When do you let the 3ph stabilizers float?

[charlesw]

So, the manual that I got with my tractor says that most of the time you want to lock the stabilizers (rigid side bars - instead of check chains) in place (for length) but that sometimes you let them float. Well, other than for plowing (which is explicitly stated as a floating position. Why? Well, why not?!?), when do I let the stabilizers float? Brushhog? Rake? Box blade? Sub soiler? When using the 3ph to transport hay bales? (This was a lot easier when I just had check chains - I didn't have to worry about it!) Will the manuals (that I didn't receive) for my implements talk about how to set it for each one?

thx,
charles

 

[andrewj]

So, the manual that I got with my tractor says that most of the time you want to lock the stabilizers (rigid side bars - instead of check chains) in place (for length) but that sometimes you let them float. Well, other than for plowing (which is explicitly stated as a floating position. Why? Well, why not?!?), when do I let the stabilizers float? Brushhog? Rake? Box blade? Sub soiler? When using the 3ph to transport hay bales? (This was a lot easier when I just had check chains - I didn't have to worry about it!) Will the manuals (that I didn't receive) for my implements talk about how to set it for each one?

thx,
charles

I tried float with all ground engaging and thought I was going insane, as nothing worked right! only when I locked it in did things work predictably. It only helped with bushhogging with I would hit something,, but the "help" wasn't worth taking two pins out for it...

 

[greg_g]

You guys apparently have a different definition for float than I do. I see absolutely no purpose in disconnecting my vertical stabilizers for the purpose of letting the lower lift arms "dangle". Of course, they'll always float UP regardless. But both my vertical stabilizers are adjustable, so I just turn them to the farthest level I want my lower lift arms to drop when I have no hydraulic pressure applied.

Do either of you have draft control on your tractors?

//greg//

 

[vallyfarm]

I'll try to say this without making myself look too stupid. If you are using a york rake,rear blade, or something that you are attempting to move the horizontal position of, you can lock the arms. If you are pulling something IN the dirt ( plow, subsoil,trench,cultivate,etc) or do something that is ATTACHED to the dirt ( brush hog, mow, sycle bar,etc) let the arms be able to move. As a basic rule of thumb, if a back blade or york rake, or something you need to drive backwards to make work ( one of those 3pt dirt scoops) isn't being used, let them move. The 3pt is designed to track straight and true behind the tractor if moving foward. If you might contact something to upset this arangement, let the arms move. Do I sound stupid yet? I hope this helps, Mike

 

[RobS]

On my 790 the float is rotation of the tph implement around the tractor centerline. This is accomplished with slots where the lift arms connect the lower links. I tend to leave it in float position (slots opened up) for all but ground engaging as Mike alluded to. I first discovered it using my landscape rake. I was getting gouges instead of the nice, smooth surface I wanted. I tried the float and it completely eliminated the gouges. The rake can follow the contour of the ground. I also use it for brush-hogging and it has eliminated gouging by allowing the cutter to ride up on it's skids on high spots. I just put my rear blade on for snow and I switched back to no-float because I couldn't remember which way I've used it before. I'll try it and change again if needed. About the only thing I wouldn't use float for in my arsenal is the box blade, which I don't use much anymore.

 

[charlesw]

Do either of you have draft control on your tractors?

Ayup. But we're talking about horizontal bars. And I don't mean float in the hydraulic sense - I mean float in the sense of allowing them to move or in keeping them fixed in place.

These are the items (bars or chains) connecting the lower arms of the 3ph to, well, the axle, I suppose.

c

 

[charlesw]

About the only thing I wouldn't use float for in my arsenal is the box blade, which I don't use much anymore.

Ah. Well, thank you - Mike said it, but you reinforced it. Now I suppose I have to see if it was delivered locked or floating

 

[Champy]

So these are the "Sway Links" in my users manual that resemble giant turn buckles for adjusting the side-to-side motion of the lower 3PH attachment bars (draft links). I'm not sure I understand how these allow the attachment to float up/down - don't these links control sideways motion?

