Go Bottom

down force device for 3-point

View my Photos
CaseyR
Join Date: Jun 1999
Posts: 53 Columbia River Gorge, Oregon
TractorPoint Premium Member -- 5 Tractors = Very Frequent Poster

2000-07-13          17948


Has anyone made, or even seen, an auxiliary device for providing down force on a three point hitch? I would appreciate any observations and hints on such a device. I have been toying with the idea of using some surplus pneumatic cylinders and regulators to provide downforce for my Ford F1900 - more as something to play with than an expectation of it actually being a vast improvement. Figure that pneumatics would allow a bit more give than hydraulics. Would appreciate any of your thoughts on the subject.



Reply to | Quote Post Reply to PostQuote Reply | Add PhotoAdd Photo



down force device for 3-point

View my Photos
Gerald Pritchett
Join Date:
Posts: 1
TractorPoint Premium Member -- 5 Tractors = Very Frequent Poster

2000-07-13          17951


CaseyR,
I had a Belarus tractor with down pressure on the
3 point hitch.I always thought it would be good for
a post hole digger, but I didn't have one.
When you tried to use it to put pressure on a plow
it would pick the rear tires off the ground. It may
have worked better with 4 wheel drive, but any weight
you put on the 3 point hitch hurt the traction.
It was great for changing tires.
The Belarus had an unused hydraulic valve with plumbing
to the rear of the tractor. I cut the ends off the
top link and welded them on a hydraulic cylinder.
It worked very well, adjusting a bottom plow, cleaning
out under the rotary cutter, with a box blade, and the
best was with a boom pole. It would pick something off
the ground and put it on a dump truck.
How about a self-contained hydraulic top link for tractors
that don't have a hydraulic hook up on back?
I have been studying the power trim on the boat. I've
told the wife the pump may need replacing soon!
Sorry to be so long winded, but I do love to tinker with
something like this.
Gerald ....


Reply to | Quote Post Reply to PostQuote Reply | Add PhotoAdd Photo



down force device for 3-point

View my Photos
lsheaffer
Join Date: Jun 1999
Posts: 1082 Northern Illinois
TractorPoint Premium Member -- 5 Tractors = Very Frequent Poster  View my Photos  Pics

2000-07-13          17952


Few farm tractors have down pressure on the 3 point. The simplest solution is more weight on the implement. ....


Reply to | Quote Post Reply to PostQuote Reply | Add PhotoAdd Photo



down force device for 3-point

View my Photos
TomG
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 5406 Upper Ottawa Valley
TractorPoint Premium Member -- 5 Tractors = Very Frequent Poster

2000-07-14          17954


A hydraulic top link might be an interesting thing to make. They are useful things to have. A top link can place some down pressure on an implement. I use the idea for smoothing and compacting soil with a box scrapper. I level the scrapper with the hydraulic link and lower it on the ground with the 3ph. Then, I extend the link so the scrapper sits on the back of its rear cutter. The idea works well in 4wd since you don't need a lot of traction. As somebody mentioned, with down pressure on the implement, the rear wheels don't have a lot of traction. As far as I know, ground-engaging 3ph implements are designed to work without down pressure. Sometimes adding weight on top of an implement, such as a blade, is desirable. However, added weight works better since it doesn't reduce traction. I don't know about post augers, maybe somebody will comment. If you rig up something, you might consider if there is a safety issue. What would happen if the device actuated inadvertently when an implement was in use. ....


Reply to | Quote Post Reply to PostQuote Reply | Add PhotoAdd Photo



down force device for 3-point

View my Photos
Murf
Join Date: Dec 1999
Posts: 7249 Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada
TractorPoint Premium Member -- 5 Tractors = Very Frequent Poster  View my Photos  Pics

2000-07-14          17960


Unless my Kubota's are diferent from the average compact, the down-pressure idea doesn't work. Most machines I have ever dealt with have been the same, the hydraulics lift, gravity lowers, and the arms can always be lifted HIGHER than the 3pt is set to. This way if you are using, for instance, a bush-hog and drive through a ditch, it can lift up rather than damage the 3pt linkage, unfortunately the energy required to lift the 3pth is usually more than is required to mangle the mast on the Bush-hog. When you try to apply the down-pressure with any reasonable force, such as forcing a blade to bite into hard ground the arms just lift instead. The ability to change the 'attack angle' is more than worth the trouble of the hydraulic top-link though. Best of luck. ....


Reply to | Quote Post Reply to PostQuote Reply | Add PhotoAdd Photo



down force device for 3-point

View my Photos
Jonathan Skeggs
Join Date:
Posts: 1
TractorPoint Premium Member -- 5 Tractors = Very Frequent Poster

2000-07-14          17966


The internal lift rams on 3pt linkage are single acting only i.e. will only power up not down. The belarus uses double acting so will power down, beware as this can lead to loss of traction to your primary driving wheels. If your compact is fitted with external lift rams(which I doubt it isn`t) then you could fit double acting rams in thier place to give power down. Otherwise you will need to fit a ram to a fixed point on your tractor to the linkage and power down from there. So either buy a naff tractor like a Belarus or be happy with what you`ve got. Hydraulic toplink is handy for in the go top link adjustment but won`t create any more down pressure. ....


Reply to | Quote Post Reply to PostQuote Reply | Add PhotoAdd Photo



down force device for 3-point

View my Photos
TomG
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 5406 Upper Ottawa Valley
TractorPoint Premium Member -- 5 Tractors = Very Frequent Poster

2000-07-15          17977


Murf: Are you saying that a 3ph without draft control lifts easy if the lift control is in float and hard if it's in position control? That's news to me, but many things are. Guess it would make sense. Anyway, I compacted a gravel pad (4" - 8" in depth) for a 40' construction trailer. I used a box scraper as mentioned. I'd be happy, but surprised, if the degree of compacting achieved was entirely due the weight of my 600# scraper. The trailer didn't leave tire tracks, and the JD 590D hoe that moved the trailer barely left track marks. ....


Reply to | Quote Post Reply to PostQuote Reply | Add PhotoAdd Photo



down force device for 3-point

View my Photos
Murf
Join Date: Dec 1999
Posts: 7249 Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada
TractorPoint Premium Member -- 5 Tractors = Very Frequent Poster  View my Photos  Pics

2000-07-16          18020


Tom, not quite but close, the average tractor only has one-way cylinders (as mentioned above) to lift the 3pth arms, and depend on gravity for downward motion. However, if you were to lift against the 3pth you would find it will go up with relatively little force required. Yes, I agree that your box-blade's 'dead weight' did most of the work, although crushed stone takes very little force to get it to settle, it takes tremendous force to compact it. As for Draft-control, thats a slightly different matter, although the basic operation is the same, it is self-adjusting, to a degree. Best of luck. ....


Reply to | Quote Post Reply to PostQuote Reply | Add PhotoAdd Photo



down force device for 3-point

View my Photos
george pacheco
Join Date:
Posts: 1
TractorPoint Premium Member -- 5 Tractors = Very Frequent Poster

2000-07-17          18026


Murph, on some tractors,I think, if you close off the three point speed drop valve after the arms are down they wont be able to go back up until you open the valve back up. Shutting the valve off traps hyd oil in the lift cylinder.
regards,
george ....


Reply to | Quote Post Reply to PostQuote Reply | Add PhotoAdd Photo


   Go Top


Share This







Member Login