[AT] 3pt mower top link

[john hall]

Farmer, I used to be a groundskeeper for a subdivision. Their tractor was a 
compact 670 John Deere. I used a 4 or 5 ft "bushhog" to mow the 
nature/riding trails. The tractor and mower were both John Deere but the 
hitch was just not built to match well between teh two. In my opinion the 
arms were too high up in mowing position. Anyway, quite a few times I had 
the front of the mower to hang an obstruction and cause the mower to flip 
up. The pivoting links would keep it from coming into the back of the 
tractor. Sometimes the pin for the centerlink would hang the hitch on the 
way back down, then I would have to back it up against a tree or in a ditch 
to get it loose.

John Hall

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Indiana Robinson" <robinson46176 at gmail.com>
To: "Antique tractor email discussion group" <at at lists.antique-tractor.com>
Sent: Saturday, August 28, 2010 12:24 PM
Subject: Re: [AT] 3pt mower top link





I like having a flex link in the top link. I wouldn't use a chain
alone. Picture your tractor and mower from the side both with only a
chain and with a top link. Now suppose that you are buzzing a lot at a
pretty fast clip. Now put a short stump (or similar solid obstruction)
in the picture just in front of the mower. The front edge of the mower
hits the stump and note that the 3 point lift pins are suddenly a
pivot point... With the chain there is nothing to stop the whole mower
from pivoting completely over. With the top link it cannot, even with
a flex-link.
I'm not saying that it "will", just that it can... Frankly I'm not
interested in taking that chance... I will continue to use a top link
with a floating section about 6" long.
Francis Robinson
aka "farmer"
Central Indiana USA
robinson46176 at gmail.com