Buying Advice GC1700 series position control

[scott67]

I saw a review where they said the GC1700 does not have position control. I'm guessing this is correct, as I see no mention of it in Massey's specs.

In the corporate video introducing the GC1700's, they say it does have position control.

So I'm not sure.

[Singalo]

What do you consider to be "Position Control". On the Mahindra Max, there thumb screw and bolt that clamps in position where ever you slide it to and tighten it down. That way the Three point hitch returns to the same place every time. Unless there is some kind of Super duper fancy Position Control I am yet aware of, I think they just talking about a simple clamp. Otherwise, the three point hitch moves up and down and stops where ever you leave the lever.

[TripleR]

Some SCUT and CUT tractors come with quarter inching 3PH and some with just up or down and others position control. Only position control will go to and remain at a preset position and remain there. The clamp is just a means to locate that position without looking. There will be numbers on the slot on a position control. One of the tractor sites use to have a pretty good definition but I can't find it.

[scott67]

What do you consider to be "Position Control". On the Mahindra Max, there thumb screw and bolt that clamps in position where ever you slide it to and tighten it down. That way the Three point hitch returns to the same place every time. Unless there is some kind of Super duper fancy Position Control I am yet aware of, I think they just talking about a simple clamp. Otherwise, the three point hitch moves up and down and stops where ever you leave the lever.

The Mahindra Max has position control, but the Kubota BX, JD 1023e, Massey GC2400/2600, and others do not. The Kubota has a quarter inch valve, and moves in small increments until you get it to where you need it(I think but could be corrected). The JD 1026r for example, has a numeric scale, and you slide the control level to the number you want and lock it. Then just slide the lever until it hits the locking lever. Probably like the Mahindra.

[Singalo]

Some SCUT and CUT tractors come with quarter inching 3PH and some with just up or down and others position control. Only position control will go to and remain at a preset position and remain there. The clamp is just a means to locate that position without looking. There will be numbers on the slot on a position control. One of the tractor sites use to have a pretty good definition but I can't find it.

Trip, Let me see If I understand you. For example, on the GC, there is no locking lil clamp. But with or without, are you saying that if you drop the three point hitch on a tractor without position control, that the hitch won't stay where you leave it? Like it will drop? I think I am misunderstanding what you are saying. I know at least for the GC, that if you have a tiller, you can set the depth of the tiller with the Three Point Hitch lever. It's not a all the way up or all the way down kind of thing. Is this what you mean by position control?

[TripleR]

Trip, Let me see If I understand you. For example, on the GC, there is no locking lil clamp. But with or without, are you saying that if you drop the three point hitch on a tractor without position control, that the hitch won't stay where you leave it? Like it will drop? I think I am misunderstanding what you are saying. I know at least for the GC, that if you have a tiller, you can set the depth of the tiller with the Three Point Hitch lever. It's not a all the way up or all the way down kind of thing. Is this what you mean by position control?

Without position control, your 3PH implement will gradually drift down, there are a lot of threads on here discussing putting check chains on implements to prevent this. On our BX2660 with quarter inching and BX2200 with a hit or miss system, no quarter inch increments, just fiddle until it's right we have to keep "bumping" the implement up to keep it from going all the way down.

ChuckinNH, now deceased wrote a good "how to" on setting up and using a quarter inching system:

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/k...about-1-a.html
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/k...r-inching.html

[Singalo]

Without position control, your 3PH implement will gradually drift down, there are a lot of threads on here discussing putting check chains on implements to prevent this. On our BX2660 with quarter inching and BX2200 with a hit or miss system, no quarter inch increments, just fiddle until it's right we have to keep "bumping" the implement up to keep it from going all the way down.

ChuckinNH, now deceased wrote a good "how to" on setting up and using a quarter inching system:

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/k...about-1-a.html
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/k...r-inching.html

Dealer didn't mention that during our conversation about the Tiller, which is why I used it as an example. I suppose it's not a big deal if you are using some kind of chain to prevent the "Drift".

Well, now that I understand the true diff between position control, and non position control. You don't happen to have a technical explanation for why this should be the case do you? It just seems intuitive that the 3 point hitch should stay where you leave it. Since it does not, something must be bleeding ?

[TripleR]

Dealer didn't mention that during our conversation about the Tiller, which is why I used it as an example. I suppose it's not a big deal if you are using some kind of chain to prevent the "Drift".

Well, now that I understand the true diff between position control, and non position control. You don't happen to have a technical explanation for why this should be the case do you? It just seems intuitive that the 3 point hitch should stay where you leave it. Since it does not, something must be bleeding ?

Sorry, but I am not that mechanically inclined, I do know position control is more expensive, so I am sure the valving is more complex; beyond that I am clueless.

[SDT]

Dealer didn't mention that during our conversation about the Tiller, which is why I used it as an example. I suppose it's not a big deal if you are using some kind of chain to prevent the "Drift".

Well, now that I understand the true diff between position control, and non position control. You don't happen to have a technical explanation for why this should be the case do you? It just seems intuitive that the 3 point hitch should stay where you leave it. Since it does not, something must be bleeding ?

Position control is a mechanical feedback system that self corrects as oil leaks past seals, etc. The system costs money and has been eliminated from most (all?) SCUTS.

SDT

[Singalo]

Position control is a mechanical feedback system that self corrects as oil leaks past seals, etc. The system costs money and has been eliminated from most (all?) SCUTS.

SDT

You know, I just don't know what to think anymore. To be honest SDT, what your saying sounds plausible and reasonable. The Mahindra guy I talked to didn't know what I meant when I asked if the Max 25 had position Control. Many have verified that the Mahindra does have PC, but there is some discussion if this is simply a matter of the clamps that help in setting the height at the same exact spot each time you cycle the 3pt, or if it's what you just said. I can tell you that after the posts above, I spoke with 4 dealers of different brands on a recent information gathering mission, and they all said that if a 3pt hitch is "Drifting" than there is something wrong with the 3pt hitch, and all of them should stay where you put them. But I am finding out that being a dealer is nota a qualifier for always giving out precise information. I don't know if these guys are just oversimplifying things for the customer, of if they genuinely don't know. I guess maybe a better question might be, how fast is the "Drift" on a non PC 3 point? In conversations with different dealers, they never mentioned a problem with having to constantly fiddle with the height on the tiller for instance. They did say however that you can adjust the depth the tiller cuts in with the 3pt, which logically leads one to believe that if drift is occurring, that it is not something that happens quickly. At least fast enough to where it would be a problem when tilling a small garden. If position control is as you describe it, and it may well be, I find myself wondering how important it is overall on a SCUT sized tractor anyhow. Besides the tiller, I can't think of any operations where Drift would be an issue anyhow.