3-Point Hitch 3-Point Hitch Will Not Stay Lifted

Fallon · Feb 21, 2018

My loader & 3pt hold great on my L4060. Loader doesn't budge an inch in weeks. Haven't checked the 3pt as long, but haven't noticed any issues.

My rear remotes on the other hand can't hold inches per hour. After taking it in for repair once my sideline goes from max up to max extension (6-8" or so) in around an hour. The toplink leaks down at an inch an hour or so. I need to take it in yet again to have them deal with it. It's the valves not the cylinders as multiple cylinders have the problem & all hold fine when unplugged.

From what I hear from Fit-Rite hydraulics & many others the Lxx40s had good remotes, but the OEM remotes on the back of the Lxx60s just suck & leak.

raptorterry · Feb 21, 2018

Fallon said:
My loader & 3pt hold great on my L4060. Loader doesn't budge an inch in weeks. Haven't checked the 3pt as long, but haven't noticed any issues.

My rear remotes on the other hand can't hold inches per hour. After taking it in for repair once my sideline goes from max up to max extension (6-8" or so) in around an hour. The toplink leaks down at an inch an hour or so. I need to take it in yet again to have them deal with it. It's the valves not the cylinders as multiple cylinders have the problem & all hold fine when unplugged.

From what I hear from Fit-Rite hydraulics & many others the Lxx40s had good remotes, but the OEM remotes on the back of the Lxx60s just suck & leak.

You know what? I am wrong. It's not my 3 point that leaks down, it's my remotes that do. I attach a Land Pride RCR2596 to the pull bar and raise and lower with remotes. They bleed down because I want 2 different cutting heights. First cut I want high and I should adjust the stops for that height. But I didn't out of laziness and my remotes would bleed down to the mower stops. The dealer told me I am asking the remotes to do something they weren't designed to do.
I will correct my original post.
I am so sorry for the confusion......
It's heck getting old!!

Fallon · Feb 21, 2018

raptorterry said:
The dealer told me I am asking the remotes to do something they weren't designed to do.

Extend & retract hydraulic cylinders? Not leak massively internally? Ya can't expect hydraulics to do that... :-o

raptorterry · Feb 21, 2018

Fallon said:
Extend & retract hydraulic cylinders? Not leak massively internally? Ya can't expect hydraulics to do that... :-o

This is my first tractor bigger than a garden tractor. Should the remotes hold that big mower up?

oosik · Feb 21, 2018

My 2009 Kubota M6040 will hold the 3-point in the full up position with my 1000# Rhino 950 rear blade for weeks and not drop an inch. I know because last time my son came out to help he left the rear blade in the full up position when he parked the tractor. I always lower everything. Why tempt fate and put an unnecessary load on hydraulic seals.

LD1 · Feb 21, 2018

I say no on the remotes being designed to hold position.

You are relying on metal to metal contact (never a perfect seal) in the valve to hold the mower at a fixed position.

And the way many implement wheels are designed....it doesn't take much fluid seeping past the spools to create a noticable change in working height. That's why implements with hydraulic wheels usually have a physical stop to set.

But it could also be the cylinder leaking internal....just depends if it's trying to extend or retract when it is "drifting".

If it is indeed the valve, you can always install flow controls and shut them off once set. That takes the valve leakage out of the picture.

There is a reason that 3ph position control is designed with a feedback linkage

As to the OP....he is gonna have to be more specific as to the problem, as others have already asked the pertinent questions we need answered

Grandad4 · Feb 21, 2018

raptorterry said:
You know what? I am wrong. It's not my 3 point that leaks down, it's my remotes that do. I attach a Land Pride RCR2596 to the pull bar and raise and lower with remotes. They bleed down because I want 2 different cutting heights. First cut I want high and I should adjust the stops for that height. But I didn't out of laziness and my remotes would bleed down to the mower stops. The dealer told me I am asking the remotes to do something they weren't designed to do.
I will correct my original post.
I am so sorry for the confusion......
It's heck getting old!!

It's probably little consolation, but having external hydraulic cylinders that drift some, or leak down slowly, is not uncommon with equipment like this, while the 3 point linkages are generally pretty steady on most tractors. Here's a link that explains the addition of check valves and counterbalancing valves to a hydraulic cylinder to control holding and motion. Higher-end machinery, such as heavy construction equipment, will have hydraulics with those features; the hydraulics on our comparatively inexpensive tractors generally do not, so it's a matter of luck how much your hydraulics drift or leak down. My equipment has always had some mild leakdown in the loader and backhoe but it was never an intolerable problem.

Edit: Sorry, my bad... here's the link:

https://www.qualityhydraulics.com/blog/load-holding-po-checks-or-counterbalance-valves/

ovrszd · Feb 21, 2018

GCalla91 said:
Hi. I have a 2014 L3200 Kubota. My 3-Point Hitch will not stay in the lifted position. The lever is loose. I currently have a 7ft blade on for snow removal. I don't see any leakage or anything of that nature. I'm not sure if there is some kind of adjustment bolt or something for lever or if it could be something else. Thanks for getting back to me.

Man, you guys must be full of coffee or something..... I think we need to calm down a bit.

I believe his problem is that the friction discs that hold the lever in position need tightened?? Not familiar with the L3200 but it surely has position control 3pt??? I'm basing my theory on the things in his original post that I highlighted above.

If this turns out to be the problem, there is a locknut on the end of the shaft the lever swings on. Tighten that nut until the lever will stay where you place it when the tractor is being operated. Don't tighten it anymore than necessary to accomplish this because you are just prematurely wearing the friction discs.

Let us know if this fixes your problem.

Welcome to TBN!!!!