Talk:Three-point hitch

The other great benefit ( possibly the main one ) of the 3 point linkage is that it converts the drag of the implement behind the tractor into downward force on the tractors wheels. Put another way it makes the tractor heavier in direct proportion to the amount of work being done. Prior to the 3 point linkage tractors had to be very heavily built otherwise their wheels would slip / spin when doing heavy work. After its invention tractors could be smaller and lighter with all the attendant cost benefits. The famous Grey Fergies could never have pulled a plough without it.213.2.177.92 15:15, 28 June 2007 (UTC)[reply]

I started another entry called "Three point hitch" without the dash after not finding this in a search - the other article would be better changed to disambiguation I'm guessing - I've never seen "three-point" with the dash in usage, but it is probably more grammatically correct? I never remember the hyphenated words rules... Charlesaf3 (talk) 20:10, 5 July 2008 (UTC)[reply]

I couldn't find a conclusive reference as to the tractor hp at which the hitch category changes, so I noted it and included a range in the table. --Cygnosis (talk) 14:58, 20 October 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Confusing sentence structure

"The implements can be either hooked on to the hitches of the tractor, as well as implements that are pulled and are connected to the hitches."

This sentence makes no sense. Well, to me, anyway. Is it saying that implements can be hooked directly to the tractor hitches, or to other implements that are themselves hooked directly to the tractor hitches? Or is it saying something else? Cwelgo (talk) 17:21, 16 June 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Addressed. --Aflafla1 (talk) 01:27, 15 January 2012 (UTC)[reply]

Photos

The Ferguson photo is really a bad picture to illustrate a three point hitch. First of all, the top link of the hitch is missing. Secondly the bottom links are holding a 'drawbar', and by its different color, it's the drawbar that's emphasized, not the three point hitch. I've swapped photo positions because the Ferguson photo is so bad. If it weren't for the text explanation, viewers would be totally confused. Another photo would be appreciated. --Aflafla1 (talk) 01:27, 15 January 2012 (UTC)[reply]

The Ferguson photo is far better than the Case image. First of all, it shows an implement that is actually using a three point hitch! The Case implement is on a drawbar instead.

The two colours is quite a useful guide as to what's implement and what's hitch. There aren't many implements where we can show the whole linkage in action without something behind hidden behind the implement, let alone having a tractor that's clean and painted in two colours. There is nothing "missing" about this tractor or its hitch. There's also some value in showing a Ferguson tractor, with the original design of hitch. Andy Dingley (talk) 01:57, 15 January 2012 (UTC)[reply]

You may be correct for the original Ferguson implementation. And like you mentioned, the photo has value in showing the original design. But I still think that the top link is missing. Instead of connecting the top tractor pivot point to one on the implement, two bars connect it to the implement's lower pivot point, which makes raising and lowering the lower arms (and thus the implement) impossible. A mounted plow would likely use the third link. --Aflafla1 (talk) 02:40, 15 January 2012 (UTC)[reply]

Look at this image, of another Ferguson of similar vintage, but without an implement on the hitch. The "upper arm" on these old Fergies is there, it's just very short. Long moving links here weren't needed until multiple makers and models came along, and hitch heights started to vary over a wide range.

If you look at the large version of the gold Fergie pic you shoudl see how the drawbar hitch implement works. Its two bars to the upper hitch point are adjustable, by clamped by bolts. You slack them off, set the towball height you want on your tractor, then clamp them up. Whenever you want to use the drawbar you hitch it up, adjusting the lower arm rams to suit and the towball height will be back where you wanted it.

No hydraulics on these old Fergies either. The ram to raise and lower the two lower links is a purely mechanical screw jack, worked by a handle and bevel gear, just like a screw jack. Andy Dingley (talk) 03:03, 15 January 2012 (UTC)[reply]

The crank and bevel gears at the top of the link leading to the lower right arm are an adjustment to raise/lower one of the lower arms in order to level the attached implement. The main raising and lowering mechanism is likely an hydraulic ram that is internal to the tractor. This ram raises and lowers the upper arms together. The ram is likely controlled mainly by a lever operable by the operator, with the draft control mechanism providing additional control. The linkage for the draft control mechanism is slightly different for the tractors in the two pictures. Neither picture shows a top link. The bars you mentioned are part of the drawbar attachment, like I mentioned before. Normally when an implement is attached, you can still raise and lower the arms, which correspondingly raises and lowers the implement. You don't use this when you use the drawbar. The arms stay in a fixed height, which is why you can have the bars from the tractor upper pivot point to pivot points at the ends of the lower arms. (We're discussing why I believe the picture of tractor with drawbar is not a good picture to illustrate the three-point hitch, for readers who've forgotten)--Aflafla1 (talk) 03:31, 15 January 2012 (UTC)[reply]

Also, normally the top link is taken off the tractor when not in use. The top link would be considered part of the tractor, not the implement so it would be painted the same color. The top link would normally have ball and socket at each end, like you see at the ends of the lower arms. And the top link should have a turnbuckle mechanism for adjusting its length. --Aflafla1 (talk) 04:09, 15 January 2012 (UTC)[reply]

Here's a diagram http://www.livinghistoryfarm.org/farminginthe40s/machines_0204.html on how Ferguson-Ford tph works. I was wrong about how the top link would look. It's adjustable length bars, no ball & socket at ends or turnbuckle. --Aflafla1 (talk) 04:34, 15 January 2012 (UTC)[reply]

Illustration Diagrams

The article might be improved by an illustration(s) showing how the arms move in a typical three point hitch. This diagram may also point out that typically the length of the top link can be adjusted, and that an adjustment can level the lower arms. The diagram could also illustrate a draft sensing mechanism. On the Ferguson, this looks to be on the top link based on what I see in the photo, but I think it's usually on the forward end of the lower arms on most modern tractors.) --Aflafla1 (talk) 02:40, 15 January 2012 (UTC)[reply]

Importance

Why is this article Low Importance to the Agriculture Project? This hitch is surely of critical importance to the effective use of every tractor. If you disagree, then try farming without it! OK, I'm not a farmer but this hitch has not become a world standard for no reason. Budhen (talk) 10:06, 9 June 2012 (UTC)[reply]