Bush hog cat 1 pins too wide

[s219]

Based upon the pictures there is no reason you can not flip the lift pins in as Ken Sweet suggested also get longer lift pins and place bushings on the threaded area to push the pins clear of the mount. The longer pins are common to find and so are the bushings that will work for you, they are made to convert Cat 2 lift arms for Cat 1 implements. One bushing per side should be right. At same time you MIGHT find cat one pin that is made to use on either end so you could connect to it from the outside or the inside. Pins turned in on mowers are not uncommon.

I think a combination of your and Ken's suggestion might be the best option.

 

[s219]

Low end junk not built to accepted industry standards.

When looking at the design, I got the impression they installed the vertical angles to the 26" standard, but then once they add that yoke piece to the outside, it burns another 0.75"-1" on each side. It seems like a poorly planned design change. And on top of that it doesn't make it directly feasible to flip the pins.

 

[CobyRupert]

That would have been the easiest fix, but the frame (what Gary called a "yoke" up above) is meant to swivel around the pins, and if I move it to the inside it will no longer swivel. And also, the holes will be off.

Now, the swivel function is somewhat moot in my case, since I have a hydraulic top link and let it float when mowing, but if other neighbors use the mower they will probably need that swivel function to work.

I wonder how much it needs to swivel? Can it swivel "enough" if yoke is on the inside of lower angle iron?
I'd try it the swap.
It's how the manual shows the yoke mounted in the cover photo.
I believe yoke (top) only needs to swivel in one direction (towards back of machine) when the ground lifts the tail wheel, and as allowed by the slack that the (45 degree) braces running from the back to the top of yoke allow.
You can always try and check if there's enough swivel room at the pins when you swap yoke from outside to inside. Maybe some grinding required?

 

[RandyT]

When looking at the design, I got the impression they installed the vertical angles to the 26" standard, but then once they add that yoke piece to the outside, it burns another 0.75"-1" on each side. It seems like a poorly planned design change. And on top of that it doesn't make it directly feasible to flip the pins.

There seems to also be conflicting sources. Most people show 26" for Cat 1 but Tractordata.com shows the Cat 1 spacing as 28" A have a rotary cutter from RK that I purchased years ago that has the issue with the pins being wider than the standard unless you use then 28" spacing as standard. I have about 1/2 in clearance between the ends of my link arms and the pins on my DK45S So If I am off just a little on center when trying to remove the mower I can't get the arms off the ends of the pins.

 

[Foodplot]

Based on the top pic, the 'swivel' feature is just behind where the top link attaches, not at your lift pins. Go ahead and reverse them and tighten them down as designed (note the lock washer).

 

[countrybumpkin]

Based on the top pic, the 'swivel' feature is just behind where the top link attaches, not at your lift pins. Go ahead and reverse them and tighten them down as designed (note the lock washer).

For the swivel feature to work the uprights have to pivot at the lower lift pins, so you can’t tighten them down fully. There should be lock nuts on the lower pins not lock washers.

 

[countrybumpkin]

I’d reverse the pins and see what that did first. That’s really a poor design, the lift pins need to be tight, other wise they will wear the holes out over time. They make lift pins with longer threaded areas you may get a set and shim the pins toward the inside to clear the lower angle uprights.

 

[Foodplot]

The pins pivot inside the lift arms of the three point hitch, not in the rotary cutter frame.

 

[WranglerX]

Personally I would do one time modification to it to same standard (quick hitch?) as other CAT 1 implements that fit you tractor and walk away... It's a shame that implement manufacturers can not get on board to all using same standard...



Dale

 

[CobyRupert]

The pins pivot inside the lift arms of the three point hitch, not in the rotary cutter frame.

It has to pivot at the pins if the braces that run 45 degrees from the tail to the yoke shorten their length (by virtue of the "pivot piece" that connects them to the top of the yoke).