Anybody built a 3pt hitch for thier Sunstar?

[mtoney]

Has anybody successfully built a 3 point hitch for the Sunstar? I need one asap, dont really want to sell it and go green(I can get a repro hitch for those!) I love my tractor, it looks brand new, but the lack of rear hitch is a major issue. Finding one on fleabay is like finding a needle in the haystack. I have seen posts about guys talking about building them, but nothing yet. Any help out here?? Shame the Sunstar didnt share more of its rear frame design with the 300/400 class green ones. Then the reproduction 3pt kits could be adapted. Mike

[SmilinSam]

I couldn't find a Sunstar 3 point, so using the hydraulic lift setup and 2 spool valve off a dead Deere 332, and a new Deere 318 3 point purchased to my specs I made this:

This is just ideas for you to contemplate.I would never be able to install a rear pto on this tractor as the rear lift setup would be in the way. I purpose built this to be able to use a front/center and rear attachment at the same time with each operated by its own lever.

[mtoney]

I wish I had the ablity to fab and weld, but I dont. So that being said, short of a OEM style hitch, I need someone to build,adapt and install something like that on mine. I dont need rear pto ablity, we garden the old fashioned way, moldboard plow, disc, culivator ect. Your hitch looks great! Mike

[SmilinSam]

I mounted my shaft above the sunstar factory 3 pt shaft location modifying my tractor frame to receive the Deere style shaft. I bought my Deere 318 3 pt kit from a seller on /ebay that was building them from scratch. I ordered mine with the lift shaft and the arms not welded together so I could position them where I wanted and weld them on myself. Worked out good for me.

I don't know if you could make it to mount on the Sunstar using the Sunstar holes or not as it would sit quite a bit lower. That, and the Sunstar 3 point has the lift arms keyed onto the shaft so you can slide the shaft into the frame holes and then install the arms.

Unfortunately I don't think anyone is fabbing 3 points for sale for the /Sunstar....or Legacy either.

[mtoney]

I know of someone that does the repro jd 3pt hitches, Others have tried to convince him to make a retrofit kit for the sunstars to no avail yet. Maybe more of us that need them need to email him to show enough interest that its worth his time to make up some.

[RayS]

If you do not need the 3 point for Sunstar. I made this for Chris last year. If you need the 3 point and can find a donor. I will build it for you.

You do not need the 3 point for this, but you do need the rear lift. Then the Brinly single point attachments will work on your tractor.

[Talntedmrgreen]

Chris just did a great writeup on a from-scratch legacy 3pt build. It can be done!

[mtoney]

My plow and disc are for 3pt and not sleeve, or I would go that route. almost all the parts for that style I can get thru work. But the true 3pt is another story. If you had one to clone, pm me what the cost would be if you dont mind Ray. Mike

[huffy]

quote:Originally posted by RayS

If you do not need the 3 point for Sunstar. I made this for Chris last year. . . . You do not need the 3 point for this, but you do need the rear lift. Then the Brinly single point attachments will work on your tractor.

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id="quote">What Ray is saying is that you'd have to find all of the parts from the threaded rod upward, plus the hitch frame that's already bolted onto the tractor. That's the "rear lift" he was talking about, which is essentially just Simplicity's version of a 3 point hitch (as opposed to the Ferguson style, which is what you're referring to). If you have that, Ray makes the three pieces that I've got lined up in the bottom of the pic. What these do is convert the Simplicity style 3 point hitch into a 1 point hitch (a/k/a sleeve hitch) so that you can use Brinly style attachments.

