3-Point Hitch Long 460 Lower Link Bars bending

[wthforever]

Does anyone have information on why my lower link bars continue to bend (and eventually break). I am fairly new to tractors and perhaps it is something I am doing wrong. I did not have problems while bushhogging but it began when I began using the disc harrow. While making a turn, the lower link broke and the disc fell to the ground, the other one was bent pretty badly. I assumed that perhaps I just didn't raise the disc up far enough on the turn, although I thought I was raising it up.
I weld repaired the broken one and bought a new one for the other side. I began discing again, being extremely careful, going slow, making sure I raised the disc completely on the turns. I took a break after half hour and just looked at the new link. The paint on it had crumbled so I knew it had bent a little. As I continued on, the bend got worse and worse until it had a significant curve in it. I'm sure it will break as well if I continue using it. The sway chains are fairly tight, the link can't hit the tires.
The first two photos are the original one that broke and the bent one on the other side. The other two are from the current configuration with one severely bent.

 

[CalG]

Does anyone have information on why my lower link bars continue to bend (and eventually break). I am fairly new to tractors and perhaps it is something I am doing wrong. I did not have problems while bushhogging but it began when I began using the disc harrow. While making a turn, the lower link broke and the disc fell to the ground, the other one was bent pretty badly. I assumed that perhaps I just didn't raise the disc up far enough on the turn, although I thought I was raising it up.
I weld repaired the broken one and bought a new one for the other side. I began discing again, being extremely careful, going slow, making sure I raised the disc completely on the turns. I took a break after half hour and just looked at the new link. The paint on it had crumbled so I knew it had bent a little. As I continued on, the bend got worse and worse until it had a significant curve in it. I'm sure it will break as well if I continue using it. The sway chains are fairly tight, the link can't hit the tires.

Slacken the sway chains so there is no binding in any lift position. Lift the implement out of the ground when turning. Drive the tractor straight when the disc is engaged in the ground.

The lower links should not bend if these details are followed.

 

[wthforever]

So basically slacken the sway chains as much as possible without it being able to hit the tires? I guess i don't understand exactly what you mean by "there is no binding in any lift position". Also I'm attaching pictures to see if there could possibly be something attached incorrectly.

 

[oosik]

Regarding the statement - "there is no binding in any lift position". You must be able to move the disk - side to side - slightly when in any position of lift. You DO NOT want the sway chains so tight as to completely eliminate this slight side to side motion.

Just a thought - - is it possible that the disk is bigger than should be used on your tractor.

I can still push my disk - side to side - around an inch or so, each way, when in the full lift position.

 

[wthforever]

I guess it is possible, it's a pretty heavy disc. I believe the tractor is orignally a 41 HP tractor and it doesn't have any trouble lifting it or pulling it. But that doesn't really say anything about the ability of the lower bar. I've talked to several with "similar" Long tractors that all said it shouldn't be bending the 1/2 inch bar. But I don't know the weight limits and what forces are on it when it is in the dirt.
Also, I understand what you mean now about the tightness of the sway chains, I believe that's about how they are set, but I'm gonna receheck everything.

 

[Leejohn]

Your check or sway chains must be on the same center line as the front pin of the lower links.

 

[wthforever]

Leejohn, Can you clarify exactly what you mean by this, I'm fairly new at this.

 

[jeff9366]

Are both the front and rear gangs free of the soil when the hydraulic control is in the raised position?

How many pans (discs) make up your Disc Harrow? What is the diameter of the pans?

Your Lower Links are puny by today's standards but they should not bend or break pulling a properly adjusted Tandem Disc Harrow.

You must never push the Disc Harrow with the pans in the dirt and the tractor in reverse. The Lower Link chain stabilizers provide no support when the tractor is in reverse. It would be fairly easy to bend the Lower Links pushing a Disc Harrow.



The undersize Quick Link holding your chain stabilizer together on the left side is a failure waiting to happen.

 

[CalG]

Your check or sway chains must be on the same center line as the front pin of the lower links.

No they don't! But if they are not, there needs to be sufficient slack in the sway limiters to accommodate the difference.

That's why I advised to adjust the sway chains so there is no binding in any position. 'Covers all the options. ;-)

 

[wthforever]

Are both the front and rear gangs free of the soil when the hydraulic control is in the raised position?

How many pans (discs) make up your Disc Harrow? What is the diameter of the pans?

Your Lower Links are puny by today's standards but they should not bend or break pulling a properly adjusted Tandem Disc Harrow.

You must never push the Disc Harrow with the pans in the dirt and the tractor in reverse. The Lower Link chain stabilizers provide no support when the tractor is in reverse. It would be fairly easy to bend the Lower Links pushing a Disc Harrow.



The undersize Quick Link holding your chain stabilizer together on the left side is a failure waiting to happen.

Thanks for the info. The disc harrow is an old Ford Dearborn with some heavy channel iron, 6 to 6-1/2 feet wide (See photo). 16 pans, I believe they are 18" if I remember correctly when I purchased it a couple of months ago, possibly 20, but would have to measure it. Yes, both the front and rear gangs are well off the ground when in raised position
Also, I believe the lower bars are basically the same as those on the old Ford tractors, 8N, 9N, Jubilee, etc and I haven't heard of these problems from my friends that own them.

