L3010 float mode ?

[jbeech]

I hear about float mode in reference to the bucket attachment in front, which my L3010 doesn't have. Is there float mode for my 3-point? Wondering because I'm getting a flail attachment and watched a video where the guy said float mode was a life saver.

 

[Grandad4]

I hear about float mode in reference to the bucket attachment in front, which my L3010 doesn't have. Is there float mode for my 3-point? Wondering because I'm getting a flail attachment and watched a video where the guy said float mode was a life saver.

When you adjust the height of the 3 point hitch at the back of your L3010, the 3 point will drop down to the level you set with the control, but the attachment mounted on the 3 point arms is free to ride up or down as the tractor goes across uneven ground. It will not drop below the level set by the control. So in that sense, yes, the 3 point does some of what the "float" setting does for the front loader, although people seldom use that term for it on the back.

 

[TheOldHokie]

I hear about float mode in reference to the bucket attachment in front, which my L3010 doesn't have. Is there float mode for my 3-point? Wondering because I'm getting a flail attachment and watched a video where the guy said float mode was a life saver.

When lowered the 3pt always floats. Its a single acting cylinder and there is no down pressure.

The reference with regard to the mower is directed at the rear remote valves and the cylinders on the mower.

Dan

 

[Kennyd4110]

I hear about float mode in reference to the bucket attachment in front, which my L3010 doesn't have

Are you 1000% sure?

 

[Grandad4]

Are you 1000% sure?

Took "which my L3010 doesn't have" to mean there is no loader, but yes - maybe it means he can't find the FEL float.

 

[TheOldHokie]

Took "which my L3010 doesn't have" to mean there is no loader, but yes - maybe it means he can't find the FEL float.

I think he meant he does not have a loader.

But his question was about the 3pt and a flail mower where he appears to be confusing remotes with the 3pt lift.

Dan

 

[N3BP]

See attached images from the manual for an explanation of the "float" control.

 

[Grandad4]

By the way, JBeech, welcome! There are some very knowledgeable Kubota experts here who know pretty much everything there is to know about the orange tractors. Then there are ordinary, average folks like me that may offer a helpful comment occasionally.

 

[jbeech]

Thank you Grandad4, I appreciate the welcome. And FWIW (and in case it's not glaringly obvious), I'm a tractor-virgin. I'm also brand new to Kubota tractor ownership. This, after deciding between a second hand Kubota vs John Deere.

Point being; it's not just float control I'm learning about, but everything else. Tractor ownership is not trivial so I'm learning about, for example, this stuff also thus far . . .

1. HST vs manual
2. 2WD vs 4WD
3. When to lock the differential
4. Faster aft PTO-speeds vs mid-output speeds
5. Different number of splines aft vs mid-PTO
6. 3-point versus belly-mounting
7. Attachments like belly-mowers, brush hog, bucket, auger, drag boxes, etc.
8. Plus attachment vs horsepower (for me, I suspect 30hp is just right)

. . . and sadly, the mate I would have asked died of cancer 10 years ago, which leaves Hobson's choice (either asking dealer employees, or the Internet).

Fortunately, experienced guys online don't mind sharing their knowledge and combined with a bit of lathe and mill experience (to go along with 20 years of using a Kubota engine to PTO for the surrounds mower), means at least I begin from the point of healthy respect. E.g. power take offs are uncaring of flesh and blood.

Beyond that, I still haven't figured out the best way to reach beneath the L3010, and thus, I find working on it (attachments and maintenance) somewhat inconvenient/difficult. This principally because I'm an oldish short fat dude (so I'm not exactly spry and flexible). Makes getting down and back up tough not just on my knees, but lower back, also. Along these lines, I have a 2-post lift for farting around on cars, which means I am still pondering the issue.

And back on point; per the manual cut in N3BP's post, my 3010 lacks draft control.

Don't know for a fact - but - suspect, had it been equipped with a front end bucket loader from new, then it maybe 'would' have this draft control valve (it is a valve, right?). By the way, can this be economically added 'and/or' is it worth the bother? Realistically, all I want to do is use the 5' flail with minimum time and effort.

