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HydrauliCut+ Installation

Here you will find instructions in helping you to install our products. Always work SAFELY! Our goal is to simplify and ease the process of installation and get you up and running as quick as possible without having to figure out the next step or what is required and why. We will spell it all out here for you!

HydrauliCut+ Deck Lift Installation

SAFETY CAUTION!  -  Always wear personal protective equipment (PPE) when performing any kind of maintenance, removal, or installation processes. Recommended PPE - safety glasses, work gloves, hearing protection and protective footwear.

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SAFETY CAUTION!  -  NEVER pass any body part near hydraulic hoses, fittings, actuators, motors, etc. with hydraulic pressure applied in the circuit as this can result in a high pressure hydraulic injection injury. This often happens when people check for sources of hydraulic leaks! Such incidents are surgical emergencies, frequently resulting in severe, deep tissue damage, necrosis, and amputation if not treated within hours and can lead to death from oil injected into the blood stream. 

Step 1.     Following the OEM Operator's Manual, remove your mower deck from your large frame 2nd generation John Deere 2R model tractor.

SAFETY CAUTION!  -  Please be aware that the OEM mid-mount mower deck lifting mechanism has an integrated lift assist spring. This spring is implemented to provide the necessary force required to lift the mower deck as the CommandCut electric linear actuator does not have enough strength to lift the mower deck solely by its own power. Springs contain stored energy and can release that energy causing injury or death. The lift assist spring in this system has the least amount of stored energy when the deck lift is in the full up position and will always seek to return the deck lift mechanism to the full up position. There is no need to disassemble the lift assist spring to convert to the HydrauliCut+ system.

Step 2.     Pay particular attention to the SAFETY CAUTIONS above!  Raise your CommandCut electric linear actuator deck lift to the full up position per the OEM Operator's Manual.

Step 3.     Place your tractor transmission in neutral, ensure the parking brake is engaged, shut off the tractor, remove the key, and chock the wheels to prevent forward or rearward movement.

Step 4.     With the CommandCut electric linear actuator in the full up position, disconnect the electrical connector plug (A) nearest the electric linear actuator motor from the tractor electrical wiring harness. Remove the electric linear actuator cable attachment clip (B) from the Actuator Mount Bracket (C).  (Fig. 1)

Figure  1

Step 5.   Disconnect the left wheel brake control rod (D) from the left wheel brake pedal by removing the cotter pin and washer (E). Having the brake control rod loose and movable will aid in the ease of the disassembly and installation process.  (Fig. 2)

Figure  2

Step 6.     Disconnect the AutoConnect™ mower lift yoke link clevis (F) from the left side bellcrank (G) by removing the spring pin and pin fastener (H). This will aid in the ease of the disassembly and installation processes.  (Fig. 3)

Figure  3

Step 7.     Disconnect the electric linear actuator clevis on the rod end by removing the 1/2" pin fastener (I) that attaches the actuator (J) to the mower lift rockshaft bellcrank (G). Spin the electrical linear actuator rod (K) clockwise by hand to shorten the overall length of the actuator to facilitate removal of the actuator from the tractor.  (Fig. 4)

Figure  4

Step 8.     Fully disconnect and remove the electric linear actuator (J) from the tractor by removing the 1/2" diameter pin fastener (L) at the motor end from the actuator mount bracket. Retain the 1/2" diameter pin fastener (L) for future use in installing the HydrauliCut+™ hydraulic actuator.    (Fig. 5)

Figure  5

IMPORTANT!  -  Do not skip Step 9 through Step 11. These steps are required in order to disable the onboard electronics error codes associated with height of cut (HOC).

Step 9.     Remove the rubber knob (M) from the deck lift control stick on the operator station right fender control panel by twisting and pulling straight up. There are no threads, set screws, etc. attaching the knob to the control stick.  (Fig. 6)

Figure  6

Step 10.   Remove the two (2) screws (N) that mount the deck lift control stick to the operator station right fender control panel. Remove the two (2) screws (O) that mount the operator station right fender control panel. If you have any rear SCV controls on the operator station right fender control panel, you can slide the cover up the SCV controls enough to perform the following steps without having to remove the rubber knobs on the SCV controls. (Fig. 7)

Figure  7

Step 11.   With the operator station right fender control panel lifted up, disconnect the electric plug attached to the deck lift control stick (P) and remove the deck lift control stick. Also disconnect the electric plug from the CommandCut™ height of cut rotary control (Q) and remove the Command Cut™ height of cut rotary control from the operator station right fender control panel by releasing the plastic retention clips.  (Fig. 8)

Figure  8

Step 12.   Install the new deck height rotary control switch cover (R), rocker switch cover or hydraulic control switch (S), and two (2) 6mm screw hole plugs (T) included with your HydrauliCut+™ kit into the operator station right fender control panel. Reinstall the operator station right fender control panel cover by reinstalling two (2) screws (O).   (Fig. 9)

Figure  9

Step 13.   Prepare the HydrauliCut+™ lift cylinder by disconnecting the hoses / fittings from the cylinder ports. Ensure that the cylinder ports are protected from any dirt or debris contamination during the rest of the installation process by using the included cap plugs until later hose connections are made.  (Fig. 10)

Figure  10

Step 14.   Install the HydrauliCut+™ lift cylinder with the ports on the top of the cylinder by reusing the original 1/2" diameter pin fastener (L), washer and cotter pin and using the five (5) supplied 1/2" flat washers (U) to laterally position the cylinder in the actuator mount bracket. Place three washers to the outboard side of the cylinder yoke and two washers to the inboard side of the cylinder yoke.  (Fig. 11)

Figure  11

Step 15.   Loosen both cylinder port plugs just enough to allow air to enter or escape the ports and extend by hand the cylinder rod its full stroke. (Without loosening the port plugs it will be impossible to extend the cylinder rod due to vaccuum and compression forces inside the cylinder.) Connect the HydrauliCut+™ cylinder rod yoke to the mower lift rockshaft bellcrank with the supplied 1/2" pin fastener, washer and cotter pin (V). Reconnect the AutoConnect™ mower lift yoke link clevis (F) to the left side bellcrank (G) by reinstalling the pin fastener and spring pin (H).  (Fig. 12)

Figure  12

Step 16.   Remove the accompanying couplers, elbows, and flow restrictors from the supplied hydraulic hoses. With the hydraulic hose couplings protected from dirt and debris by wrapping them with masking tape, route the supplied hoses to the applicable SCV couplers. (Fig. X)

UNDER  CONSTRUCTION

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