Newbie Needs Help with PHD

alexsbuddy · Sep 23, 2016

I have an XG3037 and inherited a Ford 903 PHD that I decided to hook up to the tractor for some weekend work. It was a bear getting hooked up but finally got all three points hitched. Problem is that I cannot raise it high enough to get the auger bit off the ground. Is it possible that the auger bit is too long for use on my tractor or is it more likely that I don't have the hitch points set correctly? I am kinda stuck until I figure this out. Don't want to take the PHD off unless I have to so I thought I had better get some more experienced opinions on this. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Here are a couple of before and after pictures. Thanks.

bcp · Sep 23, 2016

I appears that the Ford tractor geometry is quite a bit different.

The arch mountings holes need to be moved forward in the main frame, to at least where the red circle is, if not more.

Adjusting your lift links shorter wont help much as the arch is almost parallel to the main frame when raised now, so raising the pins won't help.

Bruce

TractorTech · Sep 24, 2016

The 903 was designed by Danuser for Ford for 600/800, 2000/4000, 40 hp class of tractors, which at the time were the smallest tractors offered. You have a sub-compact tractor and as Bruce said, changing the yoke attachment point is the only way to get the digger to remotely work on your small tractor.
It will be pretty heavy on the tractor and may be difficult to control.
I have to ask, is the center point connected directly to the tractor without the toplink? Your daytime picture shows the center point on your toplink, but it appears correct in the nightime picture. Just hard to see.

PJSprog · Sep 24, 2016

I think TractorTech has it (mostly) right. The 3037 is a compact, not a sub-. You'll need to connect the center point directly to the tractor without the toplink to have any hope of lifting that thing.

alexsbuddy · Sep 24, 2016

I really appreciate the responses. When doing the hookup to the tractor (after picture) I actually did have the center point attached directly to the receiver. In the before picture I had the toplink on it just to hold the front up while I was unchaining it from the rafters and posts.

However, today I moved the center point to the bottom hole of the receiver and did some adjustments on the lower link arms. This gained me about 4-5 inches in height, but the end result is that I am still 1.5" short of it dragging the ground.Suffice to say, I have resigned myself to the fact that it just isn't going to work on my tractor. Kind of a bummer...I had used this PHD many, many times with my father-in-law on his Ford tractor and had really hoped to use it again.

Will put it in on CL and start doing some research on a new one that is a better fit for my tractor. Thanks again.

TractorTech · Sep 25, 2016

One thing about the 903, it was built very stout. The gearbox is basically the Danuser F1 equivalent which is a commercial PHD. Don't sell it too cheap!

bcp · Sep 25, 2016

Most PHD's have a long row of holes to adjust the lift, unlike your Ford one made to fit a specific tractor series.

Bruce

KenB2920 · Sep 25, 2016

Take your top link off it's not supposed to be used with the postal digger

alexsbuddy · Sep 25, 2016

TractorTech, what would you estimate that a fair price for the 903 should be when I list it on CL? Here a couple of pictures...I have disassembled it for easier storage and transportation. Thanks.

George2615 · Sep 25, 2016

Did you try what KenB said. Remove the adjustable top link and connect the PHD directly to the tractor where the top link would go then connect your lower arms.

bcp · Sep 25, 2016

When it was attached to the tractor, the top link was not used. (1st photo, lightened and cropped below) In the 2nd photo, the top link is just holding the PHD up for the photo.

Bruce

George2615 · Sep 25, 2016

Thanks Bruce. I first looked at the pics on my phone. Screen of course is not as large as my laptop and pic was too dark to see.

alexsbuddy · Sep 25, 2016

Hi, George 2615. Yes, I hooked it up with the center post directly attached to the lower hole on the receiver and it still came up too long. The picture showing it attached to the adjustable top link was just a reference to show the post hole digger. Unfortunately, it just will not work with my XG3037 as there is no more adjustment available to raise it high enough.

hghvolt · Sep 25, 2016

Just a quick question, does your tractor have 2 sets of pivot pins for the lower lift arms? If it does moving the arms to the upper pins may get you the height you need.

alexsbuddy · Sep 28, 2016

hghvolt, unfortunately it only has one set of pivot pins for the lower link arms. Thanks for the thought, though.

KenB2920 · Sep 28, 2016

KenB2920 · Sep 28, 2016

This photo I posted is of a GX3037 3pt off the internet. On the lower link arm, it shows 3 positions in which the lift arm can attach to it. This is not where the lower link attaches to the tractor or to the implement. This is where the lift arm connects. See if you have this as the hghvolt stated and move them to the top position.

PJSprog · Sep 28, 2016

Zooming in on the pictures in the original post, it looks like he's already at the top hole.

alexsbuddy · Oct 3, 2016

Thanks for all of the suggestions and assistance. I am going to try again this weekend when I have some spare time and recheck all of the various possible settings to see if I have missed something. Will let you all know how it goes (and will take some better pictures).