Anyway, thanks again everybody!

 

[ken erickson]

I think your L3010 has "position" control and not "draft" control as you noted.

Your position control has that black triangle shaped knob that is adjustable to allow the 3 point implement to lower to your pre-set height.

Useful when using certain implements such as a box blade. In a nut shell your lift arms will drop when moving the lever to the height you set with the black knob. The key is being repeatable.

My understanding of draft control is that the 3 point will actively adjust depending on soil conditions . Simplified explanation I know but plenty to find on YouTube and Google.

Flail mowers are normally used by setting the flail mower down on the adjustable skids that are built into the flail mower. IMHO neither draft control or position control are necessary when running a flail mower.

It is also my understanding that draft control would have nothing to do with your tractor being equipped with a front end loader or not.

 

[Grandad4]

What Ken said. Draft control is used by farmers when plowing the ground to keep the plowing depth even. Don't know of any other uses for it.

Position control is used with many rear attachments to set the working height. I did that with my scraper blade, box blade, rotary tiller and rotary cutter, for example. Didn't have a flail though... maybe that's different.

 

[TheOldHokie]

What Ken said. Draft control is used by farmers when plowing the ground to keep the plowing depth even. Don't know of any other uses for it.

Position control is used with many rear attachments to set the working height. I did that with my scraper blade, box blade, rotary tiller and rotary cutter, for example. Didn't have a flail though... maybe that's different.

Draft control varies plowing depth to maintain constant draft (pulling force) on the tractor.

Dan

 

[jbeech]

ken erickson wrote regarding position control and a triangular knob - but - unless my eyes (and fingertips) deceive me, I'm not certain my tractor has this, either.

And as regards the knob below the front of the seat by which I adjust how quickly the implement attached to the 3-point is lowered, I'm aware of how this works and its purpose. And I don't believe this is what's being reference. So kindly tell me more about position control if it exists on my tractor, please.

Meanwhile, as this may relate to position control, what is the purpose and how is this used - an screw-type adjustment mechanism on the 3-point hitch. Unstowing the handle allows me to use a screw mechanism and adjust 'something' as it relates to position, but only the one side as the other is of a fixed length. That, and I presume only one side needs adjusting because otherwise, Kubota would have include two of these adjustment mechanisms!

Anyway, I'm all ears regarding purpose and why there's only the one.

 

[JasonW]

The position control adjustment knob is located below your 3pt lever in the picture you posted earlier. It just limits how far down the 3pt lever can go down. Or up if it’s placed above the lever.

The side link adjustment in the post above is just that. To change the side to side angle of your implement such as a scraper blade or box blade.

Do you have an owners manual for your machine?

 

[Grandad4]

ken erickson wrote regarding position control and a triangular knob - but - unless my eyes (and fingertips) deceive me, I'm not certain my tractor has this, either.

And as regards the knob below the front of the seat by which I adjust how quickly the implement attached to the 3-point is lowered, I'm aware of how this works and its purpose. And I don't believe this is what's being reference. So kindly tell me more about position control if it exists on my tractor, please.

Meanwhile, as this may relate to position control, what is the purpose and how is this used - an screw-type adjustment mechanism on the 3-point hitch. Unstowing the handle allows me to use a screw mechanism and adjust 'something' as it relates to position, but only the one side as the other is of a fixed length. That, and I presume only one side needs adjusting because otherwise, Kubota would have include two of these adjustment mechanisms!

Anyway, I'm all ears regarding purpose and why there's only the one.

View attachment 162318

Ken was referring to the small knob with a black triangular head beneath and in front of the large handle with the yellow plastic top in one of your previous pictures. You can loosen the black knob and slide it up the slot and re-tighten it so it will only allow the lever with the yellow handle to go down so far. That's the position control adjustment.

The handle with the screw adjustment changes the height of the lower 3 point link on the right side of the tractor. Cranking the screw in one direction makes the right link higher than the left link; cranking it the other way makes the right link lower than the left one.