How do you put these rigid links into "float" position? Disconnect them altogether or is it a retainer pin?

 

[charlesw]

So these are the "Sway Links" in my users manual that resemble giant turn buckles for adjusting the side-to-side motion of the lower 3PH attachment bars (draft links). I'm not sure I understand how these allow the attachment to float up/down - don't these links control sideways motion?

How do you put these rigid links into "float" position? Disconnect them altogether or is it a retainer pin?

Yes, these are probably sway links. On my machine they are two square bars, one inside of the other, with a lot of holes so that you can fix them to any number of widths. Which answers the last question, I suppose! And... I'm talking about moving freely left and right and not up and down! [Boy! This language stuff sure is complicated ]

 

[shaley]

I don't think my hitch has all the features or parts you are talking about and
I think the 3PH in this photo is from a 8N or something old and may not reflect what we have today but I hope it can help clear up terminology.

 

[kwolfe]

Yes, you are talking about the sway linkage. The other guys are talking about leaving your 3pt in the float position.

I was under the impression that the linkage should always be fairly tight in order to keep you lower linkage hugging the draw pins on the implement. The only time I could see loosening is possibly when plowing. You may want to leave some play in the plow so it does not want to move the rear of the tractor around so much. However I don't think this would be an issue with a heavy tractor.

Just a thought.

 

[charlesw]

You may want to leave some play in the plow so it does not want to move the rear of the tractor around so much. However I don't think this would be an issue with a heavy tractor.

Interesting. But the brush hog is huge -that would surely move things (the back of the tractor) around a lot, too, no? Well, hmm. "Huge" meaning 1/6 the weight of the tractor. Well, that's still pretty big!

 

[Champy]

My 3-Point Hitch system




A - Lift Arms
B - Center Link Storage Hook
C - Non-Adjustable Lift Link
D - Sway Link
E - Draft Link
F - Center Link
G - Adjustable Lift Link

 

[charlesw]

Did you just run and make that image?

 

[charlesw]

Arrow pointing to mine...

 

[Champy]

Did you just run and make that image?

No - I got this picture out of the Owner's manual for my JD990

 

[kwolfe]

Arrow pointing to mine...

Sway Links.

 

[charlesw]

I figured Anyway... It doesn't look like you can let that slide. Hmm. Unless you unhook it altogether, or something like that. So JD is voting for leaving the pins in!

 

[RobS]

Hmmm, lots of similar words "floating" around. As I understand, there are two types of float and then there is sway.

Sway is the side-to-side motion of the tph and is controlled by check chains or sway links. I can't think of instances where sway is desirable, but differences in implement hitch width may force adjustments to be made.

Float is either the vertical motion of the implement on a tractor without downpressure (most of ours), or lateral float. I think this post is about the latter which may or may not be a feature on a particular tractor. Imagine a rear blade on your tractor, resting on the ground. Now lift one end. If the whole thing raises straight up, you have vertical float but not lateral float. If only the one end raises, you have lateral float (and probably vertical too). If neither raise, you have no float.

An aside, my 790 has lateral float as I described earlier but my neighbor has a newer 790 without it. I suspect it was "cost reduced" out. Too bad as I have really appreciated the feature.

 

[3RRL]

In this instance, although it is not wrong, "sideways play" may have been a better choice of words that "float", since many of us associate "float" with up and down and hydraulic stuff.
From the images posted, sway links = adjustable stabilizers (bars).
Some are chains, some are turnbuckle style, some are bars that slide into each other adjustable with holes and pins. Mine are like the last kind but on the other end of the bar (connected to the tractor axle) there is another pin that goes into a slot that lets that part slide about 1".

So no matter how tight I set the sway bars or stabilizer bars, there is always a little play from side to side. Therefore, I suppose this is important not only when using (working) the implement, but also when lifting or tilting the implement by the 3pt and tilting side links. So nothing breaks off if it is too tight. I say this because during those movements, there's got to be some play to allow it to move or tilt since all the connections are not from the same pivot point.