3pt height indicator idea

[coachgeo]

ok........ after suffering three minor neck injuries this year that in totality equal to one big injury now that is very much affecting my career... Turing my head any more than my daily norm is not a good thing. Things like twisting myself around; looking back and down constantly to determine height implement from ground of whatever is attached to my 3pt is one I need to avoid..... AKA Tractor Neck issues. This will be combined with Mirrors and or rear camera.


so after much contemplation while looking at FEL bucket level indicators and deck height indicators I've come up with some below ideas. Things to keep in mind.

. NOT impede exit from either side of seat.
. Distance of implement to ground will vary with implement.
. Cost and ease of fabricating a big factor. Have got no fabrication tools beyond simple pliers drill etc. or garage for fabrication
. Main thing needed to view is the fine measurement of the last few inches of implement from ground. More accurate here the better.
. Primary implements needed to view height as of right now is back blade for winter moving of snow and summer grading of gravel drive. Mowing with mid mount mower also. My tractor is OLD school and mid mount mower height is run from 3pt system as well. Want to replace this with 3pt PTO mower anyway.

So what do ya'll think of below construction idea(s)? Open to other ideas.

Cable and case like a Bicycle brake line/motorcycle throttle cable etc. attached to 3pt arm and up to primary solid contact at rear fender. Snake the rest around to where the indicator sits. Heck even string might work running thru eye bolts.. Thus when 3pt arm moves this cable/string is tugged or pushed. Cable and jacket snakes around things up to a horizontal or vertical indicator to show distance from ground ontop or beside of dash. For example here it could simply pull on the end of a tape measure.

With tape measure this would most likely have to be a cable/string setup with with little resistance so little spring action of tape measure is all that is needed to keep taught the string/cable as 3pt arm rises and tape measure returns into itself.

Or fabricate using something with a stiff wire core so it pushes back in as 3pt arm rises thus not needing spring return.

Another option... more like the Fabricated bucket level indicators found on on OTT, TBN, youtube etc. is a solid rod that slides thru an eye bolt. Putting rod in a visible place that does not impede regular and or emergency tractor exits is what limits me here. To bad as this would probably be cheapest/easiest. I do want to experiment with mirrors for view to the rear as well so it could be this rod is viewed via a mirror. LOL... or I could go with a simple biofeedback system where this rod runs up the back of the seat and onto my back. To either get my back scratched or to tell me height of implement I would simply just raise and lower the implement which would scratch along my back,

Any of these.. the further out the 3pt arm the mount of cable/string/rod the greater distance any indicator used will move..... which means the more visible the the tiny distances of implement from ground.

With above ideas each implement will show differently on indicator and will take some practice to now the idiosyncrasy of each.

 

[coachgeo]

Another idea just hit me. A run of bungee cord. The stretch of the portion cord in view would indicate distance from ground. For example a knot tied in it (or clamped on marker orr??) would move one direction as stretch increases indicating implement is closer to the ground

hmmmmm.

This combined with string/cable thru eye bolts might work too. Bungee (or even a spring) replaces tape measure idea and has enough tension to keep a lighter inexpensive string/cable taught hmmmm.

 

[bcp]

I was thinking of a flex cable and housing as I read your needs. but I think something heavier than bike cables would be good. Maybe investigate PTO control cables for trucks.

http://www.grainger.com/product/PTO...wdID=&ef_id=VY3RPAAABbNqcHvL:20150626222500:s

Or gas cap cover or hood release cables from a car.

Bruce

 

[coachgeo]

I was thinking of a flex cable and housing as I read your needs. but I think something heavier than bike cables would be good. Maybe investigate PTO control cables for trucks.

http://www.grainger.com/product/PTO...wdID=&ef_id=VY3RPAAABbNqcHvL:20150626222500:s

Or gas cap cover or hood release cables from a car.

Bruce

Wear are on same wave length. Was just using description of Brake/throttle cable and housing for my confounded head drawing a black for better terms to use.

Your Granger mention points me to also look at McMaster Carr.

 

[ShaunBlake]

Hold the phone!

Height is good -- excellent idea! But you haven't accommodated alignment... (how did your attachment that needs to be raised and lowered get on the 3PH?)... alignment should be an integral part of the fundamental design!

(And please hurry! My neck is killing me, and I'm having to resort to parking my Kub downhill, and letting my trailer creep down to it, wrasslin it toward that shiny little ball -- looking like a wanna-be cowboy trying to bulldog an iron heifer!)

 

[coachgeo]

Hold the phone!

Height is good -- excellent idea! But you haven't accommodated alignment... (how did your attachment that needs to be raised and lowered get on the 3PH?)... alignment should be an integral part of the fundamental design!....

Alignment.... or better said Zeroing/Calibrating. Lower implement being used to ground then begin to start raise it then stop as close too/ontop of ground as can get with hydraulics on upstroke (this is zero point) Mark this on indicator panel / placard. AKA: Cheap Piece of painters masking tape and a sharpie. Repeat procedure but on top of a 1"x1" block and mark that. Continue with as many 1" increment as you need (or 2" or 4" increments; whatever fits the use of the implement best).

Eventually you have several marks some how coded and or separated on your strip(s) of painters tape, that corresponds to your most used implements. Eventually make a nice fancy indicator panel that is all purty easy to read and logical enough the idiot operator (usually yourself) can remember how the panel marks are read. Such as the one implement you use most rare but you have calibrated and marked it before.

PS- this will require knowing the Center Link length used when zeroing/calibrating for each implement and thusly when putting on that implement always set to same length. Not sure if side to side play of lift arms will need to be set to a known length on turnbuckles or not. Don't think so. If there is a height adjuster on the implement such as a wheel with adjustments like on some 3pt mowers... this too must be measured and recorded so can be set same for each use?

