Bought some chain

[RalphVa]

I bought some chain at TSC plus some clip-type connectors. Two connectors are big enough on their small ends for my 3/4" top connector pins to go through it. Plan to use chain plus connectors for the top link on my brush hog. Will find a down slope to determine the maximum length of chain to use to keep the drive shaft from contacting the deck.

In the meantime, with the hog off, I've the connectors and chain attached to the mid holes on my draft arms and drooped down to near my drawbar. Can attach the mid point of the chain to the top of the "y" on my Gravely cart hitch as a runaway chain.

Think going to the chain has me talked into getting the Pat's quick hitch, because iMatch or Speeco stuff won't work.

Guess I should go out and take some pics.

Ralph

[beenthere]

Please, pictures will be good, and then maybe I can 'picture' what you are doing. [img]/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

[RalphVa]

Here's the chain as a runaway chain for my Gravely cart. The 2 large spring clips are attached to the draft links on their larger ends. A 3rd spring clip is used on the top part of the "Y" hitch on the cart.

Ralph

[RalphVa]

Here's the chain used as a top link for my LX4 cutter. (The cutter isn't attached on the draft arms.) The 2 larger snap links have the top links through their smaller ends. The smaller snap link used for the runaway chain isn't needed.

The chain fitted to one end of a top link will be determined by the length needed to keep the drive shaft from contacting the deck when the cutter goes below the tractor.

I think, in practice, that I'll put a short section of PVC pipe over the chain just in case it does pop, to keep from having chain bounce off my back or head.

Ralph

[beenthere]

That is a very different arrangement for hooking up a cart to the rear drawbar. Now I am curious as to what a 'gravely cart' is, as I haven't seen that kind of a tongue arrangement before. I can see why you have 'runaway' chains, or safety chains hooked up. [img]/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]
Thanks for the pic.

[Cheyenne]

What model JD tractor are you showing? Unusual looking (to me) draft links.

[JClark]

Hey Ralph, why are you using chain instead of the floating top link on you cutter?

[RalphVa]

The floating top link on the LX4 only allows 3 to 4 inches of float. This is not enough float for the uneven terrain that I have. Also, I have to remove the top link to the tractor at one end to be able to raise the cutter the 4 inches necessary to put it onto 4x4s that JD recommends (actually, I put it on dollies now, pics in another thread herein).

My tractor is a JD 4010. The draft arms are raised by some smaller arms connected by vertical links. I have to remove these links and loosen the turnbuckles to get the draft arms off the cutter. I'm thinking of getting Pat's quick hitch gizmos for the draft arms. Will need the rigid top link when using the KK carryall that I plan to get.

Raising the cutter for transport down a road (not likely I'll do this) requires the rigid top link and screwed down short like it was when they delivered the tractor and cutter, to get it down the ramp of the trailer.

That "Y" hitch for the Gravely is Gravely's method of keeping the 2 wheel tractor from collapsing in the middle while pulling a 2 wheel cart. Works well until the ball hitch breaks. Then it's a pinch for the naked guy riding on the cart between it and the tractor.

Ralph

[bigpete]

Ralph: I don't doubt what you are saying, but you shouldn't have to disassemble your 3-PH to attach/detatch your LX4. You have a standard ASAE Cat 1 3-point on your tractor.

[RalphVa]

There's more discussion on my LX4 setup in the Attachments forum above.

**** draft arms don't move easily. Gotta loosen the turnbuckles for them to swing out at all. Then the attachments of the lift arms to the draft arms don't allow any side-to-side movement. So, with the cutter sitting solidly on concrete floor, I had to disconnect the lift arms from the draft arms to allow the draft arms to swing out to come off the lift pins on the cutter. I'm seriously leaning towards getting Pat's quick hitch gizmos for the draft arms. They don't have to swing out then.

Ralph