Hello all. I bought a l3400 with 93 hours on it for home owner chores and light use on a hobby farm. My first attempt at using it left me concerned. First I found the 3 point to be real jumpy more on the up than down but wow scary, rpm changed nothing. Next is likely a noob problem to using a post hole digger. Has anyone ever tried to add non human ballast if so any pics of your set up. Thanks for any advice. SN
New to me 3400 and post hole digger, jumpy
- Thread starter Sharps-Nut
- Start date
I have seen PHD that had a place to put a pull handle in and human power pulled down to add some weight. I don't know who all makes one but Bushhog makes a PHD that has hydraulic assist and I believe adds something like 500 lbs of down force. If I used one much I would own one of those.
Check the adjustment knob right below the seat which controls the flow of the 3pth. If you happen to have a welder, weld on like a piece of 3" pipe to the head of the PHD and then getchya a hunk of 2 1/2" pipe for a handle and have the same thing as Bulldog mentioned.
I've had the bad habbit of climbing out on the end of a PHD and stand on the gear box for weight. Also couldnt tell ya how many t-shirts I've had torn off my back because of the pto shaft too.
I've had the bad habbit of climbing out on the end of a PHD and stand on the gear box for weight. Also couldnt tell ya how many t-shirts I've had torn off my back because of the pto shaft too.
I would second adding weight to the PHD to help with down force, but I have never seen a handle mounted on one to pull down on, and I can understand why- no way would the manufacturers liability insurance allow it, much less OSHA. That is a good way to get yourself hurt, as Eric has demonstrated. I would highly discourage riding the PHD or putting a handle on it for someone to pull down while in close quarters. Some weight would help, as well as technique- obviously the 3PH is jumping because of a tractor related issue, and some patience and possibly repositioning the auger if it doesn't want to dig in (something is obstructing it) will get the job done. We have drilled hundreds of holes over the years, with both a hand held auger and a 3 point PHD, and have never applied weights or rode the implement.
kubotasam
Well-known member
Equipment
B2410, B7100dt, B7500,Woods BH750,Landpride 2660RFM, Tiller, B2781 Snowblower
The adjustment nob under the seat only controls the rate of drop. It does not affect lifting. So if you say your 3 point is jumpy when lifting then this knob will not help.
My idea of the handle was to make it 5 or 6 feet long for leverage and safe distance away. I have seen a few made from the factory with an push handle on them.
bcbull378
Member
Equipment
GL3830,fel,brush hog,pallet forks,disc,gannon,auger,springtooth,plow,drag,ripper
google everything attachments.com they make an attacthment to go on your auger that can be worked from the seat of the tractor that will force down pressure on your auger. I know you have heard this before but dont let anyone around your auger or any drive line driven eqiupment there have been many people killed over the years getting hung up in the driveline....Good luck and safe tractoring....Dan
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I was nosy to see what they had and the only thing I found was a add on hydraulic ram that would create down pressure on the PHD.
http://www.everythingattachments.com/product-p/dan-df-kit.htm
I think that's what he was talking about. Nice looking setup I thought and way cheaper than a new PHD.
$660 bucks for the hydraulic add on plus you'd have to have rear remotes to use it. I reckon it would be worth while.
Since my phd was only $150 that would be alot to add to my starting price but I checked on a new Bushhog phd with hyd down force and it was $2500. I think as long as my cheap one works I'll stick with it.
Thanks for the replies. I scoured google and it appears jumpy 3 points are sorta the norm on 3400's. Guess I should have read more before buying.
I sure think I like the tractor, hard to tell because its so darn cold. It will be used primarily to mow my yard with a 3 point finish mower so it being real jerky will be a real pain. The post hole digger should show this at its worst as it long maybe it wont be horrible with a mower. Ticks me that I bought what I thought was the caddy of compact tractors and this is what you get, but live and learn.
The post digger ballast answer I was looking for was of the non human type, as far as getting around something that can hurt you or worse. My hunting buddy is perm crippled due to a pto accident. I have seen some with long levers that I assumed the operator pulled on to help direct the thing and maybe add weight. Mine has a hole for what would look to be such a rod. My ground at the farm is rocky, sorta why I bought a post hole digger, jobbers suck, but its fist size flint rock that I would think a auger would turn out. Maybe when everything is good and wet it will dig better. Thanks for all the help this place is a wealth of information for a noob.
I sure think I like the tractor, hard to tell because its so darn cold. It will be used primarily to mow my yard with a 3 point finish mower so it being real jerky will be a real pain. The post hole digger should show this at its worst as it long maybe it wont be horrible with a mower. Ticks me that I bought what I thought was the caddy of compact tractors and this is what you get, but live and learn. The post digger ballast answer I was looking for was of the non human type, as far as getting around something that can hurt you or worse. My hunting buddy is perm crippled due to a pto accident. I have seen some with long levers that I assumed the operator pulled on to help direct the thing and maybe add weight. Mine has a hole for what would look to be such a rod. My ground at the farm is rocky, sorta why I bought a post hole digger, jobbers suck, but its fist size flint rock that I would think a auger would turn out. Maybe when everything is good and wet it will dig better. Thanks for all the help this place is a wealth of information for a noob.
