Help with top link adjustment for rotary cutter.

JerryG · May 16, 2006

bbse,
I use a chain like you do. Except, I have a grab hook on the loose end of the chain. When I am done cutting and ready to go to the house, I drop the cutter to the ground and hook the hook on the chain for transport. That way when the mower raised it is well off of the ground. You may not need to do that, but I have about a mile to travel from my farm to the house.

JerryG · May 16, 2006

bbse,
I use a chain like you do. Except, I have a grab hook on the loose end of the chain. When I am done cutting and ready to go to the house, I drop the cutter to the ground and hook the hook on the chain for transport. That way when the mower raised it is well off of the ground. You may not need to do that, but I have about a mile to travel from my farm to the house.

bbse · May 16, 2006

My gets off the ground about 3 feet. I like the hook idea though. I am going to have to try that. I used two stainless u-bolts with threaded keepers and adjust length by using different links. Though once I have it set for my current tractor I have not had to change it.

bbse · May 16, 2006

My gets off the ground about 3 feet. I like the hook idea though. I am going to have to try that. I used two stainless u-bolts with threaded keepers and adjust length by using different links. Though once I have it set for my current tractor I have not had to change it.

canoetrpr · May 16, 2006

Thanks a whole bunch for all the information you have posted folks.

Key point was that I was not *thinking* through what the top link length should be when the 3PT lower arms are at the right position for cutting.

In a nutshell, this is what worked for me:

- I have the cutter n a level surface. Naturally the rear is raised because of the gauge wheel back there. The front touches the floor.

- I attach the cutter to the lower link pins.

- I raise the 3PT position control to lift the front of the cutter.

- Front of the cutter is raised to about an inch or two below the height that the rear is at - i.e. the cutting position. This is when I attach the top link but I don't tighten the top link at this point.

The floating link on the cutter is at about a 45 degree angle (sort of pointing at the tractor wheels) - so zero degrees starts with the floating link vertically straight down - pointing to the cutter.

- I mark this position on the 3PT position control as the cutting position. My position control has a stopper thing which I set at this position so that I will never lower the cutter below this.

- I lift the cutter a bit more so that the front is level with the rear. This is where I think I tightend the top link.

- So I have about two inches of adjustment up from my cutting position that I can play with if I ever need to depending on the terrain. After the two inches of adjustment room the cutter will lift right off for transport - as the top link tightens.

- I remember where this position is on the 3PT position control - about two notches above where I have marked the cutting position.

I wasn't taking notes but I believe that this is what worked well for me.

Another lesson I learned today is that what looked like a good cutting height on concrete - when I was hooking up the cutter, was an inch or two lower on grass! Makes sense as the gauge wheel on the rear of the cutter digs into the sod when there is weight on it. Resulted in my pasture being clipped a bit shorter than I had intended.

Next time I will raise the rear height of the cutter by moving the tail wheel a notch or two - of course this will need adjusting the front as well.

I also tightend the sway arms so that there is no slack. This was also helpful. I did not fully appreciate how much a Pat's quick attach would have helped until I put the cutter on my tractor.

So far I have only been hooking up a ballast box and a chain harrow. Putting the ballast box on is a breeze as I do not have to adjust the sway at all as the pins come right out of the ballast box. I just line things up and throw the pins in. Of course with the cutter, the pins are attached to it, so I have to get the wrench out to loosen the sway bars so that I can widen the lower link arms enough so they are wider than the end of the pins and then push them in and tighten them up.

Pat's here I come!

Thanks again for all your help. This is about the best website I have come across on the internet period!

canoetrpr · May 16, 2006

Thanks a whole bunch for all the information you have posted folks.

Key point was that I was not *thinking* through what the top link length should be when the 3PT lower arms are at the right position for cutting.

In a nutshell, this is what worked for me:

- I have the cutter n a level surface. Naturally the rear is raised because of the gauge wheel back there. The front touches the floor.

- I attach the cutter to the lower link pins.

- I raise the 3PT position control to lift the front of the cutter.

- Front of the cutter is raised to about an inch or two below the height that the rear is at - i.e. the cutting position. This is when I attach the top link but I don't tighten the top link at this point.

The floating link on the cutter is at about a 45 degree angle (sort of pointing at the tractor wheels) - so zero degrees starts with the floating link vertically straight down - pointing to the cutter.

