VAC Eagle Hitch...Help!

Well, the closer I get to actually using this thing, the more problems I get into. I took the lift arms off a while back to clean out all the gunk. I suspect I put them back on 90 degrees too high because my 3pt disk won't get down low enough. I decided to pull the arms back off and try to rotate up 90 degrees. When I pulled the 2nd one off, the rockshaft rotated slowly in the up direction and now won't move at all. I disconnected the line to the piston and breather line and she still won't move. This tells me that the piston/push rod is bound. I'm thinking the rod must have slipped under the piston skirt.

Two Questions:

1) Can I just take the allen screws off the cylinder, lift the piston out, pull the rod partially out and re-assemble the cylinder?

2) how high are the lift arms off the ground when the Eagle Hitch is in the completely lowered position?

Any help you could give might prevent me from destroying my tractor.

Thanks,
Eric

The Connecting rod has most likely been pulled out of the piston socket and is now lodged up against the piston skirt as you stated.

Pull the allen head screws & lift the cylinder off. If leather cup type, the piston will likely remain in the cylinder and can be blown out with compressed air applied to the oil fitting. Check for damage to the piston skirt, cup (if so equipped) or scoring of the cylinder that may impede full travel. You may find hard grease in the rock shaft housing that is impeding full travel of the bell crank.

When you get it back together, with the draft arms in the full down position , adjust the right side lift link turnbuckle to the height off the ground that you want and match the other draft arm height with the leveling screw crank. In the down position 11� off the ground comes to mind for the initial adjustment, but not sure. Play with it some, you�ll get it to achieve full travel.

Joe

I belive mine is the newer model (not leather cup). Do you think I did much damage to it? I'm going to pull it when I get home next week.

Also, are there any special tricks to filling the system back up? I'd like to change out the oil in it while I have it apart.

Thanks,
Eric

The top of the connecting rod is round so if you lift the draft arms by hand and let them freefall, the conn rod end will glance off the bottom of the piston skirt and pop into the socket. That can knock a piece out or deform the skirt and lead to cylinder scoring.

Clean the oil return filter, fill with oil to the lip of the fill plug opening. When you start the engine the pump will pickup and circulate oil sump to sump. Any air in the system is automatically bleed. The only part of the system that is not circulated is the tube between the control block and top of the cylinder. You can leave the top fitting loose and bleed that on the first lift, not really necessary, air will cycle out in a few lifts anyway. The manual states full level is with the draft arms raised so top-off after the initial run if you want.

Joe

I'm working on the Eagle hitch on my VAC right now too. Use a 1/2 in Allen wrench to remove the cylinder. Be careful as you pull it off that the piston doesn't fall out and squash your foot. You may want to replace the seals on the piston while you have it apart.

Good luck!