DR 3-Point Hitch User Manual

SAFETY & OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS

3-POINT HITCH TRIMMER/MOWER

DR Power Equipment

Serial No.

Order No.

Read and understand this manual and all instructions before operating the DR 3-POINT HITCH TRIMMER/MOWER.

Original Language

Toll-free phone: 1-800-DR-OWNER (376-9637) Fax: 1-802-877-1213 Website: www.DRpower.com

Table of Contents

Chapter 1: General Safety Rules ............................................................................................................................................................ 3

Chapter 2: Setting Up The DR 3-POINT HITCH TRIMMER/MOWER ................................................................................................ 6

Chapter 3: Operating The DR 3-POINT HITCH TRIMMER/MOWER ................................................................................................. 14

Chapter 4: Maintaining The DR 3-POINT HITCH TRIMMER/MOWER.............................................................................................. 17

Chapter 5: Troubleshooting .................................................................................................................................................................. 23

Chapter 6: Parts Lists and Schematic Diagrams .................................................................................................................................. 24

Conventions used in this manual

This indicates a hazardous situation, which, if not followed, will result in death or serious injury.

This indicates a hazardous situation, which, if not avoided, could result in death or serious injury.

This indicates a hazardous situation, which, if not avoided, could result in minor or moderate injury.

This information is important in the proper use of your machine. Failure to follow this instruction could result in damage to

our machine or property.

Serial Number and Order Number

A Serial Number is used to identify your machine and is located on the Serial Number Label on your machine. An Order Number is used to check and maintain your order history and is located on the upper left portion of your packing slip. For your convenience and ready reference, enter the Serial Number and Order Number in the space provided on the front cover of this manual.

Additional Information and Potential Changes

DR Power Equipment reserves the right to discontinue, change, and improve its products at any time without notice or obligation to the purchaser. The descriptions and specifications contained in this manual were in effect at printing. Equipment described within this manual may be optional. Some illustrations may not be applicable to your machine.

2 DR

3-POINT HITCH TRIMMER/MOWER

Chapter 1: General Safety Rules

Read this Safety & Operating Instructions manual before you use the DR 3-POINT HITCH TRIMMER/MOWER. Become familiar with the operation and service recommendations to ensure the best performance from your machine. If you have any questions or need assistance, please contact us at www.DRpower.com or call toll-free 1-800-DR-OWNER (376-9637) and one of our Technical Support Representatives will be happy to help you.

Labels

Your DR 3-POINT HITCH TRIMMER/MOWER carries prominent labels as reminders for its proper and safe use. Shown below are copies of the Safety and Information labels that appear on the equipment. Take a moment to study them and make a note of their location on your DR 3-POINT HITCH TRIMMER/MOWER as you set up and before you operate the unit. Replace damaged or missing safety and information labels immediately.

#32440

#13649

#32438

#32442

Tractor Safety Information

YOUR DR 3-POINT HITCH TRIMMER/MOWER is driven by a PTO shaft that transfers power from your Tractor. The Tractor and PTO shaft are extremely dangerous and can cause serious injury or death if not used properly. Read and understand all of the Warnings and operating instructions that came with your Tractor and the PTO shaft to protect yourself from severe injury or death.

Safety for Children and Pets

Tragic accidents can occur if the operator is not alert to the presence of children and pets. Children are often attracted to the

Never

machine and the trimming activity. precautions:

 Keep children and pets out of the working area and under the watchful care of a responsible adult.  Be alert and turn the machine off if children or pets enter the work area.  Never allow children to operate the DR 3-POINT HITCH TRIMMER/MOWER.  Use extra care when approaching blind corners, shrubs, trees, or other objects that may obscure your vision.

assume that children will remain where you last saw them. Always follow these

Protecting yourself and those around you

This is a high-powered machine, with moving parts operating with high energy at high speeds. You must operate the machine safely. Unsafe operation can create a number of hazards for you, as well as anyone else in the nearby area. Always take the following precautions when using this machine:

 Keep in mind that the operator or user is responsible for accidents or hazards occurring to other people, their property, and

themselves.

 Always wear protective goggles or safety glasses with side shields while trimming to protect your eyes from possible thrown

debris.

 Avoid wearing loose clothing or jewelry, which can catch on the machine’s moving parts.  We recommend wearing gloves while using this machine. Be sure your gloves fit properly and do not have loose cuffs or

drawstrings.

