Not enough lift in 3pt to adjust blade well?

sheepfarmer

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I am getting acquainted with new 3560 HST and a new blade after Ford 8N which didn't have one, so learning from the ground up here. BTW love my new Kubota! Power steering! Fuel tank fill reachable from the ground!!!!

In a thread below, "adjusting blade" there are great hints for getting the blade level both parallel and perpendicular to the direction of travel. On my new blade, Woods HBL 72-2, with a Quick Hitch, it is clear that the swivel and angle adjusts aren't going to work right if that isn't done, so that the support beam is horizontal. Also the Quick Hitch won't pick up the blade unless it (the Hitch) is vertical which also makes blade support beam horizontal.

If I do that on the barn floor which is more or less level, I can't drive the tractor out and down a ramp without the blade hanging up. The hydraulics won't lift it high enough to clear unless I go back and shorten the top link, thus unleveling the blade.

Once out and re-leveled, I can only lift the blade about 6 inches off the ground. This is also not very good for plowing snow, I had this fantasy of scraping snow in one direction changing the angle of the blade and scraping it in the other just by pulling the pins and turning the blade while it is up in the air. If the top link has been shortened to get more lift height, and the blade is rotated to 45o it is crooked, some of which can be fixed by setting it down again and adjusting the side link, but it is sort of a pain. I think more of a pain if there is a lot of snow around. Etc.

I have gotten another inch or two of lift to 8 inches off the ground by moving the pins on the side links and using the topmost holes (green arrows see pictures below) but it still isn't much. Still won't clear the barn. Between ground level and the highest setting on the 3 pt is between #'s 5 and 8 on the 3 pt valve, so basically I am using the upper third of its range. The other possible adjustments in the 3 pt arms don't look like they would help. I have just about enough threading on the top link to get level once the blade is lifted to 2 inches above ground, but not too much more. What am I missing? Are there any other not too expensive solutions? Did I get the wrong blade for this tractor? A hydraulic top link might be nice, but beyond my mechanical skills/budget.

Thanks for all help!
 

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tcrote5516

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That is strange and while I dont have your machine I can tell you about mine and my best guess. I get about 18" of level blade lift on my little BX. Is it just me or is the vertical section on the blade that goes to the top link shorter than normal?

I'm just guessing here but if that vertical post was taller you could then shorten the top link and that would equal a better lift angle = more height.

What brand is that blade?
 

sheepfarmer

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Hi tcrote, thanks for replying. I am not sure which vertical post you are looking at? Part of the blade itself? The black vertical thing in those pictures is the Quick Hitch. It is a Woods 6 ft blade, rated for any tractor less than 75 hp. Mine is 35.
 

tcrote5516

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Is there another option for where your top link pin's up to the quick hitch? One that is lower then the one you have in the picture? With the blade on the ground (on mine) my top link is level or even slightly downward where yours is at a pretty steep upwards angle.

I'm having a brain cramp on what makes it better or worse but I know on mine (I have two holes to choose from) one hole gives me about 12" of lift and the other gives me the 18".
 

sheepfarmer

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tcrote and mtn view, I've attached two more pictures of the angles of the top link. If I shorten the top link by twisting the gadget in the middle I have much more lift of the implement, and there is plenty of thread in that direction, but it isn't level lift. At the quick hitch end there are no additional holes for the top link. On the other side where the hook for the implement goes there are a lot of holes, but I think using them would put the hook in the wrong place to pick this implement up. Not sure. At the moment the hook is in the bottom set of holes.

The only other thing I can think of standing there and saying if I put this here, then this goes there, and then that will happen, is to wonder if I could get shorter side links for it?
 

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North Idaho Wolfman

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Moving the top link down will give you more lift, even if you move it down and lengthen it at the adjustment to get the implement level it will still lift it high.
Shortening the side arms, more than they already have the ability to do, is not as good Idea, it completely changes the lift system and not for the better.

 

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sheepfarmer

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Thanks Wolfman, sounds like I better go out and try that tomorrow. Sounds like snow is headed our way, and maybe you guys already have it at your end of the country. Will report back!
 

Dieselbob

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This is slightly off topic, but I have the Land Pride RB0560 grader blade that is MADE for my BX, and was shocked when I got it home and the tractor couldn't get it six INCHES off the ground! I ended up making some plates and dropping the lower mounting pins DOWN six inches, and now the tractor can lift it to the moon!
 

cerlawson

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Aside from shortening the lifting rods with the holes present, maybe do what I did with a blue tractor of the same rough size. I cut the left one and made it shorter. On the right. adjustable, there was enough adjustment to shorten that. After that all tools worked better also. You can get different length lift rods from places like Tractor Supply.
 

cerlawson

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I just measured the rods on my little BX. Only 12 inches. So maybe even Kubota has shorter ones for other models than your that will work.
 

cerlawson

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Lifting the blade high won't change the problem of the pivot not being vertical. What one needs is the frame of the blade system, between the pivot and the tractor has to be level for ease of changing the blade's orientation plowing right or left. The first picture posted shows that problem clearly. Those lifting arms need to have their end higher and playing with the top link won't do it.
 

sheepfarmer

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Update: This morning I tried the suggestion of NIW and mtn view, to move the attachment of the top link to the tractor down to the lowest hole. Eureka! It helps. I could have stared at the back end of the tractor all day and would not have guessed it.:rolleyes: To get the support beam of the blade relatively level at about 2 " off the ground I had to then lengthen the top link quite a bit, but am not out of thread yet. AND the hydraulics will now lift the blade high enough that I can get it in and out of the barn without hanging it up or requiring shortening of the top link. So with any kind of luck I can now angle, offset, rotate the blade without it getting cattywampus by "just" pulling the pins on the blade. On to the problem of the super strength cotter pins this thing comes with. :( I picked up some extras at TSC since I bet with cold (old) hands they fly off and lose themselves in the snow.

Thanks guys!!!
 

MtnViewRanch

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I agree with Wolfman, put the top link in the lowest pin location on the tractor. Adjust the top link so that the boom is parallel to the ground. Raise the hitch to full height and see the difference.

Very simple and costs nothing. ;)
 

Tooljunkie

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For your hairpins, a piece of wire, cable or even some parachute cord to keep from losing them. I know what a pain it is. I lost a quick pin foo my snowblower and promptly blew it away with the snow. The the blower fell off the 3 point arm. Was not happy. My quick attatch needs a little tweaking.
 

sheepfarmer

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I agree with Wolfman, put the top link in the lowest pin location on the tractor. Adjust the top link so that the boom is parallel to the ground. Raise the hitch to full height and see the difference.

Very simple and costs nothing. ;)
Agreed! With both you and Wolfman making the same suggestion I thought I'd better try it first, even if I couldn't see why it would work by looking at the angles. And having to buy more stuff is not appealing. Help is good! By my calculation there are 27 possible combinations of pins and holes on that tractor 3 pt hitch and trying them out randomly would take a while.
 

sheepfarmer

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For your hairpins, a piece of wire, cable or even some parachute cord to keep from losing them. I know what a pain it is. I lost a quick pin foo my snowblower and promptly blew it away with the snow. The the blower fell off the 3 point arm. Was not happy. My quick attatch needs a little tweaking.
I like the idea of attaching a "leash" to the hairpins. I keep trying to bend them to make them easier to get out, but it takes two hands on a screw driver through the loop and they go flying. Ok on the barn floor, not so good in the snow. If the blade fell off my rig I'd be up the proverbial creek. :eek: