Setting Height on Brushhog

[sneaky_pete]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( ...when you are cutting do you lower your 3PH all the way down?)</font>

Ron,

On our tractors without position control on the three-point hitch, you need some way to get back to the same height over and over. My dealer gave me a pair of check chains, which accomplish this. They both are attached to the big pin on the tractor side of the top link, and one each goes down to the implement pins on both lower arms of the 3PH. They have an adustment slot on the upper ends that will hold the chain, in increments of one link. Once I have my bush hog levelled with the lower arm turnbuckle, I raise or lower the 3PH to get the front of the mower the right distance above the shop floor (about 2-3" for mine), then set the check chains as close as possible to that. Then, every time I'm ready to mow I just dump the 3ph all the way down until the check chains are holding it up, and it is at the same hight as before. You only have to do this once; now I know that I need four links on the check chains for my bush hog and six links for my box blade.

If it is hard to visualize from my description, do a search on "check chains"; a few months ago someone posted a parts manual diagram of a set that would make it all clear.

 

[djradz]

I agree, check chains is the only way to go! Lower the control for the lower arms all the way and let the chains control the height. I've posted this before, but here's the setup for my mower and my hog's the same.

 

[Soundguy]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( But when you are cutting do you lower your 3PH all the way down? )</font>

Not unless you wanted the hog to drag on its rails /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif. You usually keep the front anywhere fron 2+" up depending on what you are cutting.. etc.

Soundguy

 

[Syncro]

I must be loosing something here, don't you have an adjustable 'stop' on the 3pt quadrant?

 

[Soundguy]

Yes it does.. however.. check chains a popular if your lift leaks down.

Also.. older 9n / 2n didn't have position control just draft control. A specific position on the quadrant doesn't necescarilly mean the implement is in the same place on the lift every time.. its a draft issue...

( 8n does have position control.. but this fellows hyd's are worn.. )

Soundguy

 

[DmansPadge]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I agree, check chains is the only way to go! Lower the control for the lower arms all the way and let the chains control the height. I've posted this before, but here's the setup for my mower and my hog's the same. )</font>

Thanks for the picture. I understand a lot better now after looking at it!

 

[8N_John]

"They both are attached to the big pin on the tractor side of the top link, and one each goes down to the implement pins on both lower arms of the 3PH."

Does anyone have a pic they can post showing this setup...it is probably what I will do.

Thanks for the info. Yes, I do have a pin that keeps the wheel from coming off. I may put some extra holes in the vertical bracket to help set height at the back of the hog.

 

[Soundguy]

Here's one way to do it. in this pic, the fellow attatched the tops of the chains to a bracket he bolted under his seat.. then ran the chains down to his lift arms where he attatched them at the middle of the arms.

most of us simply get or make a set of brackets that hooks to the pin in the toplink at the tractor.. then run chains from those brackets down to the pins on the implement, and have the chains welded to a ring or flat tab with a hole in it to slide over the pin where the lift arm hooks up.

Then rais the implement to the desired height. set the chains in the top bracket and then relax the hyds and the chains hold everything up.

Also.. a word of caution.. you should not use the top hole in your 8n's 3 hole rocker for anything heavy.. use only the bottom hole.. ( it's a draft issue ).

This image shows the 'normal' top brackets at the toplink that have slots cut in them to hold the chains at different positions.

Here's a pic from places like farm/fleet and some tsc stores. It shows a chain with the eye end to go around the implement pin, and the seperate bracket that attatches to the toplink. You would use two sets as pictured.

Soundguy

 

[8N_John]

Thanks Soundguy - exactly what I needed.

 

[djradz]

It should be noted that the chain setup in the first, smaller, picture (dirtier tractor) would not work well for maintaining a constant level over varying terrain, although it would substitute for weak hydraulics. The chain setup most folks use, and as shown in the other pictures, when coupled with a moveable/flexible top link connection, truly works to allow the deck (mower or brush hog) to follow the terrain. In this latter setup, the lower links are free to move and not bound by the chains. (soundguy, I know you know this, but others, less practiced in such things, may not)