Stabilizer Bars?

[Fitzwaryn]

I broke one stabilizer bar this weekend when the bushhog snagged a tree trunk and bent the other one.

I took the bent one off and planning to carry it to the dealer at lunch time today to get replacements.

Am I correct in assuming that stabilizer bars are fairly generic?

That it's not a case of only being able to replace the ones on the LS 3040 with ones specifically made for an LS 3040?

From looking at them it appears to be a fairly generic device. Basically just an adjustable bar that as long as it matches the mounting connectors should work the same.

 

[Short Game]

I think that the LS stabilizers are likely to be fairly unique. My old tractor just had turnbuckles with a locking nut. One end had a captive eyebolt that bolted through the arm, and the other just a shackle to the frame. My LS's attach with pins at both ends. The fact that these seem a bit lightweight, I'm pretty sure they sell a lot of them. When you mount any implement, try to get as much of the side play out of the 3PH as you can, especially with heavier implements. It's the pounding that takes its toll on the stabilizers when the implement can get a swing going. Of course, turning the implement into an obstruction will put a huge load on the stabilizers, and is how I bent one of mine. I straightened it, but I know it is weakened now and will break more easily.

 

[Pa Pa Jack]

I have a question about the stabilizer bars. I have been told by several people that they like to take all the side movement out of the 3ph and others have said I should have a little "slop" in the linkage. what do you pros recommend? It would seem to me that a tight fit-up would be best for control and for the sake of any implement.

 

[Short Game]

What I said was just from my experience with two tractors and having broken a few stabilizers.

My box blade has reinforced (doubled) sides, a strong receiver hitch in it, and a big winch on top of it, and often, my wood splitter on one end (a very lot of weight). When I'm towing a cart full of cordwood behind it over my bumpy ground, the side to side pounding is a lot. I don't want to give it any more room to swing.

I am trying to think of a time when I'd want an implement to swing. I could see it to protect the implement, but it would necessarily be at the expense of pounding the stabilizers.

So, bring on the experts. Is there something I'm missing here?

 

[Fitzwaryn]

Quick update... The parts guy at White Tractor said that none of the stabilizer bars he had looked like they would fit so he's ordering replacements. Says they should be in by the end of the week.

I'll check back with him in a day or two and see. From looking at it, I think I can make some functional replacement stabilizer bars with some iron bars and some judicious work on the drill press and with a ball peen hammer.

 

[joemd11]

Fitz, I noticed one of my stabilizers ( where it attachs to the axle) is bent inward. Don't know when or how it happened. My flail mower is the heaviest thing I use ( 700lbs). I try to adjust as much of the swing out as I can, but it still dose more than I like. Don't know what the answer is.

 

[Fitzwaryn]

Fitz, I noticed one of my stabilizers ( where it attachs to the axle) is bent inward. Don't know when or how it happened. My flail mower is the heaviest thing I use ( 700lbs). I try to adjust as much of the swing out as I can, but it still dose more than I like. Don't know what the answer is.

Just speculation but from looking at the arrangement of the hitch assembly, the weight of a mower or bushhog weighting 600-700 lbs on the end of a 3 ft long hitch and then extending 5 ft or more beyond that... when that starts moving from side to side from turning or banging a tree or hitting an obstruction or whatever...

that 500-600 lbs is essentially at the end of a long level something like 5-8 feet BEYOND where the stabilizar bars attach.

I don't have my calculator handy and don't remember the formula right off hand (been 30+ years since my last engineering or physics course) but I would imagine that's putting a massive amount of force on those stabilizers.

In my case, I'm going to snug them up as much as possible to minimize the left-right sway as much as i can and just be a little more careful about situations that put lateral force on the bushhog.

When I've got the tiller of boxblade attached, they only extend back from the end hitch a couple feet, whereas the bushhog is a good 5-6 ft beyond the end of the hitch. So any lateral force applied to it is magnified significantly.

Think of holding a 5 lb weight in your hand with your arm extended. Then think of that same weight taped to a 4 ft long stick held in your hand.

Actually when I think about it I'm surprised the stabilizers lasted as long as they did. Going to have to be more careful in the future.

 

[joemd11]

The hitch on my tractor is rated to lift much more than 700lbs. I just can't believe that mower should be able to max out the stabilizer. I do try to be careful and use my equipment properly but maybe I bumped something while turning or backing-up.

 

[Fitzwaryn]

The hitch on my tractor is rated to lift much more than 700lbs. I just can't believe that mower should be able to max out the stabilizer. I do try to be careful and use my equipment properly but maybe I bumped something while turning or backing-up.

I'm sure that under normal circumstances the stabilizer would be fine and are matched to the capacity of the hitch.

In my case I snagged the bushhog on a tree trunk and didn't realize it until too late. So I imposed a load on the right stabilizer far in excess of what it was designed for.

It's not simply the weight though. I was just pointing out that a 700 lb implement that's long and extends far back from the hitch puts a different and much larger lateral load on the hitch than the same weight close to the hitch. a 5 ft long bushhog vs a 2 ft long box blade. Weight is the same.

The lateral loads are quite different even if the vertical loads are identical.

Hold a 4 ft stick in your hand.
Tape a 5 lb weight onto the stick 6 inches from your hand.
Then take the weight off and tape it to the end of the stick.

Total weight is the same. The angular force is dramatically different.

 

[Short Game]

When your rear tires each go into separate dips, alternately, the three-point's load is literally thrown from one side to the other. I think the stabilizers should be built strong enough for that possibility. Few of us are operating on airport tarmacs or soccer fields.