That 1/8" steel cable loop at the back of the tractor

[RandyL 53]

I sent my welded hydraulic cyl off to WH parts and more to be cut apart and resealed. Got it back and it is nice! Fabulous work, timely, and a great value. I had to do some work to put it all back properly, someone had bent linkage, mounted the left footboard improperly, and then adjust throw to make it work smoothly. But now, I need to figure out what this cable does that is under there with the linkage..it goes from the lift linkage, under the seat, and out the back about 6 inchs. What impliments used this? I am cutting the cable off for now as it looks like a grade school project..terrible. If needed, I will use new cable and swaging tool for a decent look and fit. My current equipment is a front blade and a 42" SD

mower deck.

Edited November 10, 2021 by RandyL
photo

[Achto 29,402]

17 minutes ago, RandyL said:

What impliments used this?

 

That cable would hook to a slot hitch. This would be used to raise & lower rear mounted implements like a mold board plow, disc, tiller, rear blade, etc. New cables are also available from Wheel Horse Parts And More.

 

 A pic of the slot hitch on my 701. This hitch was used on many  tractors.

 

 

And a pic of the hitch on my 1045D,

Edited November 10, 2021 by Achto

[daveoman1966 3,839]

That cable going to the back is for the REAR IMPLEMENT LIFT as used for a Rototiller, Moldboard Plow, Disc, or other ground-engaging implements. There are a few variations of it.   It should look something like this:  

[RandyL 53]

Thanks you both for these great photos. This explains a lot on how it works. I wondered if it was a trigger of some sort, but it is much more indeed. Fun to learn this.

Randy

[gwest_ca-(File Mod) 11,475]

Double clevis # 8292

https://www.partstree.com/models/85511-toro-clevis-hitch-1969/

[Pullstart 66,716]

13 hours ago, RandyL said:

Thanks you both for these great photos. This explains a lot on how it works. I wondered if it was a trigger of some sort, but it is much more indeed. Fun to learn this.

Randy

Yeah, don’t cut it indeed!  These small cables lift more than you might think!

[Handy Don 14,061]

Cable Diameter - ⅛"

Breaking Strength - 1,780 lbs.

Working Load Limit (5:1 Design Factor -- very conservative!) - 356 lbs.

 

Of course, this depends on the connections at each end, as well.

[RandyL 53]

The cable connections are terrible on mine even slightly worse under the tractor. Luckily, I do some of my own aircraft cables so making this a bit nicer won't be an issue. I stock the swags and thimbles, as well as cable material to make it. I'm glad I know about its use. All good info here.

[Handy Don 14,061]

17 minutes ago, RandyL said:

The cable connections are terrible on mine even slightly worse under the tractor. Luckily, I do some of my own aircraft cables so making this a bit nicer won't be an issue. I stock the swags and thimbles, as well as cable material to make it. I'm glad I know about its use. All good info here.

 

Ah! Sorry to be preaching to the choir on cable info. You'll have this covered!

 

Three WH-specific items:

- the clearances for the cable connection to the mid-tractor rock shaft can be small. Commonly see a swaged-on clevis and pin at that end.

- aftermarket versions frequently use plastic coated cables

- normally these are not lubed to avoid attracting contaminants (I lube non-coated cables with graphite, however)

 

[RandyL 53]

31 minutes ago, Handy Don said:

Ah! Sorry to be preaching to the choir on cable info. You'll have this covered!

 

Three WH-specific items:

- the clearances for the cable connection to the mid-tractor rock shaft can be small. Commonly see a swaged-on clevis and pin at that end.

- aftermarket versions frequently use plastic coated cables

- normally these are not lubed to avoid attracting contaminants (I lube non-coated cables with graphite, however)

 

 

 

 

Handy Don,   Reading your message may have cleared up yet another term for me. "rock shaft"  Never knew exactly what this meant, I'm all new at this WH thing. I take it that it is the assembly that is frame mounted and what my hydraulic cyl is connected to. The cable goes rearward and an arm goes forward to lift deck and blade. I need to get under the tractor and study it all again. I have found a lot of things either installed wrong or bent to work, slowly getting things as they should be. Thanks

[Handy Don 14,061]

9 minutes ago, RandyL said:

 

 

 

Handy Don,   Reading your message may have cleared up yet another term for me. "rock shaft"  Never knew exactly what this meant, I'm all new at this WH thing. I take it that it is the assembly that is frame mounted and what my hydraulic cyl is connected to. The cable goes rearward and an arm goes forward to lift deck and blade. I need to get under the tractor and study it all again. I have found a lot of things either installed wrong or bent to work, slowly getting things as they should be. Thanks

 

You are learning fast!

 

Yes, the rock shaft goes across the middle of the tractor actuated by the hydraulic cylinder. It has two arms inside the tunnel.

The forward-pointing arm is for lifting a mower or front plow blade.

The downward-pointing (shorter) arm is for lifting a snowblower or the rear hitch. The rear cable connects to the small, outermost hole on that arm; snowblower connects to the innermost hole. (And yes, the clevis must be a "deep" style.)

[RandyL 53]

What an awesome bunch of info... love it!

[Sailman 1,299]

Going to jump into this thread as it pertains to questions I have about the "rock shaft". I just acquired a 36 inch tiller and also have mold board plow I intend to use. My 416-8 has the tube. I have the cable BUT the instructions for the tiller show a "lift arm" installed under the seat of the tractor. Front of the cable attaches mid tractor to the "rock shaft" mentioned above that operates the deck and rear cable.

Wheel Horse Stables lists this additional lift arm as a "rock shaft" - Wheel Horse 110044 Basic Rockshaft Kit...https://wheelhorsestables.com/shop/lifting/wheel-horse-110044-basic-rockshaft-kit

Meanwhile my C tractor has the slot hitch and no "lift arm" under the seat. So I guess I can't use it....

I'm confused... Can someone clear this up for me?

Getting ready to order parts I need but don't want parts I don't need.

Thanks!

Clevis_Hitch_RockShaftKit_Instructions.pdf 3326-937 - Tiller_Instructions.pdf

[Handy Don 14,061]

Hello @Sailman

You are correct! Both of those shafts are referred to as rock shafts. And yes, you'll be able to install you tiller!

 

The rockshaft at wheelhorsestables goes under the seat--it spans the space in the seat/fender support bracket that is bolted to the top of the transaxle. Figures 6 and 8 in the tiller install instructions. I know these can go in any 300, 400, or 500 and I believe also Cs, but someone who knows more than me can confirm.

 

The one tiller-equipped "C" that I've seen didn't have a rear rockshaft and the owner had fabbed a lift cable attached directly from mid-tractor rock shaft to the tiller. The downsides of this method are:

a) the angle of the cable exiting the tube (#1 in Figure 7) and going to the tiller forced the cable to the edge of the tube where I think it'd wear quickly (a rear rock shaft lets the cable run be nearly straight while the chain to the tiller is at a different angle).

b) without a rock shaft-to-tiller chain you can't easily adjust the tiller height range using different numbers of links 

c) without the different notches on the rockshaft you cannot easily adjust the leverage of the lift

 

 

[Sailman 1,299]

Thanks Handy Don! That's kind of what I was thinking may be the case. Gives the lift a better angle than just the cable out of the tube. Will just plan to do the rear rockshaft on the 416-8. Its a manual so I feel more comfortable using it for plowing and heavy loads like the tiller.