 Wear shoes with non-slip treads when using your DR 3-POINT HITCH TRIMMER/MOWER. If you have safety shoes, we

recommend wearing them. Do not use the machine while barefoot or wearing sandals with exposed toes or heels.

 Wear long pants while operating the DR 3-POINT HITCH TRIMMER/MOWER.  Use ear protectors or ear plugs rated for at least 20 dba to protect your hearing.  Keep bystanders at least 100 feet away from your work area at all times. The tips of the cutting cords on the DR 3-POINT

HITCH TRIMMER/MOWER can throw sticks, small stones, gravel, and bits of debris over long distances at great velocity. Do not travel over loose materials such as gravel or mulch with the trimmer head spinning. Doing so could cause personal injury or property damage from thrown objects. Disengage the PTO Shaft to stop the spinning cords and shut off the Tractor engine when another person or pet approaches.

 Never tamper with safety devices. Check their proper operation regularly.  Never operate the machine when under the influence of alcohol, drugs, or medication.

Operating the Trimmer/Mower Safely

 Do not have the Trimmer engaged or resting on the ground when backing up. The machine is designed to trim and roll on

the Wheel in the forward direction only. Trimming or rolling on the Wheel in the reverse direction could damage the machine and is not covered by the Warranty.

 Know how to stop the Trimmer quickly by disengaging the PTO Shaft and shutting down the tractor.  Never allow people who are unfamiliar with these instructions to use the DR 3-POINT HITCH TRIMMER/MOWER. Allow

only responsible individuals who are familiar with these rules of safe operation to use your machine.

 Do not exceed 2 mph when trimming to allow proper cutting and discharge of material.  Do not exceed 7 mph when transporting to prevent damage to the machine.  Operating your 3point trimmer with the head misaligned with the ground can result in poor cut quality, pivoting problems,

scalping during cutting, wear on your equipment, and damage to the cutting cord

 Never place your hands, feet, or any part of your body on or under the mower deck in the path of the spinning cords, belt,

pulleys, or near the discharge opening while the tractor is running. Keep area of discharge clear of people, animals, buildings, glass, or anything else that will obstruct clear discharge, cause injury, or damage.

 Your DR 3-POINT HITCH TRIMMER/MOWER is a powerful tool, not a plaything. Exercise extreme caution at all times. The

design of your machine is for trimming and mowing grass, weeds, and other growth as specified in this manual. Do not use it for any other purpose.

 Whenever you leave the operating position to make adjustments, change cords or if you have to remove grass or debris from

the underside of the deck, always disengage PTO, shut down the Tractor Engine, remove the Key, wait for all moving parts to come to a complete stop, disconnect the PTO shaft from the Tractor, then wait five minutes before performing any maintenance procedure or inspection on the Trimmer.

4 DR

3-POINT HITCH TRIMMER/MOWER

Operating the Mower Safely (continued)

 Be mindful of roll over hazards, changes in terrain, slopes, or wet conditions. Use care when backing up.  Stop the cutting cords when crossing gravel drives, walks, or roads.  Never, under any conditions, remove, bend, cut, fit, weld, or otherwise alter standard parts on the DR 3-POINT HITCH

TRIMMER/MOWER. This includes all shields and guards. Modifications to your machine could cause personal injuries and property damage and will void your warranty.

 If the cutting cords strike a foreign object or if your machine should start making an unusual noise or vibration, disengage

PTO, shut down the Tractor Engine, remove the Key, wait for all moving parts to come to a complete stop, disconnect the PTO shaft from the Tractor, then wait five minutes before inspection. Vibration is generally a warning of trouble. Clean and repair and/or replace damaged parts.

 While using the DR 3-POINT HITCH TRIMMER/MOWER, do not hurry or take things for granted. When in doubt about the

equipment or your surroundings, stop the machine and take the time to look things over. Make sure that you have 100% control of the Trimmer at all times.

 Watch for traffic when mowing near roadways.  Use the machine only in daylight.  Be cautious when using your DR 3-POINT HITCH TRIMMER/MOWER around fencing, wires, ropes, and hoses. It is possible

that these and other debris can become wound around the Cord Head of the machine, potentially damaging the bearings or injuring you.

