3-Point Hitch Using a 3 PH Aerator

[MoreCowbell]

I just finished converting a pull style aerator to work with the 3PH on my Kubota BX2350. Since my yard is not perfectly flat, the hitch rides up and down as the aerator rolls on the ground.

My problem is when the aerator needs to go lower to keep contact with the ground, the 3PH doesn't let it since it was not lowered to that point. I suppose I could just keep the lever pushed down to keep the hitch completely loose, but I'm wondering if anyone has a better idea. Maybe swap my lift links with chains to allow the lift mechanism to completely drop?

Thanks.

 

[Eric C]

I converted a cultipacker from pull to 3pt. Opposite problem, can't lift as high as I want. If you don't have enough adjustment in lift arms to get low as you want, can you move pins with much trouble? That's what I'm going to do.

 

[MoreCowbell]

Thanks for the reply. I actualy do have the downward travel needed to get the aerator as low as I need. My problem is a little different (and awkward to explain). If I lower the 3PH to allow the aerator to fully engage the ground, that works fine until the ground starts to tilt downward. At that point, the 3PH starts to lift the aerator off the ground as the tractor pitches down.

I suppose what would be perfect is a float position on the 3PH valve. That would allow the aerator to have its full weight on the ground at all times. I guess the best I can do is sort of a poor man's float by keeping the lever pushed down while aerating.

 

[Eric C]

I understand. Can you post pic of your set up? Like to see what everyone else is doing.

 

[Carykong]

disconnect your solid top link and use a chain instead

 

[gwdixon]

If I understand correctly, the problem is that the 3PH lever on the BX is the self-returning kind that lowers the 3PH and then automatically centers the lever. This holds the 3PH in the set position rather than letting it float.

Then when you go over a rise the aerator/3PH will maintain its position and the tines will clear the ground. In a dip the tines are fine since the 3PH floats with upward force on it.

I have read posts of folks using a bungee cord to hold the lever in the down position. This doesn't seem to put the hydraulic pump in a bind like holding the lever in the up position.

On my BX there is a return rod near the right tire that can be adjusted so the lowering lever will not automatically return to center. Moving the lever and looking from the rear will indicate the lever. There is a spring and a couple of nuts on the rod.

 

[namesray]

disconnect your solid top link and use a chain instead

very good idea. just like letting a snow plow float on the road surface.:thumbsup:

 

[KubotaSam]

disconnect your solid top link and use a chain instead

I do not understand how using chain for a top link will let the implement drop any more than a standard top link.

 

[namesray]

I do not understand how using chain for a top link will let the implement drop any more than a standard top link.

if the problem is when the front of the tractor starts down a hill, the back end of the tractor will actually start to point more up towards the sky, thus lifting his aereator off the ground. the top link would then actually pull tight and lift it up. however if that top link was not there, the 3ph aerator would just pivot off the two lower links. just like float. in a way you could just disconnect the top link when aerating and then when done, get on level ground and reattach the top link to lift for transport. you are right. i guess the chain would not be necessary.

 

[nspec]

I must be missing something. You just put the lever all the way down and it will just follow the contour of the ground. You don't lower your implement until it touches the ground and leave the lever in that position. Doing that will not allow your 3 pt hitch to lower any further. This is normal and you will not cause any damage. You are simply setting the lower limit of the range of travel as the implement floats along with the contour of the land.

 

[Carykong]

If you just disconnect your solid top link,your aerator will float and follow the contours of the ground. The chain application as your top link will give the option to raise the aerator while making a tight turn. Of course ,ya have to have enough slack in the chain so the implement will float,yet short enough so you can raise the tines slightly off the ground. Experiment. No chain? Make big wide gentle turns.

I have a 60" woods plug aerator. I really have to get the aerator off the ground when making a tight turn or risk breaking some of the spoons which are rather hard and brittle steel. Somehow I know this happens.

 

[gwdixon]

I must be missing something. You just put the lever all the way down and it will just follow the contour of the ground. You don't lower your implement until it touches the ground and leave the lever in that position. Doing that will not allow your 3 pt hitch to lower any further. This is normal and you will not cause any damage. You are simply setting the lower limit of the range of travel as the implement floats along with the contour of the land.

In my first post that was covered. The BX has a self-centering lever. When the 3PH is lowered the lever returns to center when it stops lowering. That locks in the setting.

The trick is to do something that will keep the lever forward (down) like it is designed on most tractors.