If this is a digging tool..... guess you would do the same in a pre dug hole or similar so you can mark the max depth you want to dig too and the increments above. (Land Planes, Box Blades, Plows/Furrows, ......?)

Settings for various single task like trailer hitch, etc..... Put the 3point just above ball and mark. Drop in place and mark. For aliment of hitch, Left right.... there is ton of trailer line up gizmo's available out there for that part.

Sound about right?

 

[ShaunBlake]

I meant alignment attaching the implement to the 3PH. I got your idea of "calibration" -- excellent, and tick marks above and below would be a nice touch. Moot for a brush hog, I guess, but for a box blade or such, the cat's meow.

But how do you back up to and hitch the implement?... by using your invention, right?

 

[coachgeo]

I meant alignment attaching the implement to the 3PH. ....

But how do you back up to and hitch the implement?... by using your invention, right?

ahhhhhh see your point. this is another good use of this idea. To do this you would have to deposit implement in same place/position at all times in a ready to be re attached position. (Cement blocks on one end and jack stand in front or??? Then Tick mark it on your fancy high tech. tape panel. If needed one could steal ideas from the trailer hitch alignment gizmos to line up good to make it all work even better.

course you would have to know settings of turnbuckles on the arms too so your width is set appropriately to the implement.

 

[ShaunBlake]

I'm willing to go to the trouble of the exact same place, precise stack of concrete blocks, etc. But even the most elegant of the "alignment gizmos" give me such a pain in the neck that I can't back up to hitch up any more. Actually, I'm starting to think of installing one of those little cameras... "on a tractor?!!! How ridiculous is that?!!!"

 

[D2Cat]

Coach, for your cable idea--you can buy a speedometer cable for a tractor with housing for $10, and their about 6' long. You can cut off to length required. You can fix the ends however you need to.

 

[coachgeo]

I'm willing to go to the trouble of the exact same place, precise stack of concrete blocks, etc. But even the most elegant of the "alignment gizmos" give me such a pain in the neck that I can't back up to hitch up any more. Actually, I'm starting to think of installing one of those little cameras... "on a tractor?!!! How ridiculous is that?!!!"

Yeah as stated in my opening post this idea is to be in combination with either backup camera or mirrors.

Mirror idea is a convex one that would sit overhead and above hitch area at a downward angle. ( a forward tilt ) Best would be mounted off ROP but don't have right now. To view this a rear view mirror would be placed center up front. Looking in the rear view mirror; at this convex mirror, you would see the implement and attach area. This is basically the purpose of those funky mirrors on the back of the small package delivery trucks. They use them to watch backing up to the dock to load the trucks by looking in them thru the side view mirror..

 

[KennedyFarmer]

Be mindful of the spinning PTO shaft for implements that require them. cables and strings can get caught and cause.....well you know the rest of the warning!

 

[Tallahassee Kubota Man]

Don't know if this would work, but maybe. The monitor needs to plug into a cigarette lighter or modified for another electrical supply. A little pricey.

http://www.iballhitchcam.com/

 

[Tooljunkie]

As i started reading the beginning of first post, what came to mind was the cable. Threaded through to cab and placed in a practical spot. Using solid control cable wire(the kind push mowers use) with cab end fastened to a ruler or strip of wood, with respective marks.

Another one is a marine trim guage, sensors on older boat motors used a cable to move switch. Adaptable.

 

[coachgeo]

Be mindful of the spinning PTO shaft for implements that require them. cables and strings can get caught and cause.....well you know the rest of the warning!

ahhh.... good point.

 

[Tooljunkie]

This is an interesting challenge. There are backup Monitors that use more than one camera. I use an el cheapo on my pickup truck, it has a camper shell and back window is hard to see through. Is mounted high so i can see trailer hitch. Clean lens occasionally and its the ticket for me. May get a bigger better camera, wouldnt be without it now.

Farmers use cams all over the place,combine seed tanks, boom camera for unloading. Very handy.

Im thinking a couple cameras in key positions,say one up high for lining up and one low for three point alignment.

So rear view camera would need a few features-at least 2 cameras and image could be flipped so it could be viewed like a mirror or normal image.


Worst case, two identical camera kits.

Just did a search, dual wireless backup monitor. All kinds to look at.

 

[ShaunRH]

Bicycle brake cable is inexpensive and can be had in weatherproof forms, with Teflon sleeves. I have a simple inclinometer on my bucket for level, but on my D-17 I'm going to have to rig up an angle and height indicator as I use it for heavier work. I might do the same on my L3200 but it would be for finishing work only.

 

[mchilders]

How about a backup camera and a small screen? Or one of those Ryobi Camera's at Home Depot? Just mount the camera veiwer where it's comfortable and then the lens end where you need it and there ya go.

 

[coachgeo]

Camera may work well.... I worry though about vibrations on the screen. And not having a cab to help protect screen. Just get the funny feeling the spendy screen will die quick where a mirror may do the same... but only a few bucks (comparatively) to replace

 

[Vacman369]

Coach,

I have toyed with this idea lately because my current tractor has position control but the newer model (B2620) has the quarter inching feature. I have thought of a cable attached to the three point arms (or more likely, the short arms up high that actually raise and lower those arms). This cable can be run either next to me (like the current position control lever) or even up front so it is visible while facing forward. Pretty simple really, that indicator moves with the arms. A reference strip would be placed next to the indicator and that would tell me where the arms are. I would still need to look at the implement the first time to make sure it is at the correct height but from then on I can raise it and then return it to the same position each time.
I have tried a mirror on my tractor but I was using it to watch behind me vs looking at my implement. That mirror was a large, truck type. It had way to much vibration to be useful. It also got very dusty so it was pretty unusable.

Good luck.
John