3-Point Hitch Kubota B3300SU + Zerco Check Chains + King Kutter Rotary Cutter

   / Kubota B3300SU + Zerco Check Chains + King Kutter Rotary Cutter #1  

jeff9366

Super Star Member
Joined
Jan 14, 2011
Messages
12,368
Location
Alachua County, North-Central Florida
Tractor
Kubota Tractor Loader L3560 HST+ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 3,700 pounds bare tractor, 5,400 pounds operating weight, 37 horsepower
The Kubota B3300SU ( 33-hp / 1,800 pounds ) does not have POSITION CONTROL for the 3-Pt. hitch. Instead the B3300SU has 1/4"ing adjustment of the 3-Pt hitch, which is useful in its own way, but is NOT position control.

When using a rotary cutter ("Bush Hog") you wish the mower deck to return to the same height, exactly, after raising the mower or upsetting its position by bouncing over uneven ground. Height adjustment is critical on a rotary cutter where you want the revolving blade to cut in the arc near to the tractor and revolve freely as it passes through the arc at the rear of the tractor. For this reason you want the FRONT of the mower deck 1/2 to 1" LOWER than the mower deck at the REAR. When I mow that usually means 1-1/2" at the front, the grass cut height, and 2 or 2-1/2" at the rear.

On tractors without position control, such as the B3300SU, position control is accomplished with CHECK CHAINS. This post is an attempt to suggest check chains and make rigging mower-deck check chains simple.

Photo #1 + #2 Zerco Check Chains I purchased mine from Steven's Tractor in Louisanna; fairly close to Florida. Agri Supply in Virginia also sells Zercos. $30 + shipping.

Photo #3 Directions Zerco suggests two grab-link adjusting brackets should go on cross pin holding inboard end of top link. On the B3300SU there are two cross pins and not much room. Attached to one cross pin adjusting brackets are an awkward fit and the chains lie at too shallow an angle. I needed a higher grab-link bracket position.

Photo #4 View 48" KK Rotary Kutter in raised/transport position. Check chains slack.

Photo #5 Closeup of Check Chains Adjusting brackets mounted to pivot bolts for ROPS; required 1/2" longer replacement bolts. Brackets stay on the tractor.

Note lighter chain extension attached with one clevis on each side. This is to give finer height adjustment. Chain "Quick Links" would not be strong enough splice in this application.

(( Note aftermarket pin adjustable stabilizers by STABILWORKS have replaced Kubota turnbuckles. ))

Photo #6 Closeup of right Adjusting Bracket Extra chain dangling. Green cable tie marks link providing 1-1/2" cutting height.

Photo #7 Closeup of right Adjusting Bracket Extra chain secured.

Photo #8 + #9 Ready to mow/'hog - Ratchet Rake on the bucket.

Note: Kubota top link has been replaced by "Hydraulink" air over hydraulic top link. Hydraulink mechanism is excellent used with box blades. I am experimenting to see Hydraulink will be an improvement over King Kutter mechanical floating link. The Hydraulink provides shock absorption.

I hope this post assists others without position control for the 3-Pt. hitch.

LINKS:

Chain Limiter Kit

Kubota tractor stabilizers Kubota [url]www.stabilworks.com - YouTube[/url]
 

Attachments

  • IMG_0367.JPG
    IMG_0367.JPG
    56.3 KB · Views: 1,598
  • IMG_0494.JPG
    IMG_0494.JPG
    106.5 KB · Views: 1,701
  • IMG_0495.JPG
    IMG_0495.JPG
    77.4 KB · Views: 1,469
  • IMG_0496.jpg
    IMG_0496.jpg
    181.8 KB · Views: 1,277
  • IMG_0497.jpg
    IMG_0497.jpg
    164 KB · Views: 2,902
  • IMG_0498.jpg
    IMG_0498.jpg
    170 KB · Views: 1,124
  • IMG_0500.jpg
    IMG_0500.jpg
    180.3 KB · Views: 1,154
  • IMG_0501.JPG
    IMG_0501.JPG
    96.4 KB · Views: 1,971
  • IMG_0368.JPG
    IMG_0368.JPG
    56 KB · Views: 1,504
Last edited:
   / Kubota B3300SU + Zerco Check Chains + King Kutter Rotary Cutter #2  
Nice job and good write-up but it looks complicated to me. I'm cheap so I did this, it cost nothing (scrap steel) and it works great:
 

Attachments

  • TPH Mods - 006.jpg
    TPH Mods - 006.jpg
    476.3 KB · Views: 2,206
   / Kubota B3300SU + Zerco Check Chains + King Kutter Rotary Cutter
  • Thread Starter
#3  
Works Great is key for both of us.

I wish I had the acquired welding skills before age 65 arrived.

My wife works cross-word puzzles. I write on T-B-N to exercise my writing skills.
 
Last edited:
   / Kubota B3300SU + Zerco Check Chains + King Kutter Rotary Cutter #4  
Agreed. Glad it works for you. All the best. :thumbsup:
 
   / Kubota B3300SU + Zerco Check Chains + King Kutter Rotary Cutter #5  
Dang, I just had one of those DUH moments. I've been considering finding a way to make gauge wheels work on the front of my Bush Hog. Although I would still prefer the wheels since I mow some pretty uneven areas, the check chain idea is pretty neat. I have oxy/fuel torch and welder so I can make up my own check chains pretty easily/economically. I had just never seen it done before. Thanks guys!!
 
   / Kubota B3300SU + Zerco Check Chains + King Kutter Rotary Cutter
  • Thread Starter
#6  
Although I would still prefer the wheels since I mow some pretty uneven areas, the check chain idea is pretty neat.

I actually bought two stiff springs, at $5.39 each, from local Ace Hardware with the idea of splicing one into each check chain, using a second clevis, for a little shock absorption.

Decided I should test current check chain rig thoroughly before complicating it. I returned the two springs. But I remember exactly where the Ace Hardware spring cabinet is.
 
Last edited:
   / Kubota B3300SU + Zerco Check Chains + King Kutter Rotary Cutter #7  
I think your ROPS is on borrowed time with that setup. The distance from where the chains connect to the ROPS to where the ROPS is bolted to the tractor is considerable, providing a long lever for a bouncing rotary cutter to start pounding on the bolted tractor/ROPS joint through that long lever arm. Personally, I'd try to cobble something together directly off the top link attachment point, or at least lower the check chain/ROPS attachment point to something like herringchoker shows. Not trying to be snarky and hope I'm not sounding that way, just wouldn't want to see you damage you ROPS - can't imagne what it would cost to replace. Then there's the whole safety thing, which I'll just avoid.
 
   / Kubota B3300SU + Zerco Check Chains + King Kutter Rotary Cutter
  • Thread Starter
#8  
I 'hogged with two predecessor check chain arrangements from January 2012 to the present, without strain evident in the components or King Kutter. The predecessor was constructed from miscellaneous components sourced from TSC + Ace Hardware. Cost at least $30, equal to or more than the Zerco kit.

The Zerco arrangement is simpler. The Zerco chain is heavy gauge to support heavier rotary cutters than my 48" King Kutter. Were a chain to break, cutter would only fall max 5/8" (length of one chain link) before 3-Pt. lift arm supports it on that side. Note that I recommend clevis chain connecters and AGAINST threaded quick links. Not shown, but I use a strong bungee to tension each check chain away from PTO in unlikely event of check chain failure.

Zerco check chains were originally sold for the Ford 8N; they have proved over many years.

The new, longer ROPS pivot bolts are 5/8" Grade 8.

I can splice in a strong spring to each check chain as a shock absorber if I recognize the need.

Thank you for your view.

I respect your Randall Brown quotation.
 
Last edited:
   / Kubota B3300SU + Zerco Check Chains + King Kutter Rotary Cutter #9  
I 'hogged with two predecessor check chain arrangements from January 2012 to the present, without strain evident in the components or King Kutter. The predecessor was constructed from miscellaneous components sourced from TSC + Ace Hardware. Cost at least $30, equal to or more than the Zerco kit.

The Zerco arrangement is simpler. The Zerco chain is heavy gauge to support heavier rotary cutters than my 48" King Kutter. Were a chain to break, cutter would only fall max 5/8" (length of one chain link) before 3-Pt. lift arm supports it on that side. Note that I recommend clevis chain connecters and AGAINST threaded quick links. Not shown, but I use a strong bungee to tension each check chain away from PTO in unlikely event of check chain failure.

Zerco check chains were originally sold for the Ford 8N; they have proved over many years.

The new, longer ROPS pivot bolts are 5/8" Grade 8.

I can splice in a strong spring to each check chain as a shock absorber if I recognize the need.

Thank you for your view.

I respect your Randall Brown quotation.

I just purchased the Zerco deck height stabilizer for my 1951 Ferguson TO-20. The good news: once I got it installed, it worked fantastic. The bad news: the hardware really didn't fit well for my tractor, the chain link method of adjusting the height is very difficult and cumbersome--hard to adjust, difficult to use...just not a good system.

I attached their lower brackets to the mower at the lift arm connections, but didn't use the top brackets at all. instead, I wrapped the chains around the axle housing (guessing at the name of the part). I attached the slack end of the right chain to the left chain, and the slack end of the left chain to the right chain. I used quick links for now (that's all I had at the moment). By crossing the chains, it helped keep the adjustment tight.

For added strength, and a little exta tightness, I wrapped a smaller chain horizontally around the two main chains, even threading links through the larger, main 2 chains. I connected this with a bolt and washers. This made for a nice, tight, stable connection. The stresses were spread out over 3 chains, 2 links, and the bolt. In order to fail, it seems like several things would have to break at once.

While the results were awesome, it is still too difficult to adjust easily. I'm going to try and add a very heavy duty turnbuckle to each of the main 2 chains, and replace the quick links with something stronger. In the past, I've blown apart turnbuckles way too easily....but perhaps a larger, stronger version would take care of this.

All in all--harder to set up than I'd hoped, difficult to adjust, but a colossal improvement!
 
   / Kubota B3300SU + Zerco Check Chains + King Kutter Rotary Cutter
  • Thread Starter
#10  
The Fergie, of course, is very similar to the Ford 9N,2N,8N, for which the Zerco check chains were engineered. After 55+ years Zerco considered a proved design in terms of both engineering and market acceptance.

As cautioned earlier, chain Quick Links will fail, probably sooner rather than later and probably instantaneously. I would replace quick links with chain clevis, or clevis shackles soonest.

I am skeptical about hardware store turnbuckles lasting too. Hardware store turnbuckles have metal only strong enough to remove slack, not to take operating strain. You may be safer with wire rope and wire rope clamps. Also consider pairs of industrial strength bungee cords, which would be easy to adjust by moving from chain link to chain link, if you just need to pull out some slack to prevent fouling.

McMaster Carr has industrial strength (10,000 pounds) turnbuckles but do not know length your install requires: McMaster-Carr

Please post pictures of your installation.
 
Last edited:
 
Top