3pt hitch drops too fast? 2004/2425

Ricks284 · Feb 27, 2016

Garycw said:
I found the set screw. Wow it's small. I had a screwdriver thy fit , but started to strip head. I've got some gunsmith drivers I'll give a try after some PB blaster on it. It drops just about right with nothing on it.

Old thread, but I just had this same problem.

Gary - were you able to get that set screw out (or did it strip completely, like mine did)? Screw extractor didn't work on mine, so I think some water must have gotten in there at some point. I ended up drilling out the set screw and chasing the threads with a 5mm tap.

RonMar said:
On mine that setscrew dosn't lock the valve in place. It is in a recessed area in the shaft. I think it is there to keep you from unscrewing the knob too far and getting a hydraulic oil enema

Ron - I think you're right about it not locking the handle/shaft in place like a normal set screw. When I removed the handle and shaft, it didn't look like the set screw had ever touched the shaft itself (no scoring or marks on the shaft at all).

Has anyone removed that set screw and replaced it with a small bolt? I was going to call Tommy and order a new set screw, but I'm thinking a bolt would be easier to remove if it gets rusted again. I think it's a standard bolt size: 5mm/0.8mm pitch. If I don't need to use it like a regular set screw, then I won't crank it down tight onto the shaft. My plan is to use a long bolt with a lock nut on it to set the right depth. Any better ideas?

Thanks,

Garycw · Feb 27, 2016

Ricks284 said:
Old thread, but I just had this same problem. Gary - were you able to get that set screw out (or did it strip completely, like mine did)? Screw extractor didn't work on mine, so I think some water must have gotten in there at some point. I ended up drilling out the set screw and chasing the threads with a 5mm tap. Ron - I think you're right about it not locking the handle/shaft in place like a normal set screw. When I removed the handle and shaft, it didn't look like the set screw had ever touched the shaft itself (no scoring or marks on the shaft at all). Has anyone removed that set screw and replaced it with a small bolt? I was going to call Tommy and order a new set screw, but I'm thinking a bolt would be easier to remove if it gets rusted again. I think it's a standard bolt size: 5mm/0.8mm pitch. If I don't need to use it like a regular set screw, then I won't crank it down tight onto the shaft. My plan is to use a long bolt with a lock nut on it to set the right depth. Any better ideas? Thanks,

No I didn't get screw to turn. I was just careful when lowering, being careful to ease lever down slowly.

Ricks284 · Mar 1, 2016

Garycw said:
No I didn't get screw to turn. I was just careful when lowering, being careful to ease lever down slowly.

Thanks Gary. I do the same thing, especially since it's been really hard to adjust. But now that I've replaced the set screw, I'm hoping my adjustment knob will be a lot easier to turn.

Ricks284 · Apr 7, 2016

I wanted to report back on the results of replacing the set screw with a hex bolt. It's a lot easier to adjust the knob and I now have confidence that the hex bolt is in the perfect position -- because I can look down and see the distance from the bolt head to the knob housing. I added an extra nut to the hex bolt in order to make sure the bolt doesn't back out with vibration.

When the 3pt hitch is loaded, it's almost impossible to adjust the knob, but once the pressure is released, it's very easy to adjust.

Garycw · Apr 7, 2016

Good deal. I just learned to live with mine controlling the drop with lever handle.

rider10099 · Apr 9, 2016

Do you know the size of the bolt you used?

Ricks284 · Apr 10, 2016

rider10099 said:
Do you know the size of the bolt you used?

The bolt size is M5 x 0.8mm pitch. At first I used a long bolt (20mm) with a stop nut threaded onto it, but it looked like it was sticking out too far.

I switched to a short bolt (13mm) and used a thin washer and a lock washer to get the depth setting just right. The collar of the adjustment knob shaft is only about 2mm thick, so it's important to get the end of the bolt to engage that collar solidly. But the bolt shouldn't be so tight that it keeps the knob from turning.

Clear as mud?