Possible to lower 3 pt hitch more?

[Sixmaxwells]

I’m still trying to get kinks worked out from upgrading from 3560 to M4.
I believe my last challenge is that my 3 pt hitch will not go low enough to pick up a couple of my implements. I need it to drop about 2-3 more inches and it would allow me to hook up my implements using my quick hitch.
I see in the manual it says I can place pin here to raise it higher, but will it also allow it go lower? Is there any other way to allow 3 pt hitch to drop more?

 

[Sixmaxwells]

Or is the side link adjustable?
Maybe I could extend both sidelinks 2 inches?

 

[Roadworthy]

Check the three point control. There may be a stop set which prevents the handle from going to its limit.

 

[NCL4701]

Or is the side link adjustable?
Maybe I could extend both sidelinks 2 inches?

It does appear both of the side links are adjustable and they both appear to be screwed in most or all the way. I’d run them out as far as they go and see if that fixes it. If only one is adjustable I’d run that one all the way out and if that gets it low enough, put an adjustable on the other side, too.

Of course I’d check the stop on the lift control first as suggested by Roadworthy as that’s the easiest solution if that’s the problem.

 

[Bri-Guy-GA]

You could also put something under your implements to raise them up. Easier than trying to re-engineer your 3-point.

 

[Thunder chicken]

Your side links are adjustable. The right side should have a ‘handle’ on it to adjust while in place. The left side you will have to pull one of the pins and turn it (maybe with a pipe wrench if it’s stiff). There are groves in the threads as the warning to not go out further.
When fully out your arms will nearly be on the ground.

 

[Thunder chicken]

Oh, and when you go too low with a heavy implement, the top link will hit the PTO shield, turning it into a piece of scrap!!

 

[bmblank]

Yes, if you move your links to the other holes it will probably lower the arms a little bit, but it will also greatly reduce your lifting capacity. Go with other options listed here if available.

 

[Old_Paint]

What bmblank said, X2 with a little more explanation.

On some models, there are two holes in the side links. The one farthest from the tractor end pivots will not raise/lower the equipment as far, but will give a lot more lifting power. The ones closer to the tractor end pivots will amplify the motion slightly, but you will lose lift strength because of having a shorter moment arm for the lifting rods. I haven't actually moved or measured mine to see how much effect it has. The change in lift strength is because you're changing the effective radius (length of moment arm) from the pivot to the actual lift point on the bars. You can't change the length of the pitman arms on the lift, but you can change where they connect to the lower lift arms if there is a second set of holes. Think of it as a mechanical amplifier. You're pulling on a long lever with a shorter lever. The shorter lever has a given amount of force which does not change. Changing where it connects to the longer lever changes the mechanical advantage.

If there are not additional holes in the side links, I don't recommend adding any. Dunno how heavy your biggest attachment is, but moving the lift links in on the arms could create a problem if you need all the lift capacity of the tractor. However, I'd like to you don't have anything heavy enough to lift the front end of the tractor. But the lift certainly is strong enough to do that. That's one of the mistakes that lead to reverse rollovers when folks think that because they're not pulling with the transmission that they're safe.

I too have the 'alligator arm' syndrome on my LX2610SU because it's got the much larger R14 tires, which raise it above other similar ROPS models nearly 4 inches. As another poster suggested, I just get scrap pallets or 4x4 blocks and set my implements on them.

 

[Old_Paint]

Gave Big O a pressure wash today, and had a good peek at the lift arms. there is indeed a hole about 2 inches closer to the pivots on both lift arms, and it's obvious that it will lower the arms considerably. They have cotter pin retainers, which I may swap to hair-pins to make it easy to switch back and forth for what I'm doing with the 3PH, just in case I want to lift something really heavy. I was trying to do a little leveling with the box blade yesterday, and there were times the blade wouldn't even touch the ground. That was quite annoying because where it wasn't touching was exactly where I needed to cut the deepest. Since the box blade is relatively light, and doesn't ever get any heavier, I'm thinking I'll move 'em tomorrow, try the blade, and then hook up the chipper and see if I can lift it. Pretty sure it won't be a problem. All I need to do is be able to put the chipper on the ground to use it. Not like I have to worry about depth with it.

 

[Old_Paint]

Or is the side link adjustable?
Maybe I could extend both sidelinks 2 inches?

Precisely what I did today. Now I can drop the box blade a LOT lower. It also raises higher, but a raised implement usually has no real advantage unless you're crossing a creek ford or something really deep. The chipper just sits on the ground, but isn't heavy enough to worry about picking it up. It's heavy, but not too much for the lift. Got nothing else to worry about at the moment.

 

[Sixmaxwells]

Lowering the sidelinks about an inch and a half did the trick! Thanks for the help !

 

[BobInSD]

I’m still trying to get kinks worked out from upgrading from 3560 to M4.
I believe my last challenge is that my 3 pt hitch will not go low enough to pick up a couple of my implements. I need it to drop about 2-3 more inches and it would allow me to hook up my implements using my quick hitch.
I see in the manual it says I can place pin here to raise it higher, but will it also allow it go lower? Is there any other way to allow 3 pt hitch to drop more?

Wouldn't moving the side link to that hole make the end lower?

The zirk on your LHS side link would indicate that it would adjust--do you see threads?

 

[Sixmaxwells]

Wouldn't moving the side link to that hole make the end lower?

The zirk on your LHS side link would indicate that it would adjust--do you see threads?

The side link did adjust.

the hole would make it lower, but also lowers lift power.

 

[BobInSD]

I was thinking you could move it to the front hole, hitch up, then sit the implement on something and move back to the rear hole. I see now that you had it figured out before I posted--I should have read all the way through.