Tired of drilling holes...

[Outdrz]

Decided I needed some Ken's Bolt-on hooks for my L3901. Didnt factor in just how tough the steel is on the top of that bucket!

Cheap HSS bits and a drill doctor bit sharpener got me most of the way there, but it took FOREVER to drill each hole (about 20 mins each). After the first 4 holes, I decided it was going to have to wait until the next weekend...

So I got online when I got home and ordered some Bosch cobalt bits. Wow what a difference! Next weekend I got the hooks and shackles all installed, just in time to have my Everything Attachments Wicked Tooth Bar arrive at the house.

Ugh... That tooth bar took 3/4" bolts on each side... and also came with approx 8 more bolts that were 'optional' and which could be installed along the bottom edge. Had to get another $54 cobalt bit to make those 3/4" holes and decided to wait and see if the bolts along the edge were needed - as it seems like most customer pics were without.

After all that, I installed a new hydraulic top link. What a game changer! Haven't hooked up my EA box blade yet (too muddy last weekend for box blade work) but can already tell that's going to be a match made in heaven... best part - no holes needed.

 

[dirtydeed]

Looks great. Congrats.

wow. those are some interesting shanks on the box blade.

If I recall correctly, I didn't have much trouble at all with the holes for the tooth bar. Small pilot bit, then ripped thru it with a $20 step bit. Send the step bit thru both sides to clean up the hole.

 

[bunchgrass]

Decided I needed some Ken's Bolt-on hooks for my L3901. Didnt factor in just how tough the steel is on the top of that bucket!

Cheap HSS bits and a drill doctor bit sharpener got me most of the way there, but it took FOREVER to drill each hole (about 20 mins each). After the first 4 holes, I decided it was going to have to wait until the next weekend...

So I got online when I got home and ordered some Bosch cobalt bits. Wow what a difference! Next weekend I got the hooks and shackles all installed, just in time to have my Everything Attachments Wicked Tooth Bar arrive at the house.

Ugh... That tooth bar took 3/4" bolts on each side... and also came with approx 8 more bolts that were 'optional' and which could be installed along the bottom edge. Had to get another $54 cobalt bit to make those 3/4" holes and decided to wait and see if the bolts along the edge were needed - as it seems like most customer pics were without.

After all that, I installed a new hydraulic top link. What a game changer! Haven't hooked up my EA box blade yet (too muddy last weekend for box blade work) but can already tell that's going to be a match made in heaven... best part - no holes needed. View attachment 62032 View attachment 62033 View attachment 62034

Wait a minute --- have you used that tractor yet? How on earth can it be that clean?

 

[Outdrz]

Wait a minute --- have you used that tractor yet? How on earth can it be that clean?

Ha! Yep... just hit the 50 hour maintenace mark. Mostly heavy brush cutting.

Right before those pics were taken, I'd been out re-grading a creek crossing. The tractor was a muddy, dusty mess - so I hosed it off.

Looked so pretty I decided to snap a few pics. Thanks for noticing!

 

[bunchgrass]

Ha! Yep... just hit the 50 hour maintenace mark. Mostly heavy brush cutting.

Right before those pics were taken, I'd been out re-grading a creek crossing. The tractor was a muddy, dusty mess - so I hosed it off.

Looked so pretty I decided to snap a few pics. Thanks for noticing!

Mine (M8540/1600 hrs) has plenty of battle scars. And I just had the seat out of the cab to access the AC evaporator under the floor. Lots of dirt in that cab!

Forgot how nice it used to look.

 

[jimh406]

View attachment 62033

I think you have the QH15 on the wrong top link. I’m new to Quick Hitches but you aren’t supposed to change the holes for the QH15 if all of your implements are QH compatible. That means you should be hooking to the black lower link.

Besides the rotary cutter, I also have a Land Pride Grader Scraper and Rear Blade.

This video shows what the lower link is I’m talking about.

Here’s the still from that video.

 

[Outdrz]

I think you have the QH15 on the wrong top link. I’m new to Quick Hitches but you aren’t supposed to….

