robiefield
Member
My 2011 DK40SE HST has 46 hours on it. I use it every weekend when I work at my 100 ac mountain farm. This might be an early failure, or more likely, it's a problem resulting from failure of the ignorant owner to RTFM.
Sunday I went to remove the PTO chipper from the 3 pt hitch and I could not lower it. Been using the lift controls all day with no issues. Now it would go up, but not down. I finally ended up with it stuck at the top of the travel.
No observable deficiencies in hydraulics of FEL & bucket. HST working as usual. No leaks or wet spots under tractor. The 3 pt hitch and all hoses are dry and intact.
Just the darn thing stuck at the top. Raising and lowering lift position control lever and draft control lever won't do anything, engine on or off.
Used a second FEL and chains to remove the attachment from the 3PH. Inspected unloaded A-arms closely. No leaks or wet spots. No binding at the A-arm attach points. Neither arm will come down regardless of lift position (or draft) control lever setting.
Left the tractor in the barn with the lift in max up position when I drove home to the piedmont. Just couldn't figure it out. No, I did not read the flipping operator's manual... until I got home 170 miles later.
So, after doing some homework, maybe a little late, I think I have one of two things:
1) a stuck valve in the 3PH hydraulics, or,
2) possibly during one of my recents dismounts from the seat, my boot heel whacked a previously unnoticed and until now, seemingly unimportant knob which is identified in the manual as the 3-Point Hitch Lowering Speed Knob.
It dawned on me it might be a Good Thing(tm) that I had not yet called my dealer from the Unhappy Zone about my stuck 3PH. This might be my own fault...
So here is my question for the wisdom of those who've Been There:
Is it possible my big clumsy foot, during trips on and off the tractor, has accidentally whacked this 3-Point Hitch Lowering Speed Knob to a position that is so closed that the 3PH will not lower? Is that setting possible, that will keep a raised hitch from lowering?
Is it possible that when I locate this knob and give it a little twist counter-clockwise I will hear the sound of lowering hydraulic A-arms? (to be followed immediately by the sound of my palm smacking my forehead?)
Or is there a history of 3PH hyd release valves sticking on 40-some hour old tractors?
(Right now I'm hoping for Dumb Operator over Warranty Repair.) I will trade the shame of a big rookie mistake for the pleasure of a working 3PH. Also, should I worry about leaving the unloaded 3PH in the full up position for another 5 days before I return to the farm?
Your experienced thoughts will be appreciated.
Chip
Robiefield Mountain Farms
Sunday I went to remove the PTO chipper from the 3 pt hitch and I could not lower it. Been using the lift controls all day with no issues. Now it would go up, but not down. I finally ended up with it stuck at the top of the travel.
No observable deficiencies in hydraulics of FEL & bucket. HST working as usual. No leaks or wet spots under tractor. The 3 pt hitch and all hoses are dry and intact.
Just the darn thing stuck at the top. Raising and lowering lift position control lever and draft control lever won't do anything, engine on or off.
Used a second FEL and chains to remove the attachment from the 3PH. Inspected unloaded A-arms closely. No leaks or wet spots. No binding at the A-arm attach points. Neither arm will come down regardless of lift position (or draft) control lever setting.
Left the tractor in the barn with the lift in max up position when I drove home to the piedmont. Just couldn't figure it out. No, I did not read the flipping operator's manual... until I got home 170 miles later.
So, after doing some homework, maybe a little late, I think I have one of two things:
1) a stuck valve in the 3PH hydraulics, or,
2) possibly during one of my recents dismounts from the seat, my boot heel whacked a previously unnoticed and until now, seemingly unimportant knob which is identified in the manual as the 3-Point Hitch Lowering Speed Knob.
It dawned on me it might be a Good Thing(tm) that I had not yet called my dealer from the Unhappy Zone about my stuck 3PH. This might be my own fault...
So here is my question for the wisdom of those who've Been There:
Is it possible my big clumsy foot, during trips on and off the tractor, has accidentally whacked this 3-Point Hitch Lowering Speed Knob to a position that is so closed that the 3PH will not lower? Is that setting possible, that will keep a raised hitch from lowering?
Is it possible that when I locate this knob and give it a little twist counter-clockwise I will hear the sound of lowering hydraulic A-arms? (to be followed immediately by the sound of my palm smacking my forehead?)
Or is there a history of 3PH hyd release valves sticking on 40-some hour old tractors?
(Right now I'm hoping for Dumb Operator over Warranty Repair.) I will trade the shame of a big rookie mistake for the pleasure of a working 3PH. Also, should I worry about leaving the unloaded 3PH in the full up position for another 5 days before I return to the farm?
Your experienced thoughts will be appreciated.
Chip
Robiefield Mountain Farms