Newbie ? Adjusting 3 point sway

dougtrr2 · Oct 22, 2011

I have a BX24 and occasionally put a box blade on the three point. I have never adjusted the turnbuckles to take the sway out. I did that intentionally at first since I am working in areas with tree roots and wanted to give the box blade some leeway if it got hung up. Now I am wondering how tight the turnbuckles should be? How much sway (if any) should there be when a three point attachment is attached. Does it depend on the type of attachment? Thanks for your input.

Take Care,
Doug in SW IA

whistlepig · Oct 22, 2011

I adjust mine so I have about 2" of sway each side. This gives the turnbuckles a little "cushion" if I bump an immoveable object but not so much sway that I can't get a straight pattern from the implement. Too much sway on my RFM makes the yard look bad.

amaxwell · Oct 22, 2011

I leave very little sway .Too much and the attachment seems to snap from one side to the other when raised and making turns: adding too much force on the 3 point arms.

savageactor7 · Oct 23, 2011

I'd lock 'em down so there was no sway if I could.

TripleR · Oct 23, 2011

I leave a couple of inches on all my three point stuff.

CompactTractorFan · Oct 24, 2011

whistlepig said:
I adjust mine so I have about 2" of sway each side. This gives the turnbuckles a little "cushion" if I bump an immoveable object but not so much sway that I can't get a straight pattern from the implement. Too much sway on my RFM makes the yard look bad.

The only 3-point implement I have is a carryall, so I get them as tight as I can.

k0ua · Oct 24, 2011

On the 750 lb ballast barrel, Locked down tight, no sway. On the rotary cutter I leave some slack, an inch or two. That's what I do.

James K0UA

radioman · Oct 24, 2011

I personally hate any sways. I have mine tight so there feels like I got control which way my implement goes with a simple light turn of steering.

nikdfish · Oct 24, 2011

I want them at least tight enough not to rub on the inside wall of the downhill tire ...

Nick

bellweather · Oct 24, 2011

I keep mine pretty tight...especially with implements with a PTO shaft, like my wood chipper and grass bagger.

Grandad4 · Oct 24, 2011

Anything that operates with ground contact (cutter, tiller, boxblade, etc.)... leave a couple of inches of play.

Anything that is simply carried (carry-all, chipper, weight box, etc.)... keep it snug so it doesn't bang around.

gwdixon · Oct 24, 2011

+1, Same as Grandad4.

Maybe have the rotary cutter a little tighter if I'm in open country. Around trees and fences it is left a little loose.

dougtrr2 · Oct 25, 2011

Thanks for all the input. I will have to tighten mine up some. What I appreciated most about the responses was that you did refrain from poking fun at such an obvious question. I guess this was my "free pass".
Thanks again.

Take Care,
Doug in SW IA

gwdixon · Oct 25, 2011

dougtrr2 said:
What I appreciated most about the responses was that you did refrain from poking fun at such an obvious question. I guess this was my "free pass".
Thanks again.

Take Care,
Doug in SW IA

Nah.....this forum is not like some of the others. There are no crocodiles in the weeds waiting to jump on the unwary.

The folks on here genuinely want to help others by answering their questions since there generally isn't a definitive manual on many of the farm topics.

Sharing experiences is the theme of TBN from everything I've seen. There are disagreements at times but different folks have different experiences.

bikerdib · Oct 25, 2011

Dougtrr2; are you kidding with this question? No one can be that big an idiot!!

Kidding of course.

I like most others, I leave a little play but unlike some others, I leave a little play even when just carrying a load. I leave enough so that you can move the implement back and forth and see some movement in the ends of the sway arms.

TripleR · Oct 25, 2011

gwdixon said:
Nah.....this forum is not like some of the others. There are no crocodiles in the weeds waiting to jump on the unwary.

The folks on here genuinely want to help others by answering their questions since there generally isn't a definitive manual on many of the farm topics.

Sharing experiences is the theme of TBN from everything I've seen. There are disagreements at times but different folks have different experiences.

Couldn't agree more.:thumbsup:

grsthegreat · Oct 25, 2011

I keep mine as tight as possible allowing for slight movement only. I actually had a 50 gallon sprayer self destruct its welds by the weight of 400# of water sloshing back and forth cause i forgot to set the sway control.. Driving over rough ground can really get that stuff swaying back and forth alot...and with it alot of potential energy to destroy....

George2615 · Oct 25, 2011

Check how much sway you have with your lift arms all the way down and again with it all the way up. Due to the mounting location of some turnbuckles on different tractors some turnbuckles actually tighten up (or have less sway) as they are lifted. If this is the case and you have them too tight when down something may break as it is lifted.
If yours has the same amount of play when fully up and down then an inch or two play is fine.

Botabill · Oct 25, 2011

The only guidance I got on sway came with my manual for my 5 foot tiller. It suggests very little sway be allowed an inch max. That seem to work well with most of my implements. With my plow I allow a more sway based on my theory that wiggle room will allow my plow to go around a big boulder rather than stop me dead with whiplash. With my cultivator and subsoiler I find you can run them pretty sloppy with no problems.