Mowing Max 25/28 MMM with backhoe subrame?

[Browneyesvictim]

Long time lurker here since I got the Max 25 new in 2012 . Bought it with Mahindra MMM, FEL, and brushhog. I just love this dang thing, but that's not to say I haven't had a couple bumps along the way! I have added box and a blade scraper, and post hole digger. This winter I ordered a Backhoe for it and had it installed by the dealer along with adding some Rimguard ballast to the tires.

So herein lies my problem... I took the quick release BH off to go connect my MMM to do the first cutting of my 6 acres of grass. To my shock and dismay, it occurred to me the original rear drawbar and attaching height pin mechanism for the MMM was removed and replaced with other reinforcing hardware and framework for the quick attach BH! The mower is a "suspended" deck design with tension rods that would attach to pivot brackets on the bottom 3-point that would raise and lower the deck are gone!!!

Does it need to be said, that you cant use or mount a MMM with the subframe conversion done to attach a backhoe? Nowhere in any of the Mahindra manuals does it state this, and that would be preposterous and unacceptable to me if this is the case. I have no intention of ever needing both attachments on at the same time, but I sure would like to use my MMM again that I bought that won't attach anymore. A rear mount finish mower is not a viable solution for me either. I've spent a lot of money with my local Mahindra dealer in the last couple years, and they don't have an answer either.... Yet anyway.

 

[Shift4200]

I thought this was weird as well.. so i googled it. First page to come up was this....

2014 Mahindra Max 25 HST Tractor-Loader-Backhoe Review

As you can see the first pic shows the Max series tractor with both the MMM and the Backhoe mounted at the same time. Could be camera tricks, but if it is... that's a poor show on their part.

-J

 

[Shift4200]

Here is another one... leeched directly from the Mahindra USA website.

Now these are pics from the 2013 product line (labeled 2014 now, but they're the same pics I've been looking at for a year), so you're could be a little different.

http://mahindrausa.com/sites/defaul...tlbm-sunrise_overview_779px.jpg?itok=GUqxqSi0

-J

 

[Browneyesvictim]

Well that's promising... That's funny because I've seen the same pictures and never noticed the mower in the same picture with the backhoe until now.

I googled also and searched here and found many other manufacturer owners had the same issue:

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...614-backhoe-mmm-compatibility-issue-2x20.html
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/kubota-owning-operating/107182-bx24-backhoe-mmm.html
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/new-holland-owning-operating/39288-mmm-backhoe.html
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...-tc18-backhoe-mmm-compatability-dreaming.html
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/john-deere-owning-operating/106256-2520-mmm-lift-kit-backhoe.html
And many more

Then there is this about Mahindra Max:
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/mahindra-owning-operating/281874-keeping-backhoe-mounted-2.html

 

[roughcut]

I have the FEL, MMM and backhoe. You cannot have both the backhoe and MMM on at the same time but they can easily be swapped one for the other. Takes me about 10 minutes to put the mower on. 10 minutes to take it off and 15-20 minutes to put the backhoe on.

 

[robbieo11]

I have a max 25 took delivery with both bhoe and mmm on the tractor at same time look at my avatar. The mmm is raised to highest position and pin at rear drawbar is set to highest position then power beyond it unhooker from 3point hitch and connected to bhoe
So the mmm is just a counter weight. I never engaged the pto while setup like that i assume it will runbut cut hight is 4 plus inches

 

[jimpen]

I have a Max25. As I was taught by the dealer you can have the BH on and run it with the MMM mounted. But you can't run the MMM with the BH mounted. I've always done that and have had no problems. Dismounting and mounting the BH takes about 10-15 minutes.

I've only dismounted the MMM once and that was in late fall to prep for the snow.It took me about 20 minutes. (I won't say why. ) So I'm going to have to figure out how the MMM mounts in a few weeks.

 

[chvfrk98]

On my 28XL you can have both on at the same time and run either one BUT the deck will be rolling on the wheels. You cannot attach the links to raise and lower without removing the backhoe.

 

[Shift4200]

I have a Max25. As I was taught by the dealer you can have the BH on and run it with the MMM mounted. But you can't run the MMM with the BH mounted. I've always done that and have had no problems. Dismounting and mounting the BH takes about 10-15 minutes.

I've only dismounted the MMM once and that was in late fall to prep for the snow.It took me about 20 minutes. (I won't say why. ) So I'm going to have to figure out how the MMM mounts in a few weeks.

Jimpen... the only advice i can offer you is to be sure to put your drawbar back on AFTER you mount and raise the mower deck. I learned the hard way and bent every single MMM bracket back there. Awesome.