This serves the purpose of tilting whatever is mounted on the 3 point in one direction or the other. You probably wouldn't have much need to tilt a mower like that but that is very useful for implements that do grading, leveling or moving of soil or other material.

 

[jbeech]

Good grief, I'd never noticed the triangular position control knob!

For sure I'll go fool around with this knob tomorrow. So this is basically a mechanical stop, like a limit switch, for the down position, eh? Great, now I won't have to work so hard when using the 3-point mechanism!

Speaking of which, the 3-point mechanism raises and lowers the mower deck through linkage rods. They weren't at the correct length (or even the same) but now they are (900mm per the manual).

Also, while the aft clevis pins are the correct ones, the set in the front were too slender and lacked washers beneath the hair pin cotters. I've now got the correct ones in hand so I plan to reassemble the linkage rods tomorrow. Once I've done that I'll be able to fool around with setting the proper height of the deck using the position control knob.

Thanks for educating me!
--
John

 

[NCL4701]

Since you bought it used, don’t know if you got an owner manual with it or not. If not, the owner manual and workshop manual are available as a free download at: https://www.kubotabooks.com/AutoIndex/index.php?dir=Tractor Owners Manuals/

 

[jbeech]

Got it, thanks! Also have one for the mower deck, plus another one for the deck showing exploded views with part numbers.

But I have a problem. Following the mower deck manual, the rods are set to 900mm (35-3/8") and I can manually raise the 3-point mechanism all the way to the stop before it engages the rod. These rods at 900mm are about 2" too long by my WAG and I don't know where I've gone off the rails.

Attached is the RC72-29A operators manual (for if someone cares to cast an eye upon it and help clue me in on how I'm screwing this up).

Anyway, while there's no adjustment at the front because the clevis pin goes through the link and it's done . . .

. . . at the rear, where it connects to the 3-point mechanism, the linkage rod is slotted. Way I figure it, with the deck all the way up, it should be at the aft extreme of the slot (so raising it makes positive engagement and the chains lift the deck). It's not. This informs me the rod needs to be shortened maybe 2 inches, give or take.

So it looks to me like the rods need to be shorter to the tune of 50mm, call it 33-3/8" instead of 35-3/8" leaving me wondering if this is just an error in the manual?

Anyway, I hope there's somebody on this forum possessed of an RC72-29A and is willing to measure their linkage rods!

 

[Grandad4]

No experience with this deck but the last photo appears to show an adjustment screw with jam nuts next to the slotted end of that rod. Wouldn't that be for adjusting the length?

 

[jbeech]

Hi Grandad4, and any others following!

I tried shortening the rods by 2" and everything works. Raising and lowering performs as it should - almost. The almost because I discovered why they want the 35-3/8 . . . it's to allow for the lift handle to retract all the way. Otherwise, I have to stop it short of the full arc of travel to preclude it jamming the mechanism.

Fundamentally, and I'm spitballing here, I believe the reason for the slotting and chains and excess travel is to allow for the excess motion of the deck whilst following terrain. Could be all wet theory-wise but this is what I've come to think. That, and to sort a mismatch between travel for the 3-point mechanism and the travel required for the mower-deck. Anyway, this was easy enough to suss out once I had the mechanism in motion and could watch it operate at the extremes of travel. Pretty neat set up.

Meanwhile, I'm awaiting 30mm clevis pins to wrap this up. As you know, they require a washer beneath the hairpin clips and thus, the 25mm I had on hand won't cut it. Should arrive today. Until then, the tractor sit within my shop.

Last thing to sort is seating the driveshaft fully on the mid-PTO output shaft. There's a retractable collar for full engagement and I don't feel it's quite right. Thus, won't engage the drive until I'm certain. I was beneath it and tried wrestling it into place without success. Basic issue is a lack of leverage.

Going to attempt it again now that I have it hooked up, this time with it in the fully stowed position. Just eyeballing things, but raised seems like the driveshaft is more nearly perfectly parallel with the PTO-output and thus, maybe easier to maneuver.

We'll see!