have a look at that now and see if its grown any. Greatly appreciate the videos. Thank you!

[@DIYMyWay]

Hi Patrick! I see what you’re referring to. Good eye! However, I changed to a longer top link about a year ago to give me a better margin for error and not worry about running out of thread. Thanks for watching!

[@RCAFpolarexpress]

Bonsoir Monsieur, great simple modification to avoid ( Chaos, Death and Destruction )😮🤣 That is a strong tooth brush Sir 😂🤣👍 Can't wait to see your idea Sir Cheers 🍻👍

[@DIYMyWay]

Oui! Chaos, Death and Destruction should be avoided whenever possible! 🤣 Thanks for watching!

[@RCAFpolarexpress]

@@DIYMyWay 🤣😇🙏 Oui it is imperative that must be avoided at all cost🥴🤣👍 Cheers 🍻

[@MrPabco]

The newer Kubota top links have a pin inserted towards the end of the threads which keep you from totally removing them. They drill a hole near the center of the link to insert the pin. However, I like you idea better because you can still disassemble the link to clean and grease it. Thanks for sharing. Enjoy the long weekend.

[@DIYMyWay]

Hi Paul! That’s good to know about the Kubota top links. My current one is from Tractor Supply since the stock Kubota one was too short to work with my Pat’s Easy Change system. Thanks for watching and I hope you have a great extended weekend too!

[@m.cooper1854]

The best mod I made to my Kubota was to install a hydraulic top link attached to my rear remotes. Almost essential for box blade work, and allows me to tilt the mowers up for easy access to sharpen the blades with a portable grinder. Thanks for your videos. Always interesting.

[@DIYMyWay]

A hydraulic top link would be great! I’d like a full Top N Tilt one day for my Kubota but first I’ll have to install some rear remotes. Thanks for watching!

[@Bob-vb8lc]

Thank you for sharing your tips & tricks for the top link. I will have to do that before I have a situation like you mentioned.

[@DIYMyWay]

You’re welcome, Bob! Thanks for watching!

[@ericduck8273]

I have had the top link come apart a couple of times. It has never been a problem for me, fortunately. It is good to take it apart and clean and lub.

[@DIYMyWay]

Glad it didn’t do any harm when yours came apart, Eric! Thanks for watching!

[@martyb3783]

I don't know how I missed this video when it came out. This is a great idea. Thanks a bunch.

[@DIYMyWay]

Hi Marty! Glad you found it helpful! Thanks for watching!

[@GPOutdoors]

Morning Martin. Great tip - and very practical. That provides needed confidence when making adjustments to the link. Thanks for sharing. Enjoy your long weekend!

[@DIYMyWay]

Good morning Gord! Thank you, sir! I hope you have a wonderful weekend too!

[@lcee6592]

Great idea to mark the threads! Definitely can prevent big problems.

[@HillsideAcres]

Thanks for posting. Something like this could be easily overlooked... I bet you taking the time to make this video will save several injuries...Perfect example of working smarter!

[@DIYMyWay]

Thank you very much! I certainly hope it will prevent injuries, chaos, death and destruction.

[@HillsideAcres]

@@DIYMyWay I like your style martin !

[@HomesteadJay]

I had the "keeper" on upside down on my BX and first time I raised it I crushed it hahaha ooops! I deff need to clean mine after watching this! Dang you Martin haha adding to my chore list LOL!

[@DIYMyWay]

Oops! Don’t ya hate it when that happens! No need to thank me, Jay! I’m always happy to add to your chore list! 🤣🤣

[@MyClutteredGarage]

Great tip, Martin. I haven't lost a top link yet, but I can see how that could happen! Thanks for sharing. -Ed

[@DIYMyWay]

Thanks, Ed! Yep, this was my first time and it surprised me, so this little fix will alert me when I’m at the maximum safe length. Thanks for watching!

[@LouisianaTractorworks]

Enjoyed the video Martin! Good idea. easy to see. I hope the new idea works out. Looking forward to seeing what it could be. Have a good one! See ya!

[@DIYMyWay]

Hi John! Glad you did! Yeah, I think it will and hopefully you’ll see in an upcoming video. Thanks for watching!

[@tractortalkwithgary1271]

That is a pretty good tip Martin. That will come in handy. I have wondered how far that I can push my luck.

[@DIYMyWay]

Thanks, Gary! Well I pushed my luck to far one day so this is my fix for it. Thanks for watching!

[@HomeWithTheBuffingtons]

Nice tip, Martin! Thanks for sharing!

[@DIYMyWay]

Thanks for watching!

[@ffjokere3]

Never thought of this happening! thanks for sharing you probably saved someones life here.

[@DIYMyWay]

You're welcome. Thanks for watching!

[@watershedoverlook]

That's a great tip...well done as always!

[@DIYMyWay]

Thank you very much!

[@davidmcgennity3182]

I did the same years ago and yes mark both because they can get out of sync when changing implements .

[@GrampiesWorkshop]

How's she goin'? Good tip here Martin. That will save a possible bad afternoon for sure!!! Take care!!

[@DIYMyWay]

Hi Mike! Thank you, sir! Yep, I’m counting on not having that problem again. Thanks for watching!

[@tractorman4461]

Good idea Martin. It sure is aggravating when that happens unexpectedly !! I do it all the time on my ratcheting chain binders. Arrrrghh!! Fortunately for me and my old equipment I don’t have a lot of three point implements. Good video my friend.

[@DIYMyWay]

Thanks, Wendell! Yep, the same can happen with chain binders for sure. I have a couple myself. Ah, that makes sense. So you’re more of a drawbar kinda guy. Thanks for watching!

[@markcole6475]

Good idea! With my tractor I’ll have to take my link off and adjust the threads equally …they’re way off each other. My idea would be to drill a hole in one end of the tube (like a sight hole) to see how far the threads are out. If I can still see the threads in the hole I should be hood!

[@DIYMyWay]

Thanks Mark! A few others suggested drilling a sight hole or “witness” hole for that, which is an even better idea than mine.

[@MJADoingStuff]

To Martin Thanks for making this video you read my mind I just purchased the Pat's lower 3 point easy connect system and was worried about the top link being to short. Know I can just uses this new MOD and have piece of mind knowing where I am at on the top link. Also thanks for the great step by step detail you put in all your content : ) from Mitch

[@DIYMyWay]

Hi Mitch! Yes, that especially important when using the Pat’s system you and I have. If you haven’t already gotten a longer top link, you may find you’ll need to with the Pat’s like I did. Thanks for the kind words and for watching!

[@F12Mahon]

Late to the video but I like it. As a general rule, threaded connectors should have at least the same engagement as the thread diameter. If your top link has 1 inch threads, your golden!

[@DIYMyWay]

Sounds like good advice! Thanks for watching!

[@ritterjon]

💥 Great little truck there Martin! 👍 you always put together nice videos. *Keep on tractoring!*

[@DIYMyWay]

Hi Jon! Glad you think so! Thanks for watching!

[@matthewsims359]

I have been lucky so far and have never had my toplink come apart. Now, with your tip, i should not have to rely on guesswork and/or luck. Thanks for this great tip

[@DIYMyWay]

Glad I could help, Matthew!

[@Frank-pv1hp]

Great thinking Martin!

[@DIYMyWay]

Thanks, Frank!

[@homesteadpilgrim]

Great vid as always, Martin! I'll have to do this as well! Thanks for sharing.

[@DIYMyWay]

Thanks, Tim! Yes, since I believe you have the Pat’s system too, I highly recommend it. Thanks for watching!

[@robwhite2282]

Always such thoughtful ideas brother. Thank you

[@DIYMyWay]

Glad you found it useful, Rob! Thanks for watching!

[@astonmcleod5344]

As a rule the thread should fully engage in the female portion, as a guess I think the thread should be engaged by 50mm / two inches especially with heavier implements. However you are wise to ensure the top link does not pull apart.

[@tonygreen1067]

Great solution. Thank you.

[@DIYMyWay]

Thanks for watching, Tony!

[@FromSteelToWood]

Good idea! I guess you have your top link quite extended because of the Pat's Quick hitch. Mine is rather the opposite, not many threads exposed. But I really like the idea! Having 1in of threads is good, considering the body of the link is tin metal anyways. Best would be to have equal length to where the body narrows down. That link is working 80% of the time in tension. If you were to strip the threads, that means your implement has hit something very hard... so this top link would be a sacrificial part of it. Thanks!

[@DIYMyWay]

Hi Joe! That’s right and I even bought a longer top link for that reason, but I’m thinking I really need one even longer. Yes, I’m okay with the top link being the sacrificial component! Thanks for watching!

[@MrManic52001]

What is the brand and part number you used?

[@tenncutt]

I'm thinking you top link is too short. Good video though. Had someone admiring my (your) carryall the other day!

[@DIYMyWay]

Hi TennCutty! I got a longer one when I added the Pat’s Easy Change system to my three point, but I may have been better off getting an extra long one. So I think you’re right about that. Glad to hear the carryall has an admirer! Thanks for watching!

[@mueckenhoeffer]

Good video as always, but I had to wonder why lengthening the top link too much is a problem for you. I have 4 rear implements, and I don't believe I have adjusted my top link in or out more than 3 inches or so (total length). Then it occurred to me the quick change adapters you use really change the geometry of the 3PH system.

[@DIYMyWay]

Thanks! That’s exactly the reason and I even got a longer top link to make up the difference, but it may not be quite long enough. Thanks for watching!

[@larrycainjr]

Very interesting, Martin. Thanks for doing this video. Do I recall correctly that you replaced the factory top link with this longer one when you installed your Pat’s Easy Change? I didn’t change my top link when I installed my Pat’s but now think I need to double check how much thread I have holding it together. Better safe than sorry!

