3-PT Persuasion

[jbrumberg]

N80:

I do not worry about "good form" when trying to connect and/or disconnect attachments. I do know that swearing and kicking is ineffective , but it does make me feel better . I will use my rubber mallet, hand sledge (judiciously ), and/or one of my 5' straight picks/pry bars to facilitate attachment. I really have not had any problems since I got my new tractor with its telescoping lower link arms and deluxe 3 point linkage system if I set my attachments on pallets on fairly level ground. Jay

 

[MadDogDriver]

flINTLOCK,

Unless your TC40DA has been modified, your lower arms have telescoping ends on them and should help immensely in getting most implements hooked up. Is the problem lateral or vertical or both?

 

[RoyJackson]

I'd suggest Pat's Easy Change...
I also use a sledge hammer and a 2x4 (5' long or so) to lever the implement around.
Pat's would be the biggest bang for the buck. It'll definitel;y cut down your use of foul language when rigging a rotary cutter to your 3PH.

Another thing that helps is putting a length of wood (2x4 will do it) under the front end of the side skirts of your cutter. The wood should extend out about 12" either side (give or take a few inches).

 

[pat32rf]

Since I don't have much level ground and no smooth concrete I tend to use the teeter method. I set the implement on top of an old tire on a skid so that I can move it around a bit by hand to line things up. Sometimes that "hand" hold a 4' pinch bar. I can also lift the whole skid with the forks to stick the mower, back blade, snow blower etc back in a corner out of the way. Or store them one in front of the other.
A lot of my implements are home-made or addapted from some other use so they don't all have the same distance between the pins. The quick attach units wouldn't fit without modifying everything. I have a mower/brush hog that has both pins sticking out to the right, the carry-all and the ballast box both have the pins pointed inwards.
This is another reason I am thankful for the hydro, its no problem to move the tractor 1/2". I also have been known to plant and curl the bucket so I can push/pull the tractor while standing beside it and pushing on a stubborn implement with my foot....

 

[LoneCowboy]

I find it's MUCH easier with two people
I make the wife drive the tractor and then she can "tweak" it into position (go forward, go back) and then it's much faster.

But yeah, sometimes brute force (#4 hammer) is what it needs. Just a wee persausion. I always hook up both sides, then hook up the top link. (and adjust the top link to get teh pin in, then pull out on flat ground and adjust the top link correctly.
Some things are just hard. Fertilizer spreaders are currently my hard thing. My tiller is faking me out, it's been real easy the last few times, I just wonder what's going to happen the next time.

 

[N80]

Some implements are harder than others too. My mower has fixed pins that stick out on either side. To me, this is harder to get just right. But, if the mower is positioned right, I can tug it around a bit by the tailwheel, or use one of my posts as a pry bar against the tailwheel boom.

My boxblade is easier. It has a captured pin set-up (double strap hitch according to Bush Hog). With this set up, I just back up to the BB, Lower the lift arms which contact the mast and ride down the sides of the mast into the hitch openings. Stop it at the right place, hop down, insert pins, then hook up toplink. The BB also only weighs 550 pounds so I can shift it around a little by hand.

I have found that Kubota makes a set of telescoping lift arms for my tractor, which is otherwise a very basic tractor. I am unsure of the cost, but they might go on my wish list. I bet they cost a ton, though.

 

[redlevel]

In my experience I have found that a thirty pound sledge hammer works better than a twenty pound hammer. That is assuming you have enough "behind" to make a proper application.

 

[Rara Avis]

The Home Depot

Type in Tamper bar in the product search...

Then click on the search results...

Any one of the four are great for final adjustments...

 

[daTeacha]

My FIL is a retired farmer, having worked at it since about 1946 on his own and prior to the war with his dad. His last tractor was Ford 9700, which is around 1980 something, I guess.

Whenever he's over and we have reason to be out near the tractor he admires two feature more than anything else -- the grapple and the telescoping link ends.

Using the link ends properly makes hooking up a whole lot easier. I start with the ends in the center of their range of travel and the links spread about as wide as I can get them and at full lift. Then I back the tractor into the implement as close to center as possible. Looking at the drawbar for reference helps a lot. Lower the arms 'til it looks like they're just a little above the pins and adjust fore and aft as best you can from the seat. The link ends will give you a couple of inches each way if you start with them halfway extended.

Climb down, check the height and adjust as needed, slide the left arm into place and put the locking pin in. Go to the right side, crank it up or down if needed, lock in place. Bring the top link down. Lifting the implement slightly will move the top link hole back if needed or screw or unscrew the link until it fits.

I very rarely have to move an implement around by hand with the telescoping link ends available.

 

[flINTLOCK]

Biggest problem I have is uneven ground which sets implement pins at different heights and changes tractor height as you move slightly to improve positioning. I do have telescoping lower arms which certainly helps. All this is temporary, though, cause slab has been poured and storage building going up in 2 weeks. Will enjoy level flat surface and dollies for implement exchange. I have Pat's easy change, but haven't installed yet, since I have been too busy hammering on my equipment and plowing in my free time getting food plots ready for deer.