PaulB Rotary

[Bird]

Art, that's contrary to what my manual says, but sounds logical and more sensible assuming you do not intend to back it under or around trees, into corners, etc.

Bird

 

[RickM]

Bird,
I agree with your post until the italics start. I use my little kubota with most implements tied up pretty tight (meaning from full tight to about an inch play side to side). However I usually don't use the anti-sway bars needed on the 8N unless doing boxblade work. For the 8N and 5' rotory I like leaving it loose (without sway bars) mostly. I do a lot of my work going backwards and uphill so it is able to deflect on an obstruction. For me the backing under and around, corners, hills, etc., and with the bigger cutter I need that "swing factor". I realize we are talking about 2 entirely different types of machines here, but it's my $.02.

 

[Bird]

Never argue with success./w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif If it works better for you that way, then that's the way to do it. I have one place to mow close to the fence and the ground slopes toward the fence, so I want the mower to stay in place and not be able to swing into the fence, and another place is exactly the opposite; a steep bank away from the fence and I want the mower to stay up close. To tell the truth, I've wondered why the manual specifies either way.

Bird

 

[Mike H]

I too had my first experience with a rotary cutter this weekend. Tractor's a TC33D. Just purchased a KK 5' cutter from Quality F&F in SW MI for $499 (more mktng. strategy no doubt!). One of the primary reasons for getting the tractor was that after 10 years of "neglect" our horse pastures were heading from prairie to forest. Overall, it went pretty well. It took about 12 hours for 12 acres. Grass was easy (12"-18"), as were saplings up to about 1". 2" saplings were no trouble unless I was cutting several at a time (which I tried!). For anything greater than about 2", it was a chainsaw first. The only trouble I had hooking it up was that the width that the lower arms spread too seemed to be quite close to the pin to pin width - but it fit. I did run with the sway bars and would say I ran fairly 'tight'. The pins on my unit could definitely be relocated lower if necessary.

I would like to hear some more detail on guards. My unit doesn't have them, and after spreading wood chunks around all afternoon, hindsight is telling me I should be more careful next time. Do you guys just attach chains or rubber to the rear? How about the front?

 

[W5FL]

Mike, You need the guards on both the front and the back. Most dealerships will tell you where you can buy the rubber belting material and put it on with bolts and washers. The chains are really nice, but the 3/8 chain in more expensive. Look at a Bush Hog with Chain Guards and you can see how an angle can be strengthened to prevent it bending when you back into something. A rod runs through all the short pieces of chain and holds them in place. Chains cost more and last longer. Both are pretty effective against stones being chunked at your house or...whatever.

Usually anything over 1 inch requires a medium duty cutter. These usually have 1/2 in thick blades 4 inches wide and are capable of cutting almost anything when moving at about 200 mph. I have seen a blade come off and go THROUGH the side plate on the mower and just keep going. Don't stand too close to these things! /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[W5FL]

PaulB,

I looked at my Bush Hog tonight and it already has plenty of room to drill or burn a new set of holes from 3 to 4 inches lower. There are two cautions though.
1) Be sure the pto shaft does not hit the mower when you raise the mower.
2) Be sure the pto shaft is the correct length and neither pushes completely together and gets in a bind or tries to get too long and does not have sufficient overlap to be safe. Your cutter manual will show what the minimum overlap is required to be.

 

[RICK R]

on my L 2650 the top link has three or four holes to help adjust the implement

 

[W5FL]

Rick,

My top link has 3 or 4 holes, too. On mine it is principally to adjust the sensitivity of the draft control, which is an option on most L models, but not include this option from the factory. What does your manual describe for these holes?

 

[Anonymous Poster]

PaulB, you need to adjust your top third arm so that your mower is level or the front up or down one inch. The play that the manual is speaking about in in the bolts behind where the third arm attaches. On my mower I also have to leave the hitch pin nuts loose (double nut or lock nut), for it to pivit. Try it this way, it should solve your problems. to check it, back up a small bank. If the lose bolt area pivits, then you have it right. They don't need to be very loose. If you have to drop the lift pins down you also need to drop the third arm point down. If you don't the mower will not stay level at different cutting heights.JerryG

 

[W5FL]

Well hmmmmm...

Guess there are more than one way to adjust these things.

The rear wheel height is adjustable and sets the height of the rear of the mower. Takes a little time to change it, but most people just leave it set at no more than 1 inch clearance for pretty good shape mowing surfaces.

The front of the mower is set ONLY by the two lower arms of the three point. Usually about 1 inch will keep the sides of the mower from digging in on corners, but you can easily raise it with the 3 point position lever to get a little more clearance. The front makes a little difference in the mowing, but the back makes a lot of difference. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

The top link of the three point normally does nothing during mowing and is designed to have a lot of play so the tractor can go over bumps and the mower only moves up and down as much as the lower links of the 3 point allow. The top link only comes into play when you are picking up the mower. In most installations, there is enough throw in the 3 point to allow the mower to be picked up after the front comes up enough to take the play out of the swinging link at the top mower attachment point.

I have also adjusted the top link to make the mower set level, but that is not the way the mower is designed to work and the problem you get into is when coming down a slope to a level piece of ground, the mower support for the top link will get bent. /w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif

The problem is much worse on 6 ft and 7 ft mowers than on 4 ft mowers. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif