OK, I don't know what I'm doing or how to hook up this 1518

[tycooper]

OK, let's get the snickering out of the way... I don't remember how to hook up this JD 1518. I had a Rhino about 20 years ago and as I recall, it just had a bar coming from the front of it that would hook up to the drawbar. I recently purchased a newer cutter and the hookup is different. I don't know how it should look and I don't want to break something because I don't know how to hook it up. I am including a couple of photos. I don't know if the hitch is upsidedown or not, and what to do with the two plates that are on the inside of the hitch pin area. Any accurate assistance would be appreciated.

 

[kthompson]

Based upon your picture and info looked on line at some other pictures and it looks good. I am assuming that is a fixed drawbar you have hooked to. It looks like it could be short for that tractor, how does the pto shaft fit this hook up? If the shaft is the right length for the draw bar leave it there. As to what I think you are talking about the two plates are you talking about the lift arms? If so just raise them all the way up.

 

[tycooper]

Yes, the drawbar is fixed and the PTO shaft is OK for length. I am not referring to the lift arms. I am referring to the two plates that are on the top and bottom of the drawbar. They are part of the hitch assembly of the mower.

 

[BukitCase]

That whole thing is designed so that changing topography can't put the hitch in a bind - one thing to check is that the castleated nut (left side of both pics) hasn't been tightened enough to bind up/down motion - so just make sure nobody has cinched that nut down enough to bind the up/down motion that part of the joint allows.

Reason for that type nut is so you can keep it from falling off WITHOUT torquing it so tight you lose up/down motion, then the cotter key just keeps the nut from working loose... Steve

 

[Seven Gables]

OK, let's get the snickering out of the way... I don't remember how to hook up this JD 1518. I had a Rhino about 20 years ago and as I recall, it just had a bar coming from the front of it that would hook up to the drawbar. I recently purchased a newer cutter and the hookup is different. I don't know how it should look and I don't want to break something because I don't know how to hook it up. I am including a couple of photos. I don't know if the hitch is upsidedown or not, and what to do with the two plates that are on the inside of the hitch pin area. Any accurate assistance would be appreciated.

I’ve never seen that exact mower hitch but I’m quite sure you need to flip that mower hitch over 180 degrees so that round pin support is facing down. The way it is in the pictures you’re drawpin handle would likely hit the pto shaft in some situations. I generally use the drawpins that have a handle that folds over and lays flat just for that reason

 

[Seven Gables]

Here’s the style pin I use

 

[alwaysworking]

Here’s the style pin I use

what tractor is that on? I have never seen 3-point lift arms like that.

 

[kthompson]

Yes, the drawbar is fixed and the PTO shaft is OK for length. I am not referring to the lift arms. I am referring to the two plates that are on the top and bottom of the drawbar. They are part of the hitch assembly of the mower.

I see what you are talking about. Looks like a piece of channel iron under the tractor's draw bar. It does looks like it could bind the tractor's drawbar. Can you flip it over? If not then place flat washers or such under the drawbar to lift it above the sides of it.

 

[Seven Gables]

what tractor is that on? I have never seen 3-point lift arms like that.

New Holland TN95FA , a narrow orchard tractor

 

[LouNY]

The hitch looks fine as mentioned if the channel will flip over I'd do so.
Is the round "bushing" on top just a spacer so the hitch pin doesn't stick down to far?
If so I'd remove that to increase the clearance to the pto shaft.