Rotary Cutter Bought a blue used 5ft cutter

[orangebruce]

Hello, I am new to the site and have a question.

I just acquired an old Rotary Cutter. What do I need to do to maintain it and use it safely?
I am mainly concerned if this is a slip clutch or a shear pin set up?
Anyone know the brand/model?


Thank you for your help, Bruce

[bullbreaker]

Welcome to TBN. Might be a Ford, can you post pic of overall unit. Looks to be in good shape.

Boone

[sweettractors]

Slip clutch model. Ken Sweet

[JD 4520]

Looks to be a Ford. Father in law has the same one. Check U joints and anything that moves. Check often until you get some operating history with it.

[spruce Deere]

Welcome to TBN orangebruce

Does look like an old ford cutter. Check oil in the gear box, grease the u-joints. Make sure nothing is loose, cracked and fastened securely. Blades should move freely but securely bolted down.

[BobG_in_VA]

When you check/change the gear oil (90 weight), and have it on the tractor, carefully lift it as high as it will go, block the rear end of the mower up with suitable stuff and look at the blades/bottom of gearbox, to make sure the gearbox hasn't blown a seal down there (Note: if the gearbox has gear oil in it when you check it, the seal is probably OK). Make sure the blades aren't bent and are about the same for both (should be balanced). If all is OK, you did well... BobG in VA

[Buckgnarly]

Looks like my Ford....shoot me a PM if you want the manual, in one of my posts I link a site you can download the PDF file.

[Soundguy]

yep.. looks like a 951

you c an get the manual from the nclub

grease and check u joints. service slip clutch if available. dress blades/check for cracks, check input and output shafts.. drian gearbox, rinse with diesel.. fill with 85-140 gear oil.. service tail wheel spindle.. clean up.. re-grease.. check tailwheel hub seals and bushings.. servige or grease as needed.

check pins and bolts.. weld fix cracks.. wire brush.. shoot some paint on it.. use it another 20 years..

[schmism]

just like mine except in better condtion...

the big nut on the back of the slip clutch i what you use to adjust it. if you ever get it broke loose, you may have a hard time getting it tightened back up satisfactorily.

do you have a stump hopper on yours or just a twin flat bar the cutters are mounted to?

[orangebruce]

Thanks all, Looks like I have a stump jumper on it. I will try to find the manual now and determine how to service the slip clutch. How do you tell if the slip clucth is fuctional? How do you loosen that big star nut? I see the hex head srew to hold it but don't have something bid enought to lossen it.