Field Cultivator Hyd Help

Hey guys, I'm working on my Sunflower field
cultivator. It is an older one, has wings
and 4 lift cylinders. The depth stop valve
was not internal to the cylinder, it was an
external device mounted inline before the
first lift cylinder. It had gotten rusty
and ruined it before I got it, and leaked a
lot of oil, so I had just bypassed it for
the time being. Parts for the depth stop
are no longer available, and a newer style
depth stop valve is about $1500 from
Sunflower. So I found this Parker cylinder
stroke control valve for $60. I think it
will work just fine, but I have a question
on my plumbing. All of the cylinders are
plumbed in a loop essentially. The one hyd
line runs into the bottom of the first
cylinder for lift, then comes out the top
of the same cylinder and goes into the
bottom of the next cylinder. And so on,
until it ends with the last hose coming out
of the top of the last cylinder going back
to the tractor. Could I use this valve
inline at the inlet to the first cylinder
of the group like the last one was, or will
I have to split it between the first 2 lift
cylinders as shown? Here's a picture of the
valve I plan to use. Thanks guys

Ross

Not that you are going to be bouncing too much but I think you will have more accurate depth control with it set up to buffer 2 banks of 2 instead of 1 bank of 4.

Likely plumbed the way it is in the photo so wings fold and unfold evenly.

It should still function the way you proposed.

Thanks Determined, I was thinking along
your lines as well, I think I'll just do it
with 2 banks of 2 to make sure everything
stays even all the time.

You should keep your 4 cylinders in series as they already are. The cylinders are sized so that the rod end volume of one is the same as the base end of the next. This keeps your cultivator level. If you split them, you may find that your main frame will not stay level, and the lift will be slow.

A system as diagrammed needs the wheels on each side of the main frame mechanical hooked together to keep it level. The cylinders could be smaller diameter though.

The depth control will work fine plumbed as it currently is.

(quoted from post at 22:56:35 10/22/17) You should keep your 4 cylinders in series as they already are. The cylinders are sized so that the rod end volume of one is the same as the base end of the next. This keeps your cultivator level. If you split them, you may find that your main frame will not stay level, and the lift will be slow.

A system as diagrammed needs the wheels on each side of the main frame mechanical hooked together to keep it level. The cylinders could be smaller diameter though.

The depth control will work fine plumbed as it currently is.

Click to expand...

Very good point Moresmoke I was not aware of the stepped cylinder sizing on this unit.

With stepped cylinders it would be fighting itself if one were to split it into two banks of unmatched cylinders.

Sorry for the misinformation RBoots.

I would imagine it would be a real bear to bleed a closed system like that.