3 point implement sway

kyle.wilson817

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Apr 5, 2017
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34
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Bought a bush hog last year and the dealer had to loosen up the 3pt arms to get them onto the pins. Now I have my tiller on it and can't figure out which way to turn the bolts to reduce the sway. It's a BX2660. Anyone know which way to turn them off the top of your head? I can fiddle with it and figure it out, but that's a lot of wrenching when I get it wrong.
 

D2Cat

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Equipment
L305DT, B7100HST, TG1860, TG1860D, L4240
Mar 27, 2014
12,999
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40 miles south of Kansas City
Kyle, but you probably have a turn buckle on each 3pt. arm. The turn buckle has a nut up against one end to hold it in place. Loosen the nut a turn. Then the turn buckle should rotate easily. With one turn you will realize if it is moving towards the nut you just loosened or away from it.

If you need to widen the arms you obviously need to loosen the turn buckle. When you get the arms on your implement, make sure the implement is centered between your tires and begin tightening the turn buckle until you have just a "little" wiggle room when both sides are locked with the lock nut.
 

85Hokie

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BX-25D ,PTB. Under Armor, '90&'92-B7100HST's, '06 BX1850 FEL
Jul 13, 2013
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113
Bedford - VA
Bought a bush hog last year and the dealer had to loosen up the 3pt arms to get them onto the pins. Now I have my tiller on it and can't figure out which way to turn the bolts to reduce the sway. It's a BX2660. Anyone know which way to turn them off the top of your head? I can fiddle with it and figure it out, but that's a lot of wrenching when I get it wrong.
What D2CAT said.....

Once you do this a couple of times, you'll hate those turnbuckles! AND despite you greasing the hell out of them, it is a royal PITA the move and tighten them each time.....

Hodge makes a great replacement set that will allow you to remove a simple pin, move the arm and replace the pin and you are finished.

Not sure his schedule - but everyone that has them, swears by them and not at them!!!! THAT is - they are cussing the turnbuckles!

Send Hodge a PM:

http://www.orangetractortalks.com/forums/member.php?u=3650
 

cerlawson

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Equipment
rotiller, box scraper,etc.
Feb 24, 2011
1,067
3
0
PORTAGE, WI
Many attachments come with the same distance needed between pin supports. Finding that dimension and then getting a Quick Hitch with that dimension you take all the fuss out of adjusting the sway links. You also speed up the time it takes to add or remove the attachment.
 

kyle.wilson817

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Apr 5, 2017
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Yeah, I eventually want to get a quick hitch for it, but for right now, that's not in the budget. Yes, it has the turnbuckles. And yes, they are annoying. I guess i should be turning them evenly and alternating sides between turns, not trying to get all the sway out of one side first, then the other? That was my initial approach, but it doesn't seem like that was the best way to go about now that I think about it.
 

Mondo

Member

Equipment
L355ss, back blade, bush hog
Apr 17, 2017
104
5
18
NYS
measure the pins center to center on the lift arms. should be about 31 1/2 inches to 34 1/2 inches or so. I had them on my massey ferguson to use with the brush hog and were perfect. It is important that you measure correctly so there is no binding when you lift he bush hog. They are a common item and shouldn't be hard to find.
 

hodge

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John Deere 790 John Deere 310 backhoe Bobcat 743
Nov 19, 2010
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Love, VA
Does anyone beside Hodge make the stabilizer bars? Looking for a set for for a BX2370. Thanks
I'm it, as far as I know. Kubota does not make them for the BX series.
 

Oldmansbike

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Equipment
BX2370
May 26, 2016
45
0
0
Wever,Iowa
I am fairly new to 3 point hitches and implements. What is the proper way to adjust the turnbuckles with the implement all the way up or at operating height? If I adjust them when the implement is all the way up they are loose when I drop it to operating height and the opposite when I adjust them at operating height and when I raise it up they are extremely tight. Thanks
 

hodge

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John Deere 790 John Deere 310 backhoe Bobcat 743
Nov 19, 2010
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Love, VA
I am fairly new to 3 point hitches and implements. What is the proper way to adjust the turnbuckles with the implement all the way up or at operating height? If I adjust them when the implement is all the way up they are loose when I drop it to operating height and the opposite when I adjust them at operating height and when I raise it up they are extremely tight. Thanks
That is going to depend on the model, and how the stabilizers are mounted. As the lift arms go up and down, the stabilizers travel with them. But, the stabilizers, while mounted on the same plane as the base of the lift arm, travel a slightly difference arc- because they are mounted at an angle. Therefore, if you adjust them tight at a given point, they will tighten up or loosen, as the arms travel up or down. How much and where will depend on how much angle is on the stabilizer in relation to the lift arm. Therefore, turnbuckles can not be adjusted banjo-tight. There needs to be a slight amount of play, to allow for these variations. The system isn't designed to keep the implement absolutely fixed- there has to be some play. The idea is to eliminate most sway, not every bit of it.
So, you should experiment with your particular model. I know that on the B7100, if you adjust the turnbuckles tight when the implement is on the ground, they will progressively tighten up as you raise the implement. Others may vary. But, if you attach the implement, raise it about half way, and then adjust the stabilizers to have enough stabilization without being super tight, you should be fine. You can slowly raise and lower the implement, and watch the stabilizers- you should be able to see if they tighten and loosen, and if they tighten too much.
As a side note, this is partly why turnbuckles get broken- they get stretched and pulled apart partly due to side load of implements, and partly because of the pressures imposed when being too tight and then being subjected to the power of the 3 point lift.
 

Oldmansbike

New member

Equipment
BX2370
May 26, 2016
45
0
0
Wever,Iowa
Hodge are you still making the bars? How much for a set for the 2370? Thanks for the advice on adjusting the turnbuckles.
 

flyingbrass

Member

Equipment
L2350
Feb 6, 2016
54
0
6
Arkansas
I installed my hodge stabilizers last week. I can't begin to tell you how well they were made. Perfect! Absolutely perfect! I had mine powder coated.