Does the 3pt jerk if you put the control all the way to the up position or does it do it if you try to raise it a little at a time? My L3000 is very sensitive if I try to raise it a little at a time.
It jumps when you start to come up, where in the arc does not seem to matter. Now I think I could make it jump only once if I wanted to start at the bottom and make one full sweep to the top. But I am not sure how I will use a scraper blade or box blade when spreading rock or doing dirt work. It may be worth taking to to the dealer and see how much they would charge to pull the control valve and and adjust it to the factory setting. My understanding from reading on the web is they rarely find them set at what the factory manual says they should be and doing so will greatly improve operation. Some even got them adjusted under warranty. Bummer I bought mine used and its out of warranty. I notice when I played with it this afternoon that the 3 point control lever moves a ways then the 3 point jumps at once as if to catch up, that sounds like a control valve issue to me.
Its a neat tractor that is for sure, light years ahead of the 35 year old JD its replacing in operator comfort and layout. That said the john deer had a silky smooth 3 point control and dirt and gravel spreading was easy easy with it. The 3400 will have to have upgrades in this department or it wont be up to the task. Type l3400 3 point into you tube and a guy video taped his 3400 using a boom pole to lift a five gallon bucket of water, it jumps so bad it splashes water everywhere. In the comments under it a guy accused him of making it jump by working the lever quickly. No I can testify it is that bad if you got a bum one like the one that lives at my house, no matter how easy or slowly you move the lever. At this point I dont know of its a deal breaker on keeping the tractor but its a tough way to start a relationship Maybe sell and look for a different model of orange. It might not cost me anything to sell and try again. Thanks for all the help. SN
Its a neat tractor that is for sure, light years ahead of the 35 year old JD its replacing in operator comfort and layout. That said the john deer had a silky smooth 3 point control and dirt and gravel spreading was easy easy with it. The 3400 will have to have upgrades in this department or it wont be up to the task. Type l3400 3 point into you tube and a guy video taped his 3400 using a boom pole to lift a five gallon bucket of water, it jumps so bad it splashes water everywhere. In the comments under it a guy accused him of making it jump by working the lever quickly. No I can testify it is that bad if you got a bum one like the one that lives at my house, no matter how easy or slowly you move the lever. At this point I dont know of its a deal breaker on keeping the tractor but its a tough way to start a relationship
Maybe sell and look for a different model of orange. It might not cost me anything to sell and try again. Thanks for all the help. SN
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Some owners have installed a flow divider so they can reduce the flow of oil to the TPH to make them smoother. Would likely be cheaper than getting another tractor!It jumps when you start to come up, where in the arc does not seem to matter. Now I think I could make it jump only once if I wanted to start at the bottom and make one full sweep to the top. But I am not sure how I will use a scraper blade or box blade when spreading rock or doing dirt work. It may be worth taking to to the dealer and see how much they would charge to pull the control valve and and adjust it to the factory setting. My understanding from reading on the web is they rarely find them set at what the factory manual says they should be and doing so will greatly improve operation. Some even got them adjusted under warranty. Bummer I bought mine used and its out of warranty. I notice when I played with it this afternoon that the 3 point control lever moves a ways then the 3 point jumps at once as if to catch up, that sounds like a control valve issue to me.
Its a neat tractor that is for sure, light years ahead of the 35 year old JD its replacing in operator comfort and layout. That said the john deer had a silky smooth 3 point control and dirt and gravel spreading was easy easy with it. The 3400 will have to have upgrades in this department or it wont be up to the task. Type l3400 3 point into you tube and a guy video taped his 3400 using a boom pole to lift a five gallon bucket of water, it jumps so bad it splashes water everywhere. In the comments under it a guy accused him of making it jump by working the lever quickly. No I can testify it is that bad if you got a bum one like the one that lives at my house, no matter how easy or slowly you move the lever. At this point I dont know of its a deal breaker on keeping the tractor but its a tough way to start a relationship
Ed
I have read 4 hours the other night on possible cures. I had not read on your recommended fix, and you have my attention. A new hyd control valve is 400.00 bucks form Kabota and its supposed to take it from 1 inch leaps to around 1/4" leaps. I hate to spend more money on it because if I was not happy it would just be more to loose. I think right now I could maybe sell at no loss as I "think" I bought it right. Its unforgivable for the mother land to have allowed these to ship in this configuration. Most likely I will read up as much as I can and see if its fixable. If another model shows without the glich ditch the 3400 in favor of a better model.
Just being nosy but does anybody know if its only on the HST models that have such a crappy lift on the 3pt or is it on any model gear or hydro?
It seems to be most of the L models have a jerky hitch when being raised. Remember that the L is the economy model. You need to go to the Grand L and your hitch should then operate smoothly in all conditions. This is not to say that the regular L shouldn't work smoothly, just that they seem not to.
Remember that the L is the economy model. You need to go to the Grand L and your hitch should then operate smoothly in all conditions. This is not to say that the regular L shouldn't work smoothly, just that they seem not to. I have the gear version L3400 and while I admit there is a very slight jerkiness, it is barely noticeable for most operations. Mainly it seems to move in inch increments or so. Don't know if I just got lucky or what. There has been a tremendous amount of discussion trying to cure the jerk but nothing definitive to my knowledge.