JD 5103 3-point hitch stuck raised

Llanonite · Sep 5, 2007

I have a well maintained 5103 with 60 hrs on it. While raising my 6' cutter the 3-point hitch got stuck on the raised position. Checked rate-of-drop adjustment, fluid levels, and any other obvious troubleshooting - no joy.

Before I get a JD mechanic and drop a few $$$, does anyone have any suggestions????

Thanks!

RonMar · Sep 6, 2007

You might try backing the mower up onto a slope/rise to physically raise it and take ALL the weight off the 3PH. I am not exactly sure how your speed reg valve works, but the one on my tractor is a type of adjustable check valve. If it gets closed down too much with a 3PH load in the air, it will hydrauically lock and I have to lift all the weight off the hitch to release it.

Llanonite · Sep 9, 2007

RonMar said:
You might try backing the mower up onto a slope/rise to physically raise it and take ALL the weight off the 3PH. I am not exactly sure how your speed reg valve works, but the one on my tractor is a type of adjustable check valve. If it gets closed down too much with a 3PH load in the air, it will hydrauically lock and I have to lift all the weight off the hitch to release it.

Thanks, I will give that a try.

srglsg · Nov 5, 2009

Llanonite said:
I have a well maintained 5103 with 60 hrs on it. While raising my 6' cutter the 3-point hitch got stuck on the raised position. Checked rate-of-drop adjustment, fluid levels, and any other obvious troubleshooting - no joy.

Before I get a JD mechanic and drop a few $$$, does anyone have any suggestions????

Thanks!

I just fixed my tractor that also had only 60 hours on it. The problem is corrosion in the rate of drop valve located underneath the seat. Remove the seat, and you will find the valve that controls the rate of drop. Be prepared for some hyd fluid to leak out and the hitch to drop. Remove the three allen head screws and remove the cover. Inside the cover you will find a cylinder about 3/4" in diameter. Pull it out using a pliers, it may be stuck. This is the first place you will notice the corrosion. Once you have the cylinder out, there is a plunger on the opposite end. This plunger/piston is what is jammed or stuck. Break it loose and work it till it operates freely. There isn't much else you can do to it other than clean it. Then reassemble. According to the dealer I spoke with, the problem is caused by the fluid absorbing moisture, thus causing the corrosion. No recommendation for prevention, but it is an easy fix once you have done it. Good luck.

RPW · Nov 6, 2009

-srglsg- You might want to check the dates of the original post. Last post was about 2 years ago

. Of course you could be enlightening the rest of us in a possible fix to our 5103's

.

Welcome aboard. There's a lot of information here. Where are you call home?

usmc5595 · Apr 9, 2010

RPW said:
-srglsg- You might want to check the dates of the original post. Last post was about 2 years ago. Of course you could be enlightening the rest of us in a possible fix to our 5103's.

Welcome aboard. There's a lot of information here. Where are you call home?

My tractor is a 2007 and the dealer said it was in the 12000 series and that the 13,000 (or maybe 12-1300 series cant remember) had adifferent valve system. I just had the same problem and i am trying to figure it out, new valve is $800

usmc5595 · Apr 9, 2010

usmc5595 said:
My tractor is a 2007 and the dealer said it was in the 12000 series and that the 13,000 (or maybe 12-1300 series cant remember) had adifferent valve system. I just had the same problem and i am trying to figure it out, new valve is $800

do you have pics of where the valve is??? Is it the lever or the twist valve?

wilkesr · Aug 21, 2010

Well, everyone has it spot on here. Even the JD dealer is telling me the same thing. I'm too busy to do it myself, but they've failed to go out and do it as I requested. Looks like I'll try to tackle this either this or next weekend. If I do it myself, I'll post some pictures on it. From what I understand, the hitch will drop quickly once the pin is removed (so try to have the load supported). As mentioned, fluid will go everywhere too (not much you can do about that one). Maybe I'll figure something out for NEXT TIME. It's pathetic that this happens so often and that there really isn't a solution. Mine only has 500hrs on it and I've had it maintained by the dealer.

wilkesr · Dec 3, 2010

http://www.ytmag.com/cgi-bin/viewit.cgi?bd=jd&th=378860original post:My 3 point hitch on my 2006 John Deere 5103 is stuck in the up position. This is the second time this has happened. The 1st time at about 140 hours and now a 195. This is a low use shredder tractor that is stored inside. I had the dealer repair it the 1st time, under warranty, and he said it was from sitting too much. I would agree with that previously but with all the rain I am shredding every 2-3 weeks this summer. The questions are: 1.How to fix it and 2. How to prevent it from happening again.Hydraulic fluid is clear and full. _______________This message is a reply to an archived post by Dean Olson on September 26, 2010 at 15:35:10. The original subject was "5103 3 point hitch stuck". I have the same problem with my 2005 w/500 hours. Didn"t have any problems until I took it for a complete fluid/filter change. Now it"s always happening. Dealer says it"s something weird and they can"t figure it out. Even when they replace/rebuild them, the problem is still there. Something JD needs to address. I"ve 5 JDs all together and this thing is a lemon.