BX24 and Cyclone Rake

[Wooter]

Hello,
I'm new to tractors after buying a BX 24 with FEL, MM, BH and I'd like to know about hooking up my Cyclone Rake leaf vac on the 3 pt hitch without using the hitch lift mechanism. I want to be able to raise and lower the mid mower without activating the 3 pt at the same time. I was wondering if there are arms available that would let me use the two stow brackets above the lift cylinder arms and attach to the lower hitch arms to level the 3 pt hitch assy to stay in that position with out the 3 pt lift being used or hooked up? That way I can tow the leaf vac and raise and lower my mid mower without any problems. I measured from the stow brackets to the lower arm bracket pins when leveled and its about 17".

Thank you for any help.

 

[L4740]

I'm not sure what you mean when you say "'That way I can tow the leaf vac and raise and lower my mid mower without any problems." I've used my CR for years behind my BX's using the 3pt hitch without any problems. It works fantastic. Yes, if you raise the deck, the front of the CR goes up, but when you lower the deck, it goes back down. Just stop lowering the 3pt as soon as the deck is lowered to the mowing position. Then look at your CR. If the front end is still a little bit too high, then continue lowering the 3pt hitch until it is level.

 

[Wooter]

I'm not sure what you mean when you say "'That way I can tow the leaf vac and raise and lower my mid mower without any problems." I've used my CR for years behind my BX's using the 3pt hitch without any problems. It works fantastic. Yes, if you raise the deck, the front of the CR goes up, but when you lower the deck, it goes back down. Just stop lowering the 3pt as soon as the deck is lowered to the mowing position. Then look at your CR. If the front end is still a little bit too high, then continue lowering the 3pt hitch until it is level.

I had visions of things all bent up. I'll give it a shot and see what I think.

Thanks for your reply.

 

[Wooter]

I'm not sure what you mean when you say "'That way I can tow the leaf vac and raise and lower my mid mower without any problems." I've used my CR for years behind my BX's using the 3pt hitch without any problems. It works fantastic. Yes, if you raise the deck, the front of the CR goes up, but when you lower the deck, it goes back down. Just stop lowering the 3pt as soon as the deck is lowered to the mowing position. Then look at your CR. If the front end is still a little bit too high, then continue lowering the 3pt hitch until it is level.

After some thought on this, the thing that I have an issue with is the 3 pt goes almost to the top of its travel before the mower deck lifts.

3 pt goes vertical, then the MM mower follows.

Any help?

 

[cerlawson]

Don't you have a towing bar attached only to the rear axle? If not attach one there.

 

[brimar]

I also use a cyclone rake on my 1870 and don't find that my 3 point going up first is a problem usually when I raise my deck i am done mowing so I just put the deck in top position and lower 3 point back to normal position.

 

[L4740]

After some thought on this, the thing that I have an issue with is the 3 pt goes almost to the top of its travel before the mower deck lifts.

3 pt goes vertical, then the MM mower follows.

Any help?

Yes. That is how it is designed to work. With the 3pt hitch all the way up in the air, the front of the CR will be elevated. Then when you lower the 3pt hitch, the mower deck goes to its set height and the 3pt hitch will continue to lower until you stop it.

 

[L4740]

Don't you have a towing bar attached only to the rear axle? If not attach one there.

Cyclone Rakes do not attach to the draw bar like other bagging systems. They mount with a two point system (or 3 pt hitch) and ride on casters so they follow the tow vehicle. There is no jack knifing while baking up and the tube between the mower deck and impeller/motor does not have to vary in length when turning corners. It is an amazing bagging system.

 

[Wooter]

Yes. That is how it is designed to work. With the 3pt hitch all the way up in the air, the front of the CR will be elevated. Then when you lower the 3pt hitch, the mower deck goes to its set height and the 3pt hitch will continue to lower until you stop it.

That's my problem. I think the 3 pt is going way above what should be normal, at least from what I see in the barn.

3 pt goes from level. which would be around 12" from the floor, to almost double that at full up, and then the mower deck goes up? I think this is very excessive and will strain the leaf vac frame/suspension.

I really don't know and is why I asked.

 

[L4740]

If I got some time today, I'll go out and take some pics of mine. Maybe that will help you decide if it will work for you.

 

[L4740]

Here's some pics that may help. Some of them may not show what I was trying to show to well since it is on a trailer in a shed for storage. But here goes. The first one is mower deck down and CR level. The second one shows the mower deck down but the 3pt. hitch too low. The third one show the mower deck up and the 3pt up all the way. There is no bending or binding. This position actually aids in dumping the material out. Since it creates a steeper bottom platform for the material to slide out. The 4th and 5th show the hitch assembly. You can see where the ridged 2 point frame of the CR hooks to the 3pt assembly has some up and down movement. The holes must be a little oversized as well to prevent any binding. If binding did become an issue a guy could always elongate the holes. But it has not been a problem for me.
If you have not ordered yours yet, I would suggest you call them and ask any question you may have. They are very knowledgeable and helpful. I hope this helps.

 

[sheepfarmer]

That's my problem. I think the 3 pt is going way above what should be normal, at least from what I see in the barn.

3 pt goes from level. which would be around 12" from the floor, to almost double that at full up, and then the mower deck goes up? I think this is very excessive and will strain the leaf vac frame/suspension.

I really don't know and is why I asked.

I am really interested in how you work this out. I just got a cyclone rake and am running it with my old Ingersoll which doesn't have a 3 pt hitch. When the Ingersoll dies I might want to run it with my tractor. Two points:

The guy at CR did NOT send the correct adapters for mine and I had to do a lot of messing around. He did replace it with the correct part in one case, but in the other I had to have an extension welded onto the hitch plate. So you might not be dealing with the best plate.

