Mahindra 3-point hitch stabilizers

highway · Jun 25, 2020

I realize this is the topic is touched on in several discussions but....my question.

I've had a 1533 for 70 hours and have broken one stablizer bar and foresee breaking many more as I
use it a lot with a rotary cutter, and I'm not mowing a golf course. Mower is a 5-foot Bush Hog 285-not a lightweight but certainly something this
tractor should handle with ease
.
I've looked at the usual online suspects for generic stabilizers but don't see anything that grabs me. It occurs to me that
what might work is a simple turnbuckle as is typical on 3-point top links. You could rotate it so that the receptacle was
vertical at the tractor end and horizontal at the implement attachment end. In that configuration it would fit the Mahindra.

Has anybody tried this solution and if so what problems, if any,have you had? THANKS

Roadworthy · Jun 25, 2020

My Kubota three point lift arms are stabilized with turnbuckles as were those on my Mitsubishi. they are pretty common. They generally have a jam nut to hold the adjustment in place when sit. For my Kubota the telescoping arms are an extra cost option.

3gunr · Jun 25, 2020

I have the turnbuckles on boyh my mahindras and wish i had ones like yours. Except for them breaking. Mahindra has issues with these as others on here have complained.

duffer · Jun 25, 2020

You didn't mention any possible reason for the breakage, but you should tighten the stabilizers on the lower arms with each implement you use so that there is little, if any lateral movement of the implement.

My 7' finish mower weighs about 400#. If I don't tighten the lower control arms the lateral movement of the mower will actually make the rear end of the tractor slide on damp ground, and sometimes on dry ground depending on the grade. That much force can easily break a stabilizer.

Not saying you don't tighten them, just an idea for you to consider if you don't tighten them with each implement.

highway · Jun 25, 2020

3gunr: You say "except for them breaking..." At $140 a pop that's a pretty big "except"! Can you pls describe in a little more detail the turnbuckles you have? Is the problem that they won't stay screwed tight? Seems like that's not a problem on top links, at least not in my experience. Thanks!

belman · Jun 26, 2020

Hello I have the 1533 and have broken one stabilizer some time ago. I replaced it with this: Adjustable Stabilizer Bar 6" Length | Agri Supply 33352
Haven't had a problem since. Hope that helps.

oosik · Jun 26, 2020

I have a bigger tractor but, along with that, I have bigger 3-point implements. Example - Rhino 950 rear blade @ 1010#. My 3-point has stabilizers that use the "pin in the hole" system. My first tractor - Ford 1700 - used the turnbuckle & lock nut system.

After I attach a new implement - I will then adjust the stabilizer bars. I always make implement connection with the stabilizer bars un-pinned and free swinging. I have ALWAYS adjusted the two stabilizers so that there is a bit of horizontal movement.

I will raise/lower the implement and ensure - no pinch, no bind - still having a bit of horizontal movement.

I'm able to adjust the two stabilizers so that horizontal movement never exceeds - one inch to the left/right of dead center. Recognize that "dead center" is only relative to the implement - not necessarily to the tractor. JMHO - but it is far more important to get the correct left/right horizontal movement than having the implements EXACTLY dead center with the tractor. In the end - the implement could be as much as 4" off dead center with tractor. I have NEVER found that this amount of offset has even the slightest negative affect in the way an implement will function.

JMHO & 38+ years of experience. Also - I have never caused damage to any part of the 3-point system.

s219 · Jun 26, 2020

Make sure you are adjusting them correctly so that they only ever carry tension loads. A lot of people miss that important detail and then the stabilizers break when compressed. They are not meant to handle compression loads at all (whether turnbuckle or telescopic style). This is not just a problem for the stabilizer, it can also be a problem for the attachment points on the lower arms or tractor.

When an implement sways in one direction, the opposing stabilizer should go into tension to check the sway of the implement while the other one goes slack. If it goes into compression then things are not adjusted right.

oosik · Jun 26, 2020

OK - I, just now, went out and checked the Rhino 950 on my tractor. S219 IS ABSOLUTELY CORRECT. One side is in tension - the opposite side is loose/goes slack. And vise/versa. I shall be certain to check this every time I instal an alternate implement.

I never thought of this previously. Just lucky, I guess............ or, perhaps, it's designed to be this way. Unless I made some really ridiculous adjustment on the telescopic stabilizer bars.

highway · Jun 26, 2020

s219 said:
Make sure you are adjusting them correctly so that they only ever carry tension loads. A lot of people miss that important detail and then the stabilizers break when compressed. They are not meant to handle compression loads at all (whether turnbuckle or telescopic style). This is not just a problem for the stabilizer, it can also be a problem for the attachment points on the lower arms or tractor.

