3-point hitch top link issue

[MtnViewRanch]

For the life of me, I cannot fathom how a top link, more often in tension than compression, transfers weight to the front wheels!

I find that Wikipedia often contains as much fantasy as fact.

A grading implement such as a box blade tries to roll forward when making a cut, but cannot because of the top link. Pushing on the top link pushes the front of the tractor down thus putting additional pressure on the front. The rear axle is the pivot-fulcrum point.

 

[BlacknTan]

A grading implement such as a box blade tries to roll forward when making a cut, but cannot because of the top link. Pushing on the top link pushes the front of the tractor down thus putting additional pressure on the front. The rear axle is the pivot-fulcrum point.

I can understand it for a box blade that can put the top link in compression, but, there are lots of implements other than a box blade that don't.

 

[MtnViewRanch]

I can understand it for a box blade that can put the top link in compression, but, there are lots of implements other than a box blade that don't.

I'm sorry, I thought that you said that you didn't understand, :confused3: apparently you do.

"For the life of me, I cannot fathom how a top link, more often in tension than compression, transfers weight to the front wheels!"

Of course not every implement is going to put compression on the top link thus transferring pressure to the front end. There are several that do though. A plow is another one that does. I would say that about any ground engaging implement that is relatively close to the hitch point is going to want to roll-tip forward, thus putting pressure on the top link and pushing down on the front end.

 

[BlacknTan]

I'm sorry, I thought that you said that you didn't understand, :confused3: apparently you do.

"For the life of me, I cannot fathom how a top link, more often in tension than compression, transfers weight to the front wheels!"

Of course not every implement is going to put compression on the top link thus transferring pressure to the front end. There are several that do though. A plow is another one that does. I would say that about any ground engaging implement that is relatively close to the hitch point is going to want to roll-tip forward, thus putting pressure on the top link and pushing down on the front end.

So we agree...

An implement that puts the top link in tension does not load the front wheels, and indeed unloads them.

 

[MtnViewRanch]

So we agree...

An implement that puts the top link in tension does not load the front wheels, and indeed unloads them.

Absolutely, anything hanging on the hitch in the air is going to put the top link in tension, a 3pt mower for example.

Not sure why you say that the top link is in tension more than compression. Would that not be relative to what type of work one was doing. I do almost all dirt work, My top link is in compression a lot more that it is in tension.

 

[BlacknTan]

Absolutely, anything hanging on the hitch in the air is going to put the top link in tension, a 3pt mower for example.

Not sure why you say that the top link is in tension more than compression. Would that not be relative to what type of work one was doing. I do almost all dirt work, My top link is in compression a lot more that it is in tension.

Okay .. agreed!

My top link, used mostly for bush hogging, is in tension more than compression.

My point is that the article made it sound as though Ferguson designed this into the system as an absolute, which it most decidedly is not. Depending upon how one uses his equipment, of course!

 

[jeff9366]

Harry Ferguson books:

HARRY FERGUSON, INVENTOR & PIONEER - Colin Fraser

THE FERGUSON TRACTOR STORY - Stuart Gibbard

Both available on eBay recently.

 

[MtnViewRanch]

Okay .. agreed!

My top link, used mostly for bush hogging, is in tension more than compression.

My point is that the article made it sound as though Ferguson designed this into the system as an absolute, which it most decidedly is not. Depending upon how one uses his equipment, of course!

You might want to think about when that was written. There were only ground engaging implements, a bush hog or any implement that just hangs did not even exist. That would be my guess anyway. :confused3: Remember, the world use to be flat, sort of does not apply today though.

 

[dougtrr2]

The counterweight is to balance the bucket in front properly. No way I'm going to be taking that on and off. I don't have a huge lawn, so it's no problem to mow with the loader in place.

Unless a BX23 is a lot different than a BX24 putting the loader on and off is a piece of cake and much easier than putting the mower on and off.

Doug in SW IA

 

[Xfaxman]

Thanks to all who replied, including the person who mentioned that I can just use the pins from the link on the top connector to attach the barrel/weight with a short length of chain--brilliant!

I do have an additional question about how to use the rear hitch from a hydraulic standpoint. Based on experiments yesterday, although I do have a choice about whether to power the rear PTO or not, it looks like the rear hitch always goes up and down in unison with the cutting deck. Assuming I have that right (and please correct me if I'm missing something there), then of course the weight needs to be well off the ground when the cutting deck is down. That also means that the only way to remove the weight would be to set it down on something higher, like some cement blocks. Right?

Since there is no down pressure, you can use chain to control how far down the lift arms go.

Use a chain on each side, instead of the Stay Straps in this drawing.


To remove the weight, raise it and disconnect the chains, then set it on the ground. :thumbsup:

 

[NoNewParts]

When I get a new Kubota, the first thing I do is put that pretty little delicate toplink up on a shelf.
Back on at trade-in time.
Cheap heavy duty toplink replaces it, grind to fit.

The idea of a chain for a toplink on some things is fine,
but run the chain thru a piece of pipe, to protect you from implement flip up in a bad situation.

Modern day 3-points like most Kubotas, are really only half there compared to Ferguson's original design.
On the original, the toplink would press in on a rod connected to the lift control with a big spring around it.
too much implement load when plowing, etc, and the pressing would raise the implement slightly with no input from the operator,
so you could continue. (draft control)

 

[Ken45101]

When I get a new Kubota, the first thing I do is put that pretty little delicate toplink up on a shelf.
Back on at trade-in time.
Cheap heavy duty toplink replaces it, grind to fit.

The idea of a chain for a toplink on some things is fine,
but run the chain thru a piece of pipe, to protect you from implement flip up in a bad situation.

Modern day 3-points like most Kubotas, are really only half there compared to Ferguson's original design.
On the original, the toplink would press in on a rod connected to the lift control with a big spring around it.
too much implement load when plowing, etc, and the pressing would raise the implement slightly with no input from the operator,
so you could continue. (draft control)

Mid range and up (e.g. M series) Kubota have draft control which will lift the 3 point if it encounters too much forward resistance. I wouldn't compare the small Kubotas to real farm tractors.

As for putting the toplink on the shelf for trade in time, why bother? When I have traded tractors (only a couple of times), no attention was paid to minor details like that. If you have something functional, I can't see it making any difference.