# 3 point hitch hookup?



## krump (Apr 24, 2009)

Hi there;
I am new to this forums, and i bought a small hobby farm up here in Canada, 30 acres. I went out and bought a small 30hp tractor with pto and 3 point hitch, and a rough cut mower for it. How do i hook it to the tractor. Is there a method to follow???? Do i back up the tractor to it, and hook it up to the side arms first?? and the middle arm next?? How do i put the pto shaft on to the tractor, does someone hold it up while i back up to it?? I know these are dumb questions, but i never seen it done, and i dont want to make enemies: Or back into someone, :bash: Let me know folks?? Thanks


----------



## HermitJohn (May 10, 2002)

You back up squarely to it, put on side lift arms then the top link. The pto driveshaft on the mower will telescope, in other words standing right behind the tractor, you can collapse it enough it will clear the pto on the tractor, then push it forward onto the pto. On anything even somewhat modern there will be a little button on the part of the mower driveshaft that fits over the pto shaft on the tractor that you have to push in. If you look at tractor pto there is a little groove about halfway in that this catches on thus keeping it connected during use. To remove pto, you again have to push in this little button to release the catch. 

Its easier with one person on tractor and one doing the hookup thus if you get one arm on, the tractor can be easily moved forward or back so other arm lines up with pin. But I've hooked things up by myself for very long time so you get used to doing it alone. And you will get better with practice getting everything lined up squarely so maybe both arms fit pins with no moving anything.

Add that I assume you know you need little clips so after you put lift arm over the pin, you put little spring clip in the hole so it doesnt come off. The top link will have a pin that goes through and you put a clip in end of it too. Dont mean to belittle your knowledge but trying to describe process for a total newbie.


----------



## Ross (May 9, 2002)

Welcome to HT!! Can't really add much to what Hermit said except. Shut off the tractor when hooking up the PTO. If the PTO ever engaged while you were hooking it up you'd probably be killed. One more tip. Depends on your tractor but either one of the lower lift arms or both will have a crank adjustment so you can level the attachment. You can also adjust the links to put it on and then re-level it. If you work on the non-adjustable side first then you have the moveable side left to get on and thats easier.


----------



## Beeman (Dec 29, 2002)

Everything they already said. I get the tractor centered and close to the equipment I'm hooking to. I will attach 1 lower arm and then use the leverge of the equipment to get the other side lined up. If it makes it easier get a bar or length of pipe to move the equipment. After the lower arms are on I attach the top link and adjust it. I have sway control arms on my tractors so I will raise the equipment and sway it to line them up and attach them. I use chains on all of my pins so they don't get lost. Lube everything and make sure the PTO shaft pin is in the groove and the spring loaded pin pops back out. Buy extra pins. 
Don't ever ask how we know all of this.


----------



## Old Vet (Oct 15, 2006)

There are several types of PTO shaft some are the kind that has a pin you push in on and some have a knob that you will turn to put it on and off. If you have never had that mower on before and it is new you may have to shorten it to fit your tractor. Let us know and we will tell you how to shorten it if necessarily.


----------



## krump (Apr 24, 2009)

Thanks alot Guys, its making sense now, the pto on the cutter telescopes to the shaft on the tractor. I will take it slow for the first time, so i dont break anything back there. I put the lower lift arms first then the top link, then the pto shaft. I am learning slowly, and it is sure alot of fun!! Big Al.


----------



## wrongwayrick (Nov 26, 2006)

Just a friendly warning, many tractors of that size need to have an overun adapter to operate the mower safely (it prevents the spinning blades from driving the tractor transmission thru the pto shaft when you're trying to stop)

Rick


----------



## Windy in Kansas (Jun 16, 2002)

Everyone has pretty well covered the needed info I believe.

Welcome to the forums. I hope you will look all of them over and participate in the use of them.


----------



## Sawmill Jim (Dec 5, 2008)

Some those tractors have a 540and 1000 RPM PTO most rotary mowers are 540 .If you got extra cash a quick hitch works pretty good too.


----------



## Windy in Kansas (Jun 16, 2002)

Sawmill Jim said:


> If you got extra cash a quick hitch works pretty good too.


Several years ago I purchased a quick hitch so that I could quickly move various implements just prior to and after mowing areas. My opinion of quick hitches is not favorable in the least and hasn't been installed on my tractor for several years now. I should sell it.

The problem is that I have a fair amount of old machinery by various manufacturers from Dearborn to Dempster to others. They all seemed to come up with their own version of what is correct for a 3 point hitch system.

What one needs are implements that conform to the specifications by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) for a quick hitch to be of much benefit. Mine don't and I can't even hook many of them up at all with it. I'm not willing to cut and weld on old Dearborn equipment which would destroy what collector appeal they have so the quick hitch sets unused.

A quick hitch also moves the implement a few inches further back which in my opinion does put some additional stress on the tractor with heavy implements. 

I would use mine frequently (and lovingly LOL) if everything I own was of ASME standards.


----------



## rambler (Jan 20, 2004)

Rough cut mowers - commonly called bush hogs or brush hogs - store a lot of energy in them because they have a lot of rotating metal. As others mention, if your tractor does _not_ have live pto, be careful the mower will continue to make your rear axle spin, even after you push in the clutch, as the rear axle & the pto shaft are joined together when you are in a gear. The over-running coupler is a real good idea. If you have no idea what we are talking about, tell us what model & how old a tractor you bought, and do not drive up near anything when you try to stop the mower - you will see what we are talking about if you do not have live pto.....

If you bought new stuff, some mowers are shipped with long pto shafts, and the shaft will need to be cut to fit your tractor. Some smaller compact tractors have very short 3pt arms, and need a shorter than normal pto shaft. Be careful that everything fits up well for you, and don't force a too-long pto shaft. Don't know what you have, so don't want to assume too much here - it is possible to wreck your tractor with a too-long pto shaft, so be careful with new stuff or if your tractor is a small compact type.

Quick hitches are great if all your equipment works with one - Harbor Frieght sells one for under $70 every few months which is obviously a cheapie but a good deal for small tractors. But, as mentioned, if your implements weren't designed with the big top hook in mind, then it will be a pain to use.

--->Paul


----------



## Windy in Kansas (Jun 16, 2002)

In addition to the top link hook up the lower hitch points were not standard in configuration, especially in width spacing. Sure do like the idea but wish I had all standard ASME implements.


----------

