Need help attaching my brush cutter

[ted5487]

I purchased this Woods brush cutter used for my 4100. My draft bars are rubbing my tires when I lift. I have a few questions and will gladly take any advice. Can the pins on the cutter be reversed in order to get my bars each in about 3 or 4 inches? I feel as though I really forced the bars apart just getting it on. When I lift the bars slide out about half to an inch, would a washer help this? Should I adjust the rear tail wheel on the cutter? It seems as though it should be more level than it appears to be now. Do I have my centerlink in the proper position? Hopefully I have attached the pictures properly. Thank you in advance.

 

[nmu98]

Turn them in and use a large washer to go next to the pin. That will help disribute any weight on the pin evenly and it will not bend or come off.

Rotary cutters are not meant to be set down on the ground when cutting. The three point holds them up. So once you lift it up a bit, your rear tire would be OK.

 

[jsboening]

I might check and see if the bars can be moved in closer to the center where they a attach to the tractor. Maybe by rearranging the spacers? Make sure you've got all the sway removed with the sway bar turn buckles.

You could lower raise the wheel slightly if it's not cutting low enough for you. However I think you need to raise you 3pt hitch a little bit. You may need to play with the 3pt positioning lever until you find the sweet spot. The way it looks in the picture you need to raise the 3pt a bit so the front of the brush hog isn't dragging.

 

[acs55812]

Your draft arms should have chains to stop them from hitting the tires, mine were missing or way too long, can't remember which---but that was the problem---look for those.

 

[RalphVa]

Your turn buckles appear to be missing in the 2nd picture from the right. They go from half way along the length of the inside of the lift arms back to near the center of the round bar on the tractor on which the lift arms are attached. You have to tighten them tightly to keep the lift arms from swaying side to side. I use some tension cords run from the center turning gizmo on the turnbuckles up to the ROPS to keep them in place. They came with some dinky cotter pins that I promptly threw away.

Looks as though you can reverse the lift pins to the inside. Just remove the bolts on the inside, turn pin to point inwards and reattach the bolts to the outside. These bolts have about 500 ft-lb of torque on them! You'll need a driver with 5 to 6 feet of pipe attached to get them loose and to retighten them. I use a 6 foot piece of about 3/4 or 1 inch pipe that fits over my 3/4 socket driver for these bolts.

Still a good idea to put those turnbuckles back on.

Ralph

 

[mark in da soo]

I, too, have a 4100 and have some problems with certain implements having too wide of spacing causing the rubbing on the tires. I did notice one thing looking at the pics which would help you out in many ways- Your rear tires are on the narrow setting! You need to turn them around (and change sides, of course) and this will increase spacing and give you much needed stability. Stability is important with a cutter because it is a relatively heavy implement and you tend to use them on uneven ground where it can swing side to side with a lot of force- So turn those tires around to wide! Also- The turnbuckles tend to be wimpy and will bend if you don't tighten them up after hitching something up so there isn't too much sway. I know that ideally some implements should have more sway and others less but I have found you need to tighten most everything up on the 4100 because if you are using a heavy implement and it sways back and forth those turnbuckles WILL bend. And yes, you can turn the pins to the inside if needed (I did it on my disc harrows) but try moving the tires first and resolving the turnbuckle issues.

Also- Looking at the pics it appears you need a longer length top link for this particular implement. You are using the JD orig. link and it appears to be turned all the way out and you still don't have the proper geometry for the cutter pivot. I'm sure you noticed that link is easy to wiggle around like it's going to fall apart when it is extended as far out as yours is. Find a longer length top link (I bought one from Agri-supply for about 15.00- can't remember the exact length but I bought the longest of the 3 cat. 1 links they offer). I have found I need the longer length link for some of my implements like discs, plow, and blower. For other implements I go back to the stock link. Just depends on the geometry of the implement.

 

[kthompson]

It may just the way it looks in the picture but how close does the pto shaft come to your ball hitch? You can do real damage to the pto shaft if you can lower it onto that ball, even past the shaft itself. At same time if where it can slam into it from side motion it can damage it. It may be safe, but felt needed to mention it. I learned a long time ago to pull the fix draw bar when using a pto shaft on the 3 pth.

I find a good impact wrench works fine on these pins and yes turn them in. As to setting your rear wheels to wider spacing, if you do be sure to block the front axle when you jack up the rear end. Remember it pivots and with the rear wheel weight especially if filled can be a hard bump coming off or on. I would suggest also using two jacks under the rear even for same reason. If you are considering changing the tires be sure what else it may affect. There is no doubt a wider spacing is more stable, but if that means you now have rear tire closer to edge of a ditch cutting it, it may be more dangerous.

Good looking cutter. kt

 

[RalphVa]

The 4100 wheels appear the same as the ones on my 4010. Think the bolt pattern is right in the mid point of the rim. Besides, if you reverse them, how do you get to the valve stems? With them filled, you need to run it to near the top to check and to makeup air. Couldn't get to them with tires reversed.

I agree, that ball hitch needs to go. Buy yourself a drawbar hitch and mount the ball on it if you want quick access to the ball all the time.

I turned the pins around on my carryall. They point inward. Think I did use my impact wrench on them, but a 5 or 6 foot piece of pipe will work if you don't have an impact wrench. I use the pipe on the bolts to the blades on the brush hog; probably could use the impact wrench but I don't trust it there. It's so easy to put about an 80# push on a 6 foot piece of pipe and know it's right.

Ralph

 

[mark in da soo]

The 4100 wheels are not centered. I just went out in the yard and took a quick measurement- 5" from center to edge on valve stem side and 6&1/2" on the other. The 4100 is not a stable creature to begin with, and I will take all the stability I can get plus you gain needed clearance for the lift arms. When you turn them around to the wider stance, it even looks "more normal". Believe me, I have one and have done this. My tires are filled and have had no problems whatsoever with the valves on the inside.