3-Point Hitch Questions/Observations operating my 3pt Hitch - Won't stay up!

[Bigfoot62]

David,
Not sure on the Kioti, but every other tractor that I know of, you push the draft lever all the way down and just use the other lever (position lever). If the draft lever is all the way down, it should have nothing to do with the hitch.

 

[MossflowerWoods]

David,
Not sure on the Kioti, but every other tractor that I know of, you push the draft lever all the way down and just use the other lever (position lever). If the draft lever is all the way down, it should have nothing to do with the hitch.

BF62,

That is what I was told as well. That is how I've been operating until today.

Like I said, I cannot yet reproduce at will. I may bush hog again tomorrow, and I will see if it is merely a weight difference.

But my tractor is NOT keeping my bush hog position control where I set it, and I am now worried.

That is my whole concern my friend.

Thanks,
David

 

[cowski]

it sure seems like a draft control problem.it may be out of adjustment from the factory get your dealer to check the adjustment.

 

[k0ua]

David with the draft control left on 0 , did I understand you to say that you saw the position control lever move by itself? It would seem to me that in that rather complicated looking linkage under that lever, that something is loose. Does the position control lever move too easily.. Mine is smooth but stiff, in that it takes some force to move it, does yours maybe move more easily now than it did? grasping at straws here.

James K0UA

 

[Bigfoot62]

BF62,

That is what I was told as well. That is how I've been operating until today.

Like I said, I cannot yet reproduce at will. I may bush hog again tomorrow, and I will see if it is merely a weight difference.

But my tractor is NOT keeping my bush hog position control where I set it, and I am now worried.

That is my whole concern my friend.

Thanks,
David

Sounds like it's time to call the dealer's service department. I'm just guessing, but there might be something screwed up internally.

 

[MossflowerWoods]

David with the draft control left on 0 , did I understand you to say that you saw the position control lever move by itself? It would seem to me that in that rather complicated looking linkage under that lever, that something is loose. Does the position control lever move too easily.. Mine is smooth but stiff, in that it takes some force to move it, does yours maybe move more easily now than it did? grasping at straws here.

James K0UA

James,

No, the lever has resistance and the linkage seems fine.

I looked like it was bleeding down, the lever just slowly went from 10 to like 7 or 6 before I interfered and pushed it back to 10.

But it only happened once.

I'm stumped...
David

 

[k0ua]

James,

No, the lever has resistance and the linkage seems fine.

I looked like it was bleeding down, the lever just slowly went from 10 to like 7 or 6 before I interfered and pushed it back to 10.

But it only happened once.

I'm stumped...
David

Ok, well in that case I an thinking it is time to call the dealer, and see what the problem could be. Of course as you know in troubleshooting, it is going to be hard to find, as it is not repeatable upon demand.

James K0UA

 

[MtnViewRanch]

There should be a single nut that you can tighten up that will stop the position control lever from moving on it's own. Even if you feel that you now have some resistance in the lever, tighten that nut up tighter. See what that does. Push your draft control lever forward and forget about it for now. You should only use draft control when doing earth work and never should it be used to lift an implement out of the ground. That is not what it is for and you will end up causing internal damage with the improper use of the draft control.

Does the hitch drop on it's own if the tractor is not moving? Or does this only happen when the tractor is in motion? From everything that you have said in this thread, I believe that the nut that holds the position control and draft control levers is looser than it should be.

Just my :2cents: and probably not really worth that.

 

[MossflowerWoods]

There should be a single nut that you can tighten up...

Does the hitch drop on it's own if the tractor is not moving? Or does this only happen when the tractor is in motion? From everything that you have said in this thread, I believe that the nut that holds the position control and draft control levers is looser than it should be.

Just my :2cents: and probably not really worth that.

Brian,

Most of the time when running there is a nut loose in the seat...

I will tighten this nut and pay attention today. I think it only drops when in motion, specifically when bouncing from rough terrain or jerky jerk operation of the grapple. When sitting and running, I have not seen it drop, if turned off, the 3pt will settle, unless I tighten the silver knob too tight which stops it from falling. Just a thought, should I set my level when hogging and tighten that vent knob?

I'm happy to listen to your 2 cents sir!

David

 

[IndyIan]

Brian,

Most of the time when running there is a nut loose in the seat...

I will tighten this nut and pay attention today. I think it only drops when in motion, specifically when bouncing from rough terrain or jerky jerk operation of the grapple. When sitting and running, I have not seen it drop, if turned off, the 3pt will settle, unless I tighten the silver knob too tight which stops it from falling. Just a thought, should I set my level when hogging and tighten that vent knob?

I'm happy to listen to your 2 cents sir!

