I recently bought my first tractor, a Kubota L3200, and it was delivered with the Land Pride rotary cutter attached. I've looked through the manuals, and it appears to be hooked up to the 3 point hitch correctly, but something doesn't seem right. The front edges of the mower frequently gouge into the ground and it seems easier than I expected to bog down in just tall grass. I have been using the "float position" on the 3 point hitch lift as directed. Would someone please check out the pics and see if anything catches your eye as needing adjustment. I think this may be one of those things that experience would help a great deal. If it looks correct, is gouging the ground normal? Many thanks for taking a second to help!
Rotary Mower Hookup
- Thread starter MShane
- Start date
North Idaho Wolfman
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Where the pins on the mower are (that connect to the tractors three point) need to be moved down to the lower holes. 
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TripleR
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BX2200, BX2660, L5740 HSTC, M8540HDC and some other tractors and equipment
The manual has pretty good instructions or at least mine did. The front is supposed to only be about an inch lower than the back. You can correct this by raising the 3PH position to the desired cutting height then adjusting the top link and tail wheel.
Leveling Procedure
There are 4 primary adjustments that should be made
prior to actual field operations:
• Deck leveling from left to right
• Tractor top link length
• Tractor lower link height
• Tailwheel height
If you are going to cut really low, you will run aground fairly often unless your ground is really level.
Leveling Procedure
There are 4 primary adjustments that should be made
prior to actual field operations:
• Deck leveling from left to right
• Tractor top link length
• Tractor lower link height
• Tailwheel height
If you are going to cut really low, you will run aground fairly often unless your ground is really level.
ctmike
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L 3750 DT with loader, brush mower, rear grader blade, box scraper, rear blower,
Don't have the rear 3 pt. hitch in "float" position. Use the hitch to hold the height at the front of the mower so that the front of the cutter blade is 1" lower than the rear of the blades. If you need to cut lower, you'll also need to lower the tail wheel.
Probably the first of many newbie questions for me, but I know this will be a great resource and really appreciate the replies. There was no mower manual in my paperwork, but I was able to find a PDF on the Land Pride website with the instructions that were referenced and that will help a lot. Sometimes finding out what you don't know is half the battle! I'll also check out the pin positions where the 3 point hitch connects. Again, many thanks!
TripleR
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BX2200, BX2660, L5740 HSTC, M8540HDC and some other tractors and equipment
Being a new operator can certainly be confusing. Anytime you have questions there will always be someone who can answer your questions. I've been running tractors for close to sixty years and still manage to learn something new pretty often, I've gotten a lot of useful guidance from both OTT and TBN.
gpreuss
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L3200DT w/FEL, K650 Backhoe, 5' Rotary, 40" Howard Rotavator, 6' Rhino blade
First things first, please turn the top link around. You do not want a chain dangling around by the PTO connection or shaft!! I'd tie the chain up, or get rid of it. Once the top link is adjusted lock the turnbuckle in place with the lock nut - which is also easier to get to when the top link is turned around.
The deck is suspended between the 3ph arms and the rear wheel. As the others said, you want the deck about level, maybe an inch lower in the front. Set the height with the 3ph lift arms, then adjust the rear wheel to level it. Don't drag the deck on the ground...
I usually have the 60" deck about 2-3" up. I mow mostly in 4th gear - that would be the fast end of the HST low range? I keep the engine RPMs up in the 2000-2400 range; the mower wants the full 540 PTO RPM. Even in really thick, thigh high grass it does not bog down.
I think when Land Pride said "float" the are referring to the top link. You want some slack in it, to allow the tail wheel to follow the contour, but still be able to pick up the whole deck. About like your pictures show. I don't have that mechanism, so I just use a slack chain.
And talk to your dealer. He should have given you every piece of paper there is for the tractor and mower, and everything else you got! I cannot imagine Land Pride not supplying an owner's manual with spares list, parts breakdown, etc...
The deck is suspended between the 3ph arms and the rear wheel. As the others said, you want the deck about level, maybe an inch lower in the front. Set the height with the 3ph lift arms, then adjust the rear wheel to level it. Don't drag the deck on the ground...
I usually have the 60" deck about 2-3" up. I mow mostly in 4th gear - that would be the fast end of the HST low range? I keep the engine RPMs up in the 2000-2400 range; the mower wants the full 540 PTO RPM. Even in really thick, thigh high grass it does not bog down.
I think when Land Pride said "float" the are referring to the top link. You want some slack in it, to allow the tail wheel to follow the contour, but still be able to pick up the whole deck. About like your pictures show. I don't have that mechanism, so I just use a slack chain.
And talk to your dealer. He should have given you every piece of paper there is for the tractor and mower, and everything else you got! I cannot imagine Land Pride not supplying an owner's manual with spares list, parts breakdown, etc...
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TripleR
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BX2200, BX2660, L5740 HSTC, M8540HDC and some other tractors and equipment
My 3pt control has a adjustable stop to make it easier to set the hieght, your may have the same thing. The top link does need to be turned around so the jam nut is toward the rear for easy adjustment. The chain on the pto shaft should never be hooked around the top link if for no other reason it will wear the threads down and make it hard to be able to adjust. The chain can be hooked in two different places.
1. The clip can be hooked in the small hole on the left side of the tractor's pto guard. When you engage the pto the chain will wrap around the plastic guard on the shaft and then hold it in place so it can't spin.
2. You can also wrap it around you drawbar about the same way it's hooked around the toplink now and it will work the same way.
Either way the chain should NEVER BE REMOVED. I worked with a man that had his thumb twisted off when a sack got caught in a pto shaft and then got his hand hung up in the sack. The guard may seem useless but it's there for our safety. Hope this helps.
1. The clip can be hooked in the small hole on the left side of the tractor's pto guard. When you engage the pto the chain will wrap around the plastic guard on the shaft and then hold it in place so it can't spin.
2. You can also wrap it around you drawbar about the same way it's hooked around the toplink now and it will work the same way.
Either way the chain should NEVER BE REMOVED. I worked with a man that had his thumb twisted off when a sack got caught in a pto shaft and then got his hand hung up in the sack. The guard may seem useless but it's there for our safety. Hope this helps.
North Idaho Wolfman
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L3450DT-GST, Woods FEL, B7100 HSD, FEL, 60" SB, 743 Bobcat with V2203, and more
Ummm... The chain is connected to the PTO shield, it keeps it from spinning, so he has it hooked up right.
North Idaho Wolfman
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L3450DT-GST, Woods FEL, B7100 HSD, FEL, 60" SB, 743 Bobcat with V2203, and more
gpreuss
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L3200DT w/FEL, K650 Backhoe, 5' Rotary, 40" Howard Rotavator, 6' Rhino blade
So I still learn something new about every day! My stuff is old, and most likely did not have shaft covers. I thought it was a chain dangling down from the top link... Thanks guys, for setting me straight!