<snipped more text and video>

Thanks for taking the time to put that reply together. I’m aware that hooking to the black cast iron floating link is possible. There are some problems, however…
1. That black floating link needs to be able to move freely. This is especially true when the terrain is very hilly/uneven, as my land is. The metal finish on that black floating link is also very rough and tended to want to bind in the hook of the quick hitch.
2. According to the manual for the QH15, I am actually supposed to be using a *second* floating top link assembly consisting of two pins and two plates. I found it to offer a lot of range of motion, but it caused the QH15 to need to be angled so far back toward the tractor that raising the 3pt caused the QH15 to hit the tractor tail lights.
3. When I initially tried running as you suggest, it kept shearing the quick attach pins holding clevis pins into the big black hook of the QH15. Then the clevis pins would work out and get lost. Happened repeatedly and I went thru three replacement pins in about 15 hours of use. After eventually losing the both pins and the big black QH hook completely (and finding it after a long search), I decided there was just too much lateral movement due to my terrain and went with hardened bolts and nuts. Problem solved.
4. As a general rule, I don’t take unsolicited advice from people who say “I’m new to this but you aren’t supposed to…” If you are certain, please tell me that and explain why.
5. I don’t take advice from guys on YouTube who also don’t have a lot of experience… note the shipping stickers on that guy’s brand new tractor. Any yahoo can make a YouTube video. Doesn’t mean they know their backside from a beehive.

So in summary, I’m aware lots of folks run their Quick hitch as you suggest. It didn’t work well for me.
Am sure you were attempting to be helpful and appreciated your effort. Thanks.

 

[NvRudder]

Thanks for taking the time to put that reply together. I’m aware that hooking to the black cast iron floating link is possible. There are some problems, however…
1. That black floating link needs to be able to move freely. This is especially true when the terrain is very hilly/uneven, as my land is. The metal finish on that black floating link is also very rough and tended to want to bind in the hook of the quick hitch.
2. According to the manual for the QH15, I am actually supposed to be using a *second* floating top link assembly consisting of two pins and two plates. I found it to offer a lot of range of motion, but it caused the QH15 to need to be angled so far back toward the tractor that raising the 3pt caused the QH15 to hit the tractor tail lights.
3. When I initially tried running as you suggest, it kept shearing the quick attach pins holding clevis pins into the big black hook of the QH15. Then the clevis pins would work out and get lost. Happened repeatedly and I went thru three replacement pins in about 15 hours of use. After eventually losing the both pins and the big black QH hook completely (and finding it after a long search), I decided there was just too much lateral movement due to my terrain and went with hardened bolts and nuts. Problem solved.
4. As a general rule, I don’t take unsolicited advice from people who say “I’m new to this but you aren’t supposed to…” If you are certain, please tell me that and explain why.
5. I don’t take advice from guys on YouTube who also don’t have a lot of experience… note the shipping stickers on that guy’s brand new tractor. Any yahoo can make a YouTube video. Doesn’t mean they know their backside from a beehive.

So in summary, I’m aware lots of folks run their Quick hitch as you suggest. It didn’t work well for me.
Am sure you were attempting to be helpful and appreciated your effort. Thanks.

FWIW...drilling in mild steel...I use a process from a Machinist I worked with when I was a teenager...as I kept bringing him burnt up drill bits to be sharpened. This mainly applies to holes 3/8" diameter and larger through thicker steel. This has worked well for me over the years and I still successfully use my large diameter bits still sharp from the 80's!
(Disclaimer! I haven't had the reason to buy and use the progressive size bits, so not sure how well they work over repeated uses.)

Basically, this involves drilling a Pilot hole first then using cutting fluid when making the final diameter cut. The pilot hole drill size is determined from the final drill bit web thickness.
For example, I needed to drill 7/8" holes in my dump trailer bed for tractor hold down eye bolts as I deleted the standard D rings from Diamond C. Took about ~15 minutes to drill 4 holes.
First, accurately mark the drill location then indent using a center or transfer punch to prevent the pilot bit from drifting. I then drilled a pilot hole at 3/16" diameter based on the web thickness of the 7/8" bit.
Finally, I drilled the final hole through the pilot hole all the while keeping the 7/8" bit cool and lubricated with Cutting Oil. It also helps to keep the larger/final bit cutting edges cool (and sharp) by using lower drill speeds and lighter pressure on the drill.

Lastly, as you learned, buy high quality bits...no Harbor Freight junk. If properly used at lower drill speeds with cutting fluid, they will last years!

 

[Outdrz]

FWIW...drilling in mild steel...I use a process from a Machinist I worked with when I was a teenager...

<snipped txt>

Basically, this involves drilling a Pilot hole first then using cutting fluid when making the final diameter cut. <snipped more text>

Thanks NV!

I did learn a little in the process of drilling all those holes. Didnt have cutting fluid at my farm, but did have some 4:1 shop oil. Started using that generously when I busted out the new carbide bits. Seemed to help the bits stay cooler, for sure.