When an implement sways in one direction, the opposing stabilizer should go into tension to check the sway of the implement while the other one goes slack. If it goes into compression then things are not adjusted right.

thanks for this. I don't believe this was my problem but will definitely verify next time I have the mower on. How much "sway" would you propose? 1 inch or so? I take it you disagree with posters who suggest sway should be minimized as much as possible if not completely (and rigidly) eliminated? Seems like on my prior tractor with turnbuckles (a Deere 950) you could get them pretty darned rigid.

oosik · Jun 26, 2020

With telescoping stabilizers it is next to impossible to obtain "no sway". With turnbuckle type it's probably possible. With it adjusted so horizontal sway is an inch or so in each direction - not sufficient travel to develop much momentum.

highway · Jun 27, 2020

s219 said:
Make sure you are adjusting them correctly so that they only ever carry tension loads. A lot of people miss that important detail and then the stabilizers break when compressed. They are not meant to handle compression loads at all (whether turnbuckle or telescopic style). This is not just a problem for the stabilizer, it can also be a problem for the attachment points on the lower arms or tractor.

When an implement sways in one direction, the opposing stabilizer should go into tension to check the sway of the implement while the other one goes slack. If it goes into compression then things are not adjusted right.

I'm not sure I understand the distinction you are making between "tension" and "compression." I always adjust so there is a slight amount of sway but keeping the arms clear of the tires. If the implement sways to the left, the right stabilizer goes into tension to arrest the sway. There is customarily what I would call "slack" in the left stabilizer--i.e. I can push the left side of the mower back toward center with only a little effort. I assume, hopefully correctly, that movement is desirable. In that situation, what would it look/feel like if the right stabilizer was in 'compression'? THX!

oosik · Jun 27, 2020

Push the implement hard to the right. The left stabilizer should hold it from going any further to the right. The left stabilizer is now in tension. The right stabilizer should be loose/slack - NOT compressed tight. You should be able to "giggle" the right stabilizer. If you can "giggle" the right stabilizer - it is not in compression. If the right stabilizer is now press together tight - it is in compression. This is not good.

Check for compression/tension in both left/right directions.

highway · Jun 28, 2020

Got it. Thx. One of the Mahindra design flaws is that it's not necessarily easy to fine-tune that slack into the off-side stabilizer. My plan is to check out one of the aftermarket stabilizer sets and hope I don't break another of the Mahindra's before it arrives. I'm being extra-careful in the meantime.

oosik · Jun 28, 2020

highway - don't feel that you are alone on this. 38+ years and up until now - I didn't even know of this potential situation. I've always been aware that you must run the implement full up/down to ensure the 3-point system does not "bind up". This was of particular concern when I had my first tractor. It had a turnbuckle/lock nut system and could be "locked down" tight.

With my tractor now and the telescopic stabilizer system - it's not really possible to adjust the 3-point system to a dead nuts tight configuration.

One of the big concerns for any stabilizer system - you will PUSH with the implement and cause damage because one of the stabilizer arms will be in compression. That is why the recommendation with a 3-point implement is - never push. Even when plowing snow I will not push with my rear blade. It can be a real PITA - but I will turn the tractor around and PULL to complete any grading/leveling operation.

There are some well made/highly recommended after market stabilizer arms. Perhaps if you google "stabilizer arms" you can find the posts with links to these arms.

s219 · Jun 28, 2020

Yes, with turnbuckles it's possible to get things tight but it's darn near impossible with telescopic stabilizers, since they have incremental adjustments only. So there will always be at least a little slop. Sometimes it takes a few rounds of playing with the pin positions to get things right so that the opposite link goes into tension before the other goes into compression. I'd say I generally have about 1/8-1/4" of slop when things are adjusted to my liking. Which is not a lot in the grand scheme of things.

Implements with proper pin spacing (per specs for the category of the hitch) give much more flexibility when adjusting the stabilizers. But I have one, a TSC bush hog that I have griped about, which is wider than spec. That one is a battle to setup, since it's right on the limit of what the telescopic stabilizers can cope with, and it takes a lot of fiddling to center it up and prevent rubbing on the tires. One of these days I am going to cut off the hitch frame and re-weld it to the proper width.

I had made a video about adjusting the links last summer, here it is: Adjusting 3-point hitch stabilizer links - YouTube

3gunr · Jun 28, 2020

highway said:
3gunr: You say "except for them breaking..." At $140 a pop that's a pretty big "except"! Can you pls describe in a little more detail the turnbuckles you have? Is the problem that they won't stay screwed tight? Seems like that's not a problem on top links, at least not in my experience. Thanks!

I just meant i would not want ones if they broke easily. The problem with turnbuckles is having to use a wrench to loosen and tighten the set nuts, I f i dont tighten them tight the nuts back way off from vibrationi guess.And you can get no sway if you dont want it but i always leave an inch or so.

3gunr · Jun 28, 2020

I meant to add that the threads on the turnbuckles have to be kept clean as well or they get hard to turn

RalphVa · Jun 29, 2020

The 3 JDs have had screw turnbuckles. Yeah, I broke the 2 on the 4010 because one time I did not tighten them enough to keep the bush hog from swinging. Keep them tight, and they're okay. On the 4010, it even bent the 3ph lower bar that the turnbuckles attach to. Had to replace it and the 2 turnbuckles.

I keep the turnbuckles from moving by using tension cords run from about the fenders to the one side of the turnbuckle. They're designed to use tiny cotter pins, but that would be ridiculous dealing with them.

Ralph