-J

 

[Browneyesvictim]

I've had my mmm on and off dozens of times and have (had) it down pretty good. The problem as stated in my original post is that there is no height adjustment bracketry anymore as it was replaced with a different drawbar and bracketry for the BH.

For those that have both: (roughcut,robio11,jimpen) Can you post a picture of your drawbar and height adjustment setup? Do you still have the upcurved bracket and height pin type drawbar? What is there that the mmm rear tension rod links to that will raise and lower it?

I always remove my FEL (as I also will also the BH) when I mow so I don't care about that. I only ever mow my grass in the top (fully raised position) anyway but the mower has to attach at the rear somehow.

 

[LAWALLSTRACTOR]

Am I correct, thinking that your backhoe is not a Mahindra backhoe? Post some pictures of your backhoe and how it attaches.

 

[jhasafety1]

On my 28XL you can have both on at the same time and run either one BUT the deck will be rolling on the wheels. You cannot attach the links to raise and lower without removing the backhoe.

This is correct if the BH is on you cannot raise or lower the MMM, the MMM is raised and lowered by the 3-point and it is removed to mount and operate the BH.

 

[Browneyesvictim]

Am I correct, thinking that your backhoe is not a Mahindra backhoe? Post some pictures of your backhoe and how it attaches.

No. Its a dealer installed Mahindra MB60 backhoe with the quick attach. Its not the mounting of the backhoe that's the issue. That all works well. It's that I have nothing to attach the tension/height adjust rods for the MMM to anymore. I will post pictures.

 

[robbieo11]

here are the pics

 

[robbieo11]

My finger is pointing to lift assy attached to the rods

 

[Browneyesvictim]

Most excellent! Thank you for the pictures Robbieo11. That is definitely helpful!

That is definitely not what I got back after the backhoe install. In conclusion: All the hardware for the MMM in the rear was removed when they installed the subframe for the BH- back to like how it would be if I never had a mower without all of the lift assy brackets you are pointing to and height pin bracket. All that stuff in a pile of parts in a bucket handed back to me. In hind-sight, I'm not really sure why it was removed. Perhaps it just didn't make sense to the technician how it went together when the subframe was installed and therefore left it off.:duh:

I'm a little "puzzled" how it will all fit on there with the new receiver hitch and the lower 3-pint arm, but I guess I will tackle trying to figure it out myself. The lower 3-point arm is in the way when the BH is installed so it has to be raised out of the way. So those two vertical braces that connect the upper and lower 3-point arms, are removed and the lower 3-point arm is connected to the upper lift arm by the anti-sway chain instead of the two braces. Is that the correct configuration when you want to install the BH? That is how it was configured when I received it back from the dealer.

 

[robbieo11]

This weekend i will put the backhoe on and take vidand or pics to show

 

[johnsonauto]

No. Its a dealer installed Mahindra MB60 backhoe with the quick attach. Its not the mounting of the backhoe that's the issue. That all works well. It's that I have nothing to attach the tension/height adjust rods for the MMM to anymore. I will post pictures.[/QUOT

Have you contacted your dealer? Sounds like maybe they may have left something off when they installed the hoe.

 

[jimpen]

Have you contacted your dealer? Sounds like maybe they may have left something off when they installed the hoe.

[/QUOTE]

No. If you have the BH mounted, technically you are supposed to pull the drawbar and then the turnbuckles go along the base of the BH subframe.

Once you drop the BH then you are supposed to put the 3PH arms on, remount the drawbar and reroute the turnbuckles as well. I just hang the turnbuckles from the top lifters and then use the MMM.

 

[Browneyesvictim]

No. Its a dealer installed Mahindra MB60 backhoe with the quick attach. Its not the mounting of the backhoe that's the issue. That all works well. It's that I have nothing to attach the tension/height adjust rods for the MMM to anymore. I will post pictures.[/QUOT

Have you contacted your dealer? Sounds like maybe they may have left something off when they installed the hoe.

Yes. That's exactly what happened, and they are going to take care of it. All the height adjustment hardware will get installed back on.



I find it odd there are differences you guys are stating that is to be removed and configured. This is how I understand it according to photo (Courtesy of Robbieo11).

Tractor Configuration:
1. Top 3-pt turnbuckle- Removed completely
2. Drawbar (hitch)- Removed completely
3. Lower 3-pt arms- Fixed (not removable).
4. 3-point connector arms- Removed completely.
5. Anti-sway turnbuckles- Detached from point A. and attached to point B. 3-Pt is then raised to highest position.
Connect to Backhoe: