L6060 Sway Links

[Leejohn]

I looked at a picture of the woods BB720X and looks like it's putting the swing load only on one arm at a time. The lower drag link in a turn is pulling on the swing link and the other is sliding on the other hookup pin and not pushing on the swing link at all. The two should work together, one being pulled on the other being pushed on.

 

[bdhsfz6]

I suspect the pin style anti sway mechanism is designed to keep operators from setting the hitch with too little sway. The pin stabilizer links are a designed failure point to absorb a major impact. Personally, I would rather break this relatively inexpensive part instead of a pricier hitch piece or, heaven forbid, a tractor casting!

 

[JWR]

Be aware that the sway chain/bar length may be ideal at the operation position (lift height),but much too short when the implement is in the carry position. During the carry may be when the metal is loaded to failure.

Check on the idea any way. Some sway chains /bars are pivoted on the same rod that carries the lower lift arms. Some are not. I don't know about the L6060.

CalG -- that is great insight ! It seems like a small thing but I'll bet 95% of us readers have never thought about the pins for the sway bars being in the same line as pins for the 3pt main lower arms. If they are not, then raising and lowering the 3pt either slacks or stretches the sway bars (regardless of whether one makes the sway bar out of chain or the original materials.) I'm sure all the big manufacturers have that design feature in place --- and would not get past their first sale or two without a crisis. --- It is still a great point to be made. Note: the sway bars and the lower arms do not have to be on the same pins but they absolutely must be on pins that are on the same line drawn through them all.

 

[oosik]

Excellent point CalG. On my M6040 the sway bars pivot from a location different than the lower arms -obviously. It doesn't result in a significant difference but if you snug the sway bars to tight in the down position, they could very easily be too tight in the carry position. However, I ALWAYS slowly raise/lower any newly attached implement to ensure there is adequate sway bar slack in both the raised & lowered position.

 

[JWR]

Excellent point CalG. On my M6040 the sway bars pivot from a location different than the lower arms -obviously. It doesn't result in a significant difference but if you snug the sway bars to tight in the down position, they could very easily be too tight in the carry position. However, I ALWAYS slowly raise/lower any newly attached implement to ensure there is adequate sway bar slack in both the raised & lowered position.

Oosik -- It does not matter how tight the sway bars are snugged so long as the pins for the sway bars are in one line with those for the lower arms. Of Course nothing in the 3pt. system is all that precise so it makes sense to provide some slight slack.

 

[hawkeye08]

I don't have the bigger tractor and mower, but get side slop on my setup also. I have considered putting a decent size spring in to take some of the slack out, but still allow movement. Perhaps two springs, one connected to each 3pt arm. I never worked it out regarding where to connect things...

 

[SDT]

I looked at a picture of the woods BB720X and looks like it's putting the swing load only on one arm at a time. The lower drag link in a turn is pulling on the swing link and the other is sliding on the other hookup pin and not pushing on the swing link at all. The two should work together, one being pulled on the other being pushed on.

I agree, LeJohn.

I'm not fond of the pin arrangement used on the BB720X and now many (most? all?) HD cutters. Yes, the lift arms can slide on the pins resulting in more side to side movement. I've limited this somewhat with washers. I will next try adding washers to remove this slop.

Another reason why I dislike the now common cutter pin arrangement is the pin wears the bores of the cutter structure (not hardened steel) wherein they fit. This is a long term wear issue that can be addressed only by welding/reboreing the holes after they become oversized. In years past, when a lift pin failed one simply bought a new pin and bolted it on.

Today, I spent another couple of hours on the L6060/BB720X on steep ground. The side to side movement of the mower due to imprecise adjustment of the pin/hole sway mechanism at the tail wheel is only 4" or so. Most of the side to side movement is due to the lift arms sliding on the cutter pins.

I may have found my remedy, thanks to LeeJohn.

SDT

 

[SDT]

Oosik -- It does not matter how tight the sway bars are snugged so long as the pins for the sway bars are in one line with those for the lower arms. Of Course nothing in the 3pt. system is all that precise so it makes sense to provide some slight slack.

Agreed.

The sway bars and lift arms pivot from a similar point on the L6060. There is no stress induced due to dissimilar arcs.

SDT

 

[SDT]

This morning I added nearly 4" of flat washers to the Woods lift pins outside of the lift arms. I then spent about three hours on the 6060/BB720x on steep ground.

The improvement is dramatic. The mower no longer bangs around. Nor does the inertia of the heavy mower sliding on the lift arms jerk the tractor around. There is still a an inch or so of slop on the Woods lift pins and I may add a few more washers. The movement at the tail wheel due to the pin/hole sway bar system is about 4 inches or a bit more and is not readily noticed when working.

Hopefully, this will reduce the dynamic loading on the sway control mechanism. I'll give it another season. If anything breaks, I'll replace the mower with a lighter one. Otherwise, I may be good to go.

SDT

 

[JWR]

SDT: How about a photo of where you put the washers ? Tks.