Matt_Meiser
Silver Member
I've had this Kodiak rotary cutter for about 3 years now and am finally getting it converted over to work with my i-Match. The lower pin spacing was good, but the upper was all wrong for my needs. My JD dealer had an LX4 on display so I headed over with the digital camera and snapped a bunch of photos of the linkages so I could figure mine out.
The first step was to make the front pivot. I accomlished this by enlarging the holes where the pins went through the uprights and putting a bushing over the threads on the lower pins. A washer serves to retain the upright.
Next, I needed to get the upper mounting pin in the correct i-Match location. Some 3/8" steel brackets accomplished this. They will be welded to the original uprights.
Now I needed to modify the linkage to allow the top to move back and forth, but only so far. The upper linkage is based on the concept of what Deere did with thiers, but my arms are simpler. As the top of the uprights tilt forward, the travel is limited by a pin in the linkage hitting the arms. At this point the tractor will begin to lift the cutter. Travel backwards is much more free, but will be limited by the arc of the brackets.
I have a few pieces to trim up now that I've got the design completed and I want to round over the ends of all the linkage parts. I also need to weld the brackets for the upper pin in place, then the entire cutter will get painted JD green and with graphite paint underneath.
The first step was to make the front pivot. I accomlished this by enlarging the holes where the pins went through the uprights and putting a bushing over the threads on the lower pins. A washer serves to retain the upright.
Next, I needed to get the upper mounting pin in the correct i-Match location. Some 3/8" steel brackets accomplished this. They will be welded to the original uprights.
Now I needed to modify the linkage to allow the top to move back and forth, but only so far. The upper linkage is based on the concept of what Deere did with thiers, but my arms are simpler. As the top of the uprights tilt forward, the travel is limited by a pin in the linkage hitting the arms. At this point the tractor will begin to lift the cutter. Travel backwards is much more free, but will be limited by the arc of the brackets.
I have a few pieces to trim up now that I've got the design completed and I want to round over the ends of all the linkage parts. I also need to weld the brackets for the upper pin in place, then the entire cutter will get painted JD green and with graphite paint underneath.
