3 point hitch arms surging

BruceS_55 · May 19, 2023

I’m not sure surging is the right word. Anyway, today I was was doing some rotary cutting and after 45 minutes or so the 3 point arms started lifting and dropping and inch or two with no input to the control. I shut down and checked all the houses for leaks and for broken or damaged linkage. I also checked the rear remote controls since I had had a previous issue with the hitch not lifting and it turned out that I had bumped the control with the detent into the detent position. The fluid level was fine. When I started the tractor back up, the issue had stopped and it was working fine. Has anyone had this issue or know what may have caused it?

Slowpoke Slim · May 19, 2023

Air in the system?

oldnslo · May 19, 2023

Does your model of tractor have draft control? If yes possible you were operating right at the edge of where the draft would engage and disengage. Raise or lower implement just slightly and problem could go away.

BruceS_55 · May 30, 2023

oldnslo said:
Does your model of tractor have draft control? If yes possible you were operating right at the edge of where the draft would engage and disengage. Raise or lower implement just slightly and problem could go away.

No draft control.

MYoung · Sep 17, 2025

BruceS_55 said:
I’m not sure surging is the right word. Anyway, today I was was doing some rotary cutting and after 45 minutes or so the 3 point arms started lifting and dropping and inch or two with no input to the control. I shut down and checked all the houses for leaks and for broken or damaged linkage. I also checked the rear remote controls since I had had a previous issue with the hitch not lifting and it turned out that I had bumped the control with the detent into the detent position. The fluid level was fine. When I started the tractor back up, the issue had stopped and it was working fine. Has anyone had this issue or know what may have caused it?

Did you ever find a solution to this Bruce? I have the same issue.

MYoung · Sep 18, 2025

BruceS_55 said:
I’m not sure surging is the right word. Anyway, today I was was doing some rotary cutting and after 45 minutes or so the 3 point arms started lifting and dropping and inch or two with no input to the control. I shut down and checked all the houses for leaks and for broken or damaged linkage. I also checked the rear remote controls since I had had a previous issue with the hitch not lifting and it turned out that I had bumped the control with the detent into the detent position. The fluid level was fine. When I started the tractor back up, the issue had stopped and it was working fine. Has anyone had this issue or know what may have caused it?

Did you ever find a solution to this? I have the same issue.

Bud Soda · Sep 18, 2025

BruceS_55 said:
I’m not sure surging is the right word. Anyway, today I was was doing some rotary cutting and after 45 minutes or so the 3 point arms started lifting and dropping and inch or two with no input to the control. I shut down and checked all the houses for leaks and for broken or damaged linkage. I also checked the rear remote controls since I had had a previous issue with the hitch not lifting and it turned out that I had bumped the control with the detent into the detent position. The fluid level was fine. When I started the tractor back up, the issue had stopped and it was working fine. Has anyone had this issue or know what may have caused it?

Small piece of trash/metal in lift piston seal. Filter will catch it after it passes through.