Mowing 15 BATWING DIGGING TRENCHES IN PASTURE: Hydraulics?

[Diesel44]

The stops are not used on the wing cylinders they are only used on the main lift cylinder.

Love this answer. Was wondering why no stops on wings. It is now about 1 inch total difference between front and back.

 

[Diesel44]

When you lower the wings, do you push your remote all the way forward and feel it lock in a detent? You basically want the fluid to flow in and out of the cylinder as the terrain changes. It should fold up a little or down a bit to follow the ground. Call the dealer and ask them if it has a float valve for the wings. If not, you need one

Brett

Thanks. Dealer has been out twice to fix. Originally there was only one vertical pin holding the batwing drivetrain to tractor. Second horizontal bolt was not even there, which I was told was normal...really?!?! So the nose was down a few inches and of course it was digging in. Once I added the second horizontal bolt at 13 hours, it was in a better position. They also delivered it with the 3 point not functioning. I gave them a second chance to fix and they still placed no horizontal (I did after they left.) bolt, the 3 point still dysfunctional and one batwing will not lower. On the day of delivery the hydraulic lines for the batwings were in the wrong female acceptors and were switched by delivery guy. There is more, but all this to say, I just spent $60k and cannot even use the assembly and the dealer is no help. I will add photos.

 

[davidcbaker]

I have the same model batwing (towing with an M5-111). I think your issue might be one or both of these. First, the turnbuckles aren't adjusted properly. There's one on each side, and they control the height of the wings. Second, your front hitch is all screwed up. Compare how yours is hanging to mine, with that rear pin.

 

[Industrial Toys]

Good thing, the dealer send out the "EXPERTS". I hate when the guys who don't have a clue show up!

So, how does the mower follow terrain? I had a 16' finishing mower but a different animal as each deck floated from one another with it's own wheels.

 

[Tx Jim]

Love this answer. Was wondering why no stops on wings. It is now about 1 inch total difference between front and back.

IMHO adding cylinder stops to wheel frame cylinder will not solve wings drooping & wings causing trenches

 

[rustyshakelford]

I agree the hitch is jacked. There’s no way that’s acceptable.

Brett

 

[1010]

When you say the wing won't lower? Won't lower from the folded up position or the buckle on the rear won't adjust the wing lower?

A twisted shaft will cause the wing to stay hung up, in the folded up position. That entire drive line will have to be removed with the wing supported with a chain and jack stands.

 

[1010]

If you're draw bar doesn't have holes for a top you could have it fabricated for one. This would make the draw bar forked so the pin has more up and down support. It would straighten up the LP hitch.

 

[searcyfarms]

diesel, the biggest problem I see is the front is down too low, the hydraulics should suspend the front of the hitch as well as the back of the mower, if you are going into the far forward/float position on your lift/lower lever, you are going to have the droop in your hitch where it attaches to the tractor - now in bakers picture, if you turn the adjustment where more bolt is showing/lengthen the throw of the adjustment bolt, your wheels will touch the ground sooner thus raising the rear of the mower higher, you should be able to adjust that as needed - you also should be able to lower your mower wings to a specific height and even run with them up in the air if needed to mow valleys so as you drop the mower wings down, there should be no reason they will be dragging all the time, my skis on the wings only hit the ground when I go over a rise/dip in the ground, they are not meant to RIDE on the ground all the time, if your hydraulics are not holding the wings up and your hitch at the tractor is not raised up where the tongue is level, something is horribly wrong or you are either dropping it down too far manually or hitting the float position on your hydraulic lever.

adjust/lower, adjust raise, suspend wings, - most tractors use a split line/T for the two wing cylinders - one side will lower before the other so just keep holding the lever, it will catch up - like I said play with it, you will get the hang of it, these smaller tractors don't have the high volume pumps in them like the LARGE 100+ HP tractors, my 150hp tractor will flap the wings up on a bat wing like a bird but my smaller tractors are one at a time..........be patient and play with it, oh and raise it up/down, oh yea did I mention, practice going up/down until you get the hang of what it looks like to get the hitch level and wings suspended? ;-) very simple mechanics here not rocket science - and yes those cylinder stops might help on the wings IF you don't want to manage them by hand - let us know how it goes

 

[1010]

Cylinder stops on the wings would make it more ridged and defeat the purpose of the bat wing. Unless you didn't want the wings to fold up all the way up for some reason. Countrybumpkin is exactly right. The single cylinder that raises and lowers the entire cutter is where the stops allow the operator to return (lower) the cutter back to the same height each time. They take the guess work out.

