explain rockshaft levers

[nancyk]

My 5055e attachments are mainly a finishing mower, periodically a bushhog and a sprayer unit. Lately, when transporting the finishing mower, the mower does not appear to be lifted high enough and once in a while the rear tire(s) will hit the ground, which should not be happening. I have only been using the right lever(rockshaft control?), furthest from the seat, to lift any attachment. Should I also be using the lever closest to the seat? I connect the attachments on the back of the tractor to the middle hole option. A while back a neighbor told me to also use the lever(leveling hitch?)(pictured) to make sure the mower is level. I check this once the mower is raised a bit and it appears to be level. Yet when I unhitch the mower the arms are each a different height Now I have no idea where an ideal place for this is. Should the arms be the same height or does that depend on the attachment connected? I do tighten the swaybars after hooking any attachment. I will attach photos in a following post.

 

[nancyk]

Picture

 

[nancyk]

Picture

 

[nancyk]

Last picture

 

[beenthere]

The leveling adjustment for rear of the mower is in the top link of the 3ph, and I use an hydraulic top link to manage that easier than the manual top link.

 

[nancyk]

So should I be putting the finishing mower top link pin(2rd picture) in the top hole instead of the middle hole?

 

[beenthere]

I would try both the other holes to see if you get better results.

 

[Tx Jim]

I suggest for you to read your tractors operators manual & follow the 3pt operating instructions that it states. My guess without reading your tractors OM is unless a ground engaging implement is attached to your tractors 3 pt hitch then lever in photo should remain in "off position".

 

[beenthere]

Thank you Jim, confirming what I thought but didn't know for certain. Draft control for ground engaging attachment such as mold board plow. Will lift the attachment if ground conditions get tough by going too deep.

 

[nancyk]

"remain in "off position"." That is where I thought it should be, but because the mower was not lifting as it should I thought I'd double check. i did go out and adjust the top link so it is straight between the point of connection on the tractor and the mower top link attachment point(it had been pretty loose and pointing down on the mower side).. I tried the mower and it lifts much better now. Let's hope that may solve the problem.

 

[Tx Jim]

Relocating centerlink attachment to lowest hole in bracket on tractor will cause rear of implement to raise higher in the fully raised position.

 

[Tx Jim]

"remain in "off position"." That is where I thought it should be, but because the mower was not lifting as it should I thought I'd double check. i did go out and adjust the top link so it is straight between the point of connection on the tractor and the mower top link attachment point(it had been pretty loose and pointing down on the mower side).. I tried the mower and it lifts much better now. Let's hope that may solve the problem.

 

[nancyk]

I had read the above, in the manual, but found it confusing. I have had no luck getting the mower to float/follow contour, so now I just lift it in uneven terrain. Thanks.

 

[Tx Jim]

If you have draft control set in "off position" then set 3pt control lever so front of mower is at desired cutting height & have rear tailwheel set correctly one should be able to mow uneven terrain without having to touch 3 pt height control lever. The reason I posted excerpts from tractor operators concerning draft control is to show that ""no draft control is needed when using non ground engaging implement"" such as a mower.

 

[Rockbadchild]

Picture

it should lift higher if you go the the lower hole... you also could tighter the high link.

 

[beenthere]

Or use a short chain for the top link, and have enough slack that the mower floats on the rear wheel(s).