 

[CalG]

Bending arms indicates you are pushing somewhere. The arms are meant for pulling and lifting.

Check your operation carefully. It's not the disc that is the cause.

 

[wthforever]

Thanks, I do recall reversing a couple of times but was pretty sure the disc was off the ground. I am definitely still learning and plan to be much more careful at each step

 

[jeff9366]

The disc harrow is an old Ford Dearborn with some heavy channel iron, 6 to 6-1/2 feet wide (See photo). 16 pans, I believe they are 18" if I remember correctly when I purchased it a couple of months ago, possibly 20, but would have to measure it. Yes, both the front and rear gangs are well off the ground when in raised position.

Neither of these Discs should be too much for your 4,000 pound tractor. Any Disc with pans over 20" in diameter would be too much.

Also, I believe the lower bars are basically the same as those on the old Ford tractors, 8N, 9N, Jubilee, etc and I haven't heard of these problems from my friends that own them.

Use tractor nomenclature. No tractor has lower bars. The parts you refer to are Lower Links or Draft Links.

Your Long 460 weighs considerably more than the Ford 8N, 9N and Jubilee.
Ford used very high quality steel. Doubt Long measures up to the Fords in steel quality.

 

[jeff9366]

Thanks, I do recall reversing a couple of times but was pretty sure the disc was off the ground.

There is a reasonable probability that pushing the Disc with the tractor in reverse is the cause of the Lower Links distorting, then breaking.

I bent a set of Kubota chain stabilizers when I was new to operating a tractor. Kubota Lower Links are heavy, so the weakest link was the chain stabilizers, which had to be replaced.

It is hard when you are new to tractors. YOU DO NOT KNOW WHAT YOU DO NOT KNOW. Learning is expensive.

 

[Leejohn]

My looking at your last two pictures, the sway chain is hooked aft more then the lower links. If you mount the fwd mounting point down on the same C/L as the fwd pin of the lower link mounting pins then the 3pt can move all the way up without pulling on the lower links. The fwd mounting pin can be as wide as you want as long as it's on the C/L of the lower link mounting pin. Try unhooking the sway chains at the fwd mount and run the 3pt all the way up. Then try hooking sway chains back up while the 3pt is all the way up. You might find out that the 3pt well raise higher with them inhooked. This should be done with the lower link arm set at about 26" apart, if you have a draw bar put it on and that well be about 26" apart.

 

[redman135]

Hello Wthforever, Leejohn is correct in post# 6. Look at photo# 3 at the tractor end of the stabliser chain. Take a line by eye through the tractor end of the lower links to get the correct stabliser mount point. In the photo the stabliser is mounted too high at the tractor end, so when you lower the disc's the stabliser is effectivley shortened ,bending the lower link. I presume you are tightening the stabaliser with the disc's in the up position.
To fix this do as CalG says and loosen the stabaliser so it is slightly loose in the up, middle and down position. This will fix the breaking lower link problem.

I reccomend you enquire if the stabiliser mount has been fitted wrong.(I once ran into this problem on an MF 178)
Can we have a RIGHT side photo equivilent to the #3 photo to see if the stabaliser mount on that side is wrong as well?

Your photo's are excellent, they clearly show the problem, most are not this good.

 

[wthforever]

All, thanks for the help, I'm not new to mechanical work, but I am new to tractors and I think the terminology is confusing me, so many different terms on the internet and different parts of the country apparently. Every diagram uses different terms. Redman and Leejohn, I'm still not understanding what you are saying in post #'s 15 and 16.
Where you say "mount the fwd mounting point down on the same C/L as the fwd pin of the lower link mounting pins then the 3pt can move all the way up without pulling on the lower links." That isn't clear what you are saying about the C/L. Also, is the term "stabilser" the same as "sway chain" in these comments. I apologize, just isn't clear and I know it's me not understanding.
Also, you said the stabiliser (sway chain) is mounted too high, I didn't think that was adjustable.
There are 3 holes in the lower link, when I bought the tractor the sway chain was connected to the aft most hole in the lower link, and I assumed the lift arm (the arm that actually lifts the lower links) could attach in either of the other two holes.
Are you saying that the stabiliser (sway chain) connection on the tractor, near the wheel, should be at the same level as where the lower link attaches to the tractor?
Also, I don't have a draw bar and no photo from the right side, but I will check when I go back out there, and take a photo.
Sorry about all the confusion.

 

[ruffdog]

As others have stated, the stabilizer chain pivot point should be in-line with the lift arm pivot points. That way the chain will never get tight as it moves through its range of motion. In the below photo, the bracket the chain is attached to should be free to move and that is why the attachment bolt has a castle nut and cotter pin as it is left slightly loose.

https://www.tractorbynet.com/forums...854097-attachments-rubbing-tires-100_2085-jpg

 

[wthforever]

As others have stated, the stabilizer chain pivot point should be in-line with the lift arm pivot points. That way the chain will never get tight as it moves through its range of motion. In the below photo, the bracket the chain is attached to should be free to move and that is why the attachment bolt has a castle nut and cotter pin as it is left slightly loose.

https://www.tractorbynet.com/forums...854097-attachments-rubbing-tires-100_2085-jpg

Thanks, a photo is always great!

 

[Leejohn]

Do you understand now?