I use one single HYD hose line with a tee going to both wings also. and one singe line to the up and down cylinder.

 

[Dadnatron]

It is working as designed, but it is not set up correctly.

First of all, one of your main issues is the connection to the tongue.

Get some large space washers and put these both above and below your drawbar in order to decrease the 'slop'. DON'T get too big of a pin, 7/8 - 1" should be fine. This will do 2 things. It will save your drawbar from the excessive wearing of the tongue. You can see it in your pic of the connection. And it will also level out the tongue connector with your drawbar height. It will likely take 10-12 thick 1" washers to do what you need it to do, and most will be above your drawbar.

I have problems with my 'wings' sloping down in relation to the main center part. Kind of droop, so each end is cutting deeper than the middle. I 'had' your issue, to a lesser degree, early on. The washers helped.

After you have your hitch connected well, then you must establish 'front/back' evenness to level, at the height at which you want to cut 'normally'. Usually, this should be consistent at all heights, but I recommend calibration at the height at which you want to cut for the most part. This will be done by changing the long 'threaded rod' which runs along the top from front of the machine all the way to the back.

Finally, you have to insure the wings are level with the center. This can only be done by changing the turnbuckle and any options directly on the tire connection to the machine (if your machine has this ability). The turnbuckles are a little tricky in how they work and the effect they have, so read your manual.

Batwings are great when setup and working... but they certainly aren't easy to get that way sometimes. Especially when the guy setting them up doesn't know what he is doing.

 

[Industrial Toys]

The WASHER thing is exactly what I had to do on my bat wing. Had several set aside as shims for that purpose.

 

[searcyfarms]

hey diesel, just looked up the manual for your mower online, your mower does not have the long rods on top of the deck like some of these mowers like dadnatron is talking about - yours are below the deck near as I can tell in the pix - if you check starting on page 20 of your manual it tells you perfectly how to level the deck using the right/left adjusting rods at the rear of the mower and then the two outer adjusting rods are for the wings. It tells explicitly how to do everything and it sounds logical and simple. the pics are very good also as well as the instructions. the process of leveling the mower to the height of your hitch, using the cylinder stops on the deck height cylinder etc......

once you do this a time or two you will have it down pat and likely not need to move it much unless something gets damaged or broken or unless you change tractors with different drawbar heights. Personally I put my batwing mowers on my 3 point drawbar, I can hook on easier, I can raise/lower while moving to go over obstacles easier. Depending on your setup, that may or may not be a good idea on some of these smaller tractors, my mowing tractor is 150hp and cat 3 and I am dragging through stuff 8 to 12 foot tall at times most of the stuff I mow is 2 yr old growth so its gnarley!!!!

The worst stuff is the plum thickets they are beastly and I have to raise up a lot to help chew those up first pass.

if you didn't get a manual here is where I found it

https://www.landpride.com/ari/attach/lp/public/manuals/330-502m_sn945022-.pdf

 

[Diesel44]

I agree the hitch is jacked. There痴 no way that痴 acceptable.

Brett

Thanks to everyone. I'm still in the middle of this. I added a $12 bolt to hitch and leveled front end in about 10 minutes. Wing still won't lower. Could be driveshaft. Idk. This is a brand new unit. I have put more hours into working on it than using it. Dealer tried to completely drop out or send another person. I question the competence of anyone at this dealership based on this experience, so I asked for an independent Kubota mechanic. There is not one in this area...
I have given them two options: Take the whole unit back and refund me, or take the Batwing and refund. I don't trust them to fix anything. And I'd be the one dealing with it if something else happened in a couple of months.

