Mowing BX2660 Mower Lift Arms Stuck Up

[caincreek]

Morning Folks,

I went to remount the MMM on my BX2660 yesterday and the mower lift arms are stuck in the up position. I take the MMM on and off quit a bit but I can't figure out this problem. I had been running the tractor with the MMM off, life arms retracted, and deck height dial set to top. When I set the deck height dial to 0 in order to unlock and lower the lift arms, they will not come down. I can't see any visible damage on either side, nor with the mechanical linkage to the 3pt hitch. Speaking of the linkage, it appears to move normally. I looked at the underside of the deck height dial and it seems to be working right from the underside except that there is a flange on the dial that is designed to connect with a notch in the mower lift arm linkage. In the top position, the flange isn't engaging with the notch, like the notch is slightly out of position. As I've never had to investigate this before I don't know if this is normal or not.

Any help is appreciated. I just want the arms to come down so I can get back to mowing the grass.

Mike

 

[OrangeBeast]

Check the flow knob (yes i forgot the name) that controls the rate your 3pt moves. Could be closed all the way down! If it was not going up I'd say check you power beyond hose is hooked up. Mine came undone a few times and tends to take me 5 minutes before I realized that was why it was not going up. Now I try to always check those 2 things when I have 3pt and mower up/down issues!

 

[Jeff F.]

Can you have someone else move the lever so you can observe what the lift arms are doing? This would enable you to see if they move at all- just binding, or if the linkage is disconnected. Make sure the 2 spring loaded retention pins that clip to the mower are free. Also your 3 point arms are moving up and down, so the valve is working correctly. I believe we can rule out anything hydrolic. I would stop in and give you a hand but I have to work tomorrow.

 

[caincreek]

Thanks OrangeBeast and Jeff.

The control knob is set to the mid point position and the lift arms on my 3pt hitch move up and down correctly. The spring loaded retention pins are also free.

Mike

 

[TripleR]

Contact RaydaKub, he has done a lot of work on his MMM stuff.

 

[GolfAddict]

It almost sounds like your height adjustment is not working correctly. That is, when you turn the knob it is not actually moving the adjustment underneath, so staying at "top" position. Is that possible?

 

[Iowan]

Try setting your height control back to " TOP" then raise your 3 point all the way up, then adjust your height setting, then lower again.

 

[BXpanded]

The 3 point and mower lift have no down pressure (Gravity only) when nothing is attached to provide some weight, they sometimes won't drop without some help. While holding the lift control lever in the down position, use the other hand to push down on one of the 3 point lift arms. If it still won't drop, open the lowering speed control knob completely and try again. The engine does not need to be running to lower the lift, BTW.

 

[caincreek]

Thanks for all of the replies. The cutting height control knob is currently set to zero, and I made sure the cutting height stopping flange, the part welded on the pivot rod, doesn't touch the "stair step" ring on the control knob or bind in any way. So I think I can rule out the height control knob and assembly. I have adjusted the mower links from the rear next to the driver-side rear lifting arm per the user manual. I have also opened up the lowering speed control knob to the full open position.

Which the cutting height control set to 0, I can raise the mower links / hitch and the mower link retracts to up against the stop position as it's supposed to. When I lower the mower links / hitch, the rod connecting the mower link to the hydraulics attempts to push the link down, but only goes about a 1/4" then stops. It seems like something is binding the pivot point where the pivot rod comes through the frame and into the pivot assembly.

When I hold down the hydraulic control lever and have someone else put pressure on the mower link to manually pull it down it does not budge.

At least the Atlanta Falcons won today. As always, thanks for all the advice.

 

[RaydaKub]

Thanks Triple, but I gotta admit I'm sorta puzzled by this one also. The height control on my BX2230 had a flat side on shaft so it doesn't seem possible that cam is spinning on the shaft. Unless perhaps the nut has come loose and the rod is sitting above the cam. I am assuming the control is similar on newer iron. The knob also has a flat side.
Does the spring on the control feel like it settles in?

I guess I'd crawl underneath and see if the cam is working properly when you turn it. You'll need somebody else to turn it. Maybe once you are underneath you can see something else that is getting in the way. On the older ones, this whole thing is pretty visible.