Good luck, and keep us posted. It does a great job of vacuuming up stuff, but in my opinion is not easy to dump. Being able to lift with your 3 pt could be an advantage.

Second, on your 3 pt do you have more than one set of holes on the lower links? The further one out should give you less travel and lift less high.

 

[L4740]

Up until now, I really never gave any thought to the 3pt hitch assembly on the CR. I just hooked it up and used it. I've never had any problem with it. However, now after looking at it and studying it, taking a bunch of pictures I got thinking, why do you even need the top link. The way it is designed, it looked to me as if you could just leave the top link unhooked. So I went out unhooked the top link and ran it all the way down and all the way up. And guess what? It works perfectly without the top link hooked up. The part of the 3pt hitch that goes up to the top link pin is just bolted on to the cross part. Next year I plan on removing that part and just running it like a two point hitch. By doing this any worries about binding or bending no longer exist since any pivoting of the hitch can now be done at the lower lift pins.

 

[Wooter]

Up until now, I really never gave any thought to the 3pt hitch assembly on the CR. I just hooked it up and used it. I've never had any problem with it. However, now after looking at it and studying it, taking a bunch of pictures I got thinking, why do you even need the top link. The way it is designed, it looked to me as if you could just leave the top link unhooked. So I went out unhooked the top link and ran it all the way down and all the way up. And guess what? It works perfectly without the top link hooked up. The part of the 3pt hitch that goes up to the top link pin is just bolted on to the cross part. Next year I plan on removing that part and just running it like a two point hitch. By doing this any worries about binding or bending no longer exist since any pivoting of the hitch can now be done at the lower lift pins.

Thanks for the pics....I guess it will be ok then.
I didn't see any stress on the CR mounts, so it should work. I'll hook it up this weekend and maybe post some pics.

I did come up with a fix for disconnecting the hitch lift if need be.

A couple quick links and some chain between the top stow brackets and the lower arms on one side, then the same with a turnbuckle on the other if you need to level the right arm.

 

[Wooter]

OK, Time for an update.

What I want to do is unhook the two 3 pt hitch hydraulic lift arms so the hitch doesn't move up and down. You can stow the 3 pt in the up position by unhooking the upper QD pins on the hydraulic lift arms then stow the hitch in the up position on two upper frame brackets so you can run the mower up and down without moving the 3 pt hitch.

Here's what I want to do.....I want to purchase or fabricate two arms to go from the lower lift arm up to the two frame mounted stow brackets so my hitch is down and level and the hydraulic arms are free to move and not hooked to the 3 pt hitch. These arms need to be about 4 inches longer than the lift arms that come with the hitch.

Why??

When running my CR, and you lift the mower deck up, the CR goes up to about a 45 degree angle, with the CR engine running, and while tilting, the engine oil goes to the back of the engine case and eventually could wipe a rod bearing. I want my hitch down and level without the hyd lift arms connected.

Anybody deal with this issue?

 

[asgard]

When I looked at my owners manual it said only tow using the drawbar, that seems simple and sensible as it applies any weight directly to the frame.

I tried using my small trailer attached to a spreader bar and when loaded up the 3 point lifted and dragged the rear.

I fabricated an extension draw bar and made a trailer hitch mount, no issue with load and it stays level.

I don't know if this is relevant to what you want to do, sorry if I am completely off track.

 

[sheepfarmer]

Asgard, no you are not off point, that was the solution I have been puzzling about, but the problem it brings up is that the cyclone rake is designed to have a rigid connection to the towing vehicle, and is usually attached at 2 places. I don't know if one made up a wide plate at the end of a draw bar extension if it would put too much lateral torque on the draw bar attachment to the tractor. The rigid attachment that prevents articulating at the hitch is useful for keeping the vacuum hose as short as possible. (Either that or only make right turns ).

 

[Wooter]

When I looked at my owners manual it said only tow using the drawbar, that seems simple and sensible as it applies any weight directly to the frame.

I tried using my small trailer attached to a spreader bar and when loaded up the 3 point lifted and dragged the rear.

I fabricated an extension draw bar and made a trailer hitch mount, no issue with load and it stays level.

I don't know if this is relevant to what you want to do, sorry if I am completely off track.

I have a 3pt hitch that has a slot for a trailer hitch. The issue is the 3 pt raising up and possibly letting the CR engine starve oil to the connecting rod.

The 3 pt even allows a full CR hopper to raise the 3 pt by weight alone.

 

[sheepfarmer]

Yes the idea with a drawbar extension is that it can't go up. 3 pt hitches (most) can.

 

[dandeman]

If you are a steel fabricator or know one, you could do what's done when the Kubota rear bagger/blower is attached i.e. using a fixed length arm assembly from the upper point on the 3pt system and removing the arms from the lift that moves with your mower height. The top link becomes a solid attachment point and the lift links are removed off of the lower links..

It would be a very simple fabrication change to make the top link a solid attachment point. The attached photo shows how it could be done. First photo being simple adaptation of your attachment, second pic shows the Kubota design, third a rendition of the Kubota design.

The new upper triangle would need to attach to your quick hitch rather than the addition added to your trailer if you want the trailer to fully articulate vertically on uneven ground by pivoting at the pins, independently from the tractor, or if your oversized holes (I think I see where they would be) are allowing sufficient movement it could be attached to your trailer mount adapter.

The Kubota design is a 3D triangulated design that is extremely strong. This is important in that I've added protective steel on the back of my blower to protect everything from damage when I've occasionally backed into trees in tight areas..