 Do not operate the DR 3-POINT HITCH TRIMMER/MOWER on slopes greater than is recommended in your Tractor manual.  Keep all nuts and bolts tight and keep the equipment in good operating condition.

A Note to All Users

No list of warnings and cautions can be all-inclusive. If situations occur that are not covered by this manual, the operator must apply common sense and operate this DR 3-POINT HITCH TRIMMER/MOWER in a safe manner. Contact us at www.DRpower.com or call 1-800-DR-OWNER (376-9637) for assistance.

Chapter 2: Setting Up The DR 3-POINT HITCH TRIMMER/MOWER

It may be helpful to familiarize yourself with the controls and features of your DR 3-POINT HITCH TRIMMER/MOWER as shown in Figure 1 before beginning these procedures.

If you have any questions at all, please feel free to contact us at

www.DRpower.com.

DR 3-POINT HITCH TRIMMER/MOWER Controls and Features

Upper Hitch Pin

3-Point Hitch Bracket

Lower Hitch Pin

Gearbox

Wheel Height

Trimmer Guard

djustment Spacer

Pneumatic Caster Wheel

Belt Guide (4 Places)

Belt

Mow-Ball

Drive Pulley

Cutting Cord

Springback

ssembly

Locking Bolt with Wing Nut

PTO Shaft

Collar and Pin

Belt Tension Pulleys

Figure 1

6 DR

3-POINT HITCH TRIMMER/MOWER

Specifications

Tractor Requirements

Drive PTO Speed Number of Trimmer Cords Belt Belt Adjustment Max. Wheel Base (distance from outside to outside of

Category 1, 25 to 45 HP Max.

Tractor PTO 540 RPM 4 6577BR Gates, 134-3/8˝ L Spring Loaded Idler Pulleys 63"

rear wheels)

Cutting Height Cutting Width Machine Weight

3 - 7.5 in (3 - 4.5 on the head + 3 in on the wheel in 1/2" increments) 22" 225 Lbs

Attaching the 3-Point Bracket to the Tractor

Before performing the following procedure, be sure your tractor engine is off, brake is set, and the key removed for safety.

1. Position the 3-Point Bracket at the rear of the Tractor with the Back Plate

facing away from the back of the Tractor (Figure 2). The opposite side of the 3-Point Bracket facing the Upper Draft Arm is open.

2. Remove the Linch Pin from the top Hitch Pin and remove the Pin from the

3-Point Bracket.

3. Position the Upper Draft Arm inside the top portion of the 3-Point Bracket

and align the Holes.

4. Insert the Top Hitch Pin into the aligned holes and secure with the Linch

Pin.

5. Remove the Hitch Pins from the two lower side mounting Pins of the 3-

Point Bracket. Slide the Lower Draft Arms onto the lower Bracket Pins and secure with the Hitch Pins.

6. Adjust the Lower Draft Arms as needed to center the 3-Point Bracket and

then lock the Lower Draft Arms to keep them from swinging side to side. See your Tractor Operator manual for specific instructions to set Draft Arm position.

Attaching the Trimmer/Mower to the 3-Point Bracket

Lower Draft

rms

Lower Hitch Pins

Figure 2

Hitch Pin and Clip

Figure 3

Mounting Hole

Upper Hitch Pin

Upper Draft

Back Plate

3-Point Bracket

Locking Ring

Pivot Pin

1. Remove the Hitch Pin with Clip from the Locking Ring and remove the Ring

(Figure 3).

Note: Leave the Pivot Washer on the Pivot Pin. The bevel should be facing the

Trimmer/Mower.

3-Point Bracket

2. Slide the Pivot Pin into the Mounting Hole of the 3-Point Bracket as far as it

will go (Figure 4).

Figure 4

Pivot Washer (bevel on this side)

Hitch Pin with Clip

Pivot Pin

Figure 5

Hitch Pin

Spacers

3. Secure the Pivot pin to the 3-Point Bracket with the Locking Ring and Hitch

Pin with Clip (Figure 5).

Installing the Wheel Assembly

1. Remove the Hitch Pin and Spacers from the Wheel Shaft (Figure 6).

2. Insert the Wheel Shaft into the Wheel Support from underneath, install the

Spacers on top and secure with the Hitch Pin.

