Tiller likes to sway to one side of tractor

[Reapoman]

Excuse my ignorance on the subject of tractors. I’m borrowing a NH 37 Workmaster coupled with a KK 60” tiller. The guy I’m borrowing it from is a suite and tie guy with a piece of hunting property and is more ignorant than me when it comes to anything mechanical. Anyway while using his unit today I noticed alot of side to side on the tiller while using it. Sometimes it makes what sounds like more noise than it should like its straining the u-joints while pulling the tiller. Lifting it up to help it get centered again seems to correct the excess noise. I’m wondering if the side to side is normal. It looks to me like the end piece that stabilizes the 3pt arms is bent. I’m not sure what those pieces are called. Also, those stabilizers are slotted with many adjustment holes, but regardless where the pins hold them they still allow alot of side to side sway. Look at the photos and let me know your thoughts. Thank you

 

[jyoutz]

Those are called sway link links or bars. And they aren’t adjusted correctly or are broken if you are getting that much side sway. You should be able to adjust them to hold the implement centered with just a small amount of side to side sway. I don’t know the links on that specific machine, but I’ve never seen them with bent ends like that. Maybe they need to be removed and straightened? Perhaps someone with a NH can chime in?

 

[zzvyb6]

The blades may be throwing it off. Check to see if they all go blade left or right. If random, then you can get a random sideload instead of a preload to one side..

 

[CalG]

Adjust those sway links on the hitch arms!

An inch of slop should cover the lifting range.

 

[JCoastie]

my lower link has the same type adjustment, I'd say the best I can get it 3" per side, maybe 6" side to side sway. I wish it were less, but it isn't.

 

[oosik]

CalG has the answer. Adjust your sway links. I adjust mine on my heavy Rhino rear blade - one and a half to two inches each way. I could adjust it up tighter but there is really no reason.

This amount of "slop" allows the blade to make changes on its own and not involve the tractor.

I'm not doing open heart surgery here - I'm simply pulling a land engagement implement.

 

[hodge]

LS/New Holland has a horrid stabilizer set up.
Lift the implement off of the ground, and push it into the position that you want. Pin one side. Go to the other side, and push or pull the implement until holes line up in the stabilizer, and pin it. That will control the sway.
Do not use it with only one side pinned. It will bend the single plate where the stabilizer attaches to the base of the tractor. You must keep both sides pinned, and adjusted with as little movement as possible (as suggested, about an inch of side to side movement).

 

[CalG]

LS/New Holland has a horrid stabilizer set up.
Lift the implement off of the ground, and push it into the position that you want. Pin one side. Go to the other side, and push or pull the implement until holes line up in the stabilizer, and pin it. That will control the sway.
Do not use it with only one side pinned. It will bend the single plate where the stabilizer attaches to the base of the tractor. You must keep both sides pinned, and adjusted with as little movement as possible (as suggested, about an inch of side to side movement).

And since additional comments are just part of being a community member.....

After the sway arms are adjusted, Lift and lower the implement through it's full range and check for tight spots, or positions that are excessively loose. Linkage geometry can play havoc with the best of intentions.