3-Point Hitch BX swing arm substitutes?

[ayelvington]

Has anyone found an alternative for the stock BX swing arms? The fold like licorice and I'm sick of them.

My dealer is going to show my last set (one set per year) to the regional service manager and try to get them to gusset the bends. (Nice dealer)

I'd like to know if anyone has tried straight arms and a full-length top link on a BX.

Any one with first-hand experience out there?

 

[Just2quickz28]

I am not sure what you are doing with the 3pt hitch but I have used my rear blade, landscape rake and wood chipper on my BX24 and have only bent the top link.

As far as the straight arms go, you will prob end up with a limited cat 1, or cat 0 hitch due to the spacing and design of the BX series tractors.

 

[ayelvington]

Winter snow removal requires me to occassionaly push with my rear blade, and the arms just fold. I having gussets welded in the new pair to beef them up, but I'm interested in any other solutions.

 

[bp fick]

Yeah, when you figure how narrow a BX is back there, the double wishbone style actually yaws? (spreads) open to 31". If they were straight, it would take 1/2 again as much length to achieve that and thus would be much weaker. The arms don't bother me, as designed, but the check-keeps do!!! Not a big fan of those turnbuckles. Have bent them, straightened them, and bent them some more.

 

[bp fick]

Winter snow removal requires me to occassionaly push with my rear blade, and the arms just fold. I having gussets welded in the new pair to beef them up, but I'm interested in any other solutions.

No sir, I just have never thought it a good idea to push with 3 pt. That's just the old guy in me, I guess. Read about it here all the time, but I've never thought that a 3 pt hitch, designed to pull, is a substitute for a front pushing device, mounted securely on the frame to take the shock and pressure.

 

[ayelvington]

I'm not at all happy about pushing with the blade, but the small front wheels tend to get stuck if I use the FEL. It'll be a while before the gussets are done, but i'll be sure to take photos to share...

 

[bp fick]

I'm not at all happy about pushing with the blade, but the small front wheels tend to get stuck if I use the FEL. It'll be a while before the gussets are done, but i'll be sure to take photos to share...

Small front wheels. Comes with the scut territory. Make a little tractor, low to the ground, with small diameter wheels, and well.... the rest is what it is.
Have the same issues in deep dirt too. At some point, we either make adjustments, as we can, to working within the parameters of the equipment's size and capabilities or we weigh the the options of moving on to a CUT with considerably larger wheels and ground clearance. It is what it is.

Excited to see your photos. Do post them when you can.

 

[radioman]

I thought you have the HF quick hitch? Putting that on the back should help to prevent the swing arms from folding in.

 

[ayelvington]

At some point, we either make adjustments, as we can, to working within the parameters of the equipment's size and capabilities or we weigh the the options of moving on to a CUT with considerably larger wheels and ground clearance.

I hear you brother! I have a neighbor's John Deere 1070 in my barn right now because he can run a 24" auger on his PHD. (His bucket is good for getting rocks out of my field too!)

 

[TripleR]

Interesting; I've used thee point for pushing on my BX2200 and BX2660 without any thought to it or problems; maybe just a matter of time. I will be interested in seeing the modifications.

 

[SPYDERLK]

Winter snow removal requires me to occassionaly push with my rear blade, and the arms just fold. I having gussets welded in the new pair to beef them up, but I'm interested in any other solutions.

I too have had no trouble with mine. I can see how you could tho with a wide blade catching on one side - or combined with very good traction. I think the result from reinforcement would be better than extending several inches further to the rear in order to use straighter arms. That ends up with the implement having a lot of leverage on the small tractor and could prove an unacceptable tradeoff.
larry.

 

[kevinj]

Winter snow removal requires me to occassionaly push with my rear blade, and the arms just fold. I having gussets welded in the new pair to beef them up, but I'm interested in any other solutions.

I find it hard to belive the arms fold pushing snow. Many people push with the 3PH and do not bend the arms. Slamming into a solid object might bend them though.

 

[MarkV]

My thought would be that if you are using your tractor in a way that bends the lift arms once a year what breaks when you make stronger lift arms?

MarkV

 

[bp fick]

My thought would be that if you are using your tractor in a way that bends the lift arms once a year what breaks when you make stronger lift arms?

MarkV

My thoughts as well. Yup, what now will be the weakest link? A little scary to think about.

 

[ayelvington]

Here is a "before" photo of a new arm next to the bent arm. I'm taking the new arms to a neighbor tonight to have a gusset put in to cover the second bend.

For the information of all, you can buy a complete 3-pt kit for the price of two arms and two turnbuckles. That's like getting the top-link thrown in for free!

The turnbuckles are the next to go...

 

[Just2quickz28]

Are you hitting something solid when pushing? Are your turn buckles tight, stopping side to side movement when pushing? that looks like some leverage on the inside of the tire or frame helped with the bending when the implement moved sideways.

 

[ayelvington]

Turn buckles are snug, but not taunt. I have hit objects in the past, but this is the effect of repeated pushing of snow. I appreciate the risk of the gussets, but I'm sick of popping for new arms too. The arms are so soft that I'm pretty confident that they will still bend if I hit something hard enough.

 

[radioman]

OUCH! I see what you mean now of the arms being bent. you need a flat bar welded on the top of the arms so it forms a T to make it stronger. 3rrL did that on his tractor when he was using his boxblade as a dozer. You could've taken your old arms to the machine shop and have them put it in the hydraulic press and press back to shape.

I have used my back blade to push the snow back before, but I never bent the arms. It looks like you were hitting icy banks or something with it. If this is the case, perhaps its time for you to go front mount blade on the FEL arms so you can push snow up and over the banks like I do.

 

[ayelvington]

You could've taken your old arms to the machine shop and have them put it in the hydraulic press and press back to shape.

I plan to reshape the old arms and gusset them after the dealer shows them to the regional service manager. I'll paint them green and use them as "winter arms". My neighbors tell me they'll lift more if they're green:laughing:

 

[bp fick]

Those are some kinda bent!

The arms used by similar JD tractors are not that different in style and shape.
Again, not to be a broken record, but I just cannot wrap my mind around pushing hard enough with a three point to bend them that severely.

Let us know what your mod looks like when done. Interesting.