Unable to adjust 3 pt top link

[Socratic]

I recently picked up a used BX2230 so I can clear my driveway (getting too old to horse the walk behind snowblower up a 300+ ft driveway). I purchased a Frontier from the local JD dealer (best price for the RAD - Blizzard blower that seems to be made by them for many manufacturers). When hooking up the 3 point hitch, the lower arms just barely clear the pins on the blower mount point - had to slide one on first to make room for the other. Once on, they seem to be okay - though it does take a bit to get them on.

When hooking up the top link of the 3 point hitch, I shortened the link all the way and the blower still doesn't sit on the ground - the resting foot is about a half inch off the ground. The blower has a very slight tilt. Is this because I have the lower links spread as far as they can go and are therefore too short causing the blower to be closer to the tractor? Should I invert the attachment pins so that they are on the inside of the mount instead of the outside? That might give me more room for the to pin adjustment?

The manual says the the mounting pins should be on the outside - but maybe this is a manual for mounting on a JD and not a Kubota?? I need to be sure I have the blower properly mounted before I shorten the driveshaft (next challenge). Any advice appreciated. Thanks. Jim

 

[Ductape]

I'd say if its possible to unbolt the lower pins and turn them to the inside, do so. Its certainly going to bring the bottom of the blower in closer to the tractor when the lower arms are spread as far as they can go. If this doesn't cure your toplink issue, then my first thought is to send you to Tractor Supply to get a shorter toplink. If they don't have a short one, i'd buy a cheap one and shorten it if needed before I cut the stock toplink.

 

[Socratic]

Yes, I am leaning toward that solution - just wasn't sure if the extra couple of inches made any difference on the stability of the blower.

 

[bp fick]

Hello,

The top link with BX's is oft times problematic. Although I am not sure a shorter top link is in order, but perhaps a longer one. It may be holding it off the ground, and a longer top link may be needed to allow it go to the ground. A photo would help show us which is which.

Do you have a sense that the lower arms are able to descend to their normal position? Do they look higher than their lowest point? In other words, is the too short/too long top link preventing the lower arms from going down all the way?

Yes, you certainly can reverse the pins. Sometimes this is necessary, but I have doubts about this making a whole lot of difference in ascent and descent. Usually reversing the pins is what I have to do if the implement is 27" wide. The BX's prefer a 20" width of Cat 0. Of course, the BX uses Cat 1 pins though. If you got it on, struggle or not, it likely is already 20 or 21 inches. The manual likely is true and not recommending reversal of the pins. Some photos would help us a lot to see what you are up against.

Best Wishes

 

[GPintheMitten]

Also, you might check the pto shaft to see if it still has room to slide and shorten as you let the implement down. Sometimes the pto shaft needs to be shortened but be careful because if that is the case and you shorten it too much it can come completely out of its outer sleeve when raised up.

 

[Gary Fowler]

Before cutting 3rd arm or moving pins, unhook the PTO shaft and see if the blower will then go down. Drop the 3 PH down to lowest postion and make sure that your draft control is not holding it up, and then try to move the PTO shaft back like you are going to unhook it, If you can move it back then it isnt binding, if not, then raise the 3 PH and see if you can move it then. You may have to pull the shaft apart and cut a few inches off of the male part of the drive shaft. As mentioned dont cut more than you need. About 1 inch shorter than the required length at the lowest point should be sufficient.

One question, when you drop it down, which direction is the pressure on the 3 rd arm, from the point closest to the tractor or further from the tractor. Extending the 3rd arm will make the implement set lower to the ground. You should check the drive shaft lenght regardless if you figure out how to get the blower to go lower. It can bend the shaft if it gets in a bind, then you have major problems.

 

[Gary Fowler]

I just reread your first post and you did say that you shortened the top link as much as it would go. That is your problem. You have to LENGTHEN the top link to lower the implement. You have it as high up as it can go with the top link as short as it will go.
Again, check the drive shaft length before using the implement to make sure it isnt binding, after you lengthen the top link so it will touch the ground. The blower should set fairly level

 

[ChuckinNH]

When they changed the BX series to a "full cat 1" hitch they raised the mounting points of the lower arms, or so it seems anyway. My B2620 is the same way. It gives a higher lifting ability, but the arms just barely go low enough for some implements. My chipper is that way, and to be honest, I hadn't thought about moving the pins to the inside. On some terrain, it will barely sit on the ground. Some BX owners with the same chipper have mounted the chipper on 4x4"s, but obviously that won't work so well with a snowblower!

 

[B8FISH]

what about about adding some sort of quick hitch to extend the arms, make hooking up easier and then not having to cut the PTO shaft?

 

[milkman]

You say that the top link is as short as you can get it, are you sure that the toplink is the one for the 2230. A regular Cat1 toplink is about 5 inches longer than the Cat1 that is supposed to be on the BX. Don't know why your arms won't spread wide enough to get past the lower pins, the turnbuckles should adjust to let them go wide enough for Cat1 implements, the BX's don't have Cat0 TPH.

 

[bp fick]

Milkman

As you say, BX has Cat 1 hitches, but at least on mine, I have difficulty in getting my lower arms to spread to 26 or 27 inches. Mine work best with a 20 or 21 inch spread. The spacing is a little narrow, given the compact nature of the BX.