- I mark this position on the 3PT position control as the cutting position. My position control has a stopper thing which I set at this position so that I will never lower the cutter below this.

- I lift the cutter a bit more so that the front is level with the rear. This is where I think I tightend the top link.

- So I have about two inches of adjustment up from my cutting position that I can play with if I ever need to depending on the terrain. After the two inches of adjustment room the cutter will lift right off for transport - as the top link tightens.

- I remember where this position is on the 3PT position control - about two notches above where I have marked the cutting position.

I wasn't taking notes but I believe that this is what worked well for me.

Another lesson I learned today is that what looked like a good cutting height on concrete - when I was hooking up the cutter, was an inch or two lower on grass! Makes sense as the gauge wheel on the rear of the cutter digs into the sod when there is weight on it. Resulted in my pasture being clipped a bit shorter than I had intended.

Next time I will raise the rear height of the cutter by moving the tail wheel a notch or two - of course this will need adjusting the front as well.

I also tightend the sway arms so that there is no slack. This was also helpful. I did not fully appreciate how much a Pat's quick attach would have helped until I put the cutter on my tractor.

So far I have only been hooking up a ballast box and a chain harrow. Putting the ballast box on is a breeze as I do not have to adjust the sway at all as the pins come right out of the ballast box. I just line things up and throw the pins in. Of course with the cutter, the pins are attached to it, so I have to get the wrench out to loosen the sway bars so that I can widen the lower link arms enough so they are wider than the end of the pins and then push them in and tighten them up.

Pat's here I come!

Thanks again for all your help. This is about the best website I have come across on the internet period!

dieselsmoke1 · May 16, 2006

( So, am I worrying about nothing? Can I cut with a partially raised 3PH? Without undue strain? )

Yes, that is what the 3ph is engineered to do. Heck my old Bushhog didn't have a tailwheel for 10 years. Small farm tractors spend very few of their working hours not partially or totally supporting their implements on the 3ph, a CUT is no different.

Many times it is NECESSARY for the tractor to carry some implement weight to attain the needed traction. Take a chiesel plow for example. If you set the gauge wheels at 6", when they ride the ground the tractor will spin, and do the same at 8" and do the same at 10", wherever the tractor loses the downforce from the plow due to the gauge wheels carrying the weight. Folks that are serious about pulling a chiesel plow do not run gauge wheels, or adjust them high enough to not be a factor.

Enough rant about plows and downforce. Your lift is designed to carry a load. It doesn't care if it's partially supported. Don't fret using it.

dieselsmoke1 · May 16, 2006

( So, am I worrying about nothing? Can I cut with a partially raised 3PH? Without undue strain? )

Yes, that is what the 3ph is engineered to do. Heck my old Bushhog didn't have a tailwheel for 10 years. Small farm tractors spend very few of their working hours not partially or totally supporting their implements on the 3ph, a CUT is no different.

Many times it is NECESSARY for the tractor to carry some implement weight to attain the needed traction. Take a chiesel plow for example. If you set the gauge wheels at 6", when they ride the ground the tractor will spin, and do the same at 8" and do the same at 10", wherever the tractor loses the downforce from the plow due to the gauge wheels carrying the weight. Folks that are serious about pulling a chiesel plow do not run gauge wheels, or adjust them high enough to not be a factor.

Enough rant about plows and downforce. Your lift is designed to carry a load. It doesn't care if it's partially supported. Don't fret using it.

anojones · May 17, 2006

I hadn't even really thought about the stress on the 3PH, I assumed that's what it was designed for. The manual for my LX5 states that you adjust the mowing height using the 3PH and then adjust the toplink to allow some play for uneven ground and adjust the tailwheel to take some of the load. My 3PH always supports the front end of the mower, if I were to put it all the way down- it would drag on the ground (which I assume is why this thread was started).

anojones · May 17, 2006

I hadn't even really thought about the stress on the 3PH, I assumed that's what it was designed for. The manual for my LX5 states that you adjust the mowing height using the 3PH and then adjust the toplink to allow some play for uneven ground and adjust the tailwheel to take some of the load. My 3PH always supports the front end of the mower, if I were to put it all the way down- it would drag on the ground (which I assume is why this thread was started).