Note: The Wheel height can be adjusted as needed. This procedure will be discussed later in Chapter 3 “Operating the DR 3-Point Hitch Trimmer/Mower”

Calculating length of PTO Shaft needed

The PTO Shaft provided with your Trimmer is 32" overall compressed length and will work “as is” for most applications. Before you install the PTO Shaft it is good practice to run through the following dimension checks to calculate optimum PTO Shaft length to determine if modifications are needed.

Without the PTO Shaft installed, use the table below to record the dimensions as outlined in the following steps.

Wheel

Figure 6

Gearbox Guar

Remove Hardware

Figure 7

Wheel Support

Loosen Hardware

Tractor Spline Shaft

Trimmer Gearbox Shaft

The minimum recommended overlap of the tubes at the center of the PTO Shaft should be 6". Using a PTO Shaft with less than 6" overlap may fail and cause machine damage or personal injury.

Tools Needed:

 Two 11/16" Wrenches

TRACTOR SPLINE SHAFT TO GEARBOX SHAFT MEASUREMENTS

ON GROUND Inches

SHAFTS LEVEL Inches

FULLY RAISED Inches

Note: Install the Locking Bolt as described in the paragraph “INSTALLING THE LOCKING BOLT FOR PARALLEL TRIMMING/MOWING” in the “Preparing the Trimmer/Mower for Trimming” section in Chapter 3.

1. Remove the front Bolt, Washers and Locknut from the Gearbox Guard with

two 11/16" Wrenches (Figure 7).

2. Slightly loosen the rear Bolt, Washers and Locknut of the Gearbox Guard

with two 11/16" Wrenches.

3. Rotate the Gearbox Guard up away from the Gearbox Shaft.

4. Lower the Trimmer all the way to the ground in the operating position

Measure Distance

Figure 8

8 DR

3-POINT HITCH TRIMMER/MOWER

(Figure 8). Measure from the end of the Tractor Spline Shaft to the end of the Trimmer Gearbox Shaft and record this dimension in the “ON GROUND” row of the table above.

5. Raise the Trimmer up until the Tractor PTO Spline and Trimmer Gearbox Shaft are parallel with each other. Measure from the

end of the Tractor Spline Shaft to the end of the Trimmer Gearbox Shaft and record this dimension in the “SHAFTS LEVEL” row of the table above.

6. Raise the Trimmer up as far as it will go. Measure from the end of the Tractor Spline Shaft to the end of the Trimmer Gearbox

Shaft and record this dimension in the “FULLY RAISED” row of the table above.

Note: If your longest measurement exceeds 37" you will require a longer PTO Shaft. Do not proceed with installation until you have a

longer PTO Shaft. If you have any questions, please visit us at www.DRpower.com or call 1-800-DR-OWNER (376-9637).

7. Take the shortest recorded measurement you wrote in the table and add 2".

8. Take that number and subtract it from 32" (overall compressed length of the supplied PTO Shaft).

9. This final number is the length that you will need to cut off of the PTO Shaft for it to fit properly to your Tractor.

EXAMPLE:

Let’s assume the shortest center-to-center measurement in the table is 27".

 27 + 2 = 29 (step 4 above)  32 – 29 = 3 (step 5 above)  You would be required to cut 3" off both halves of the PTO Shaft and 3" off the Guard.

Note: If you end up with 0" or a negative number, then no changes are needed until you reach a maximum long measurement of 37" as

indicated on previous page.

Modifying the PTO Shaft-if required

If you have determined in the previous steps that the PTO Shaft is too long for your set up, shorten the Shaft as follows:

Tools and Supplies Needed:

 Hacksaw  Bench Vise  Tape Measure  File  General purpose Lithium Grease

Note: Your actual PTO Shaft may look different than the one shown in these steps

but the procedures are the same.

1. Separate the PTO Shaft Halves by pulling them apart.

2. Separate the Guards from the PTO Shaft Halves by inserting a flat tip

screwdriver into the Bearing Tab Slots as you pull down on the Safety Guard to release the Safety Guard from the Shaft (Figure 9).

3. Measure and cut the ends of both Guards the required amount (Figure 10).

Note: If you put the Guards in a vise to hold them, be careful not to clamp it too

tight because it could crack the plastic.

Safety Guard

Bearing Tab

Figure 9

Safety Guard

Cut This End

Figure 10

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DR 3-Point Hitch User Manual

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual