Rotary Cutter category 1 to category 2

[dirtyheysoos]

This is probably a stupid question, but, is there a way to put a category 2 three point on my tractor? I recently bought a wd45 in hopes of finding a mower as well. I found one and seemed happy until I went to hook it up and after doing some research I figured out that the mower is a category 2 while my tractor is one. I checked the horse power rating on the mower and the guy who sold it said it would fit. I looked at it and figured I would be able to modify the ball joints if it wouldn't fit. The PTO shaft fits, but I still can't connect to the hitch. I figured I could buy the arms, but searching the internet has turned up very little. It seems like I screwed myself with the mower? Is there anything I can do, if it matters, the mower is a John Deere MX7.

 

[pmsmechanic]

You could buy a quick hitch as most of them are Category 1 on the arm hookup and have Category two hooks. The cheaper way would be to go down to your local farm supply store and buy new pin-bolts. I'm talking about the part that is bolted onto the mower and that your three point hitch arms slide onto. You can buy them in either Category.

You can also try to find out if your tractor had Category two arms available from the factory. Check the parts manual. Chances of finding a pair would be slim but you never know.

You could also get Category 2 balls welded onto your arms. Again you should be able to find those at a farm supply store.

 

[dirtyheysoos]

I wondered about that, wasn't sure if I would be able to find them. I didn't know about the quick hitch

 

[dirtyheysoos]

the arms did seem about 2" short, the quick hitch may be the only way.

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

Just changing the pins will do it as long as the mower isn't overweight for Cat 1 pins

Any other option will involve welding or lift arm replacement

 

[pmsmechanic]

I know John Deere sells what I'm calling a pin-bolt but they will be cheaper at a farm supply store.

 

[dirtyheysoos]

what is the weight limit on category 1 pins? john deere's website lists it at 1332 lbs

 

[gwdixon]

One of these must work:

Tractor Supply Co. - Enjoy searching:draw pin

I wouldn't worry too much about the lifting capacity of the hitch unless the front of the tractor comes off the ground.

When I owned an Allis-Chalmers WD-45 the hydraulics were not the heaviest of duty and it still lifted everything fine but it had an aftermarket FEL.

 

[mkreitler]

Hi DIRTYHEYSOOS, The REASON the MX7 Mower or (ROTARY CUTTER) is CATEGORY 2 is because of it's weight at 1332lbs. So at that the only safe way is Cat.2 on your tractor whitch you can convert to cat.1 with bushings that go from cat. 2 to cat.1.The other thing is with that much weight on a WD45 you best have some sort of front end weight to compensate for the rear weight.Remember that a WD45 was a 45 HP tractor from the factory that is the reason why it has cat.1 on the hitch. Category two is for 50 HP up to 100 I think or there about. Also the min.HP requirement on a MX7 is 40 HP according to the John Deere suite. Hope this helps.

 

[dirtyheysoos]

Is there a way to get cat 2 on my tractor? I haven't been able to find anything online to convert it. I may be better off selling one or the other

 

[wolftree]

I hope you find the answer. I have a category 2 rear blade that I would like to mount on my category 1 tractor.

 

[countrybumpkin]

I just did this very thing to a kodiak rotery cutter and also a rear blade. On the blade I just had to get cat 1 lift pins and unbolt the cat 2 pins and install the cat 1s facing inward , also the rotary cutter was done the same way.

 

[dirtyheysoos]

I'm thinking I will try cat 1 lift pins and see how well it works. If I think it is running rough or will potentially tear something up I will sell one or the other

 

[wolftree]

In my case, the lower hitch mounting holes are bored for 1-1/8" (Cat 2). Category 1 pins (7/8") are sloppy loose in the mounting holes. I had hoped to find a cat 1 to cat 2 conversion pin. If one is made, I would like to hear of it.