 

[gwdixon]

If you just disconnect your solid top link,your aerator will float and follow the contours of the ground. The chain application as your top link will give the option to raise the aerator while making a tight turn. Of course ,ya have to have enough slack in the chain so the implement will float,yet short enough so you can raise the tines slightly off the ground. Experiment. No chain? Make big wide gentle turns.

I have a 60" woods plug aerator. I really have to get the aerator off the ground when making a tight turn or risk breaking some of the spoons which are rather hard and brittle steel. Somehow I know this happens.

I'm not sure what the OP's aerator looks like or how it operates but if a chain (or nothing) was used on one of mine the top of the implement would likely pivot on the lower pins and smash into the tractor.

 

[HunterWare]

I guess I'm still (like others) missing something though. You be able to keep "lowering" (as far as the control is concerned) the 3pt long after the implement has touched the ground. This will not lower the implement more of course, but it will lower the lowest point the 3pt will allow the implement to settle to. This will allow it to follow contours.

I understand you don't have position control, my old 2305 used to work the same way. The way I was taught to think of 3pt is not to think of the 3pt lever as controlling the height of the implement, you are always only controlling the lowest the implement can go. The implement can always ride up.

If the problem is that the implement can't settle far enough to follow terrain no matter how you run the lever then you have a different issue, which is that the 3pt just doesn't have enough range of motion. The only simple way to help in that case would be to disconnect the top linkage while running, which would allow the implement to pivot down somewhat further... Of course you would have to get off the tractor to hook back up in order to raise when turning. A more involved solution might be possible too, if you have plenty of ground clearance with the implement raised and have access to a welder you could move the attachment points upward on the implement... giving you depth when down at the cost of clearance when up.

Hope this helps,
Hunter

 

[Carykong]

gwdixon, you make a good point. when you said "I'm not sure what the OP's aerator looks like or how it operates but if a chain (or nothing) was used on one of mine the top of the implement would likely pivot on the lower pins and smash into the tractor."

Some experimentation and country engineering may be called on here. How about a rigid bar/pipe attached to the aerator where the top link is normally attached extending to one of lower arms to keep the aerator from pivoting and tumbling? The chain will still come in handy if ya want to raise the aerator without having to dismount.

 

[MoreCowbell]

I think using a chain for the top link would work great if the aerator was the type that extended relatively far from the hitch. I use a chain for a dethacher that is configured like that and it "floats" nicely.

Unfortunately, I build my aerator so that it is right up against the lower link pins (see attached photos). A top link chain would result in the aerator rotating quite a bit.

I think I like the idea of a bungee or a hook to hold the 3PH lever down to create the float behavour. Thanks for all the replies.

 

[RaydaKub]

Unfortunately, I build my aerator so that it is right up against the lower link pins (see attached photos). A top link chain would result in the aerator rotating quite a bit.

I think I like the idea of a bungee or a hook to hold the 3PH lever down to create the float behavour. Thanks for all the replies.

Wow MoreCowbell. I just picked up an aerator last night that looks exactly like this one, except it is pull type. For now. You've given me a fantastic look at what could be done. Thanks!

 

[MoreCowbell]

RaydaKub,
We probably have the same aerator. I bought mine a couple weeks ago on sale from Northern Tool. If you need better pictures of what I did to modify it, let me know.

I also made a couple of concrete weights that rest in the tray. The tray seems to be sized for standard size concrete blocks but there is not room to fit enough blocks. I was shooting for 150 lbs. Since a cubic foot of Quikrete weighs about that amount, I formed two 15'x14"x4" blocks. The whole setup works real nicely.

-Rob

 

[Mark Page]

If you'd bought a MF with draft control and lowering speed your problem would be solved. I turned the garden over yesterday with a middle buster.
Each trench is the same as the on before.
Other than Massey I'm not sure if anyone makes tractors with this feature any more.

 

[RaydaKub]

RaydaKub,
We probably have the same aerator. I bought mine a couple weeks ago on sale from Northern Tool. If you need better pictures of what I did to modify it, let me know.

I don't know if we do or not. I bought mine off craigslist, it's an Agri-Fab I think, but your normal carry wheel operation appears to be backwards from mine based off the lock pin.

I'd like to come up with some way to use the 3ph, either to mount or to lift it, but retain the pull type so my neighbor can feel free to borrow it as well.

I got 25-10lb plates from a universal gym last fall. I put 16 of the plates on mine and that worked pretty well. I usually have them bolted in groups of 6 to a 24" drawbar for rear weight for FEL work. Thought I might have to fasten them somehow, but they just laid there.