Adjust 3-point lever… is it possible?

[S854]

My tractors 3 point lever is labeled 0 - 10… with 10 being fully raised…

Problem is, between 0 and 7 nothing happens out back… so 7 thru 10 is the range that raises/lowers the implements… rather abruptly…

I’ve watched the lift arms without anything attached… nothing happens… so it’s not the weight of any implements that’s causing this behavior…

Is this something that’s adjustable somehow?

 

[TractorTech]

It sounds like you have draft control on your Kioti, but I don't think they offer it on that model. Since you don't, I would think that the position rod on the 3pt arm that senses the position of the hitch for the 3pt valve is out of adjustment.

 

[S854]

It sounds like you have draft control on your Kioti, but I don't think they offer it on that model….

Correct… I have draft on my MF135, so I know what that does… no draft on the Kioti…

… I would think that the position rod on the 3pt arm that senses the position of the hitch for the 3pt valve is out of adjustment….

I’m not familiar with a “position rod”… is that something exterior on my tractor? If so, how do I identify it? Better still, how do I adjust it?

Thanks

 

[davrow]

My Kioti is the same. 3pt does not use full range of the lever.
Looks like an engineering issue, to me. Not something that can simply be adjusted. The lever fulcrum point is not built correctly.

 

[TractorTech]

Correct… I have draft on my MF135, so I know what that does… no draft on the Kioti…


I’m not familiar with a “position rod”… is that something exterior on my tractor? If so, how do I identify it? Better still, how do I adjust it?

Thanks

This is an illustration of a 3pt position rod, #53 & 54. It is connected to the lift arm and tells the hydraulic system where the lift arm is positioned. It can be adjusted so that the 3pt quadrant responds correctly.
Again, I don't know what Kioti does, but this is what I would look for to change that range problem.

If it doesn't have that, then the quadrant assembly should be adjustable by loosening the bolts that secure it to the top cover and rotating the quadrant piece.

Anyway, there should be an adjustment, but I have no access to a Kioti or a parts/service book to look at to help.

 

[Midniteoyl]

My Kioti is the same. 3pt does not use full range of the lever.
Looks like an engineering issue, to me. Not something that can simply be adjusted. The lever fulcrum point is not built correctly.

Mine uses the full range and is pretty much infinitely adjustable from 1-10.

When I get a chance, I will look and see where the adjustment can be made. Or if it can..

 

[S854]

Been out inspecting the 3 point…

Unfortunately the only thing that moves when the lever is moved is a connecting link (position lever to shaft), the shaft (which rotates and disappears into the rear casting) and the lift arms…

 

[Midniteoyl]

Been out inspecting the 3 point…

Unfortunately the only thing that moves when the lever is moved is a connecting link (position lever to shaft), the shaft (which rotates and disappears into the rear casting) and the lift arms…

See f you can disconnect that from the PTO handle and make sure the lever can move through it's full range of motion. Also make sure the shaft can move though *it's* full range.

 

[TractorTech]

Been out inspecting the 3 point…

Unfortunately the only thing that moves when the lever is moved is a connecting link (position lever to shaft), the shaft (which rotates and disappears into the rear casting) and the lift arms…

Dose the connecting link have an adjustment?

A couple of pictures would help if someone here with a Kioti doesn't chime in first.

 

[S854]

Dose the connecting link have an adjustment?

Funny you should say that… I was looking at the connecting link today (no adjustment) but I am considering bodging something together akin to a turnbuckle…

Don’t want to modify the original link in case this “experiment” doesn’t yield the desired results…

I’ll get some pics as I go along…

 

[confederatemule]

I have a belly mower on my Kioti 2220. The mower lifts and then the rear arms lift.

 

[tacticalturnip]

I have a belly mower on my Kioti 2220. The mower lifts and then the rear arms lift.

That's pretty typical for subcompact tractors, if I recall correctly.

 

[LD1]

Are you judging this with something attached?

With a blade or something on the rear.....you are only using the top portion of the lift movement anyway. Lowering the lever all the way, the implement physically stops the arms from going any lower.....

