Always !!! lower your 3PT attachment when leaving the tractor!

[scott_vt]

Good Mornin Island,
Thankyou for reminding us all of what seemingly wouldnt normally happen !

Last summer I was helping the local farmer pickup small squares out in the field. An aquaintance of the farmer was doing the baling chores. This fella gets off the tractor and steps over a revolving PTO shaft, that has no guard on it to boot !!! Ijust lost it, and started hollering at this idiot, I dont think Ive ever seenj something so dumb in all my life, boy talk about tempting fate !!! OK that my rant for the day !

Glad your OK !

 

[Domush]

I think this thread is less about lowering attachments and more about avoiding a tractor with conveniently placed controls. In which case, I know I'll be safe with my tractor

Sent from my SCH-I500 using TractorByNet

 

[IslandTractor]

I think this thread is less about lowering attachments and more about avoiding a tractor with conveniently placed controls. In which case, I know I'll be safe with my tractor

Sent from my SCH-I500 using TractorByNet

Yep. I'm still a big fan of the rear 3pt controller which really helps getting implements on and off but I had ignored the potential downsides and risks. Maybe we should paint the knob orange so it stands out on the gray background. In my case I was looking at the zerk which is about three inches to the midline and about 18" deeper than the knob. I just didn't see that I might bump it while focusing on the zerk. Lesson learned. Might paint it today if I have any orange around.

 

[IslandTractor]

OK, Domush got me thinking about the risk of accidentally activating and lowering the auxiliary 3pt control lever on the back of Kioti DK tractors. Not sure how many other tractors have this feature. Anyways, I realized that I hit the lever when greasing the zerk for the 3pt control shaft largely because I didn't see it. Of course I know where it is but when focusing on the zerk it is natural to look right past the control lever which is painted the same gray color as the axle and 3pt lift arms. I figured I could paint it orange to make it more noticeable but then realized it would then blend in with the adjacent orange fender. My solution was to zebra stripe the control lever with orange and gray bands so it stands out against either background. I don't know if it is apparent from the photos but the lever definitely stands out more now.

 

[4shorts]

Wow. That was a close one. Really glad to hear your ok. Although tough to read I thank you for posting it because it will make all a little more safety conscious. Stay well.

 

[Domush]

Man, I can see how that thing fell, now! That lever is ripe for getting accidentally pushed down.

Thanks for the photo, as I've been trying to figure out a way to add that functionality to mine.

Maybe bending the lever so it faces upwards (or even down) might make it safer?

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[IndyIan]

Good idea with the paint. I have visualized what would happen to my foot if I dropped my boxblade on it using that lever... I still love having it back there but its something to be careful with.

 

[joshuabardwell]

Yep. I'm still a big fan of the rear 3pt controller which really helps getting implements on and off but I had ignored the potential downsides and risks.

I must be missing something. I don't mean to disrespect anybody else's experience, but I just don't get it. The lift arms have no downforce, so in order to hook them up, all I do is drop them all the way down, then pick them up by hand and push them onto the implement's pins. I realize that some folks might lack the strength to do this, but I'm hardly a body-builder. Are y'all's lift arms a lot heavier than mine? All category 1 arms should be pretty much the same, no?

I do have to say that I appreciate not having the rear 3pt control lever. It means that if I am going to move the rear implement from the ground, it is much more natural to be standing to the right side of the tractor, as opposed to back near the implement. I'd probably feel differently if I had either a larger tractor, or a cab.

 

[joshuabardwell]

Thanks for the photo, as I've been trying to figure out a way to add that functionality to mine.

As near as I can tell, the rear 3pt control lever on the Kioti/Bobcat tractors is simply an extension that actuates the same linkage as the main 3pt control lever. I have pondered whether, if I really wanted such a thing, I could either weld or bolt something on, instead of buying the factory kit.

 

[IndyIan]

I must be missing something. I don't mean to disrespect anybody else's experience, but I just don't get it. The lift arms have no downforce, so in order to hook them up, all I do is drop them all the way down, then pick them up by hand and push them onto the implement's pins. I realize that some folks might lack the strength to do this, but I'm hardly a body-builder. Are y'all's lift arms a lot heavier than mine? All category 1 arms should be pretty much the same, no?

I do have to say that I appreciate not having the rear 3pt control lever. It means that if I am going to move the rear implement from the ground, it is much more natural to be standing to the right side of the tractor, as opposed to back near the implement. I'd probably feel differently if I had either a larger tractor, or a cab.

It's very handy for lining up the top link and for implements that are too heavy to nudge by hand. Also I find that the two lower arms aren't that easy to lift and operate the extension at the same time. You just have to be aware of what's going to happen when you raise or lower the 3pt before you do it.
I imagine at some point Kioti will drop the feature as someone will break their foot and sue, but for now I think its a similar risk level to dumping a load back on yourself with a non self-leveling loader.