3-Point Hitch TC35DA 3 point lift

[jimmysisson]

Good luck with this repair, and more power to you. With the right attitude you will have something good as new and easier to repair. And you do have the right attitude: I'll just go ahead with my best guesses about the size and exact location of the access panel. I do not consider this a "jury rigged repair". I absolutely hate that kind of thing. I think this is correcting a design deficiency and making an improvement through a "field modification".
Only thing I'd worry about is the pan bending or buzzing, and your way of picture framing it, with enough fasteners, sounds like it'd work fine.
But like someone said, do it after you move the fill.
Jim

 

[JC-jetro]

I can cut the sheet metal extemely cleanly. I drill 1/4 inch holes at the corners to provide a nice radius. I then use a Dremel with a reinforced cut-off wheel to cut the straight sections. I have used this procedure several times in the past and the results are excellent. Any minor flaws and sharp edges are easily removed with a file. I don't know how you thought I was going to make the cut, shears/plasma cutter/torch? I would never do anything to compromise the looks or integrety of the tractor. Thorough planning, the correct procedures, design, proper materials, and care are all that are needed to do a great job. When the job is done, including paint, it will look like it came out of the factory that way.

BTW, I will never be able to afford another tractor in my lifetime, so this will be it until I pass it on to my grandson.

Searay,
Dremmel tool is really my go to tool but it'll be difficult here. I emailed you bunch of picture where it shows 1700 lift kind of naked. It just makes it so darned easy to work it. at least you don't have to completely take the cover off like a whole bunch of other tractors. That is excellent design of TC series. I also attached a lift breakdown from the NH site below to see how they are similar under the skin. The sheet metal has stiffening brackets that might be difficult to cut thru with a dremmel tool that can not cut deep.

My attitude is that I have to be able to put it back how I found it even if I could not repair. Cutting it blind folded will not leave you another option. If it were me the first time I had to do the work, i'd take everything apart, changed the seal and then modify the sheet metal off the tractor, trimmed it right and put it back together for the next time .. hopefully many years later.

JC,

Forgot to send you this pic. The hole in the sheet metal part of the platform has to be big enough for withdrawal of the assembly below.

 

[searay]

JC,
Thanks for the followup. Please clarify something for me. Does the cylinder head and cylinder have to come out as an assembly or can the head be removed, then the cylinder seperately? What I'm getting at here, is how much clearance do I need in front of the head in order to get the head and cylinder out, then back in again? I thought I had the info I needed when I saw your photos, but now I'm not sure. It almost looks like the access panel should be located on the vertical surface beneath the front edge of the seat, not beneath the seat platform as I thought earlier.

Sorry for all the bother, but you may be right about having to remove the operator platform to do this the first time just to see for sure exactly what needs to be done in order to get the configuration of the removable panel really right.

The thought of doing that is upsetting as I have a really bad back and trying to remove and replace that platform would be pretty much impossible without major pain consequences. Heck, just lifting the seat off had me taking Aleve for two days.

I may have to rig up some kind of rope and pulley system hanging from the roof trusses.

 

[JC-jetro]

JC,
Thanks for the followup. Please clarify something for me. Does the cylinder head and cylinder have to come out as an assembly or can the head be removed, then the cylinder seperately?

I may have to rig up some kind of rope and pulley system hanging from the roof trusses.

That is good idea. I tell you that sheet metal is a heck of lot lighter than whole cast lift cover. Yes, you can take off the head before the cylinder. the thing is, if the access hole you'll be cutting is big enough to allow the head to go thru then the dia of cylinder is quite bit smaller than the cylinder head. There is a big round o-ring in a groove in the head where seal the OD of head assembly to stay tight and sealed against the Id of cylinder.


jc,

 

[jinman]

Searay, holy cow! HOLE-LEE-COW! They removed the hole on the DA models (certainly all three: 35DA, 40DA, and 45DA). Sheesh! Look at the photo below. It's when I had my platform raised to work on my broken HST pedal. You can clearly see there is a hole in the middle of the seat platform. On your tractor, the seat mounting is slightly different from mine on my TC45D also.

If it were me and I wanted to cut a hole, I'd do it so that the front two bolts are not disturbed. Maybe you could put the bottom of the hole 1-1/2" above the lower bolts. Since the upper bolts are carriage bolt holes, you can remove them completely because you can easily make new square holes if needed in the cover plate when you reinstall it on the platform. I also think you should consider removing the fuel tank so you have open access from the rear. The fuel tank is easily removed with only two bolts. You have to remove two fuel lines (supply and return) and disconnect the wiring harness for the fuel level sending unit. After that, take out two bolts and remove the tank. Of course, draining the tank makes this a much easier job. This will give you a clear view of the area and even allow access from the rear if needed.

EDIT: I've added some useful images below:

This photo shows how easy it is to get to the lift cylinder on a TC35A (non-deluxe) gear model tractor. Your's will look exactly like this when you get your hole cut. . . except for lots of dirt.

 

[searay]

Dang Jinman... that hole looks about where I had marked mine out with the orange grease pencil! This morning I took some photos by sticking my digital camera into the cutout for the levers. Also stuck my arm in the hole far enough to actually reach the adjustment rod and the head area. There's plenty of room to get things taken apart just by cutting the hole. Halleluja!!! I won't have to take the whole platform off to fix this!

I can't thank everyone enough for all the time and effort and great (mostly) comments you all spent helping me with this. I will be sure to document with measurements, photos, and whatever, to help anyone else who may need to do this in the future.

Unfortunately, my dirt is coming today so I have to put everything back together to get that job done. I'm going to drop the Woods mower so I wont have to deal with the pulsations in the hydraulics. I'll get back to this when I can.

I live on the Eastern Shore of the Chesapeake. Hurricane Irene took out a good chunk of the raised bank along the water. Now the place is flooding every high tide when the moon gets near full or new. It's a mess!

Again, THANK YOU ALL!