[@DIYMyWay]

Hi Larry! Yes, that right. I bought a longer top link. Yes, I recommend you check to see how much thread you have. Thanks for watching!

[@terryk3118]

Did you ever make that second video that you alluded to at the end of this one?

[@DIYMyWay]

Not yet, Terry. But thanks for the reminder and for watching!

[@OrangeismyNewGreen]

Really great suggestion/tip 👍🏻

[@Formerlywarmer]

Nice, great idea Thx again sir.

[@sapple3946]

Messicks advised to NOT use grease the ball joints as it attracts dirt/dust. They advised a dry lube….

[@DIYMyWay]

Good to know! Thanks for the tip!

[@craigerpc]

Hi keep up the great videos.. i only listen to your videos vs watch do to visual issues.. a while ago i asked if you could do a review on your backhoe..whether worth it and pros n cons. I may have missed your video on this or did you ever do one? If so could you send me the link please and thank you.

[@DIYMyWay]

Thanks, C M! Thanks for reminding me. I did one on subframe vs 3 point backhoes, but I know that didn’t answer your questions. The quick take on it is that yes, it has been a great and solid backhoe - very well made and I have used the hell out of it. That’s the key. To justify the expense you need to know that you have a lot of digging projects ahead of you, both large and small. If you only see a few big projects spread out over years in the future, you’d be much better off to rent a mini excavator as needed. I don’t regret the expense one bit because of the almost 600 hours on my tractor most of them have been using the backhoe. Thanks for watching!

[@mrfurb73]

Martin, have you done a video upgrading your top link to a hydraulic top link yet? If so, can you share a link - I can't find it. If not, have you looked at the upgrades from Tractor Innovations?

[@DIYMyWay]

Not yet, but I’ll most likely add a top n tilt after I add rear remotes down the road. I’ll check out Tractor Inovations. Thanks for watching!

[@eddiemears9743]

How do you set up the top link up with a implement? Thanks for this info!

[@DIYMyWay]

Hi Eddie! It depends on the implement. For instance, brush hogs which have flexible upper linkages often require that their upper pin where the top link connects be directly over the lower lift pins, so after you set the brush hog cutting height you adjust the top link so that the upper pin is directly over the lower pins. With other implements like a box blade, you set the length to adjust the angle that the box blade engages the ground which determines how aggressively the blade digs in the ground. Bottom line is most implement manuals cover how to adjust the top link for that particular implement. I hope this helps!

[@eddiemears9743]

@@DIYMyWay thanks and this does help!

[@davidgreen437]

That's a nice idea

[@DIYMyWay]

Thanks, David!

[@stephengmeiner3264]

Good idea. Or drill a hole in the cylinder one inch in from either end. You’ll see the threaded rod pass the hole.... stop!

[@DIYMyWay]

Hi Stephen! That’s a good idea too! I appreciate you watching!

[@michaelruff8739]

What type of mirrors did you buy

[@DIYMyWay]

Extreme Metal Products magnetic mirrors. I have a video review of them: kzbin.info/www/bejne/r16xhXmNmr2Ld6c. Thanks for watching!

[@cliffmolz8719]

Not a bad idea, but I can see after awhile your grease getting a little darker, thicker and dirtier where it might be a little hard to discern which threads were ground down and which ones were not. Could you maybe place a double nut on the spot so that you will always know what's the maximum length you can go? Just a thought. Cheers

[@DIYMyWay]

Hi Cliff! Yep that’s a concern which is why I mention an idea at the end of the video that should solve both those problems. If I understand you correctly, a double nut would mark the spot nut also keep me from retracting the top link beyond 1” of thread. Thanks for watching!

[@triciahill216]

There’s a chain on my 3-point hitch mounted sickle bar mower. However, I’m not sure what its purpose is or how to connect or adjusted it. Any suggestions?

[@DIYMyWay]

Hi Tricia! I don’t have that implement so I’m not sure, but if it’s a small chain near the implement’s PTO connection it may be for connecting to the shroud. If it’s a bigger chain not near the PTO connection, it may be a safety chain to hold the sickle bar upright when not in use. Hope that helps! Thanks for watching!

[@earlyriser8998]

nice littel idea

[@DIYMyWay]

Thanks!

[@philipking7559]

Do NOT grind your top links, any alteration or weakening of the top link will void any claims if you have an accident with one. If you want to leave a minimum of 1 inch inside the tube then do the initial measurement and when you next use it extended just measure the thread that is showing to make sure you don't go into that final inch. It only takes a few seconds to measure it with a tape or a pre-measured item.

[@ProjectsWithPaul]

A simple witness hole drilled in the top link would do the trick. That's what is used in the aviation industry.

[@DIYMyWay]

Hi Paul! Someone else made the same recommendation except they didn’t call it a witness hole or reference the aviation industry so you get extra points for that. (My dad was a commercial airline pilot.) Thanks for watching!

[@ridgewood2771]

Hydraulic top link will change your life