Rear Finish Mower How to narrow a three-point attachment arms

[Too many Kubotas]

Something as simple as a cable could be used to prevent them from spreading again. Wouldn't be my first choice, but it wouldn't require cutting any metal to fit, and no need to weld anything.

 

[scootr]

If it's JD, it only has chain links to keep the arms from swinging in, but they are free to swing out (at least on my 2520). They are shipped with a bungee cord holding the arms in.

And that is why I own a Kubota. The arms slide in and out and side to side with adjustment pins. I can cant the mower off to the left or right and it stays there...no tire rubbing, no bending
Upon further thought in order for one arm to swing out the other arm would have to swing in or bend something... Maybe you are cutting too short dragging the mower housing in the dirt on turns?

 

[hube2]

And that is why I own a Kubota. The arms slide in and out and side to side with adjustment pins. I can cant the mower off to the left or right and it stays there...no tire rubbing, no bending
Upon further thought in order for one arm to swing out the other arm would have to swing in or bend something... Maybe you are cutting too short dragging the mower housing in the dirt on turns?

This is also one of the reasons I swapped out my chain/turnbuckle stabilizers with Kubota telescoping stabilizers. After one winter I noticed the lower hitch points on my snow blower were starting to bend. In my case they were bending in because the stabilizers are on the inside.

If it were me I'd take the arms off, find something solid to lay them on and give them a couple of good wacks with my sledge hammer.

 

[SouthernSky]

I picked up a binder so I will try that on the wings.

The black arms/ears are slightly bent as well and if I can’t straighten them I can get replacements. Like many have said, I’ve already flipped them, inside and outside, even upside down, trying to narrow the spread. The current configuration in the photo is just one of many I tried.

I’m going to work on the wings first and go from there. I’ll let you know.

 

[Too many Kubotas]

Maybe you are cutting too short dragging the mower housing in the dirt on turns?

I have smacked the (too heavy) 6' brush hog sideways into immovable objects lots of time, using the L3800.

But that Rhino 172 is built differently. As in far stronger. Actually, not even the flimsy LandPride RCR1260 has taken offense to the same kind of treatment.

 

[Jstpssng]

I would unbolt them and take them somewhere to get pressed back straight. Machine shop or most mechanics usually will have a press...

I would do somethimg like this, although likely would do it myself. I would then weld angle iron on each mount to prevent it from happening again.

 

[SouthernSky]

Well, I made some progress. Bought a binder at Harbor Freight and was able to pull it together by placing the hooks on the opposing arms.

I then tried it on the black clevis arms/ears/whatever, but it didn't go smooth as it wanted to open the clevis itself. I think I will take those pieces off and over to a local fab shop where they may be able to press them back to position instead of buying replacements at $44 each from Messicks.

Thanks everyone for the suggestions! I do appreciate you.

 

[Too many Kubotas]

Went back and looked at the first photo again.

Is it just me or could those flimsy brackets be bolted on farther back? It does look like that's where they should be, for several reasons.

 

[CliffordK]

There has to be a dozen simple ways to fix this issue. With the parts being bolted on and easily removable the choices are nearly unlimited.

To make those parts not bend as readily in the future could require a little bit of thought. Very little, but still.

I'd probably heat and pound it back straight. However, a shop press likely would also do the trick.

Of course it appears as if the binder is also working. I assume the bars sticking out will bend before the main bracket on the mower deck.

Is the binder bending the brackets on the end of the bars? Hopefully they'll spring back into shape.

By bent you actually mean stretched as the metal is now weak at the point of the bend. You could straighten it but that can only be accomplished by stretching the metal again on the other side. It will bend again.
Changing sides may help but that is likely only a temporary solution.
My suggestion is to go to a shop and get some heavy "U" shaped channel to give it strength in two directions both up and down as well as sideway movement.
If you do not have an ability to do it, any fab shop should be able to help you out.

That is similar to what I was thinking. But once straight, I'd probably weld say 3/8" or 1/2" inch x 1 1/2" or 2" flat bar on the top and bottom of the arms to make essentially C Channel iron. Make sure you do the welding so that it still fits flush on the mower mounts, as well as leaving space for your bolts.

 

[SouthernSky]

I haven’t unbound the ratchet binder yet. I left it on all night to see if there is still has any pullback in the morning.

I thought about welding a brace of some sort but the PTO shaft would be in the way for a straight brace.

 

[pmsmechanic]

I think that before you do too much reinforcing the parts so they don't bend, you need to figure out why the parts bend. Right now those arms are the weakest link and they are easy to repair. If you reinforce them you move the weakest link to something else. That "something else" might not be as easy to repair.

 

[old and tired]

Those black arms should be loose to travel up and down so they "float". Are those bolts tight??

On my Bush Hog finishing mower, those are free to move up and down independently.

 

[repete]

Those black arms should be loose to travel up and down so they "float". Are those bolts tight??

I think the three point arms on his tactor will be the "float" being sought unless there is a draft control which is unlikely.

 

[SouthernSky]

Correct. They are just tightened in the picture to get them out of the way. They are supposed to float. I do t have a draft.

Went to a fab shop. The guy wants $120 per hour with a one hour minimum no matter how small the job.

New clevis arms are $44 each at Messicks. But $43 for shipping and that was the cheapest option. The others were over $100 for this 4 lb part. This is the reason I refuse to use Messicks unless they are absolutely the only source.

I’ll check with one more fab shop to see if I can get them pressed cheaper. I’d rather pay the local guy a little extra than pay Messicks $43 for shipping.

 

[404nouser]

Instead of a fab shop you can try repair shops, as many will have a press.
Or $250 will get you a 20 ton press from hf.

 

[JDW 1]

I run a 2572 with no problems. If possible move them back to the front holes, it will make them a lot stronger and avoid bending.

 

[D&D]

And that is why I own a Kubota. The arms slide in and out and side to side with adjustment pins. I can cant the mower off to the left or right and it stays there...no tire rubbing, no bending

Not just one brand has that feature

 

[Dadah]

It looks to me like the red plate is bent out that the black three point hitch connecting arms bolts to. If that’s the case then the red plates need to be bent back into position and the arms need to be bolted back to the mower the same on both sides.

 

[ismilelots]

View attachment 4137833
The two front sides of my landpride finishing mower somehow separated over the years. Unfortunately this makes it tough to mount it for use as the lower arms keep scraping the inside of the rear tires. Don’t ask me how it happened as I don’t have a clue.

Anyone got any ideas on how to pull the two sides back closer together so they have a normal 29” spread? Popping it with sledgehammer didn’t budge it. I don’t have a torch so I’m looking for some way to clamp the two sides together and squeeze them back into the normal position.

Thanks in advance!

If they bent out without you noticing, it probably wouldn't be hard to pull them together. Have you tried connecting them with a ratchet strap or hand winch cable to pull them together?

 

[Snezzy]

Went to a fab shop. The guy wants $120 per hour with a one hour minimum no matter how small the job.

Local fab shop does not charge for quick-and-dirty fixes, I think it's because he's a cousin or good buddy of my neighbor who gives him a lot of big jobs. Plan to use his shop for fixing my large round to-its eventually. Find another fab shop, maybe?