Can I remove the lift retrofit kit and return the tractor to its original state?

Yes. Only the outer end of the cable was detached, so removing the kit and refitting that end is enough; the hydraulic line was never entered, so no oil work.

Yes. When the LFT20 and the LFT54 are installed, only the end of the existing Lift-O-Matik cable outside the tractor is detached; the original connection on the tractor side is never opened. Removing the kit and putting the end of the cable back where it was returns the system to fully manual operation. Since the hydraulic line is not entered, no draining of oil, bleeding or valve adjustment is needed.

Removal is the installation in reverse

1. Disconnect the negative terminal of the battery.
2. Separate the supply and control signal wires and take out the fuse holder.
3. Detach the end of the cable from the kit's cable entry socket and fit it to its original connection point.
4. Remove the main unit and gather up the cable clamps.
5. Reconnect the battery and work the mechanism by hand to confirm that the quick lift works normally.

Do not skip the last step. Only by working the mechanism by hand can you see that the cable end has seated properly in the original connection; the point at which the arms start to lift should be the same as it was before the kit was fitted. For the state of the cable at its connection point, see the page on whether the existing cable has to be removed.

What is left behind

The only permanent trace left is the bolt holes you drilled to fix the enclosure; for that reason, use existing holes or a clamped connection during installation wherever you can. That choice not only makes removal easier, it also means you have not drilled through the galvanised coating. Ways of fixing the enclosure without drilling are dealt with on the choosing the mounting location page.

The situation on a set with a linear motor

The ELF-812 does not enter the hydraulic circuit either: the linear motor and the mounting hardware are taken off and the control lever released, and the control module and the joystick are taken out of the cab. Once the connecting bracket on the lever is removed the lever returns to its own full range of movement; for that reason, work the lever by hand through its full stroke after removal. How the connection is made is on the connecting the linear motor to the lever page. In both cases the tractor's original hydraulic capacity, the relief valve setting and the function of the lowering speed (response) lever are left unchanged.

What to verify after removal

Take the arms fully up once and fully down once and see that the movement is the same as it was before the kit was fitted. If there is free play at the cable end connection, or if the lever does not reach its full range, the end is in the wrong hole or has not seated fully. Gather up the cable clamps as well; a loose wire wandering about the vehicle raises the suspicion of a fault of unknown origin later on.

Are you removing it temporarily or for good

If you are not removing the kit permanently, leaving the supply line and the fuse holder in place and insulating the ends makes the job easier; you will not have to run wires again when you refit it. For permanent removal, take the wires out completely and leave no open end. For what the trace the kit leaves on the vehicle means as far as inspection is concerned, you can look at the does a lift kit count as a modification page.

What to do in practice

Photograph the wiring connections before removing anything; if you are going to refit it, those photographs are the quickest guide there is. Once removal is finished, try the mechanism under load once and confirm that the speed at which the arms lift has gone back to what it was. Keep the removed parts in their box and the wires labelled.

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

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