 

[RandyT]

Hi DIRTYHEYSOOS, The REASON the MX7 Mower or (ROTARY CUTTER) is CATEGORY 2 is because of it's weight at 1332lbs. So at that the only safe way is Cat.2 on your tractor whitch you can convert to cat.1 with bushings that go from cat. 2 to cat.1.The other thing is with that much weight on a WD45 you best have some sort of front end weight to compensate for the rear weight.Remember that a WD45 was a 45 HP tractor from the factory that is the reason why it has cat.1 on the hitch. Category two is for 50 HP up to 100 I think or there about. Also the min.HP requirement on a MX7 is 40 HP according to the John Deere suite. Hope this helps.

The cat 1 to cat 2 split is really wishy washy around the 45-55 hp range. My 2005 DK45S has cat 2 lower links with cat 1 upper. I wanted cat 2 all the way around but couldn't get the cat 2 upper. I have also seen 55 hp tractors with cat 1. On most compact tractors now you can't get cat 2 until you hit 55 hp.

 

[Gary Fowler]

I don't find the mounting holes to be any different in Cat 1 and Cat 2. The hook up side of the pin is different, but the part that bolts to the implement is the same size. I swapped all my implement pins from Cat 1 to Cat 2 when I sold my Yanmar (Cat 1). It was a simple task of buying all new Cat 2 pins and replacing the Cat 1. All the bolt holes were exactly the same size as cat 1 for the bolt on pins that I bought from Atwoods. This included a very old 2 row cultivator, a new landscape rake, bush hog and 6 foot rotary tiller.

Yes the pin size that fits to the tractor is bigger on Cat 2 but the bolt end is the same on both so just get new pins, remove the old ones and put in new Cat 2 pins. The WD 45 should have no trouble lifting that mower, but it may require some front weights to make it stable.

 

[Gary Fowler]

Just remember when using the WD 45 that you need to use the hand clutch to stop it when mowing with a bush hog. If you push the foot clutch, the inertia of the bush hog will push you forward till the bush hog stops turning, with the hand clutch the mower can keep turning but the tractor will stop. IIRC you will have to stop the bush hog from turning if you want to change gears.

 

[gwdixon]

Just remember when using the WD 45 that you need to use the hand clutch to stop it when mowing with a bush hog. If you push the foot clutch, the inertia of the bush hog will push you forward till the bush hog stops turning, with the hand clutch the mower can keep turning but the tractor will stop. IIRC you will have to stop the bush hog from turning if you want to change gears.

Ha, ha! Now I remember some of the quirks of that old tractor. The foot clutch on mine was bunged up so the hand clutch had to be used every time one wanted to disengage the engine. Can't say I miss it.

You must have had a WD-45 in the past to recall those "special" features!

When the A-C was replaced with an L3650 the shock was, well, shocking. "So THIS is what a modern tractor is like!" Woo-Hoo! :thumbsup:

 

[Threepoint]

I just did this very thing to a kodiak rotery cutter and also a rear blade. On the blade I just had to get cat 1 lift pins and unbolt the cat 2 pins and install the cat 1s facing inward , also the rotary cutter was done the same way.

This is clever. :thumbsup: Reversing the existing cat 2 pins may also solve the problem I see with the OP trying to use a cat 1 quick hitch with that rotary cutter. The bottom hooks on the newer cat 1 quick hitches are indeed likely to be large enough to work with cat 2 pins (e.g. they are on my newest Harbor Freight cat 1 QH, but not on my older one), but the distance between the pins will probably be too short for the OP's cutter unless he reverses them. Quick hitches have greatly simplified my life, but best to measure carefully before committing to that option.

 

[Threepoint]

When I typed "quick hitch" in my earlier post, I see that it reproduces on TBN as hyper text, linked to Pat's Easy Change quick hitch system. Not sure why TBN does that, because it's not what I mean to reference at all. I'm referring to the one-piece quick hitches, e.g. Speedco, JD, Woods, etc. and the Harbor Freight and Northern Equipment versions.