The advantages of Hydraulic TopLinks over manual TopLinks and how to choose your Hydraulic Toplink

Toplinks are an essential part of the tractor attachment system. Whatever you attach to the back of your tractor – ploughs, harrows, box blades, loader buckets and so forth – you need a reliable Toplink to provide the tilting action and angle your equipment depending on your work and terrain. Toplinks also are the secret to a smoother ride providing alignment and transferring a part of the weight of the agricultural equipment to the tractor. There are numerous advantages of Hydraulic Toplinks over manual Toplinks and this article will explore the main reasons why farmers are increasingly choosing the hydraulic option. 

 

What are the advantages of Hydraulic Toplinks?  

Hydraulic and Manual Toplinks operate on the same principle, with a significant difference. Hydraulic Toplinks use hydraulic-powered cylinders to perform the length adjustments whereas, in manual cylinders, adjustable tubes do the same job. 

A Hydraulic Toplink enables faster and more convenient angle and working height adjustments with less effort compared to manual Toplinks. The heavier the implement, the harder it is to make adjustments on a manual Toplink; hence It is effortless when you choose the hydraulic. For advanced Hydraulic Toplinks fitted with quick-attach hooks, it is even possible to connect to an implement and make adjustments without leaving the driver’s seat.  

 Hydraulic Toplinks are mainly used in situations where you want to change the length of the top connection during work. This may be because you work on uneven terrain with work on the land, but also, for example, cutting or removing silage. Also, with a pallet fork behind the tractor, it is very convenient to be able to adjust the length quickly. Any work on a farm, parkland or even construction site which requires repeated back and forth movements will be far faster when you are using a Hydraulic Toplink 

 Last but not least, you can also use a Hydraulic TopLink for applications where the length is fixed for processing, then it is especially luxurious that you do not even have to get out of the cab. By locking the length, you ensure that there is no slippage during usage or even if left unattended for a long period of time.  

How much time, and therefore money, you save from using a Hydraulic Toplink depends on the nature of the job at hand. They are, inevitably, more expensive than manual Toplinks, but most farmers find that the time and effort – and frustration! – saved makes a huge difference to their working lives. 

What machines can be attached with a Hydraulic Toplink?

The simple answer is any machine you can attach with a manual Toplink. Feeder bedders, harrows, mowers, tedders, seeders, concrete mixers, woodchippers... if you can attach it, you can use it. There are certain machines or implements where a Hydraulic Toplink is particularly helpful like box blades. Unless you only ever have one simple machine attached to the back of a particular tractor which never needs changing or much adjustment, a Hydraulic Toplink will save valuable time and effort every day.   

Choosing your Hydraulic Toplinks  

There are several factors to consider when you are choosing which Hydraulic Toplink to buy.  

The first thing to consider is the horsepower of your tractor. Tractors of up to 100hp/74kW will require a category 2 Hydraulic Toplink. More powerful tractors will require a category 3 Hydraulic Toplink.  

As the power of the tractor increases, the Toplink is put under greater forces, depending on the size and weight of the implement you attach.  This means Toplink needs to be stronger to withstand those increased forces. A tractor generating up to 74kW will require a category 2 Toplink with a size of 63. For between 75kW and 135kW, a category 3 Toplink with a 70-bore diameter, will be up to the demands. For tractors of between 136kW and 206kW, you will need to choose a category 3 Toplink with a 90 bore. Above this, you will require a 120-bore Toplink.  

The second consideration is the type of bracket on the tractor side. If the Toplink is going to sit in a bracket offering just one, single position during operation, a ball joint will usually suffice. Gradually, for greater flexibility in operations, farmers are choosing a swivel link. If multiple positions are required, you should choose a swivel link. This gives the cylinder more freedom of movement during operation so that the cylinder tube doesn’t contact the attachment bracket. If you choose a bore diameter that is too large for the tractor-side bracket and lift your implement too high, the Toplink can be damaged and fail.  

The third consideration is the type of bracket on the machine side. If the bracket has cross-connections, the amount of freedom around the pinhole will be limited. In that instance, it is better to use a ball-end attachment. If the bracket has no cross-connections, you can use a hook attachment. There should always be enough freedom of movement with the three-point hitch in the upper or lower position or with the implement tilted forwards or backwards.  

You will also need to check the mounting diameter of the Toplink pin at both tractor and machine sides. 19mm is a category 1, 25mm a category 2, 32mm a category 3 and 45mm a category 4. You will likely find that the hole diameters are wider to provide enough clearance for easy mounting and dismounting.  

Next, you will need to check your minimum and maximum working lengths for safe operation. This will be measured in millimeters from the center to the center of the two attachment points.  

Important: when choosing any Toplink, you need to be aware of the range of motion required and possible damage if you choose the wrong attachment end for the Toplink. Some tractor-side brackets feature a vertically longer bracket with boreholes at several different heights. A ball-end attachment is not suitable for this sort of bracket, as the cylinder could end up being damaged, as it will most likely be pushed against the bracket. A swivel-end on a fork-head Toplink adds extra length to the Toplink, taking the hydraulic cylinder further away from the bracket you are attaching it to. This means that you have freedom of movement and no risk of crushing the hydraulic cylinder against the tractor-side bracket where it is attached.  

Having the fork-head Toplink, however, reduces the length of the Toplink cylinder overall and therefore the working range of the Toplink.  

Other things to look out for:  
Does the Toplink you are considering include a check valve so the position can be hydraulically locked in place?  
Does Toplink come with a full hydraulic hose kit? It is worth noting that Kramp hose kits are always fitted with universal quick-release couplings, to speed up your work.  

Need to know more?  
If you’re unsure about any of the technical aspects of choosing the right Hydraulic Toplink for your tractor or machines, it is best to talk to an expert. We are here for a reason: contact a Kramp product specialist today for immediate, impartial advice on tractors’ Toplink specifications.  

You can also check our video about Hydraulic Toplinks for more information.