Lift-O-Matik Cable
The steel cable that trips the quadrant quick lift mechanism; it is the only external interface, and electronic retrofit kits connect at exactly this point.
The Lift-O-Matik cable is the steel cable that trips the quadrant type quick lift mechanism, and it is the only external interface of the mechanism. When the operator pulls the cable the mechanism takes the linkage from the position set beforehand to the transport position; when it is released the system returns to its former working position. Because it trips the lifting cycle without going directly into the hydraulics, the valve or the lever, the electronic retrofit kits are connected to exactly this cable.
Why the conversion is made at this point
The logic of the conversion is therefore simple: the free end of the cable outside the tractor is detached and connected to the cable entry socket on the body of the kit. The LFT20 and LFT54 kits use the same point.
- The original connection on the tractor side is never taken off; when the kit is removed the system returns to its former state.
- A cable is not supplied with the kit; the existing tractor cable is used.
- The cable has to slide freely inside its guide tube; a cable that binds strains the kit.
The movement and the force the kit produces are fixed. The pull distance and the pull force that the mechanism wants must stay within these limits; in practice these two measurements determine the whole of the compatibility.
The cable also explains why the conversion can be undone. The lifting cycle does not change at all on the hydraulic side; the kit only changes the hand that pulls the cable. Because the valve setting, the pipework and the three-point linkage are not touched, the lifting speed, the pressure and the behaviour of the tractor stay the same. When the kit is removed the cable is put back in its old place and the system works as if it had never been interfered with.
The condition of the cable affects compatibility directly
| Symptom | Probable cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| The cable is hard to pull by hand | The outer sheath is crushed or its inner surface has dried out | Correct the route, renew the cable if need be |
| The tripping distance has grown over time | The cable has stretched | Re-adjust the end or change the cable |
| There are broken strands at the end | Fatigue | Change it before fitting |
| The lever stays partly tripped all the time | Pre-tension in the cable | Adjust it so that a little slack is left |
The tractors on which it cannot be used
The basic condition for compatibility is this: if the tractor has a quick lift mechanism pulled by a cable, the kit can be fitted. The make and the model are not decisive. If there is no cable, that is, if the control is driven by a direct rod linkage, or if the lifting is managed entirely from an electronic control unit, the LFT series kits are not suitable. Nor is it fitted if the cable is there but the tripping distance or the force needed lies outside the limits of the kit; forcing it in that case tires the cable and the mechanism.
In marginal cases go over the cable itself before deciding. A large part of the force measured most often comes not from the mechanism but from friction inside the sheath and from a bad route. When the cable is renewed and the route corrected, the same mechanism can be tripped with a far smaller force. Repeat the measurement after this attention; the decision is made on that second measurement.
What to do in practice
Before fitting, free the outer end of the cable, pull it by hand and measure the distance at which the mechanism trips, and weigh the force needed with a spring balance. Note both values down; the kit is chosen by looking at these two measurements. Verify as well that the cable slides inside the sheath without catching. After connecting, leave a little slack in the cable and, on first running, watch that the lever returns exactly to its former position when released.
The context in which this term is used: What is Lift-O-Matik and how does it work?