Setting top link on finish mower. Am I doing it right?

[Bluest]

After months sorting out all the minor faults with my very cheap tractor and finish mower, I finally spent a day cutting grass. All seemed to go well, except I'm not sure about the 3ph top link.

To allow the mower to follow the contours of the ground I need to extend the top link so that the mower can hinge up and down in relation to the tractor. The problem with is that when I want to raise the mower for transport I then have to crank the top link short again, other wise the 3ph will only lift the front end of the deck. I hope you can unstandardised what I mean, it is very time consuming to jump off and adjust the link every time I want to raise the deck, or vice versa. I'll post some pics if my description doesn't make sense.

I think a hydraulic top link would be the answer, but I just wanted to check I'm not doing anything wrong before I look to spend more money.

 

[RoyJackson]

You're doing it right...leave it long for mowing and shorten it for transport.

As far as "time consuming"...that's a relative statement. I get off to adjust the top link when I'm at the area I'm going to mow, then shorten it when I'm finished. Takes (maybe) a minute to do this, from off the seat to on the seat.

Tractors are great tools...so are finish mowers...but sometimes you have to get off your ***...

 

[dieselcrawler]

Yes, you need to leave some slack in the top link to allow the tail to follow contours... but perhaps you are getting a bit excessive? Find a happy medium where it can still lift the tail up when raised to transport but also droop enough to follow ground contours.

But a hyd top link would be nice...

 

[Bluest]

You're doing it right...leave it long for mowing and shorten it for transport.

As far as "time consuming"...that's a relative statement. I get off to adjust the top link when I'm at the area I'm going to mow, then shorten it when I'm finished. Takes (maybe) a minute to do this, from off the seat to on the seat.

Tractors are great tools...so are finish mowers...but sometimes you have to get off your ***...

Thanks Roy for confirming its laziness rather than lack of technique! It probably gets on my nerves as I'm not in a routine yet. So I mow a bit, raise the deck to cross some rough ground, mow a bit more, raise the deck to go back to the garage, then realise I forgot a bit... More forward planning required I think.

 

[RoyJackson]

Thanks Roy for confirming its laziness rather than lack of technique! It probably gets on my nerves as I'm not in a routine yet. So I mow a bit, raise the deck to cross some rough ground, mow a bit more, raise the deck to go back to the garage, then realise I forgot a bit... More forward planning required I think.

Since you're transporting across a short area, there's nothing wrong with leaving the rear wheels (of the mower) on the ground. I do this quite frequently for short distances...with a finish mower as well as a field mower (rotary cutter).

My apologies for the "get off your ***" comment....that was uncalled for.

 

[Bluest]

Yes, you need to leave some slack in the top link to allow the tail to follow contours... but perhaps you are getting a bit excessive? Find a happy medium where it can still lift the tail up when raised to transport but also droop enough to follow ground contours.

But a hyd top link would be nice...

I just set the link so that the tail has equal range up or down from horizontal. I do have a lot of hill so I use the full travel and some on most passes.

As for hyd. top link. I have the spare couplings on the tractor already, so f I see a used one I'll go for it. Would be useful to make my transport box a tipping one too.

 

[Bluest]

My apologies for the "get off your ***" comment....that was uncalled for.

No need to apologise, it made me laugh. All taken in good humour. Plus you were right!

 

[radioman]

perhaps you could try an old trick that works. Instead of using a rigid top link, use a chain instead. it will allow the mower to float and follow contours of land, but when you want to lift the mower, the chain will let you.

 

[jpm1]

I don't know what kind of finish mower you have but here's what i have done to my mowers. I have King kutters and mow large parcels of land which is all hilly and a bit rough. I didn't like the rear frame work the mowers had so i removed it and put 5/16" chain from each of the rear corners to the top link. My mowers follow the ground much better, raise more evenly and ride much better in transport. I dont Mess with the top link hardly at all. I have a Hydralic Top Link on my Kioti but not on the Mahindra. The Mahindra is the primary mowing tractor. I set the top link and very seldom touch it again.
My mower has a "flex hitch" on it and with the rear chain lift and "flex hitch" it never scallops the ground.
Personally, i will never buy a mower without the "Flex Hitch" system.
BTW there is 8000 acres of mowing on that mower now . . . John

 

[Bluest]

My mower is a small 4' version of the one picture. Maker and age unknown.

If I used chain, either as in pictures, or to replace the top link, I think I would still need to adjust the tension to get the droop I want and still be able to pick the mower up.