Do I need to take the tractor to a workshop to install the lift retrofit kit?

Not compulsory. The hydraulic circuit is never opened, so basic hand tools and a multimeter suffice; get support for drilling, welding and linear-motor sets.

It is not compulsory. Installing the LFT20 and the LFT54 does not open the hydraulic circuit; only the outer end of the cable is attached to the kit, and two supply wires and one switch wire are run. It can be done with basic hand tools, a fuse, cable lugs and a multimeter. Even so, if you have doubts about the battery, the chassis connection or the cable mechanism, or if you are fitting a set with a linear motor such as the ELF-812, get help from a competent person.

The minimum equipment needed if you do it yourself

A spanner set, cable lugs and pliers, a fuse holder, clamps and a multimeter. Without a multimeter you cannot diagnose chassis and supply problems; only by measuring voltage can you tell the difference between a motor that does not turn at all and one that turns weakly. The wire cross section and the fuse rating for the supply line have to be planned in advance as well; the pages on supply wire cross section and fuse selection are there for that.

The rough order of the installation

  1. Disconnect the negative terminal of the battery.
  2. Choose and fix the position of the enclosure; the cable entry should face downwards.
  3. Attach the outer end of the cable to the kit's cable entry socket.
  4. Run the supply wires and put the fuse at the point closest to the battery terminal.
  5. Take the chassis connection to clean metal.
  6. Run the switch wire to a position in the cab or above the mudguard.
  7. Reconnect the battery, try it unloaded first, then verify it under load.

The chassis connection is the step in this list where mistakes are made most often; an ground taken on a painted surface produces vague behaviour that looks like a fault. Where the chassis connection should be taken from is described on a separate page. The step-by-step account for the LFT54 is on the LFT54 installation steps page.

Prefer workshop support in these situations

How long the installation takes

What determines the time is not the kit itself but the condition of the vehicle. If the position of the enclosure is ready and the route for the supply line is settled, the job amounts to routing the wires tidily. If holes have to be drilled, a faulty connection in the existing wiring corrected or the cable mechanism serviced, those are what set the time. That is why looking the vehicle over once before starting and listing the work to be done is the most practical way of breaking the job up.

The bench test before installation

On the LFT20 a bench test before installation is mandatory and you can carry out that test yourself: the red wire is touched to the battery positive and the black wire to the negative, and the forward and backward movement of the motor is observed. Since the LFT20 is sold outside warranty coverage, do not skip this step. The detail of the test is on the bench test page, and the reason for it on the why the LFT20 is sold outside warranty coverage page.

What to do in practice

Before starting work, draw the position of the enclosure, the cable route and the location of the fuse on paper; do not leave yourself deciding these things during the installation. Do not fix any part to the vehicle before doing the bench test. If drilling or welding is needed, separate that step out and have a competent person do it; you can complete the rest of the installation yourself.

The full topic: Converting a tractor hydraulic lever to electronic control

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