4115 draft arms dragging

[int0]

I bought a 4115 with MMM last year. When I take the mower off and lower the the 3 point all the way, the draft arms rest on the ground, which is sometimes a problem when using a back blade or landscape rake.

There is a turnbuckle/clevis that runs from the draft arm to the bracket on the rear. I have tightened that all the way, but the arms still rest on the ground. Has anyone run into this before? Is the clevis just too long? I am fairly certain it's the one that came with the MMM originally.

Thanks for any input.

 

[beenthere]

:welcome: to TBN
Post some pics of what you describe. Might be able to tell if some alterations have been made.

To post pics, click the "Go Advanced" button, and then the "Manage Attachments" button to bring up where you can add photos by browsing your computer. Once found, click the "upload" button. Should do it, and there may even be other ways to do it as well.

Is the height the arms go satisfactory in your estimation?

 

[kennyd]

When I had my 4110 (5 less HP than your 4115), I would tie the MMM draft arms up with cable ties if I was doing something quick, otherwise for winter I'd take them off.

Now, mine never where low enough to "rest on the ground", they may have been 4" or 5" form the ground, so I suspect you MMM linkage is not setup correctly.

 

[int0]

It seems to go up high enough, but I can't really tell if I have more room. I have attached pictures of it up and down.

 

[kennyd]

It's only 4 pins to remove them.

 

[ovrszd]

How do you control MMM mowing height??

 

[kennyd]

How do you control MMM mowing height??

Those draft arms are tied to the 3PH, so as it raises so does the MMM.

 

[ovrszd]

So the MMM carries itself when lowered to mow??

What I'm looking for is maybe the mow height is adjusted with a twist knob like the smaller tractors?? If so that knob can be turned to the highest mowing position and keep the arms from falling to the ground??

Sorry if I'm mistaken.

 

[int0]

It's only 4 pins to remove them.

Sure, but I remove this almost weekly and if I remember right, the draft arms aren't super easy to get back on.

 

[int0]

So the MMM carries itself when lowered to mow??

What I'm looking for is maybe the mow height is adjusted with a twist knob like the smaller tractors?? If so that knob can be turned to the highest mowing position and keep the arms from falling to the ground??

Sorry if I'm mistaken.

There is an adjustable bracket that lets me control the height. I usually set that, I don't lower it all the way so that the mower carries itself. The pictures I posted are with the mower off.

 

[kennyd]

I used the optional "Deck Lockup Kit" to set my mowing height, not really its purpose but doing that meant you could never accidentally mow to low. It would be easy to make these with turnbuckles if you don't have them.

I still think your linkage is setup wrong, it should NEVER go that low.

 

[kennyd]

Sure, but I remove this almost weekly and if I remember right, the draft arms aren't super easy to get back on.

It should be very easy, two pins up front and two through the rear bellcranks that go over the lower 3PH arms.

But, you can also use some zip ties to hold them up as I wrote before.

 

[loakman]

The draft arms on my 4115 will drag the ground with the MMM off. I unpin and take them off when The mower is off.

 

[ovrszd]

The draft arms on my 4115 will drag the ground with the MMM off. I unpin and take them off when The mower is off.

Good stuff right there. Thanks for posting!!

 

[adolphbell]

On my 4100 I simply use a couple of turnbuckles to hold the arms up when the mower is off. Turnbuckles also work holding up the arms and the mower when using a 3pt implement.

 

[int0]

Thanks for all the input!

 

[bz1]

I have had a JD4100, and two JD4520's with the same lift mechanism. Firstly, those aren't the draft arms, they are the mower lift mechanism. So when folks say that the draft arms should not hit the ground, they are correct, but it's not your draft arms that are touching, it's your mower deck lift mechanism. All of my machines did the same, they have to in order to latch into the drive over deck properly. You have two easy solutions to the problem, either use turnbuckles to hole the mechanism up when the deck is not installed, or you can actually buy a chunk of steel from John Deere that us meant to attach to the hole in the frame above the mechanism bellcranks, and also attach to the clevis built into the bellcranks. Ask a dealer a about his part since I don't have the number handy. It's just a piece of flat iron with a hole on each end. The top end is attached to the frame with a bolt, the bottom end is attached to the bellcranks via a pin through the clevis. You can easily make one of these yourself if you have some simple metal working tools.

 

[2001 JD4110]

I simply tie them up with a piece/strand of 14 gauge housewire when using the 3pt & leave wire twisted up when mowing