But that doesn't seem to be the real issue here, since the OP got it mounted. We just have to wait for much more clarification from the Original Poster. Something is not working, and while I highly suspect the upper link, but without details and pix, this is all it is, a guess.

 

[radioman]

Darn it! milkman beat me to it. He is right about the top link. If you have a bronze colored body of top link instead of gray, chances are you may not have a BX model top link. They do have top link short enough in bronze but normally its gray if it came with the BX. I am curious on how you can have an half inch off the ground? perhaps you can post a picture of what you mean ? Moving the lower link pins from outwards to inwards will make it whole lot easier to hook up due to the turnbuckles only can go out so far.

I am thinking that if you already lifted the blower as high as it will go and you have half inch clearance, then perhaps you make need new lower links mounting points on the blower. The top link is ONLY for "squaring off" (leveling) the implement or getting a new attack angle of said implement.

 

[bp fick]

If you have a bronze colored body of top link instead of gray, chances are you may not have a BX model top link. They do have top link short enough in bronze but normally its gray if it came with the BX. I am curious on how you can have an half inch off the ground? perhaps you can post a picture of what you mean ? Moving the lower link pins from outwards to inwards will make it whole lot easier to hook up due to the turnbuckles only can go out so far.

So true. Absolutely. OP bought used, so got what he got. A good salesman will point this issue out to prospective new BX purchasers. At least John @ Ginop Sales did to me. My earlier use of the phrase "BX top links are problematic" was not as clear as your explanation. Very good. Get both kinds, short one and longer one as it isn't expensive and saves alot of headaches.

 

[milkman]

BP, I replaced the turnbuckle stabilizers with telescoping ones and I can go to over 30" spread, if you loosen the nut circled in green and adjust the turnbuckles all the way out, you still can only get 27"? I didn't measure mine before I changed, but didn't have trouble with Cat1 pins turned out.


Edit: just noticed you have the 1860, the lift arms might not be the same as the BX 22XX series.

 

[bp fick]

BP, I replaced the turnbuckle stabilizers with telescoping ones and I can go to over 30" spread, if you loosen the nut circled in green and adjust the turnbuckles all the way out, you still can only get 27"? I didn't measure mine before I changed, but didn't have trouble with Cat1 pins turned out.

Edit: just noticed you have the 1860, the lift arms might not be the same as the BX 22XX series.

Milkman, thanks so much. Yeah, oh sure, I realized I could lengthen the yaw of the lower arms by loosening turnbuckles where you circled. My concern was that I was not absolutely sure how many threads one should keep past the lock. My training says 7 full threads for safety. I shall EXpand my horizons. Let me see how far out this will go, and with me still being comfortable with it.

Don't believe there is any difference whatsoever in BX models regarding lift arms.

 

[bp fick]

Hey Milkman

I would like more information on telescopic arms. I think I would prefer something like that to consider. Got pix? or a link?

I've only had this Bota for 7 weeks, so I am learning still. Took off the turn buckles completely. Yup, it opens wide enough indeed for 27" Let me ask you this. At what point would you suggest the safety prevent further widening? 28"? No more? Not that much?
Gotta say, Don't care a whole lot of this turn buckle arrangement though. PITA to constantly adjust for various implements.

 

[Socratic]

Here is a couple of pictures of the hitch and blower. I ended up leaving the pins facing outward (as per instruction manual) even though it is a bit difficult getting the lower arms on/off (probably due to the BX being so narrow as someone mentioned earlier). I shortened the top link all the way down. In this configuration, the foot is still about a half inch off the ground when the implement is lowered all the way.

In any case, I decided to shorten the driveshaft for this configuration - By hooking the snowblower up this way, it may not have been the smartest thing to do as turning the pins to the inside would have given me an extra inch or two and the shaft could be longer than in the current positon (where I only have 7.5 of the suggested 7.75 inch overlap). If I later decide to flip the mounting pins inward, it will mean buying a new pto shaft as it will need to be longer!

My biggest concern was simply not wanting to put too much strain on the top link - but with most of the weight off of it (blower rests on skid shoes) and the angle being just a few degrees off vertical, I am hoping all will be okay.

Still have to tighten everything down and make adjustments to bottom links and drive chain - then off to changing all the fluids! Wow is the Super UDT expensive!!!!!!! I will re-post here is anything "strange" happens over the winter season. Thanks for all the input.

 

[bp fick]

OK, first off, that is indeed the stock 'Bota top link.

Thanks for providing photos.

Next, I just got schooled by Milkman on the turnbuckles being too short. I appreciate the lesson. Yours look just like mine did until a 1/2 hour ago, perhaps even tighter. You can lengthen those considerably making it much easier to get 26/27 inch wide stuff on there without having to reverse the pins.

Gotta tell you, if yours are like mine were, they were a giant pain to get loose. I ended up having to remove them from the tractor, no big deal, by pulling the four cotters and pins. I could not get the locking nut loose until I had the turnbuckle on my workbench where I could get at it.

 

[Socratic]

Fortunately, everything was pretty loose. Had to oil up the pivot points as the guy I bought the BX from never used the 3 point and it was a bit stiff from non use. Aafter a couple of times up and down it was fine. Turnbuckles turn easy. Lucky I guess.

 

[bp fick]

Socratic

By opening up your turnbuckles, and widening those arms, did it make any difference in the way the snow blower sits? Just curious.