 

[Diesel44]

hey diesel, just looked up the manual for your mower online, your mower does not have the long rods on top of the deck like some of these mowers like dadnatron is talking about - yours are below the deck near as I can tell in the pix - if you check starting on page 20 of your manual it tells you perfectly how to level the deck using the right/left adjusting rods at the rear of the mower and then the two outer adjusting rods are for the wings. It tells explicitly how to do everything and it sounds logical and simple. the pics are very good also as well as the instructions. the process of leveling the mower to the height of your hitch, using the cylinder stops on the deck height cylinder etc......

once you do this a time or two you will have it down pat and likely not need to move it much unless something gets damaged or broken or unless you change tractors with different drawbar heights. Personally I put my batwing mowers on my 3 point drawbar, I can hook on easier, I can raise/lower while moving to go over obstacles easier. Depending on your setup, that may or may not be a good idea on some of these smaller tractors, my mowing tractor is 150hp and cat 3 and I am dragging through stuff 8 to 12 foot tall at times most of the stuff I mow is 2 yr old growth so its gnarley!!!!

The worst stuff is the plum thickets they are beastly and I have to raise up a lot to help chew those up first pass.

if you didn't get a manual here is where I found it

https://www.landpride.com/ari/attach/lp/public/manuals/330-502m_sn945022-.pdf

Thank you. I will check it out.

 

[Diesel44]

It is working as designed, but it is not set up correctly.

First of all, one of your main issues is the connection to the tongue.

Get some large space washers and put these both above and below your drawbar in order to decrease the 'slop'. DON'T get too big of a pin, 7/8 - 1" should be fine. This will do 2 things. It will save your drawbar from the excessive wearing of the tongue. You can see it in your pic of the connection. And it will also level out the tongue connector with your drawbar height. It will likely take 10-12 thick 1" washers to do what you need it to do, and most will be above your drawbar.

I have problems with my 'wings' sloping down in relation to the main center part. Kind of droop, so each end is cutting deeper than the middle. I 'had' your issue, to a lesser degree, early on. The washers helped.

After you have your hitch connected well, then you must establish 'front/back' evenness to level, at the height at which you want to cut 'normally'. Usually, this should be consistent at all heights, but I recommend calibration at the height at which you want to cut for the most part. This will be done by changing the long 'threaded rod' which runs along the top from front of the machine all the way to the back.

Finally, you have to insure the wings are level with the center. This can only be done by changing the turnbuckle and any options directly on the tire connection to the machine (if your machine has this ability). The turnbuckles are a little tricky in how they work and the effect they have, so read your manual.

Batwings are great when setup and working... but they certainly aren't easy to get that way sometimes. Especially when the guy setting them up doesn't know what he is doing.

Love the last part. Too expensive for me to have it set up this way at delivery, and after fix. I'll look at my manual for the rod and then check out turnbuckles. Tongue looks good now. Front back good too. I'll get picks, but with one Batwing stuck up ...ughhh

 

[1010]

Raise the wings up all the way. Go to the wing in question and undo one side of the drive shaft. I believe the end of shaft near the center gear box has a quick disconnect. similar to a regular PTO. It has a tapered bolt that just knocks out when the nut is removed. Once it's out let the pressure off the wing and see if you can slide it on off the splines. Once it's clear lower the wing and see if it goes all the way down. If it does then you have a twisted shaft. I've had to use two chains and a tree to pull the shafts apart using the tractor. The inside shaft will be the one twisted.
It won't take but a second to remove the nut and bolt and you'll know real qick if it's a twisted shaft.


Make sure the drive line is clear of everything when you start to lower the wing so it doesn't hang on something..

 

[Diesel44]

I hate mowing around by g useless things in my pasture...

 

[Diesel44]

I'm reading the manual. Replaced the tailwheel on my little 7 ft and got some mowing done, but the batwing is still stuck up on the Landpride.

 

[searcyfarms]

hi diesel, one wing wont lower or both, sorry I didn't see that in the words above, for some reason I was still stuck that the wings were dragging and cutting trenches - as for the washers and bolt and holding it more level.........well that is a bitter sweet combination and also a designed feature that will allow some extra give/relief when going over uneven ground - kind of like putting a chain on the top link of a 3 point when using a RMM - that way you don't high center - these big batwings only have so much clearance on the solid/straight drawbar vs using on the 3 point lift arms - you can get it perfect on level ground sitting still BUT as soon as you move any little bit or if you were to watch your hitch while driving across a field, you would be amazed at how it fluctuates - any pix of the wings stuck in the air? would they not go down after you made hitch adjustments to level things out? maybe something you adjusted affected them or ? man I wish I was close to you I would drive over and we would get that sucker working for you I cant even imagine how maddening/frustrating/disappointing that has to be -