[huffy]

The frame of the Sunstar 3 point would be easy to build. As you can see from the diagram, it's basically just a piece of 3/8x2 flat bar bent into a "horseshoe" shape with some bolts welded in to accept the lower lift links, and a couple of plates welded at the tops with holes drilled through them to accept the rockshaft and bearings. That would be easy and cheap to build. You don't need one to copy, as the measurements are dictated by (and made apparent by) the back of the tractor. There's holes in the frame rails that the rock shaft passes through, which dictates the height and other measurements for the frame.Herein lies your potential problem about getting someone to build you one . . . .You'd still need some type of bearing system for the rock shaft to pass through so that it can be greased and replaced as it wears (which it will). The easiest thing to do is order them from Jacks, as they're still available. But, they run about $120 for the pair.Then you need lower links and the adjustable connectors that go between the lower links and the lift arms. You can purchase after market ones like I used on my Legacy build. If memory serves me correctly, it costs about $170 for the arms and adjustable connectors, with shipping. The top link will cost you another $30. So, you're already up to $320 - not including what you have to pay someone to build the frame.Add in the cost of having a rock shaft made, having lift arms made, ordering the trunion, the cost of making the lift rod, the cost of the bolts and pins you'll need, the cost of steel to make everything out of, etc, etc . . . you're looking at $400+ just for materials. If the guy you hire to build it is going to recoup anything for his time, and make even a little profit, you're looking at over $500 at least.

[mtoney]

I was figuring on around 500ish. I have a pair of lower arms for cat 0 already. We are seeing what can be gotten from Simplicity still at the dealership I work for. I figured out what ray was saying just before you posted. And no the single point hitch wont work for me, well it could but not what I want. Hopefully someone will start to reproduce the hitch for the sunstar in the near future.

[acfarmer]

A 445 JD hitch from Reugg is about as close to a Sunstar hitch as I can find I'm going to buy one from him and just get him send me the top shaft and parts loose so I can weld them where I need them myself.

[mtoney]

Keep us up to date on how well the 445 hitch adapts and what all you have to modify. Mike

[RayS]

I would definitely give it a try if we can find one to copy. The horse shoe shaped piece, I know where I could get that to copy now.

[mtoney]

The challenge is up in Simplicity/Allis land. Anybody have a OEM 3pt hitch that is willing to let Ray borrow to take measurments or if someone has a detailed drawing of it. Mike

[huffy]

quote:Originally posted by RayS

I would definitely give it a try if we can find one to copy. The horse shoe shaped piece, I know where I could get that to copy now.

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id="quote">Ray:I don't know anyone that has one to copy. But, I think Steve Levchack (StevenJ) has a hand-drawn schematic for one with all the measurements, angles, etc, you'd need. Send him a PM and ask.Too bad you don't have a Sunstar at your house. Like I said, if you have a tractor so you can look at the rear end, you really don't need an exemplar or any measurements to go off of. The frame of the tracto gives them all to you.

[Talntedmrgreen]

I have one...but it's gettin shipped out Monday to a member. That piece does not have hte plates welded...they bolt on, and I dont have the plates.

From the diagram above, I have AH, the other primary piece with the plates is AD.

[wilm169]

I have one on my tractor, and not to far from Ray.

[huffy]

quote:Originally posted by Talntedmrgreen

I have one...but it's gettin shipped out Monday to a member. That piece does not have hte plates welded...they bolt on, and I dont have the plates. From the diagram above, I have AH, the other primary piece with the plates is AD.

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id="quote">Yours is the 1 point hitch. The 3 point hitch is simply the 1 point hitch base with the plates welded on.

[mtoney]

Not sure where Ray lives, but if he was close I would just loan out my Sunstar to be the guinea pig for the build. Mike

[acfarmer]

One thing I have considered is to add some plates to the frame and set the rockshaft a little farther back than the originals are set.

[mtoney]

That would open up using the JD set up, one would just have to fab up the rod and bell crank that connects the 3pt rock shaft to the mid rock shaft.

[CarlH]

While we're on this subject. I also have a Simplicity OEM 3 pt hitch for my Sunstar Mfg # 1691003/1691765. It uses a different support/bearing for the ends of the rockshaft than the AJ part in Huffy's PDF above. PN 1670728 bearing appears similar to the Sovereign lift rockshaft bearing made out of powdered(?) metal and is hard. I wanted to drill and add a zerk but it just laughed at me. Any ideas on how to drill/tap this stuff?

[Ronald Hribar]

Use a carbide drill. Go very slowly

[CarlH]

Thanks Ron. What about tapping the hole? Carbide taps are a bit spendy. Is carbide the only material that will work?