Try unhooking the implement and see if the arms go FURTHER down....and then raise sooner in the levers range of travel

 

[S854]

Are you judging this with something attached?…

Try unhooking the implement and see if the arms go FURTHER down....and then raise sooner in the levers range of travel

The lift arms react the same whether loaded with an implement or “empty”…

 

[Jaygyver]

Yea, my LS MT-235 does it also. I'm still in the "Gonna look at it one of these days" loop. Was going to ask the dealer about it if I ever needed to take it back in but (thankfully?) hasn't happened yet.

 

[S854]

I found time to look at the 3 point linkage today and decided on a course of action...



The red-tipped arrow is the linkage between the position control and the hydraulic actuator... the yellow arrow is part of the actuator...


This is the actuator with the linkage disconnected... I put the position control just below the point where the lift arms began to move... about half-way through the rotational travel of the actuator... then disconnected the linkage...



I figured working with plastic was easier than working with metal... I had some thin-walled PVC that fit over the actuator arm rather snugly... I drilled a hole in the free end of the plastic to accept the linkage pin...


The first PVC extension was "too short" as the position control began working earlier than previous but still not the full travel of 1 - 10 ... easy to make another working with plastic...


I made the permanent extension out of a piece of scrap metal... welded a piece on the side to rest against the actuator and give it a little more rigidity, then drilled a 5/16 hole in the end for the linkage connection and another 5/16 hole to bolt through the actuator where the linkage originally attached... basically, I extended the actuator arm by about 1 1/2 inches... a lock washer and a little blue Loctite should keep it in place...



Here's the whole shebang assembled and ready for testing...

IT WORKED!!!

The extended actuator arm allows the actuator to rotate more slowly and the way I set the actuator (to be fully lowered even though the actuator no longer contacts it's lower "stop") allows me to begin raising the lift arms with the position control between 1 and 2...

 

[davrow]

I found time to look at the 3 point linkage today and decided on a course of action...

IT WORKED!!!

Brilliant! Thanks for sharing.

 

[TractorTech]

I found time to look at the 3 point linkage today and decided on a course of action...

View attachment 1662166

The red-tipped arrow is the linkage between the position control and the hydraulic actuator... the yellow arrow is part of the actuator...

View attachment 1662167
This is the actuator with the linkage disconnected... I put the position control just below the point where the lift arms began to move... about half-way through the rotational travel of the actuator... then disconnected the linkage...

View attachment 1662165

I figured working with plastic was easier than working with metal... I had some thin-walled PVC that fit over the actuator arm rather snugly... I drilled a hole in the free end of the plastic to accept the linkage pin...

View attachment 1662172
The first PVC extension was "too short" as the position control began working earlier than previous but still not the full travel of 1 - 10 ... easy to make another working with plastic...

View attachment 1662168
I made the permanent extension out of a piece of scrap metal... welded a piece on the side to rest against the actuator and give it a little more rigidity, then drilled a 5/16 hole in the end for the linkage connection and another 5/16 hole to bolt through the actuator where the linkage originally attached... basically, I extended the actuator arm by about 1 1/2 inches... a lock washer and a little blue Loctite should keep it in place...

View attachment 1662170

Here's the whole shebang assembled and ready for testing...

IT WORKED!!!

The extended actuator arm allows the actuator to rotate more slowly and the way I set the actuator (to be fully lowered even though the actuator no longer contacts it's lower "stop") allows me to begin raising the lift arms with the position control between 1 and 2...

Glad you found a fix, but it would be great to see a side view of the linkage. I can't believe there is no adjustment.

 

[TractorTech]

Curious, does your 3pt lever connect to what is pictured in the parts diagram? I'm thinking that #8, 13 and 14 are the adjustment that would have solved the problem. On the other hand, it sounded like it was a geometric problem rather than a sector adjustment problem

 

[S854]

It looked to me 8 is a friction ring… 13 is a spring, 14 is a shoulder bolt… together they work on 5 to keep the position control where the operator desires… the “tab” show coming out the bottom of 5 is the piece I extended… all of this is rather hidden behind the fender so it’s difficult to get a proper picture… the linkage is circled in yellow… there’s a small R pin at the top (pic is taken from below)

The linkage is a stamped piece of strap steel with a pin welded at one end to engage the actuator (bottom) and a hole at the top to connect to the lever…

I spoke to the mechanic at the dealer… he basically said my model was built to a price point and there are few, if any, adjustable bits on these tractors…