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3 PT Hitch Sway Chains

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Dennis J. English
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2000-12-01          22029

I have a JD955 with about 1060 hours on it. I bought it used, and noticed the sway chains allowed considerable sway. I am used to being able to snug the chains up to limit sway completely. I figured the chains were worn and bought a new set, AM103674 & AM102084. The new set still allows about 6-8" of sway in my implements with all the turnbuckle adjustment taken up. Since there's only one hole in each link to bolt the chains to, I figure Deere has the wrong part number in the catalog, or someone has substitued a non-standard link on the machine. I'm about ready to drill another hole so I can get some adjustment. Has anyone else run into this? (I used to have a Kubota years ago, and could hold an implement to no sway.)

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3 PT Hitch Sway Chains

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Walt
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2000-12-01          22042

Dennis, have you checked to see if there are adjustment holes in the axle bracket where the sway chains are pinned to the tractor? I can shorten the sway chains on my JD 5310 on the axel bracket as well as with the turnbuckle in the chain. Make sure that the draft links are in the fully raised position when you shorten the chains. If the chains prevent the hitch from being raised completely the hydraulic releif valve will remain open causing excessive oil heating and possible damage to the hydraulic pump. ....

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Roger L.
Join Date: Jun 1999
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2000-12-01          22043

Those are the right part numbers. I wonder if someone has reversed the lift arms. It is possible to put the right one one the left side and vice versa. Sometimes this is done deliberately in order to use an implement with narrow three point spacing. (Cat 0) When the reversed arms are spread sufficiently to fit a normal category 1 implement the chains will appear to be too long.....as well as putting the arms too close to the tires. It is simple enough to swap the lift arms to see if this helps.
I believe that the original category 1 arms come straight back from the frame and then bend towards the outside of the tractor. The chains go in the forward hole and the lift arm links mount in the rear hole.
....

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Dennis J. English
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2000-12-02          22066

Thanks for the replies. My tractor doesn't have any adjustment at the frame. Each side of the tractor has one pair of holes, and the chains pin there. The idea of the links being backwards intrigues me, but I have considered it. I'm put off by the fact the wires welded on each link to make anchor eyes for the spring are facing each other as you would expect. I think the opposite side would show evidence of grinding if they had been moved, and there's no such evidence. Jack W got me thinking about the links being heavy duty and the chains being standard (or reverse), but the part numbers are the same for heavy duty and standard duty links. I'm going to give it all another closer look to see if there's something I may be overlooking yet. I'll post it if I find something. I'm also going to look at Jack's machine with the heavier duty hitch. dje ....

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Roger L.
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2000-12-02          22067

Yes, those wires welded on can fool you. I've seen them on the wrong sides of the lift links (the outside)....and it was fairly common for them to be both on the same side of the lift link- in fact, the parts book shows them that way. I can't imagine why. ....

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RickB.
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2000-12-03          22083

Dennis, I am more familiar with NH compacts than JD, but I have a suggestion. It may be possible for the draft links to be swapped from side to side AS WELL AS end for end. This would result in the attachment loops for the sway chains being on the 'proper' side of the link, but at the improper dimension from the anchor point below the axle housing. This may not apply to your tractor, but it is possible on many NH tractors. ....

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Dennis J. English
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2000-12-03          22089

More thanks for all your help.

One of the Board members, Jack W. sent me a picture online of his heavy duty hitch. It looks like his has three additional unused holes in the links, or else they are some other kind of round feature. My links appear a little simpler. This may indicate a revision, or I'm not seeing it correctly.

Which reminds me of something I didn't notice before: each link has a spring anchor loop on each side of it. The outside loop is welded closer to the implement ball bushing than the inside one. The drawings in the parts book are correct in this regard.

I took a look at the leg length of each leg from the bend of the link. They are significantly different, and if the links were installed backwards the whole hitch geometry would be such as to make the hydraulic lift useless for normal implements. My links are installed so the short leg is connected to the tractor. The "lift link" on the left side is not adjustable as a heavy duty lift link is. Reversing the "link" would force you to use a hole that would lower the link level to a useless height.

The easiest thing for me to do at this point is to have an additional hole drilled in each link. Options: 1) find the engineer who had control of this design and tap his brain. 2) order a couple links to see what I get. I'm sure they would be a newer version.

I think what has happened here is that I've got the original links, and the sway chain and link designs have been revised without concern for the compatibility of the revised chains to the original links. It's happened before.

Dennis
....

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Doug L
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2000-12-05          22140

I have the same problem with my 1997 855, w/standard 3pt arms. With the chains adjusted tight there is 6-8" of sway. I also bought new sway chains figuring that the old ones were stretched out, but there was no change. I agree that the old parts were probably substituted by JD without regard for the old standard arms. When I get a chance my solution will be to drill new holes, and weld the old ones closed (structural integrety). I'd be interested to see the pictures of the heavy duty hitch if their available digitally. ....

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DanaT
Join Date: Jun 1999
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2000-12-05          22141

have a 96, 855 and my chains can be adjusted for no sway on every implement I have except for the post hole digger, it has about 3" of sway. I s mine different. Dana ....

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Doug L
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2000-12-05          22142

Sorry I gave some miss info, mine is a 1987 not 1997 so maybe it's only a problem with the older models. Somewhere along the line the 3pt setup changed because the older models are rated for 875lb @ 24" aft of the arms, while the later models are rated at 1100lb @ 24" aft of the arms. I don't know the exact year that it changed. Looking at the parts and technical manuals I see no difference in the internal components (no different part numbers) so the change may be in the geometry of the 3pt arms themselves. ....

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Roger L.
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2000-12-05          22155

Dennis, I don't know if I confused myself or you or both of us. What I meant was to reverse the arms right to left. So that the one on the left side of the tractor becomes the right hand lift arm and vice versa. But do not to reverse them front to back. I don't think that just reversing them right for left would move the hole position for the bottom of the vertical lift link by much if at all.
....

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Doug L
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2000-12-06          22167

Jack thanks again for the pictures they explain allot. Your lift arms have two holes for the sway chains and two for the lift links, whereas the standard arms have only one for each. From the picture I also see that you have the chains in the farthest hole from the tractor which would give more adjustment. Also by being able to move the vertical lift links to the outer hole the lift capacity would increase, though the range of motion would decrease. All in all it looks like a stronger setup than the older models, the ball sockets and vertical lift links look to be cast iron, while the standard setup (mine) is all steel. This all would explain the higher weight rating for the late models. Could someone with the new setup possibly measure and post the dimensions between the center of the inner ball socket out to the four holes? This way I could compare to my existing holes and layout the new holes that need to be drilled. ....

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Jack in IL
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2000-12-06          22179

Doug, The dimensions you asked for as measured from the center of the ball joint on the tractor towards the rear are approximately: 7 inches, 8 inches, 12 inches, and 13 1/2 inches. There was a Kit available to convert to the High Capacity Hitch (BM18186 with a list price of $340). It may still be available. ....

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Dennis J. English
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2001-09-09          31700

I apologize for not putting closure to this issue with respect to how I solved the sway problem. I hope this makes up for it somewhat.

I had another hole drilled in the bar, same size as the original hole, out 1.4" further on the bar. I have been using the tractor this way now for almost a full season, and it has worked very well since I made the modification. My only complaint now is that the implements vary a bit in width. Also, attaching the implements is more difficult. I solve this by pulling the pin at the anti-sway mount at the frame, and adjusting it by hand that way. I don't think John Deere understood then how the small landscape grading operator works. I hope things improved over the evolution of the machine. (Mine is a 1990 vintage) ....

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