3 Point Hitch problem

[EddieL]

I have inherited a 630 Bull that the 3 point hitch doesn't seem to go up as high as it should. It is not low on fluid and the FEL works fine. Anyone have any ideas?

 

[284 International]

Is it the upper arms that don't lift all the way, or does it not lift the implements enough? If you are able, lower the arms all the way, then, without moving the lever, lift the arms by hand to their maximum height. If that is higher than the system will lift currently, you'll probably need to adjust the position control linkage.

 

[EddieL]

The upper arms go to the same height empty as they do with an implement. I will try lifting the arms later today. How do you adjust the position control linkage? Thanks.

 

[284 International]

I don't know how to tell you to do it; I've never even seen a Bull in real life. But there will probably be a threaded rod attached to the upper arms somehow, that also interacts with something on the valve body. Basically the linkage tells the valve when the arms have lifted to the height set by the position control lever, and closes it. Adjusting the linkage will make the arms lift more before closing the valve.

However, I think you should make sure that you're not adjusting something unnecessarily. Check the movement and height of the upper arms without anything on them first. There should be some free play in the upper arms at their highest point, too. There's a reasonable chance, too, that the filter screen is clogged. Does it lift slowly?

 

[EddieL]

The upper arms will go to slightly above horizontal with the hydraulics. I tried lifting them with no load and they would go to 45 degrees or more. When I left go they lowered slightly, but not back to the original position until I put all my weight on it. Now they seem to slowly drift up to about 30 degrees, but putting weight on will lower them to a little above horizontal.

I don’t think there is an adjustment for position control other than not moving the lever up all the way. I looked at a Kubota tractor that had control linkage on it and the Bull doesn’t have anything like that. The fluid was recently replaced and the screen cleaned so that isn’t the problem.

Any other ideas? Maybe this should be moved to the hydraulics forum.
Thanks,
Ed