Rotary Cutter Is my bushhog too heavy

[bm3]

My JD 3203 has been running a 5 ft international heavy duty cutter . I have to tie the 3 point lever to my seat to stop it from dragging the ground , it will just drop to the ground and drag if I don't . When its raised all the way up then it will stay but only when raised all the way . The darn thing is rated for a 5 ft bushhog , when asked the service manager at Deere he said it must be too heavy , well it does not weigh over 450 lbs , any thoughts would help . I tie the control lever to the side to prevent it from lowering on its own

 

[Dingo Man]

I would assume the lifting capacity for your 3pt hitch is much more than what your cutter weighs. Are you having a linkage issued, which may be why your having to tie off your lever.

 

[bm3]

Everything appeared to be alright but I'll check over it again , thanks

 

[SPYDERLK]

My JD 3203 has been running a 5 ft international heavy duty cutter . I have to tie the 3 point lever to my seat to stop it from dragging the ground , it will just drop to the ground and drag if I don't . When its raised all the way up then it will stay but only when raised all the way . The darn thing is rated for a 5 ft bushhog , when asked the service manager at Deere he said it must be too heavy , well it does not weigh over 450 lbs , any thoughts would help . I tie the control lever to the side to prevent it from lowering on its own

Does your lever move very easily. There should be some friction at its pivot that keeps the lever from moving on its own. There should be a way to adjust that. Just wedging something lightly next to the lever should do the same.
larry

 

[Soundguy]

are you saying tht the 3pt lever by your seat will drop and then the laod drops? or is it a inching type valve like some orange tractors with a center neutrl, and a incremental up lift when moved up.. and you are having to keep it up in the 'lift' area to keep the mower up.. and if you let it center the mower drops. if the latter.. i'd say you have a lift leak. if the former.. then your 3pt lever may need some sort of friction adjustment.

re-describe the problem and add as many details as you can based on our questions and descriptions to help us understand the exact nature of the issue.

 

[Turbys_1700]

Your tractor will handle that hog easily...
You probably have a linkage issue...

 

[Rod in Forfar]

bm3:

When my new-to-me Kubota had the same problem, I hooked up the chains and chain plates I used on my old Bolens G174. The attached link has the details, and a source for the parts. The system works well. No fuss. I mow around 25 acres of little trees.

Hope this helps,

Rod

Bush hogging with the Kubota B7510 (continued) | Walnut Diary

 

[CliffordK]

My Ford has a stop on the 3pt height adjustment lever.

I don't like it, so I normally push it down to the bottom. This is designed so it only obscures half of the 3pt height adjustment slot, so one can easily push the lever to the side and around.

I haven't noticed the 3pt hitch ever "leaking down". I don't see a simple tension adjustment, but that undoubtedly would vary by tractor.

I think our old IH had something similar.

If there is only one slot, one could add a similar stop, but wouldn't have the simple bypass.

 

[bm3]

Its the first , I have to tie the lever to the side of the seat when I have it at the right position . I was concerned about harming something by doing that . If I raise it up all the way then it will stay . Deere said its not a leak or it would not stay up. Will not stay in any position other than all the way up.

 

[bh3zfc]

Does the tractor have a draft control on it?

 

[SPYDERLK]

Its the first , I have to tie the lever to the side of the seat when I have it at the right position . I was concerned about harming something by doing that . If I raise it up all the way then it will stay . Deere said its not a leak or it would not stay up. Will not stay in any position other than all the way up.

Well, if you cant find the adjustment for the friction, or even answer whether there is friction, I dont know what youll be able to find out or do. Perhaps dripping some loctite onto the pivot area. Perhaps not.

 

[Soundguy]

i don't think glueing the lift lever up is the answer.

the OP need to become familiar with the operation and maintenance of their equipment. OR get used to paying someone else ( dealer? ) to fix and maintain it for him.

 

[Guesseral]

Friction is the key here as others have stated. On older tractors you could see the pivot point at the bottom of the lift lever it had a stud and a lock nut, if you would remove the nut you could remove the lever behind the lever is a round cork well best described as a washer. If the washer got to far compressed it didn't have enough friction to hold the lever in place sometime we could just tighten the nut but most of the time we just replaced the washer. I would think that you have something similar take a look.

 

[SPYDERLK]

i don't think glueing the lift lever up is the answer.

the OP need to become familiar with the operation and maintenance of their equipment. OR get used to paying someone else ( dealer? ) to fix and maintain it for him.

Gumming up the pivot would serve a friction function. Once broken loose yould have a prevailing torque to move it. Lots of grades of loctite. One of em oughta work well enuf for him.

 

[Soundguy]

i'd think something mor elike a belt dresing than a loctite which usually hardens.

the real fix is address the friction media. if it is worn out.. goop won;'t be the correct answer.

if it's not tensioned correctly.. goop won;t be the correct answer.

 

[bm3]

Sorry been away from computer , there is friction , don't know how to adjust it , bought the tractor 4 years ago used with 500 hrs on it and this is the only problem I have had . It was doing this last year and a deere service tech checked it out and found nothing wrong , well it ain't right , that's why I went to see the service manager at the dealer and he tells me if it will stay all the way up and not leak down then its too heavy , I'm a retired floorlayer what do I know. I have a JD 1070 with 8,000 hrs and it stays wherever I leave it , frustrating

 

[Soundguy]

if it's too heavy.. it will unseat the relief and not lift the load.

 

[SPYDERLK]

IF you set the lever at some midpoint where you want it and let it go, does the lever move down? Is it so easy to move that it could be falling from its own weight and engine/mower vibration -- or maybe from hitting bumps while mowing?

 

[Arc weld]

If you're going to fix it, fix it right. Dripping loctite on it is akin to wrapping it with duct tape and baler twine.:thumbdown:

 

[dirt ditch]

Here is what the 3203 online manual says.

Using Rockshaft Control Lever:
Use rockshaft control lever to raise and lower equipment attached to the 3-point hitch.
The six calibrated setting are for reference only and do not signify specific operating depths. When the rockshaft control lever is moved forward, the draft arms will lower closer to the ground.

Lower Implement: Push rockshaft control lever forward.

Raise Implement: Pull rockshaft control lever rearward.

Using Rate of Drop/Lock Valve:
The rate of drop/lock valve controls the rate of rockshaft drop when the rockshaft control lever is operated. This provides direct rate of drop control for 3-point hitch mounted implements. The valve can also be used to hydraulically lock the rockshaft (three-point hitch) in a desired position.

Increase Rate of Drop: Rotate drop/lock valve knob counter-clockwise to make drop faster.

Decrease Rate of Drop: Rotate drop/lock valve knob clockwise to make drop slower.

Lock 3-Point Hitch: Rotate drop/lock valve knob clockwise until tight.

Unlock 3-Point Hitch: Rotate drop/lock valve knob counter-clockwise.

Link to manual (JD 3203) OMLVU17604_A6