Problems with MC519 cart

[glagen]

Anyone having a problem with their MC519 cart coming off the tractor? I have had two of them over the years, one on a 345 I sold a few years back and now on an X595 and periodically they both have unhooked from the mounting during use. To make matters worse, it seems like whenever it happens the darn things are almost full, making the re-attach that much harder.

I checked the cart frame and it is not bent. Tires are inflated properly. Nice cart, collects well and holds a lot of grass and leaves in the fall but painful at times.

Anyone out there with this problem who has found a solution?
Steve Z

 

[beenthere]

Once they come off, they are hard to keep on (at least that is my experience).

I replaced the spring loaded bolts with a bolt and a nut, so the slider that locks the u-frame to the pins cannot slip. Not that much work to just remove the two bolts, and a whole lot less work than trying to re-attach the loaded cart (except I can just hit the hydraulic lift and dump mine out /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif ).

That Hyd lift on the 519 cart is priceless. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[KTD]

Steve,

My cart comes loose, too. Only on one side though. Usually as the result of running on irregular terrain. My u-frame is now slightly out-of-shape.

As beenthere mentioned, the only solution I've found is to tighten the spring loaded bolt the whole way down - then the slider can't slip.

You are right, the carts are not fun to re-attach when loaded!

KTD

 

[EquipmentJunkie]

I know that my brother has had a problem with his cart coming unhitched. I will ask him about it.

I have to very careful when asking my brother about it, however...the mere mention of this device causes his blood pressure to rise to dangerous levels, he breaks out in a sweat and begins a anger-filled rant. I think that his usual response is due to repeated failures that involve a perfect storm scenario involving: a full cart, a hill, and an approaching thunderstorm.

I will test the waters to see if he is up to discussing this cart with rational analysis. I will pass on any knowledge that I can glean.

 

[EquipmentJunkie]

I asked my brother about the cart and he just shook his head in frustration. He said that, ironically, when he got home last night, the cart was laying in the middle of the yard. The cart strikes again! It unhitched itself when full and it was too much for someone to manhandle by themselves.

Our local Deere dealer knows of the problems with the Deere carts. When asked about it, the salesperson just smiled knowingly. He was apparently bit by the Devil Cart, as well.

My brother said that there is no good fix for keeping the cart in place. The main source of his hatred of the cart is due to one particular incident. He had it roll end-over-end down a hill, breaking the gas cylinder that lifts the cover in the process. $45 for the gas shock.

Apparently the spring clips which hold the bracket on the mounting studs will vibrate loose. When these clips come loose, the cart can come unhooked. His remedy is to hold the spring clips in place with a Vise Grip pliers on each side. No elegant, foolproof solution here. I guess that the Vise Grips work...sometimes.

 

[pennwalk]

Me too! I just bought a mc519 cart to use on my 425aws. So tell me, was this the first design project for a young guy who sadly was a C student at engineering school who's uncles friend was a manager at JD??? What a kludge the hitch is. I am not an engineer but I am tempted to redo the hitch. Is it true that JD is discontinuing the mc519 ? I wonder what the new rig will be like. They ought to make the guys who design these things use them. I'd bet they would improve pretty darned quick. My problem is the same as the other guys reported here. The cart comes unhitched going over bumps. As little as a couple of inches going from the grass to the road and look out baby. I am using the new style hitch that mounts to the outside of the frame. Sadly the pins that I have don't have a head on the end so the hitch arms can spread and come off. I did talk to the dealer and they have been replacing the springs on the quick hitch with much heavier springs. I have done this. I can almost not pull them open so we will see. I did notice a little wear on the quich hitch brackets so again we'll see. I'm going to check to make sure that the hitch fits good and tight around the frame. I can see that the aws probably is putting more stress in the hitch arms. I have a JRCO cart that I use with a F525 at the farm. It looks like JD bought or stole the mc519 design from JRCO but decided to "improve" the hitch. The JRCO hitch is simpler and just as quick and I have never had it come off. How else have you guys solved the problem? I am tempted to cut off the ends and drill holes and just use clevis pins and hairpin clips. I think there ought to be some flex in the frame too.

Chris

 

[Mayor]

How about a few pictures. It might help other come up with ideas to help with the problem.

 

[pennwalk]

I used the cart Tuesday. It didn't come off once. I was moving pretty quick because it was raining. Looks like the heavy duty springs may have helped. I don't know if I will use it again because winter seems to have rolled over me.
I will post some pictures when I figure out how the down size them.

Chris

 

[slkpk]

The only time I've had problems with the MC519 cart coming off was when I would backup and the wheel hits a hole. I just tightened the bolts down and that fixed it for me. I also put a hydraulic dump on mine. slkpk

 

[Jaytrucker]

Does anyone know where I could buy a good used MC519 cart or a JRCO cart for my GT235. Preferrably from Ontario as thats where i am from.