Is there a way to apply down pressure on a three point hitch

rfc143 · Mar 5, 2019

I've searched and read a ton of threads on "Position Control", "Draft Control", and they all seem to imply that the hydraulics can apply up pressure lifting the implement, but gravity is all you got going for you going down. I believe my tractor (Kubota L5240) has Position Control but not Draft Control.
I'm trying to solve a "hopping" problem with the add on grader blade to a LandPride LR 3784 rake, using it to scrape small snowfalls (1-3"), that are too little to dink with the blower.

Short of just adding more weight, is there any way to apply additional down pressure on an implement?

M5farms · Mar 5, 2019

weight is only way to increase down pressure

flusher · Mar 5, 2019

Google "3 point hitch hydraulic down force kit". You'll find what you need.

Good luck

CobyRupert · Mar 5, 2019

Weight.

If you have down pressure you lose rear traction, and the back tires would come off the ground anytime they went into the slightest dip.

MossRoad · Mar 5, 2019

rfc143 said:
I've searched and read a ton of threads on "Position Control", "Draft Control", and they all seem to imply that the hydraulics can apply up pressure lifting the implement, but gravity is all you got going for you going down. I believe my tractor (Kubota L5240) has Position Control but not Draft Control.
I'm trying to solve a "hopping" problem with the add on grader blade to a LandPride LR 3784 rake, using it to scrape small snowfalls (1-3"), that are too little to dink with the blower.

Short of just adding more weight, is there any way to apply additional down pressure on an implement?

If you have draft control, it should be right next to the position control, similar to this...

jeff9366 · Mar 5, 2019

CobyRupert said:
If you have down pressure you lose rear traction, and the back tires would come off the ground anytime they went into the slightest dip.

Newton's Law = For every action there is an opposite and equal reaction.

atsah · Mar 5, 2019

Add weight to you're blade if it's hopping.. The only thing I can think of that 3pth down pressure would be good for is drilling holes with a post hole digger. As stated already, if you put pressure to the blade as soon as you had uneven ground you're rear tires would come off the ground.

CobyRupert · Mar 5, 2019

jeff9366 said:
Newton's Law = For every action there is an opposite and equal reaction.

This is why I don't understand weight distribution hitches. Admittedly, I've never used them and I'm ignorant about them, but not physics.

ruffdog · Mar 5, 2019

The OP should try plowing with the blade backwards. Many times it will not hop and bounce like it does when using it the "normal" way. Some snows I use my plow normally but most times I reverse it.

atsah · Mar 5, 2019

I had a truck with a Fisher 9ft steel blade, plowed great, switched to a X-blade SS much lighter, big mistake, bounced all over the places, shook the headlights enough to break them..

LouNY · Mar 5, 2019

When your blade is hopping try adjusting your top link,
if it's hydraulic it's easy, mechanical not so much.
If you shorten your toplink and lower the lift arms more you will change the attack angle of the cutting edge,
sometimes that will work well.
You mentioned this is an add on blade for a rake, if this is the type that hangs in front of the rake tines when the tines are dragging as well as the blade the tines can cause jumping.

JPRambo · Mar 5, 2019

With a weight distributing hitch the equal and opposite reaction is lifting the rear of the truck lowering the front of the truck.

oosik · Mar 5, 2019

With any land engagement implement - weight is your friend. I had an 8 foot Land Pride rear blade - 565#. In the summer all it could do was make ripples down my driveway. Now I have an 8 foot Rhino @ 1100#. A REAL world of difference.

CobyRupert · Mar 5, 2019

JPRambo said:
With a weight distributing hitch the equal and opposite reaction is lifting the rear of the truck lowering the front of the truck.

It seems that's the only way they can work. So if one is misadjusted (a lot) you could get a scenario where vehicles back tires are lifted in air when passing through a dip?
....so, even if properly configured, a vehicle with weight distributing hitch might be more likely to jack-knife in braking /turning situations (where rear traction may have prevented it) or get stuck when in 2 wheel drive, etc...

Apologies to OP for the sidetrack, hopefully he has his answers by now.

rfc143 · Mar 5, 2019

MossRoad said:
If you have draft control, it should be right next to the position control, similar to this...
View attachment 594572

No Draft Control.

rfc143 · Mar 5, 2019

LouNY said:
When your blade is hopping try adjusting your top link,
if it's hydraulic it's easy, mechanical not so much.
If you shorten your toplink and lower the lift arms more you will change the attack angle of the cutting edge,
sometimes that will work well.
You mentioned this is an add on blade for a rake, if this is the type that hangs in front of the rake tines when the tines are dragging as well as the blade the tines can cause jumping.

The tines are not dragging, but the blade relies on the tines for its support. I think what's happening is that the blade "loads up" pushing backwards on the tines, then the tines spring the blade forward. I've thought of building struts fixing the blade in place so that the blade is pulling against the struts, rather than the springiness of the tines.

I'm wondering though if I'm worrying about nothing. The result on a thin layer of ice and snow is that it makes a series of grooves across my driveway about 4-6 inches apart. It may actually help the traction lol. I'm still experimenting. I'm just not sure how it's going to work in the summer when I need to erase washboard. If it does the same thing then, I will have to do something about it. I do have about 150 lbs of weight I could try on it, but I doubt that'd do much.

LouNY · Mar 5, 2019

rfc143 said:
The tines are not dragging, but the blade relies on the tines for its support. I think what's happening is that the blade "loads up" pushing backwards on the tines, then the tines spring the blade forward. I've thought of building struts fixing the blade in place so that the blade is pulling against the struts, rather than the springiness of the tines.

I'm wondering though if I'm worrying about nothing. The result on a thin layer of ice and snow is that it makes a series of grooves across my driveway about 4-6 inches apart. It may actually help the traction lol. I'm still experimenting. I'm just not sure how it's going to work in the summer when I need to erase washboard. If it does the same thing then, I will have to do something about it. I do have about 150 lbs of weight I could try on it, but I doubt that'd do much.

You can vary the top link length and see what effect that has,
also are you pulling it straight or is it angled.
Also as the cutting edge on the blade gets used it may bounce a bit less.

Farmer495 · Mar 5, 2019

Only tractors made in recent years that had down pressure on the 3pt hitches were some Belarus models.

Farmer495 · Mar 5, 2019

CobyRupert said:
It seems that's the only way they can work. So if one is misadjusted (a lot) you could get a scenario where vehicles back tires are lifted in air when passing through a dip?
....so, even if properly configured, a vehicle with weight distributing hitch might be more likely to jack-knife in braking /turning situations (where rear traction may have prevented it) or get stuck when in 2 wheel drive, etc...

Apologies to OP for the sidetrack, hopefully he has his answers by now.

I run a WD hitch, it technically is using the rear axle as a fulcrum to put weight on the front axle, and some back onto the trailer axle. When setting one up you actually are suppose to measure the distance on the FRONT wheel to the fender to see how much you gained. At least with my Reese, I don't think you could lift the rear axle clear, the torsion bars do have some give. If you watch most RVs going the WD hitch is set up wrong and not doing it's job.