Grading RK55S OPINION - 3 pt responsiveness

[jethroish]

This tractor has done pretty much everything I have asked of it. My only complaint: the 3 point lift sucks. A lot of my work is in horse riding arenas. To keep the ground as level as possible, you have to constantly micro-manage the 3 point lever to adjust the implement height. It is not smooth for this. I have played with it for about 15 hours over the past week. Does not matter is the lift/descend speed it fast, slow, or in between. Even after lessening the tension on the 3 point lever. The implement goes up or down in increments of about 1.5 to 2 inches. I really wish there were a way to fine tune this.
As said earlier, probably my only complaint, but is probably 60%+ of my use.
Just my 2 bits.

 

[g8erh8er]

This tractor has done pretty much everything I have asked of it. My only complaint: the 3 point lift sucks. A lot of my work is in horse riding arenas. To keep the ground as level as possible, you have to constantly micro-manage the 3 point lever to adjust the implement height. It is not smooth for this. I have played with it for about 15 hours over the past week. Does not matter is the lift/descend speed it fast, slow, or in between. Even after lessening the tension on the 3 point lever. The implement goes up or down in increments of about 1.5 to 2 inches. I really wish there were a way to fine tune this.
As said earlier, probably my only complaint, but is probably 60%+ of my use.
Just my 2 bits.

Have you tried detaching the outside lever? My 3pt was impossible to operate smoothly until I detached that lever - no amount of lubrication helped. Now it's smooth as can be. Would rather do without the lever and have a 3-pt that's easy to operate.

 

[jethroish]

Have you tried detaching the outside lever? My 3pt was impossible to operate smoothly until I detached that lever - no amount of lubrication helped. Now it's smooth as can be. Would rather do without the lever and have a 3-pt that's easy to operate.

Are you referring to the remote 3-pt lift lever on the rear of the tractor? Did you detach just the lever? Remove cable?
This is very intriguing.

 

[g8erh8er]

Are you referring to the remote 3-pt lift lever on the rear of the tractor? Did you detach just the lever? Remove cable?
This is very intriguing.

Follow the cable and you will see it attaches to the main linkage via a small rod and cotter pin. I detached it there to completely eliminate any friction caused by that alternate lever. I tried for days lubing that cable, but it didn't help much. I think the stiction in my case is actually coming from the rotation mechanism where the lever connects to the tractor. Lubed that too to no avail. I also tried removing that component but felt like I was going to break something so just left it be.

One caveat is that I haven't actually tested to see how small I can get the 3 pt movement increments to be. I just know that I can now operate the in cab lever with a single finger, where before I could only push it in jerky motions using quite a bit of force.

 

[g8erh8er]

As clarification to my last post, I left all components of the alternate lever in place (cable, lever, etc), except for the small rod and cotter pin that attach it to the linkage.

Once you separate the alternate lever from the linkage, if you push the lever all the way in one direction (can't remember which way), it will shorten the end of the cable out of the way of the main linkage allowing you to operate it freely.

 

[jethroish]

g8erh8er,
I disconnected the remote lever. I allowed the main lever to move easier, but I had already eased the lever tension spring. By disconnecting the remote lever, I had to tighten up the tension spring again.
No change in lift travel.

 

[g8erh8er]

g8erh8er,
I disconnected the remote lever. I allowed the main lever to move easier, but I had already eased the lever tension spring. By disconnecting the remote lever, I had to tighten up the tension spring again.
No change in lift travel.

Yes - I'm seeing the same thing. Since it's not required for most of what I do, I've not paid much attention to how accurately I can raise the 3 pt, I just need it to go up and down.

Today I paid attention to it and with my finish mower attached, I slowly pulled the lever into the raise position, nothing happened until I got almost to the #3 mark, at which point the arms lifted. I didn't measure it, but it was at least 3 inches if I had to guess. I kept pulling the lever and the 3 pt arms would repeat this same cycle where nothing would happen and then all of a sudden they would lift another few inches or so.

When lowering you can get it right where you want it, but it doesn't appear to be that way when raising.