LX4 Adjustments

[RalphVa]

Attached is a picture of my LX4 with a chain as the top link. I'll post another showing it being raised with the solid top link in place.

Had some discussion on this in the Floating Top Link thread. Rather than bury it there, I've created this new thread.

My LX4 was delivered with the hitch pins in the top positions. I found that it would raise no more than 1" above mowing height. I had to disconnect the top link to get it to raise enough to place a 4x4 underneath, as recommended in the manual. I've since replaced the 4x4s with dollies. Had pics on these in another thread.

The straps that angle from the top link along the side and anchored near the rear have 2 holes. They were in the rear-most holes. It states clearly in the LX4 manual that these straps should be in the front holes if the hitch pins are in the top holes.

I moved the hitch pins to the lower holes. What this did was automatically give me 3" more lift height. It also caused the top link point to swing forward a bit.

What happened with the hitch pins in the upper holes and straps in rear holes was to require the top link to be LONGER than the draft arms. Simple geometry will then tell you that the draft arms will rotate the top link end rearward, wanting to drive the tail wheel further to ground. What it did was to take up the float in the tail wheel assembly of approximately 1 1/2". The net result at the end of the draft arms was to restrict their movement to an inch above the mowing set point.

Ralph

 

[RalphVa]

Here's the picture promised above.

The LX4 is lifted to full lift height, with the top link simply inserted in place of the chain. It would NEVER do this the way the dealer delivered it unless the top link were screwed down shorter than needed for mowing. If I properly adjusted the top link to put the tail wheel float gizmo in its mid point, the top link would be even shorter and the lift height a bit higher in the back.

Ralph

 

[JClark]

Ralph,

I have been sitting here staring at that second picture for 5 minutes and the only thing I have come up with so far is "What the heck, that can't be right."

First thing is to get the cutter in cutting trim. Raise the whole thing as high as it will go. Get 2 short chunks of 2x4 and place one under the forward end of the bottom flange on each side, just before it turns up. Place the 2x4 flat on the ground, just under the "LX4" on the right side and under the "J" of "JohnDeere" on the left.

Now lower the tailwheel height adjustment, that's the bolt going through those plates with multiple holes at the back edge of the deck. When you drop the cutter onto those 2x4s the tailwheel should be on the ground and holding up the rear half of the cutter. That flange should be just about parallel to the ground, the back end of the flange about 1/4 inch higher than the front (where the 2x4s are). The toplink must be loose, not carrying any weight at all. Keep adjusting until you get this.

This is a pretty low cutting height but it is an easy place to start. At this point adjust the toplink so the bolt is in the middle of the slots of those dogleg shaped plates connecting to the rear stays of the cutter. Now raise the draft links just enough to take the weight off the 2x4s, the flanges just barely off them. You may also need to adjust the lift link so that both sides of the cutter are the same height off the ground. Use the 2x4s for height reference.

This should give you the proper setup for a cutting height of about 2". On level ground the rear of the cutter is carried by the tailwheel and the front by the draft links. The toplink is loose, allowing the rear of the cutter to raise and fall with the contours of the ground. Nothing on the cutter should drag on the ground, except maybe the bottom links of the chain guard.

The question is, trimmed like this will fully raising the draft links also raise the tailwheel? It should.

The dealer should have set all this up for you before delivery and instructed you on the adjustment procedure.

If getting to this trim is impossible then the cutter just does not fit the tractor. Remember the 4010 does not have a full capacity 3pt hitch due to the low stance of the tractor.

If the weather were a bit warmer I would make this an opportunity to ride my bike out the Cville and help you with this. I would also be sorely tempted to smack your dealer upside the head with one of those 2x4s.

 

[RalphVa]

I just posted the picture with the top link in place to show that it WILL raise it now. It didn't the way the dealer delivered it (with the hitch pins in the top holes). It will raise even higher if I adjust the top link to place the float in the mid position. Can crank the top link shorter to raise for transport or to go up/down a ramp.

I used it with the chain replacing the top link. I basically adjusted the chain to be tight when it is raised to maximum height. Even there, the drive shaft doesn't hit the deck even without the chain tight.

I set the tail wheel by first setting the rockshaft to get a 2" height in front. Then I removed and reset the tail wheel bolt to give 2.5" in the back. Think I should have set it for 3" because the tail wheel tends to bury itself deeper in the soil than the tractor tires. May do this later.

The tail wheel floating rig is fully depressed, e.g. no float towards the tractor. The chain provides that. Gives plenty of float to the rear, like when tractor goes over a rise or cutter drops down a slope. The tail wheel won't come fully off the ground on level ground because the float feature allows it to flex all the way down to the ground.

The tail wheel doesn't flop around with the chain in place like it does with the top link in place.

Still debating whether I need check chains. Think I'll have to attach them to the ROPS and down to the holes in the draft arms, about 4 1/2' of chain on each side. I've protection from breakage of the top link chain via the back of the tractor seat. That check chain could do some nasty damage if it broke.

Ralph