Am really not sure if that is similar to cutting fluid or not?

The only thing I think of when you say cutting fluid is the milky stuff I see being squirted inside big CNC mills as a solid stream. Always wondered if that stuff was water based, oil based or something else entirely.

Clarifying question: when you talk about the "web" of the bit - is that the term for the spiral part left over between the grooves in the bit? If so, are you matching the width of the web to your final pilot bit?

Finally, Cant speak to durability after only two holes, but I was impressed by the carbide step bit I bought for those two 3/4" tooth-bar holes. The bit had a 1/4" drive shank and was for an electric mini-impact driver. Once the bit caught, and the impact driver started hammering, that thing *blasted* through the side of the bucket and cut big, pretty curls of metal. Would 100% buy again.

 

[jimh406]

So in summary, I’m aware lots of folks run their Quick hitch as you suggest. It didn’t work well for me.

For the record, nobody was giving you advice. I was just pointing out what I saw was obvious as someone who has the same Quick Hitch and similar cutter although I think mine is larger as a 72. The link to the video was simply giving the guy credit that I took the screenshot from to point out where I was suggesting to attach. No idea what his qualifications are, and it doesn’t matter.

There are a lot of youtubes from Land Pride and also Kubota dealers who show how to adjust rotary cutters, install Quick Hitchs, and show connecting to similar cutters either rotary or finish cutters.

You solicited comments by making a post.

You say you had too much lateral movement. You should have almost zero if the lower arms are adjusted correctly (tight) to the Quick Hitch, and you have the correct size bushings for the implement. You seem to be working around an issue you have due to other things by using the Quick Hitch as a non quick hitch.

One more thing, with a little looking you can see that not all Quick Hitches have an adjustable toplink. In fact, the dealer that I bought my blade from made a comment that they stopped selling QH15s and switched to selling QH10s because QH10s are cheaper and if the implement is actually following the standard, and adjustable toplink isn’t required.

Ask yourself, if you had a QH10 and connected as designed to the rotary cutter, what would your “solution” be?

 

[NvRudder]

Thanks NV!

I did learn a little in the process of drilling all those holes. Didnt have cutting fluid at my farm, but did have some 4:1 shop oil. Started using that generously when I busted out the new carbide bits. Seemed to help the bits stay cooler, for sure.

Am really not sure if that is similar to cutting fluid or not?

The only thing I think of when you say cutting fluid is the milky stuff I see being squirted inside big CNC mills as a solid stream. Always wondered if that stuff was water based, oil based or something else entirely.

Clarifying question: when you talk about the "web" of the bit - is that the term for the spiral part left over between the grooves in the bit? If so, are you matching the width of the web to your final pilot bit?

Finally, Cant speak to durability after only two holes, but I was impressed by the carbide step bit I bought for those two 3/4" tooth-bar holes. The bit had a 1/4" drive shank and was for an electric mini-impact driver. Once the bit caught, and the impact driver started hammering, that thing *blasted* through the side of the bucket and cut big, pretty curls of metal. Would 100% buy again.

Sorry...should have said Cutting Oil vs the last reference to "Fluid". As you describe, Cutting Fluid is usually oil that is water soluble for use in large band saws, mills and lathes.

Here is a diagram for the drill bit web:

I just keep a bottle of Cutting Oil handy near the drill press...kind of messy, but it speeds drilling and helps increase the life of expensive large-diameter bits.

Never considered using that type of bit in my Makita impact/driver. Might need to add it to my arsenal!

 

[Outdrz]

For the record, nobody was giving you advice.
<snipped text>
Ask yourself, if you had a QH10 and connected as designed to the rotary cutter, what would your “solution” be?

Most likely it would be to ignore you. Thanks again for your time.

 

[Outdrz]

Sorry...should have said Cutting Oil vs the last reference to "Fluid". As you describe, Cutting Fluid is usually oil that is water soluble for use in large band saws, mills and lathes.

Here is a diagram for the drill bit web:
View attachment 62063
I just keep a bottle of Cutting Oil handy near the drill press...kind of messy, but it speeds drilling and helps increase the life of expensive large-diameter bits.

Never considered using that type of bit in my Makita impact/driver. Might need to add it to my arsenal!

Classic case of a picture being worth a thousand words. Learned a little bit more about proper sizing of pilot holes.

Now that I understand what the "web" of a drill bit is, it makes total sense why the pilot would be sized to it.

Thanks!