David

I've read here somewhere that you don't want to close the vent knob right up as it won't allow fluid to pass, and then the 3pth hydraulics will be fighting it all the time and something will break.
Its normal for the 3pth to drop when the tractor is off, so don't worry about that. With the tractor running it will self correct to the position you set every so often depending on how heavy the implement you have on the hitch is.
It really sounds like you just need more friction in the position control.

 

[firemanpat2910]

simple test, raise implement just like you always have. Duct tape lever in full raised position. drive around and bouce implement. does it move?

 

[s219]

Yeah, if the lever is moving as the implement drops (or vice versa) I think this is a minor lever issue.

 

[MtnViewRanch]

I've read here somewhere that you don't want to close the vent knob right up as it won't allow fluid to pass, and then the 3pth hydraulics will be fighting it all the time and something will break.
Its normal for the 3pth to drop when the tractor is off, so don't worry about that. With the tractor running it will self correct to the position you set every so often depending on how heavy the implement you have on the hitch is.
It really sounds like you just need more friction in the position control.

I agree, do not tighten the hitch drop rate knob to keep the hitch in place, that is not what it is intended for.

 

[MossflowerWoods]

Yeah, if the lever is moving as the implement drops (or vice versa) I think this is a minor lever issue.

If lever is set to 10, and 3pt droops, that NEVER happens.

What happens is ALWAYS lever moves down with attachment.

I'm looking for loose nut now...

David

 

[jinman]

David, I don't know about your Kioti's lift, but there is a very simple way to limit the lowest point to a fixed height and still allow the lift to be raised when needed for transport. It involves using chain from the toplink pin on the tractor to the pins on the lift arms. The chain attached would look like this photo of my old Ford. In addition to the photo and illustration, here's a link to how to make a set of chains. I found mine at a dealer, but I don't think they are common.

EDIT: In the photo below, my toplink is replaced with a chain, but the lift limit chains work equally well with a rigid oem toplink.

 

[k0ua]

David, I don't know about your Kioti's lift, but there is a very simple way to limit the lowest point to a fixed height and still allow the lift to be raised when needed for transport. It involves using chain from the toplink pin on the tractor to the pins on the lift arms. The chain attached would look like this photo of my old Ford. In addition to the photo and illustration, here's a link to how to make a set of chains. I found mine at a dealer, but I don't think they are common.

EDIT: In the photo below, my toplink is replaced with a chain, but the lift limit chains work equally well with a rigid oem toplink.

View attachment 272305

View attachment 272306

Jim from his last post, it appears that the 3pt is not dropping unless the lever is moving, and the lever is moving on its own. Of course you could slide the little lever limiter stop up the lever channel and screw it down and that would prevent the lever from moving down on its own. but he needs to figure out why that lever is moving on its own anyway.

James K0UAS

 

[MossflowerWoods]

Of course you could slide the little lever limiter stop up the lever channel and screw it down and that would prevent the lever from moving down on its own.

James K0UAS

James,

When I was bush hogging the lever was shoving down the little twist lock. I could not get it tight enough.

Where the heck is this nut for the lever! Do I need to take the console apart?

David

 

[MtnViewRanch]

You may not be able to see the nut, but you should be able to reach up from underneath and feel it with your hand and put a wrench on it and tighten it up.
Now that I think about it, you might be able to tighten the nut up just by putting the wrench through the lever slot in the console.

 

[catdozer]

I had that problem on my bobcat. There is a tension nut with a spring mine is a 10mm wrench! Try clockwise tightens and just get it to a perfect firmness,

 

[k0ua]

I had that problem on my bobcat. There is a tension nut with a spring mine is a 10mm wrench! Try clockwise tightens and just get it to a perfect firmness,

David, this seem on the right track to me, Our tractors are different than these photo, bacause we have draft control and the Bobcat does not.. so there are 2 of these 10 mm cap bolts, and they are not as easy to get to as this one either. You will need a 10mm socket and an extension to get to it. You will want to tighten the one on the right as you look at the linkage and valve axle assembly from the back of the tractor, If you notice carefully there is a compression spring under the 10mm cap bolt. Observe how the position control is the center axle shaft of control, and the draft is the outer shaft when you tighten down on that collar, it should squeeze down on that shaft that the position control is attached to and give it more drag. What worries me though is you say the position control requires some force to move it toward the down direction now, indicating there is drag now. and you said that even by moving up the little thumb nut stop device in the path of the control was not enough to keep the control lever from moving down.. That bothers me a great deal. because the combination of the position control drag and the thumb nut stop, would be considerable force, in the region of 30 or more pounds of force? Maybe? Please confirm. what you find.

James K0UA