3 point lift performance

[sycamore]

After a very long absence from this topic I am going to focus again since things have not improved. After the dealer warranty work described earlier the 3 pt. arms still still come down just like before, even with the tractor running at PTO RPM speed. I did/do lock the descent knob at times, and the arms stay in place with the mower on. I used my B3200 last summer with my 5' JD 503 rough cut mower with just the tail wheel; I was constantly messing with the 3 pt. lever to keep the mower at the height I wanted; most annoying.

So "position control" was mentioned. I guess I'm not clear exactly what that is. Does the Kubota B3200 have "position control" as an option? Without "position control" is it expected/acceptable for 3 pt. arms to just continually sag under load? I just need to be clear what acceptable performance is. If I'm expecting the tractor do something it isn't designed to do, or should have bought a unit with "position control" and wasn't smart enough to do it, then I will just need to live with it. My Kubota dealer is no more helpful than before. I haven't tried to contact the Kubota district rep yet, but will depending on what I learn from all of you.

A final general interest bit for you. Recall I said I had a Kubota MX5100 (2 yr. old 4 x 4; open station w/canopy; no loader; about 94 hours). HAD is the operative word here. Last May when I went up to my farm to start working on food plots, I walked in to the pole barn where we've stored our equipment for years, and there it was, GONE. Yes, someone stole my MX5100 (and a JD lawn tractor with 48" mower deck too). Had good insurance; after lots of paperwork all worked out. So that is how I came to own a Kioti NX6010 w/cab and loader. Decided to make a bad situation turn out good for me. Tried to talk myself out of the cab but failed. Only about 40 hrs. on the Kioti but so far I love it.

So if anyone you know got a "too good to be true" deal on a used Kubota MX5100 as described above let me know. I'd be happy to share the serial numbers☺

 

[k0ua]

After a very long absence from this topic I am going to focus again since things have not improved. After the dealer warranty work described earlier the 3 pt. arms still still come down just like before, even with the tractor running at PTO RPM speed. I did/do lock the descent knob at times, and the arms stay in place with the mower on. I used my B3200 last summer with my 5' JD 503 rough cut mower with just the tail wheel; I was constantly messing with the 3 pt. lever to keep the mower at the height I wanted; most annoying.

So "position control" was mentioned. I guess I'm not clear exactly what that is. Does the Kubota B3200 have "position control" as an option? Without "position control" is it expected/acceptable for 3 pt. arms to just continually sag under load? I just need to be clear what acceptable performance is. If I'm expecting the tractor do something it isn't designed to do, or should have bought a unit with "position control" and wasn't smart enough to do it, then I will just need to live with it. My Kubota dealer is no more helpful than before. I haven't tried to contact the Kubota district rep yet, but will depending on what I learn from all of you.

A final general interest bit for you. Recall I said I had a Kubota MX5100 (2 yr. old 4 x 4; open station w/canopy; no loader; about 94 hours). HAD is the operative word here. Last May when I went up to my farm to start working on food plots, I walked in to the pole barn where we've stored our equipment for years, and there it was, GONE. Yes, someone stole my MX5100 (and a JD lawn tractor with 48" mower deck too). Had good insurance; after lots of paperwork all worked out. So that is how I came to own a Kioti NX6010 w/cab and loader. Decided to make a bad situation turn out good for me. Tried to talk myself out of the cab but failed. Only about 40 hrs. on the Kioti but so far I love it.

So if anyone you know got a "too good to be true" deal on a used Kubota MX5100 as described above let me know. I'd be happy to share the serial numbers☺

No your B3200 does not have position control even as an option. Your MX5100 I believe it did. It has been a while since I have owned a tractor without position control, but from what I remember about my old B7500 which did not have position control, it seemed I had to adjust the mower position slightly about every 15 minutes or it would sag a bit. This is one of those things that bothers some people more than others. But if you expect the 3pt to stay put, well, you will need a tractor with position control. Of course as pointed out some valves and some cylinder bores might have a more precision fit than others, even in the same model.

Position control has a "feedback" mechanism so that when the valve or cylinder leak down a bit, the feedback mechanism detects this and opens the valve just a crack to allow more fluid to flow to the cylinder and raise the 3pt back to where you originally set it. This happens dynamically any time there is some downward drift so you never notice that the 3pt went down at all.

When I had the B7500 I made a set of wheels for my rotary cutter so I did not have to adjust the 3pt valve periodically.

I am really sorry to hear about the theft of your MX. I hope I have helped with this explanation.

 

[sycamore]

No your B3200 does not have position control even as an option. Your MX5100 I believe it did. It has been a while since I have owned a tractor without position control, but from what I remember about my old B7500 which did not have position control, it seemed I had to adjust the mower position slightly about every 15 minutes or it would sag a bit. This is one of those things that bothers some people more than others. But if you expect the 3pt to stay put, well, you will need a tractor with position control. Of course as pointed out some valves and some cylinder bores might have a more precision fit than others, even in the same model.

Position control has a "feedback" mechanism so that when the valve or cylinder leak down a bit, the feedback mechanism detects this and opens the valve just a crack to allow more fluid to flow to the cylinder and raise the 3pt back to where you originally set it. This happens dynamically any time there is some downward drift so you never notice that the 3pt went down at all.

When I had the B7500 I made a set of wheels for my rotary cutter so I did not have to adjust the 3pt valve periodically.

I am really sorry to hear about the theft of your MX. I hope I have helped with this explanation.

Very helpful; thanks much. Don't use the B3200 on the JD 503 often so can live with it. Often wondered why they didn't make rough cut mowers with front wheels, at least as an option; assume there is some logic as to why not. I'm not very mechanically inclined, don't weld or anything, so don't have an option to customize unless I hire it done.

Am I correct in assuming that, if I were mowing in an area of the right size and terrain where frequent mower height adjustment wasn't necessary, I could set the JD 503 at the height I wanted, crank the descent knob closed, and all would stay as I set it? If so, that could be an option as well.

 

[k0ua]

Very helpful; thanks much. Don't use the B3200 on the JD 503 often so can live with it. Often wondered why they didn't make rough cut mowers with front wheels, at least as an option; assume there is some logic as to why not. I'm not very mechanically inclined, don't weld or anything, so don't have an option to customize unless I hire it done.

Am I correct in assuming that, if I were mowing in an area of the right size and terrain where frequent mower height adjustment wasn't necessary, I could set the JD 503 at the height I wanted, crank the descent knob closed, and all would stay as I set it? If so, that could be an option as well.

I suppose that could work, I have never tried it. On thing also is that you may need to lift and lower at the end of a row, and this is where position control is really good as you can set a "stop" with the little sliding knob in the position control lever track and always return to your chosen height. It is just a better system all in all.

 

[jimmysisson]

Or fit a pair of crossed chains from the top link (use a longer tractor-end pin) to the lower links at the height you want. You can raise lift as needed but lower it only to chain length.
Jim

 

[sycamore]

I do have a set of commercially made adjustable length chains that go down to 3 pt. pins on mower and are made to "hang" an implement; I guess the same impact as your suggestion at the top link, Jim. You can raise but it sets your lower limit. I bought those for my tired old 1946 Ford 9N but didn't think I would need them for a 2012 Kubota. Guess maybe I do!