[Harryc]

I ordered a Cat 1 3-pt hitch for the 455 and I am going to put a boom pole on it as a first attachment, mainly because I see it as the most useful first attachment purchase. My question is how high can the pole lift? One thing I always struggle with is getting John Deere attachments up on saw horses to work on/restore them. For example snow throwers and mowing decks. Can I lift those items high enough to get them up on a 3ft saw horse? Assuming I can do that how much overhead clearance do I need? We're talking about inside a standard 7' ceiling garage here ... your experiences are appreciated.

 

[rhenning]

Lift depends on how long your pole is, how strong your winch is and how much weight you have on the front of your tractor. Roger

 

[Harryc]

Roger, assume no winch, this pole, and 160lbs on front. (Not to mention 325 lbs in the seat. ). Winch? You'll have to explain that one to me. Where, how, why, etc. I'd have assumed we'd use the 455's hydraulics instead of a winch.
http://www.tractorsupply.com/en/store/countylinereg;-boom-pole

 

[JD X728]

- - - My question is how high can the pole lift? One thing I always struggle with is getting John Deere attachments up on saw horses to work on/restore them.

Congratulations are in order! You will not have to struggle any more with lifting a snow blower. Yes, you will be able to lift a 54" wide snow blower high enough to put one on a 32" set of saw horses.

Assuming I can do that how much overhead clearance do I need? We're talking about inside a standard 7' ceiling garage here ... your experiences are appreciated.

I do not have any experience wit 7 ft. ceilings, my garage is 12 ft high. With that in mind, what you are really talking about is a hoist and the perch of the lifted object. You need to grip the object to be lifted with a short length of rigging. Then watch the overhead to see what is going to happen. As an example lets study a 60 in. wide 7 iron mower deck. It weighs about 305 lbs and that is more than I can lift by myself.

Set the rigging including the lift (your boom pole) as low as possible on the object (7 iron deck) to be lifted. Then lift away but not completely off the ground. Prop the 7 Iron deck up and adjust your rigging to get a shorter perch. Then repeat the lift until the object being lifted (7 Iron) is high enough to place the saw horses under it. Then lower the object being lifted (7 Iron) until you can remove the rigging from it.

When it is time to work on the other side, Just repeat the last lift and when it is time to lower the object (7 Iron) to the saw horses repeat as above.

I have a short 16" length of chain, and another smaller piece that I use to lift my 7 Iron deck. I am thinking of getting two more pieces so that I can lift the mower deck directly to the saw horses. That way I can make my attachments as follows. Two attachments at the front of the 7 Iron Deck, and two more at the rear wheels of the 7 Iron deck. That should provide for lifting the mower deck in a manner which is level.

By selecting the rigging so that it can be easily removed, shortened/lengthened etc, you will be able to make lifts with that boom pole that will impress people.

Jerry

 

[rabbitking61]

I have one that is a cat "0". I believe that you should be able to do it. The biggest problem I find with the thing is that out at that far end where you will be lifting, it doesn't take much weight to lift the front end off the ground. Actually you can almost lift the front end of the tractor off the ground by hand pressing down. You will need weight on the front to lift much.

Keep in mind that you can always replace the top link with a hydraulic cylinder link to get a little more lift adjustment.

 

[Harryc]

Good tips here. Thanks Gentlemen. I'll keep an eye on the front end when the time comes. I won't be lifting more than say 300lbs so I think I'll be Ok with the front weights I have. If not I'll get more. :fing32:.