Rear Finish Mower How to narrow a three-point attachment arms

[SouthernSky]

The picture was simply to show they were wider than they should be.

The black arms on the mower are removable. I’ve flipped them, mounted both inside and outside of the orange plate, but they still exceed the width needed to properly sit properly between the lower hitch which is my goal since I don’t want them scraping the tires and to switch attachments without having to constantly adjust the tractor’s hitch arm turnbuckles.

I might try the pipe wrench and tractor pulling idea. Not sure if I have enough low-end torque to make that happen but worth a shot but I’ve got the pipe wrenches, chains and trees.

Another thought was a ratchet binder. I’ve never used one but if I can get it to pull evenly together in theory it would work.

 

[RjCorazza]

I think I would bite the bullet and take them to a shop with a press to straighten them out, and maybe reinstall on the inside with a 1/2" steel plate spacer.

 

[Runner]

I don't know if it's just the perspective in the picture, but it looks like the ears that the black arms are mounted to are bent outward. Is that the case? If so (and assuming they're not supposed to be that way) they might need to be pulled back together with a chain binder too.

 

[duffer]

Concur with Runner. The right side mounting plate (orange & left in the picture) sure looks bent outward. Left side looks a little off as well.
Disconnect your black angle braces, get the orange plates bent back to 90° to the mower, and take your angle braces, put them in a vice and bend them back to fit.

 

[scootr]

Another question would be why is there no restriction preventing the tractor drag arms from spreading? My older tractors had a X of chains between them limiting spread. And the current Kubota has sliding adjustable side support arms limiting the arms lateral movement preventing this from happening again.

Bolt On Grab Hooks with Trailer Hitch Receiver, Tie Down Points and Tractor Accessories

SKU: CK2610TDR. $79.00 Be Safe! Be legal! Be confident when towing your expensive investment! This bracket provides 2 rock solid points of connection at the rear of your tractor enabling the use of 2 separate chains or straps for securing your tractor while trailering or for other uses. NO DRIL

www.jufabworks.com

 

[Runner]

Another question would be why is there no restriction preventing the tractor drag arms from spreading? My older tractors had a X of chains between them limiting spread. And the current Kubota has sliding adjustable side support arms limiting the arms lateral movement preventing this from happening again.

Bolt On Grab Hooks with Trailer Hitch Receiver, Tie Down Points and Tractor Accessories

SKU: CK2610TDR. $79.00 Be Safe! Be legal! Be confident when towing your expensive investment! This bracket provides 2 rock solid points of connection at the rear of your tractor enabling the use of 2 separate chains or straps for securing your tractor while trailering or for other uses. NO DRIL

www.jufabworks.com

If it's JD, it only has chain links to keep the arms from swinging in, but they are free to swing out (at least on my 2520). They are shipped with a bungee cord holding the arms in.

 

[workinonit]

You apparently think those are going to be really hard to bend. They are not. Select a way, get them off and bend them. The real question is, why did they bend out in the first place. You have something set up very wrong if the tractor bent those.

 

[zzvyb6]

If you have a couple of large pipe wrenches, put both on one side at a time (top and bottom) so that when the back of the deck is in front of a tree, put a chain on both wrenches and pull the chain with your tractor. The wrenches will bend the mounting plates back into their normal F/A orientation.
Two wrenches in order to put a uniform bending moment on the whole plate area at the bend location instead of just a localized section. If you only have 1 wrench, do small increments of pull, top to bottom. Heck, even a LARGE Crescent type wrench will do. You want a LONG arm to get a big bending moment.

I would unbolt them and take them somewhere to get pressed back straight. Machine shop or most mechanics usually will have a press...

The bent plates are welded on. The gauge wheel arms bolt onto them. The plates likely got bent while turning the rig and the deck hit an immovable object, preventing its rotation.

 

[ruffdog]

I don't know if it's just the perspective in the picture, but it looks like the ears that the black arms are mounted to are bent outward. Is that the case? If so (and assuming they're not supposed to be that way) they might need to be pulled back together with a chain binder too.

If that is the case, I would use my Hi-lift jack to squeeze the two ears together. It is very simple.

 

[repete]

By bent you actually mean stretched as the metal is now weak at the point of the bend. You could straighten it but that can only be accomplished by stretching the metal again on the other side. It will bend again.
Changing sides may help but that is likely only a temporary solution.
My suggestion is to go to a shop and get some heavy "U" shaped channel to give it strength in two directions both up and down as well as sideway movement.
If you do not have an ability to do it, any fab shop should be able to help you out.