Preset mowing height for batwing?

   / Preset mowing height for batwing? #1  

enfield

Member
Joined
Dec 19, 2010
Messages
30
Location
SW VA
Tractor
JD 2240; Kubota M8540 HDT
Just purchased a new-to-me Woods BW3180 for trimming pastures. Spent lots of time looking at other brands, but Woods is EZ to work on and get parts for. Besides, my 6' Woods has been given good service for 30 years with only a gearbox seal to replace [easily done].

This year for our rotational grazing program, I have decided to avoid herbicides for weed control and just mow. So far, each pasture has needed a different mowing height. With one hydraulic cylinder holding up all the weight of a fairly dynamic machine, it doesn't take long before it has sagged a bit and I'm mowing what should be good forage.

Looking at the deck lift cylinder, I can imagine just slipping a spacer of the appropriate length on to the shaft of the cylinder so as to hold the mower deck at a preset height. Then I can concentrate on operating smoothly/safely and not have to monitor cutting height.

Is this something others have done?

tia

enfield
 
   / Preset mowing height for batwing? #2  
That's what we do on our Woods batwing. TSC or any farm equipment dealer sells metal spacers just for this purpose. The are each about an inch in length and you can stack as many on a cylinder as needed to achieve the desired height.
 
   / Preset mowing height for batwing? #3  
That's what we do on our Woods batwing. TSC or any farm equipment dealer sells metal spacers just for this purpose. The are each about an inch in length and you can stack as many on a cylinder as needed to achieve the desired height.

Me too! They go on and off without tools, and if you need to pick up for some reason, you'll be able to set the mower right back to where it was (cutting height) without looking.
 
   / Preset mowing height for batwing? #4  
Just purchased a new-to-me Woods BW3180 for trimming pastures. Spent lots of time looking at other brands, but Woods is EZ to work on and get parts for. Besides, my 6' Woods has been given good service for 30 years with only a gearbox seal to replace [easily done].

This year for our rotational grazing program, I have decided to avoid herbicides for weed control and just mow. So far, each pasture has needed a different mowing height. With one hydraulic cylinder holding up all the weight of a fairly dynamic machine, it doesn't take long before it has sagged a bit and I'm mowing what should be good forage.

Looking at the deck lift cylinder, I can imagine just slipping a spacer of the appropriate length on to the shaft of the cylinder so as to hold the mower deck at a preset height. Then I can concentrate on operating smoothly/safely and not have to monitor cutting height.

Is this something others have done?

tia

enfield

Congrats! You answered your own question!

You stated "new to me"....I'm assuming that means it wasn't bought "brand new"...? You SHOULD have cylinder stops that came with the NEW mower. I've got 5 Bush Hog 2615L and 3 BH3715's that had an assortment of spacers with them from the factory. Woods does essentially the same thing.


Woods list's several 3180 batwings in their manuals (on line) Try here.... http://www.woodsequipment.com/manuals.aspx?id=11629#ctl00_contentMain_Directory1 and download the manual for your mower. It SHOULD have every detail you'll need on leveling the deck, setting the deck pitch, setting mowing height, ect,......
 
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   / Preset mowing height for batwing? #5  
Our Woods DS1260 came with spacers, not a batwing, but same principal.
 
   / Preset mowing height for batwing? #6  
They all have spacers, where are yours? (probably in the previous owner's tractor so he wouldn't forget them :cool:).

They are cheap and fit the cylinder diameter (i.e. brand doesn't matter).
 
   / Preset mowing height for batwing? #7  
Unless WOODS recently changed, unlike the Bush Hog ( and maybe others) the hydraulic lift cylinder, hose, and height spacers are optional.
 
   / Preset mowing height for batwing? #9  
Unless WOODS recently changed, unlike the Bush Hog ( and maybe others) the hydraulic lift cylinder, hose, and height spacers are optional.

We bought ours three years ago and it came with them. Maybe the dealer just automatically adds them, but everything on his lot had them.
 
 
 
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