Rockshaft

[Anonymous Poster]

Every now and then I see the term rockshaft mentioned in a piece of tractor literature. There is no definition of what it is, where it is, what it is used for. It is just assumed that everyone knows. Well, there is one person that does not know. My dictionary defines rockshaft as a shaft that oscillates on its journals instead of revolving. That certainly doesn't help me much! Actually, not at all. Do all tractors have one, or more, of these? My thanks to any and all who have the time and patience to respond to this tractor trivia.

 

[geneP]

Tom, I'll try to explain it. If I'm off base or incomplete, some of the others will surely fill in the blanks. The rockshaft is the shaft to which the actuating arms for your lower links of the three point hitch is attached. The shaft is rotated by an arm attached near the center of the shaft. This arm is actuated by the action of the hydraulic lift cylinder, which is usually housed in the upper section of the transmission. Thus it "rocks" back and forth. To locate the rockshaft, start with the lower links of the 3 point hitch, to the connecting rods that rise vertically from them, to the actuating arms, to the rockshaft that they are mounted on.

hope I've helped.

Gene

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Sounds good to me. Thank you for the response.