Grading How does my three point float work GC1705?

[downsizingnow48]

What does the owner's manual say?

 

[JWR]

As I asked, can't you push the lever all the way down into detent, for float? That is how most other tractors with a quarter-incher work.

By the way I had a quarter-incher on my previous Kubota B and never had a complaint about it at all. Yes, position control is nice, but I had no complaints about the quarter-incher at all.

I am puzzled by this entire thread. I have owned a JD4700, 2 Kubota B2150's and worked on 3 BX2200 - BX2300 series. Plus the large MF2660. ALL have 3pt hitch vertical control that is what most of you are calling "float." I have never seen a tractor that wasn't "float." That means the position control lever (which is there on every tractor I've seen) sets a level or position below which it will not let the lift arms go. Any implement is held up to that level. Downward pressure does not exist and comes only from the weight of the implement. Now for more complexity, the only provision for terrain following that I know about is called "draft control" as opposed to "position control." The smaller tractors tend not to have draft control in part because it is primarily for plowing & tilling operations and also because it adds cost. I assume/wager that NONE of the MF 1700 series or similar models from any competitor have draft control. With draft control you establish the level to which a plow runs using a second lever and from that point on, the draft control maintains nearly constant depth of the plow in the ground. That's it -- position control and draft control. Anything else is strange, very strange. Thank goodness I've never been faced with a detent on a 3pt lift control. Anyone want to educate me on other options ?

 

[atsah]

I am puzzled by this entire thread. I have owned a JD4700, 2 Kubota B2150's and worked on 3 BX2200 - BX2300 series. Plus the large MF2660. ALL have 3pt hitch vertical control that is what most of you are calling "float." I have never seen a tractor that wasn't "float." That means the position control lever (which is there on every tractor I've seen) sets a level or position below which it will not let the lift arms go. Any implement is held up to that level. Downward pressure does not exist and comes only from the weight of the implement. Now for more complexity, the only provision for terrain following that I know about is called "draft control" as opposed to "position control." The smaller tractors tend not to have draft control in part because it is primarily for plowing & tilling operations and also because it adds cost. I assume/wager that NONE of the MF 1700 series or similar models from any competitor have draft control. With draft control you establish the level to which a plow runs using a second lever and from that point on, the draft control maintains nearly constant depth of the plow in the ground. That's it -- position control and draft control. Anything else is strange, very strange. Thank goodness I've never been faced with a detent on a 3pt lift control. Anyone want to educate me on other options ?

Having the draft is what I'm use to that is why I was confused with the operation of these little tractors.. The manual is VERY vague and says pretty much nothing about it other than push it down and pull it up.. You pretty much cleared it up for me. I do like having draft for different things..

 

[atsah]

I can't tell you . . I push with my loader and pull with mu 3pt. Other than a rear snowblower I didn't know 3pt hitches were designed for pushing regardless of the tractor size. A hydraulic toplink would have some impact but unless you're adding weight weight weight to a back blade . . Pushing is forcing it upward and a 3pt. Depends on gravity of the implement while a loader has downward force.

You're trying to push snow with a 3pt. Instead of pulling snow and you have little weight on a blade . . I didn't know it could be done. A rear snowblower on the other hand is heavy and is clearing anow out not plowing it up . . much different pushing situation.

What does your dealer say?

Pushing snow with a back blade works just fine if you have enough weight on the blade.

 

[s219]

I am puzzled by this entire thread. I have owned a JD4700, 2 Kubota B2150's and worked on 3 BX2200 - BX2300 series. Plus the large MF2660. ALL have 3pt hitch vertical control that is what most of you are calling "float." I have never seen a tractor that wasn't "float." That means the position control lever (which is there on every tractor I've seen) sets a level or position below which it will not let the lift arms go. Any implement is held up to that level. Downward pressure does not exist and comes only from the weight of the implement.

You're describing position control, which this particular tractor does not have. It has a 1/4 incher valve, which means you have no set positions at all, just the ability to move the 3-pt up and down between the lower and upper limits. There is no feedback mechanism to maintain a fixed/repeatable level like you have with position control.

Now for more complexity, the only provision for terrain following that I know about is called "draft control" as opposed to "position control." The smaller tractors tend not to have draft control in part because it is primarily for plowing & tilling operations and also because it adds cost. I assume/wager that NONE of the MF 1700 series or similar models from any competitor have draft control. With draft control you establish the level to which a plow runs using a second lever and from that point on, the draft control maintains nearly constant depth of the plow in the ground. That's it -- position control and draft control. Anything else is strange, very strange. Thank goodness I've never been faced with a detent on a 3pt lift control. Anyone want to educate me on other options ?

Draft control is not the issue here, and is just further confusing things. Draft control has nothing to do with the basic float functionality.

Honestly, this is either a case of the OP not being able to find/understand float, or the GC is just a pile of crap that can't float the 3-pt. I don't believe it's the latter though. I've never run a tractor that couldn't float the 3-pt, whether it was position control or 1/4 incher.

 

[atsah]

You're describing position control, which this particular tractor does not have. It has a 1/4 incher valve, which means you have no set positions at all, just the ability to move the 3-pt up and down between the lower and upper limits. There is no feedback mechanism to maintain a fixed/repeatable level like you have with position control.



Draft control is not the issue here, and is just further confusing things. Draft control has nothing to do with the basic float functionality.

Honestly, this is either a case of the OP not being able to find/understand float, or the GC is just a pile of crap that can't float the 3-pt. I don't believe it's the latter though. I've never run a tractor that couldn't float the 3-pt, whether it was position control or 1/4 incher.

I understand float and I know it has it as any tractor I have owned has.. The way I see it is when I'm using the 3pt and need to keep the implement on the ground regardless of ground contour I will need to hold the handle down..

 

[AxleHub]

I understand float and I know it has it as any tractor I have owned has.. The way I see it is when I'm using the 3pt and need to keep the implement on the ground regardless of ground contour I will need to hold the handle down..

I'm struggling to understand why a standard process kees getting twisted around. The handle does nothing but set the height . . . Holding the handle down steadily does nothing for you. Once you set it at a height . . Thats it. But you need weight on the blade because weight is what all tractors depend on from 3 pt attachments . . Gravity.

Whether you have position control or "draft" or 1/4 inching or you keep "holding the handle down" . . . a blade operates with gravity keeping it "down". Small or large tractors operate the same . . But a bigger blade has more weight on it.

 

[atsah]

The handle does nothing but set the height . . . Holding the handle down steadily does nothing for you. Once you set it at a height . . Thats it.

If you hold the handle down while you are moving the tractor/implement over uneven terrain the hitch will move up and down to keep the implement in contact with the ground. If you drop the implement on flat ground and leave it, when the tractor drops in level the implement comes off the ground and becomes worthless.. I understand the weight thing..

 

[AxleHub]

If you hold the handle down while you are moving the tractor/implement over uneven terrain the hitch will move up and down to keep the implement in contact with the ground. If you drop the implement on flat ground and leave it, when the tractor drops in level the implement comes off the ground and becomes worthless.. I understand the weight thing..

Then why wouldn't you set it at the depressed level and then it will float up and down to the other levels? Why would you need to keep holding it down ?

 

[atsah]

Then why wouldn't you set it at the depressed level and then it will float up and down to the other levels? Why would you need to keep holding it down ?

Yup, that would also work.