Height of 3 point hitch

[marhar]

On my tractor I can manually adjust the lift arms to change the height on an implement and I can change the length of the top link to change the pitch of an implement. That being said where does one start at? I can lengthen the lift arms and shorten the top link or I can shorten the lift arms and lengthen the top link and get the same result. What do you use as the starting point?

 

[K5lwq]

It depends on the implement. For me, most of the time arms set to lowest position works well. Sometimes that will cause some not to lift high enough to clear the ground during transport.

 

[Lineman North Florida]

On my tractor I can manually adjust the lift arms to change the height on an implement and I can change the length of the top link to change the pitch of an implement. That being said where does one start at? I can lengthen the lift arms and shorten the top link or I can shorten the lift arms and lengthen the top link and get the same result. What do you use as the starting point?

No two 3 point hitch implements are alike, for example a harrow or disc may require that you let the third link out considerably to get the front of the disc down with more weight on the front for cutting or busting up the soil, whereas a rotary mower you may want to cut more level requiring the third link to be taken up to level the mower, you have to get a feel for it and nothing short of practice or trial and error will be able to prepare you any better. When setting up a rolling cultivator for example you have to make a series of adjustments as you start out, all of which require you to leave the tractor seat, that part about leaving the tractor seat gets alot of people, it's like once they get hooked up to an implement they are super glued to the tractor seat.

 

[Vigo327]

If you have the option of lengthening your lower arms, keep in mind doing so reduces your lift capacity. May be a non-issue on a large enough tractor but its a big issue on my tiny tractors.

Some lower arms let you attach the lift links closer or further out from the tractor. Closer in gives you more range of motion up/down but lifts less weight, farther out reduced up/down travel but inscreases lift capacity.

Some implements may interfere with rear tires when lifted, requiring you to lengthen arms.
Some implements' driveshaft lengths may require you to lengthen or shorten your arms so that the driveshaft doesn't either bottom out or fall apart during the 3pt up/down travel.

You basically do whatever works, but my default would be as short as possible if you are limited on lift capacity. If you have no real limitation on lift capacity I might just leave them on a longer setting all the time.

 

[WranglerX]

If you have the option of lengthening your lower arms, keep in mind doing so reduces your lift capacity. May be a non-issue on a large enough tractor but its a big issue on my tiny tractors.

Some lower arms let you attach the lift links closer or further out from the tractor. Closer in gives you more range of motion up/down but lifts less weight, farther out reduced up/down travel but inscreases lift capacity.

Some implements may interfere with rear tires when lifted, requiring you to lengthen arms.
Some implements' driveshaft lengths may require you to lengthen or shorten your arms so that the driveshaft doesn't either bottom out or fall apart during the 3pt up/down travel.

You basically do whatever works, but my default would be as short as possible if you are limited on lift capacity. If you have no real limitation on lift capacity I might just leave them on a longer setting all the time.

Really?

 

[Sonny580]

Vigo 327 got it backwards!!! Closer in gives MORE lift power but LESS height!
For light tractors its best to keep everything in close as possible to keep the front end on the ground.
Farther back makes the front light and you cant steer!

 

[Sportsman762]

Adjustable length lift arms? Can you post photos of them? I have seen extendable lift arms, however they are for hooking up an implement and will retract if compression is applied to them. They are not designed to be used extended. However adjustable length lift arms are something I have never seen before.

 

[ROUSTABOUT]

Adjustable length lift arms? Can you post photos of them? I have seen extendable lift arms, however they are for hooking up an implement and will retract if compression is applied to them. They are not designed to be used extended. However adjustable length lift arms are something I have never seen before.

Some of them dear Johns had square tubing with a solid bar inside it and the lift arm balls on the end of it. I never owned one. They did extend.

 

[npalen]

Confusion seems to be rampant so far in this thread including me. A picture by the OP showing the setup would be helpful so everyone is talking about the same thing.

 

[mcfarmall]

Here's something else to add to the confusion. The majority of tractors have 3 pin locations to choose from where the top link attaches to the tractor.