3 point hitch help needed for S470D Buck

[Botetourt]

My Buck doesn't have the original lower lift arms, I believe they're from Kubota. No issues in the last yr with a blade, but now I've got a Woods RDC54 finish mower. I have the lower hitches on the mower extended out. As Woods prescribes in their manual, I have the top link lined up with the lower hitch points, and the front wheels lift off the ground before the rears. My problem is when I lift it, it will contact the Buck's rear tires. I'm just using it in my own yard, and it seems to mow great, but I'd like to be able to lift it for transport and cleaning, etc. I'm not real good with the geometry of the 3 pt system- can this be adjusted better somehow, do I need longer lower lift arms, what? How long are the original lift arms?
Thanks

[284 International]

Try putting the top link into the lower hole on the tractor. That may angle the mower enough that it will clear.

[oliver28472]

I'm wondering if you can change the lift points on the mower for the lower arms so the offset is toward the center instead of the outside. Your front mower wheels probably come up first because of the built in float thingy on the mower that the top link hooks to. That has to have some play for uneven ground. Do you have the manual for that mower? I pulled on online and it mentioned different hitch positions:

RDC54 Only
The RDC54 has two mower hitch plate attachment
points (D). It may be necessary to change the mower hitch plate attachment point to obtain proper tire clearance and/or lift height.
Front Caster Wheel Interference Check
NOTICE
■ Do not operate tractor and mower until this
interference check has been performed. If you
change tractors, you must perform the check for
that mounting.

[Botetourt]

Yes, I have the manual and tried the hitch plate attachment both ways. The only difference is the lower hitch mounts extend out towards the tractor another couple inches. It seemed better, and makes sense to me, that the mounts sticking out further would help, but maybe not. There is no side-to-side adjustment of the hitch on the mower. I used a couple washers to keep the lower arms towards the center, the spread between them using the washers is 26 inches. The warning about the front wheels hitting the rear wheels of the tractor is what concerned me. The mower gets closer to the tractor when I lift it. No problem when on the ground, as long as the check chains are fairly tight.

I'm wondering if you can change the lift points on the mower for the lower arms so the offset is toward the center instead of the outside. Your front mower wheels probably come up first because of the built in float thingy on the mower that the top link hooks to. That has to have some play for uneven ground. Do you have the manual for that mower? I pulled on online and it mentioned different hitch positions:

RDC54 Only
The RDC54 has two mower hitch plate attachment
points (D). It may be necessary to change the mower hitch plate attachment point to obtain proper tire clearance and/or lift height.
Front Caster Wheel Interference Check
NOTICE
■ Do not operate tractor and mower until this
interference check has been performed. If you



change tractors, you must perform the check for
that mounting.

[Botetourt]

Try putting the top link into the lower hole on the tractor. That may angle the mower enough that it will clear.

I'll try that this weekend, although I don't understand why it might work. They told me at Valley Power last yr to generally use the upper top link mount, that the lower one was for tillers. But what do I know.

[284 International]

Using the lower hole will make the rear of the implement rise more. That will, hopefully, tilt the wheels back away from the tractor tires.

[skylarkguy]

It is kind if hard to tell in the pictures but it seems to me that your top link is fully extended. If you cranked this down, drawing the top of the mower toward the tractor then it would push the front wheels away from the tractor. The mower would no longer be parallel with the earth when raised but it would still work when on the ground.

[Botetourt]

It is kind if hard to tell in the pictures but it seems to me that your top link is fully extended. If you cranked this down, drawing the top of the mower toward the tractor then it would push the front wheels away from the tractor. The mower would no longer be parallel with the earth when raised but it would still work when on the ground.

I'll try that too. All of you seem to be working towards getting the rear of the mower lifting more than the front, which would seem to keep the front wheels of the mower off of the tractor tires, but Woods says for the mower to float properly, the front wheels should lift off the ground before the rear wheels when lifting the mower. Anyway, I'll try these and see.

[284 International]

[QUOTE=Botetourt;2874415]All of you seem to be working towards getting the rear of the mower lifting more than the front... Woods says for the mower to float properly, the front wheels should lift off the ground before the rear wheels when lifting the mower./QUOTE]

The two are not mutually exclusive. The timing of front vs rear lifting first is a function of top link tension. As long as the top link isn't under tension and is hinged on the mower, the front will lift first. Using the lower hole will cause the rear to raise faster, but not affect the order of ends raising. You will also be able to shorten the top link, too, most likely. Hopefully the combination will gain enough clearance to make your combination operable as you desire it.

[oliver28472]

You could also try going "old style" and remove the front wheels if you have chains from the lift points on the mower to the top link on the tractor. That is how the older mowers are set up.