Custom Lawn Roller 3 point

[Dhunt4work]

I found this on craigslist and thought it was pretty neat. Says it is 5 ft and is filled with concrete and weighs approx. 1400 lbs.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

I'm making one of those that's 6 foot wide.
Nice to see its been done by someone else!

 

[skeets]

Interesting concept, but wouldn't you need to have a 3 point that can float?

 

[D2Cat]

skeets, do you have a 3pt. that doesn't float?

 

[Grouse Feathers]

skeets, do you have a 3pt. that doesn't float?

May be that's why skeets is always spinning his wheels!!!

Larry

 

[ShaunRH]

Interesting concept, but wouldn't you need to have a 3 point that can float?

If you didn't want float pressures on your 3pt, you could just use a chain or articulated top link (like mowers have).

 

[skeets]

Well I think what I was trying to say was that once you set the 3pt yes it will go up but then stop and where it was originally set. So I was asking if the 3pt would not have to articulate not only up but also down to its lowest position. Reasoning, based on only having used the tow behind rollers which go UP and DOWN all by them selves

 

[Grouse Feathers]

Well I think what I was trying to say was that once you set the 3pt yes it will go up but then stop and where it was originally set. So I was asking if the 3pt would not have to articulate not only up but also down to its lowest position. Reasoning, based on only having used the tow behind rollers which go UP and DOWN all by them selves

skeets
That would only be a problem on our BXs. On the bigger tractors with draft control they can set the 3 point at the bottom and start rolling. I wouldn't want to get in the way of a 1400# roller with my BX anyway might roll right over me. It might be nice to have a 400# roller to flatten out my yard though, maybe by next year my welding skills will be up to it.

Larry

 

[MagKarl]

Ok, we've been to this movie before. I'll say most of our tractors have 3 points that float, they don't apply any down force. Gravity pulls it down. The control simply sets the lowest level the implement is allowed to fall, but it can and will ride up from there if it is pushed.

My Grandpa had a gang of 3 rollers similar to what the OP shows, they were obviously towed though. Concrete filled pipes covering ~12 feet wide pass. They had a filbert orchard on the farm and used to drag and roll the ground regularly.

 

[Grouse Feathers]

Ok, we've been to this movie before. I'll say most of our tractors have 3 points that float, they don't apply any down force. Gravity pulls it down. The control simply sets the lowest level the implement is allowed to fall, but it can and will ride up from there if it is pushed.

My Grandpa had a gang of 3 rollers similar to what the OP shows, they were obviously towed though. Concrete filled pipes covering ~12 feet wide pass. They had a filbert orchard on the farm and used to drag and roll the ground regularly.

The difference is on the BX we can't set the lowest level we can only go as low as the implement is presently setting. If the implement comes off the ground because of the terrain we have to lower it again and that becomes the new low level. The BX does not have draft control just up down and the lever returns to center. I believe you are correct about all tractors including the BX not having down force on the 3 point it wouldn't be good for traction or stability to lift or at least unload the rear tires.

Larry

 

[bmblank]

Is there a way you could hold the lever in the down position? It sounds like in that case when the terrain started falling away from the implement it would lower and the implement would follow. Something as simple as a zip tie might work, but it would be nice to have some sort of integrated lock in it. I could see some instances where the BX system might be useful, but surely not all.
On my B7100 it also only has an up/down lever, not draft control, but when I set it for all the way down, it stays that way. If the 3 point is lifted it will return to the lowest it was set for.

 

[mikkeeh]

Is a BX gonna have enough lift to make a 3pt accessory like that useable? My old B7500 is only rated at about 1100# at the lift arms.

 

[armylifer]

Is there a way you could hold the lever in the down position? It sounds like in that case when the terrain started falling away from the implement it would lower and the implement would follow. Something as simple as a zip tie might work, but it would be nice to have some sort of integrated lock in it. I could see some instances where the BX system might be useful, but surely not all.
On my B7100 it also only has an up/down lever, not draft control, but when I set it for all the way down, it stays that way. If the 3 point is lifted it will return to the lowest it was set for.

I think that on the BX models you could bolt a piece of metal to the lowering side of the 1/4" stop and make the lowering handle stay in place in the lowering position. The idea is to make a locking position for the 3 point lowering handle to lock in the down position but still be able to raise the 3 point up when turning around or you just want to bring the roller back off the ground.

 

[Grouse Feathers]

The rating on the BX2370 is 680# at 2' behind the lift points so you would want a roller maybe 500# to 550#?
I think a hold down device of some sort for the 3 point control would be useful occasionally. It would give the BX a true floating 3 point. I have noticed my grading scraper not following the ground due to the 3 point control. I hope to be grading later this week and will rig up a hold down for the lever and try it out. Does anyone see a problem with doing this?

 

[skeets]

Since I read this I went out and played with the back blade some, and found that if I hold the lever down it follows the contour of the ground, so it will float, So maybe a bungee cord might work for this, cause I think that the only thing the valve does is open and release the pressure so hydro will just flow out and not back in to lift the 3pt,,,,,,, or maybe not