Total noob here trying to understand my tractor

[rScotty]

Uh, what's draft control?

Manual Draft Control is what you do with your right hand on the 3pt control lever to contol how much ground engagement you are having when you are pulling an implement attached to the 3pt hitch. Like when pulling a plow or a blade and you want it to either go deeper or less so.

Automatic Draft Control is offered on larger tractors - and rare on smaller ones. What it does is sense when the implement is encountering resistance to being pulled through the ground and it responds by automatically lifting the implement an inch or so to lighten the pulling effort.
The problem happens when you have a 3pt hoe attached and you put downpressure on the bucket. Then if you haven't disabled the automatic draft control it will lift the 3pt hitch - hoe and all - in a quick series of jerks which can pin you and the backhoe seat against the back of the tractor.

I don't know if your tractor has automatic draft control. But since you are a geek, you can check it easily enough yourself. The sensing mechanism for automatic draft control is where the upper link of the 3pt hitch attaches to the tractor. If that attachment point is completely rigid, you do not have automatic draft control. If that attachment looks like it may be able to pivot a few tenths of an inch that is a clue to automatic draft control. What it pivots against is a a heavy internal spring - which you cannot see - and that spring activates a small hydraulic valve to squirt an extra shot of high pressure fluid into the 3 pt lifting cylinder.
rScotty

 

[waygeekierthanu]

Awesome, seriously doubt I have it but will check when I get home!

 

[texasranger556]

The 3 point mounted backhoes I've seen have angled pieces that fix the backhoe at a single height. I wouldn't want to operate one without them.

An example:
http://content.zipboss.com/apps/52d...ec09296135e412085e5/woods_groundbreaker.1.png

 

[waygeekierthanu]

So I ended up buying that backhoe. 3 point, small, definitely will serve my purpose but it isn't big at all definitely home built, but looks pretty solid. All levers work, need to do a bit of work on the tractor too get the hydraulic lines hooked up but doesn't look too be a big deal. Will update thread with pics when I get it all mounted up.

I can definitely see how you guys say these things are dangerous though, I will be very careful.

 

[rScotty]

The 3 point mounted backhoes I've seen have angled pieces that fix the backhoe at a single height. I wouldn't want to operate one without them.

An example:
http://content.zipboss.com/apps/52d...ec09296135e412085e5/woods_groundbreaker.1.png

Those little Woods hoes are sure dandy. Lots of the better small 3pt hoes do look similar. Not sure who is copying whom....
My engineering side sure does like the geometry of the booms and the way the stresses are distributed. Nice heavy construction in spite of it being a small hoe. Note the PTO pump and the hydraulic fluid reservoir down low and step to get onto it. Well made hoe.

As for the angled pieces, I agree that they should be there, and imagine that they would stop the 3pt from lifting on a small tractor like the Geek's 790 or my little Yanmar. But of course those small tractors don't have auto draft control in the first place..... I think those angle pieces are mostly to hold the backhoe more rigid so it doesn't bounce up and down so mch when digging.
I doubt these angle pieces are heavy enough to lock the auto draft control on a heavy ag tractor with a category II 3 pt lift. The best safety scheme is to be aware of what the possibilities are and use your head.

That's a nice hoe in the picture.
rScotty

 

[waygeekierthanu]

I am working out the connections now, without a power beyond kit connecting it seems to be... Interesting. I am thinking I will try to connect it to the bucket hydraulics somehow. I believe each port on my 790 has a return, since it don't see any other return lines. The only question then is how to I get the pressure side to flow without actually pushing in a direction on the bucket controls... Fun times!

 

[waygeekierthanu]

Like connect the in and out lines to these

 

[Egon]

Best be checking with the dealer on proper way to do it. Wrong procedures can result in broken parts on the first try.

 

[texasranger556]

I would do it a little different, but here's an example of tapping into the hydraulics on a 790.

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/showthread.php?t=374486

 

[waygeekierthanu]

I actually have a call in to John Deere last night they are looking into the parts for a power beyond for me. I know that's what I want to do long term I was just wondering if maybe there was a way to get it going now in the interim. Let's see what the dealer gets back to me with. Anybody have an idea of what a power beyond kit costs?