3pt hitch problem

Number15 · Sep 18, 2021

I was mowing with my ditch mower yesterday and had a problem with my 3pt.

I was mowing very steep sections of my property. Inclines up to and probably past 30 degree's. Up and down for an hour or two. Suddenly I got to the top of one hill, raised the flail arm that rotates on the vertical and the hitch sank to the lowest position and would not raise.

I turned off the tractor, got out and saw no fluid in the sight window for hydraulic. I seem to have a small leak at the fittings so I just thought I was low on fluid.

Trugged up the hill and got some and added more. The tractor was inclined down so I figured just add enough until I see a little in the window. Added a gallon and still could not see any. Still could not get the hitch to lift.

So I dragged the flail slowly around until the tractor was inclined in the other direction. Still no luck, and no fluid in the window.

I was stumped and stressing out with my tractor stuck in the field with the mower firmly planted in the ground and dragging. If you know ditch mowers it was in the traveling position, not good.

So I was going to try and drop the mower so I could move the tractor, I unhooked the 2 remotes and thought to myself let me try and raise the hitch one more time and low and behold it worked.

So I get the tractor near my garage on level ground and now the sight glass is overfull.

I've done these hills 4 or 5 times before with now problem. Is it the incline? Or am I looking at other issues?

Sorry this is so long just wanted to fully explain

K5lwq · Sep 18, 2021

The first thing that comes to my mind is possibly the remote valve was not fully centered and that was keeping the 3pt from working. I know with my Detent remote it can easily not be centered.

Hopefully that is all it was and you are not having any issues.

Xfaxman · Sep 18, 2021

Number15 said:
So I get the tractor near my garage on level ground and now the sight glass is overfull.

All cylinders (including the FEL) need to be retracted when checking the sight glass.

Cougsfan · Sep 18, 2021

I have had that same issue in the past and it was always the remote valve was not centered as K5lq stated.

Number15 · Sep 18, 2021

K5lwq said:
The first thing that comes to my mind is possibly the remote valve was not fully centered and that was keeping the 3pt from working. I know with my Detent remote it can easily not be centered.

Hopefully that is all it was and you are not having any issues.

Could be, based on my use of the remote right beforehand fits this. As a novice I may have made it worse by not knowing my tractor fully yet. Everything is working now.

Thankfully it's time to change the filters so I can get the fluid level back to normal.

I appreciate the help from you guys. It makes learning the tractor easier for sure.

ericm979 · Sep 18, 2021

My first thought was also a remote stuck on and "dead heading". Sometimes you can hear the sound the relief valve makes when it's doing that, but with engine at full rpm, mower turning and hearing protection it'd be easy to miss it.

After the first time that happened to me I check the remote levers as soon as I notice a problem with the hydraulics.

The tractor needs to be level when checking trans fluid. Since the "tank" is a long narrow transmission and the sight glass is at the end, any deviation from level will make a big difference in what you see in the glass.