Old Bush Hog 3 Pt hitch height problem

[rfc143]

I'm restoring an old Bush Hog a neighbor farmer gave me. The 3 Pt hitch seems very high. Even with the lift arms all the way up, it barely lifts the tail wheel off the ground. My lift arms are in the lower hole, so I know I can use the upper hole, which might give me a few more inches of lift, but does this situation seem normal? The lower pins on the Hog are 20" above the ground; My Alamo Flail mower, when down has them at almost half that (12").

The farmer used this with his Case tractor which is smaller than my Kubota; I thought the height of 3 Pt Hitches was standard, although it seems that Cat II and III are higher.

Any ideas?

 

[Gunny]

Is your top link adjusted right when the bush hog is down? Shortening the top link would raise the rear wheel.

 

[LD1]

Things weren't real standard back when that bushhog was made.

Looks OEM to me. Try the other holes in your liftarms and indeed shorten the toplink

 

[countrybumpkin]

I would just drill new holes in the uprights for the two mounting bolts then cut the excess off this will lower the entire three point assembly allowing for a better fit and lift. Just be careful not to shorten them to much, other wise the pto shaft could hit the front edge of the mower deck when lifted to full hight and bend the shaft.

 

[jeff9366]

Enlarging your picture it appears you have the pin adjustment for your Lifting Rod stirrups in the lowest hole.

If you move the pin to the upper hole on both right and left hand Lifting Rod stirrups, the Bush Hog will lift at least 5" higher.

On my Kubota L3560 the upper holes are the "normal" adjustment. I use the lower holes primarily when I want my Cultivator to penetrate soil deeper.

Three Poiint Hitch adjustments can be confusing. For the Lifting Rod pin adjustment think: HIGHER HOLES = HIGHER LIFT


Shortening the Tip Link will also lift the tail wheel of the Bush Hog.

 

[N80]

Three Poiint Hitch adjustments can be confusing.

That is an understatement! I find 3 point hitch geometry to be brilliant in conception and design but very hard to get my head around when setting up my rotary cutter and especially getting a two bottom plow to engage properly. I've been doing this for 12 years and most of the time it is still trial-and-error. Fortunately I've got the trial-and-error cycle down to a minimum.....just don't ask me to explain it!

 

[scdeerslayer]

It looks like your top link is in the highest hole on the tractor side. Move it at least to the middle hole, the lowest hole would probably be best.

 

[TerryR]

That's a Bush Hog Squealer from around 1997 - same one as shown in my avatar. The hitch is standard cat 1. If you can't lift the rear wheel you probably have the top link too long. I have to screw mine up quite a bit to lift the rear wheel.

 

[airbiscuit]

My Kingkutter Rotary Mower has the following heights to pins.

Side pins 17 1/2"

Center Pin 40"

 

[rfc143]

Thanks for all the comments! And thanks TerryR for identifying the vintage. I moved the lift "stirrups" to the upper hole; left the top link where it was and have plenty of height. I poured some 90 weight gear lube in the box (It was half filled with grease), took it for a spin, and it seemed to work great.
I then decided to spend some time "restoring" it...the A frame was pranged as was one angle bracket holding the A frame. Wheel caster is pretty bent too. I tried getting the bolts holding all of that together off (that have been on there sitting out in the field for 20 years), using the biggest badass wrenches I had, with less than stellar results. Had to cut one off.
I think I can get some more life out of this thing. Why do they call it a "squealer"?