Another pin popped off - damaged 3PH - time to harden my pins!!

[retiree-urgency abandoned]

I've already posted about FEL pins falling out and my fix at https://www.orangetractortalks.com/forums/threads/fel-frame-mounting-pin-fell-off.62803/#post-627946.

Today was a perfect day to bushhog a field and after a few hours of mowing, I noticed that the rotary cutter wasn't hanging straight. Turns out that the retainin pins at the right end of the support rod for the 3PH lifting rods had fallen off, the support rod (red line in photo) had slid out to the left leaving the top of the right lifting rod (of course, the more expensive adjustable one) supported by air. It got bent at the bottom. A video of me wrestling with it and trying to remount the rotary cutter in the field would have been entertaining, but I finally got it back on and bushhogging continued. I'll deal with the bent lifting rod when I'm done bushhogging.

I've concluded that while removable pins are convenient if you're often changing setups, I never change my setup, so it's time to harden my pins by replacing them with something that won't fall off during normal operating (which includes bouncing around sometimes). Once I've finished bushhogging, I'm going to end to end replacing removable pins - either with bolts and nylock nuts or with the good old pin, washer and cotterpin bent around.

I've been pretty lucky so far, but I'm not going to tempt fate going forward!

 

[mikester]

Tell the wife you have to bite the bullet and install a Top-N-Tilt kit now...

 

[Yooper]

Had the same issue with my flail mower. Grade five bolts with nylock nuts cured the problem. No need to go with anything hardened.

 

[retiree-urgency abandoned]

Haha - I love that. In all fairness, having retired after 35+ years as partners in a small business, she got me well-trained on the difference between needs and wants. That training was definitely needed, given my shiny-new-thing proclivities. "If you buy that gizmo, will it make us more money?" or "will you be able to work less?". If answers to both were yes, it's a buy. If answer to one is yes, probably buy. If answer to both was no, "why did you waste our time and bring this to the table".

In retirement (and 40+ years together), the yes/no criteria are a little different, but the process still serves us well!

 

[GreensvilleJay]

I've used bolts and castled nuts with cotter pins, bolts and 2 nuts, those SNAPPY 'lunch' pins,
I've bolted the top link to the tiller so NO adjustments are needed...

 

[retiree-urgency abandoned]

Agreed about Grade 5/nylock Yooper - hardened wasn't the best choice of words - secure attachment devices that won't fall off when I'm as far as possible from the barn was the intended meaning. I'd rather grab a couple of wrenches to change the machine setup than risk safety or have the expense of repairs.

 

[chim]

I've used bolts and nylock nuts on some things. For lynch pins I've had good luck with the black ones that hurt my fingers

 

[NCL4701]

"If you buy that gizmo, will it make us more money?" or "will you be able to work less?".

Being you’re retired I’m assuming your tractor isn’t generating income so a top/tilt would be a no/yes. If you generate income doing any sort of grading with it, it’s a yes/yes.

 

[retiree-urgency abandoned]

NCL4701 - if I needed the t&t for grading work on our property (as opposed to hiring it out), it would be a yes. Between the rear blade and bucket with Piranha tooth bar, I haven't needed it ... yet. My income-generating days are over.