What will I break?

[repair1]

I have a Kubota BX2360 with a Farm King 50 snowblower . The geometry of the 3 point lift arms will lift it way off the ground very fast when running the tractor at pto speed (about 3000 rpm). This Is not so much a problem for me but I worry about my wife or other "guest" operators that want to "help" me when I'm not home. I woud like to limit the lift to 6 or 8 inches with a chain to the fixed draw bar but I am afraid of damaging the hydraulics, rear casting or whatever else. I would like opinions / horror stories before I do somthing stupid. As a side note I have checked and shortened the pto shaft about an inch so it does not bind but the shaft angle gets pretty extream when it's lifted too high.

Thanks,

Bob

 

[Gordon Gould]

Why not put a stop on the control lever. You probably already have a movable stop for the down side of the lever. Get another for up or move the down stop to the up side.
Shouldn't take much more than a bolt, nut, and washers. Maybe a rubber washer too.

 

[SSdoxie]

I agree with Gordon. Adding a stop on the control lever makes it easy to adjust and can be used for other attachments if needed.

 

[MikeInEburg]

I think that the OP's tractor has quarter inch valve, not position control. I would not artificially limit the height with a chain as you can break something. Rather, provide some instruction to those who use the machine.

 

[Grandad4]

Letting an unskilled operator take control of your BX has a huge potential for harm to people, property or the equipment itself. Sorry to say, but I can't think of a good solution other than ensuring your expensive equipment is only used by operators with enough skill to operate it safely, particularly since you won't be there to supervise. That would probably be a good plan in any situation, don't you think? For example, teach anyone who will operate the tractor: a) how to feather the lift control when operating at high rpm, or b) idle down the rpm's a little before raising the 3 point.

 

[john_bud]

A snow blower with the turning auger is a fairly dangerous tool (for people and things around it!). I would give detailed instruction on how to use it and why certain things are done or not done. Fer instance... a guy at work was out of town and he told his kid to snow blow after a storm. The kid didn't know not to toss the snow against the house, nor did he know that he was also throwing the bottom layer of ice. But he learned that it's "bad" when he noticed the entire side of the house had holes / cracks / tears in the vinyl siding! Apparently, the old push blower was only 1 stage and had no force but the new one....

On the 3pt blower being lifted too high, that can damage the PTO shaft and PTO u-joints. I'm a firm believer that nobody operates equipment that they are unfamiliar with (except me ).

 

[radioman]

two things -- one have you played with the down speed control ?
second - if you really really want to limit the speed semi permanently with a simple bolt on part, you can. Look under the rear fender on the 3 pt control side. you will need a bolt on part where you can use the quarter inching part by holding the lever in for both up and down. IF you took that part off and make a new one with longer ears to be in the quarter inching ALL the time, you will be able to use it in slow mode up and down ALL the time. Save the old one in case you want to put it back the way it was. its just a simple bolt on.
FYI -- I bent those tabs down more with my crescent wrench so its easier to engage, but still can use full or quarter inching.

 

[repair1]

Thanks for the ideas and advice. I thought about limiting the travel of the lever and that will fix the speed issue but not the height. I had not thought about the quarter inching valve but I'm going to check it out as Radioman suggested.