Rotary Cutter Using a new rotary cutter

[pooters]

FiremanPat,

Yep, I guess it's time to dump or get off the tractor.

Thanks.

 

[pooters]

Am assuming yours is the SQ420. If so, look on pg7 of the owner's manual. Note the arrow pointing to the "toplink hitch point". It's my guess that you're mowing with that U-shaped bracket in the horizontal position. This U-shaped device is what's known as a flexible toplink bracket. The horizontal position is ONLY for transport to and from the mowing location, permitting you to lift the mower to a level carrying position. Once AT the mowing location, you dismount the tractor and lengthen the adjustable toplink so that the U-shaped bracket is vertical. With the toplink hitch point now in the vertical position, the rise and fall of your tractor's front wheels will result in the U-shaped bracket acting like a pendulum. The bracket will move back and forth relative to the tractor front wheels, allowing the mower to follow most normal variations in ground contour.

When you're done mowing, dismount the tractor again - and shorten the toplink so that the bracket is once again horizontal. Pick up the mower and head back to the barn.

//greg//

Thanks, Greg G.

Your explanation was simple and to the point, AND, it worked! Flex link in horizontal to transport and vertical to mow. Mowing went much better today.

Thanks again!

 

[ratter]

Thanks, Greg G.

Your explanation was simple and to the point, AND, it worked! Flex link in horizontal to transport and vertical to mow. Mowing went much better today.

Thanks again!

This thread was very timely for me, because I've been using my new cutter (my first with the flexible top link) incorrectly. I bent the crap out of the support arms going from the top link down towards the cutter's rear wheel without even noticing. Oh well...doesn't appear that anything else is damaged.

But here's a followup question to all those reading this thread - for the cutters that have the U-shaped flexible top link attachment (like my Woods BB72), when you're attaching the top link in the "vertical" position in order to mow (as opposed to the horizontal position for transport), should that U-shaped piece be swinging downward inside the "A" shape formed by the support pieces coming up from each of the lower arms, or should it be up in the air above that "A"?

I'm guessing it should be down, but since I've obviously been doing everything wrong so far, I figured I should ask and stop guessing!

 

[pooters]

I have found that, when mowing, the Flex Link should be in the vertical position above the A frame, so the top link is the highest point on the cutter. Then, again, as long as the cutter is free to pivot up and down on it's Lower Link pins, so the cutter is free to follow the terrain, maybe it doesn't matter.

Good question. Maybe an "expert" can help.

 

[greg_g]

I'm certainly no expert on BushHog, can't afford them. But if you had a parallel bar type flexible toplink, I'd have advised initially that either UP or DOWN. But some U-types I've seen have limited range of motion in the UP position, because of being installed outside the frame - or there's a frame bolt just below, limiting the rearward travel. But I took a 2nd peek at the Squealer manual, and it appears your U-bracket is installed inside. That means unlimited range of motion, meaning it should work UP or DOWN - depending on how tall your tractor is (the toplink is most efficient when as close to horizontal as possible). What you want to avoid, is any relative positions that would cause the threads on the adjustable toplink to strike the bracket.

//greg//

 

[RalphVa]

No, by mounting a guide wheel to the side of the cutter, you allow it to push the 3 ph up (where it'll easily move if left in neutral) when the guide wheel touches ground. Could put the 3 ph lever all the way down and let the guide wheel determine where the front of the cutter runs, the 3 ph hitch can run up and down then independent of the rear wheels. Not sure how well level the cutter would stay with a guide wheel on just one side though.

Here's a pic of the big castor wheel that's mounted now on my Gravely cart (that I never use now). It's rotated to where the castor wheel is horizontal and out of the picture. This is the one that I've in mind to put onto the cutter.

Ralph

 

[pooters]

Hi Ralph,

Thanks for the interesting idea, but I just wasn't using the Bush Hog properly. Greg G's explanation of how to adjust the Flex Link worked well and the mower is now doing what it's supposed to do.

Thanks again for your input and help!