I bought a new tool (toy) for my tractor.....

[sms0000]

Hi ,
I picked up a as new (used) 48" BushHog Squealer today for my B3200 can't wait to try it out. Any tips for a newbie cutter? I have never even used my PTO yet so I'll have the guys at the dealer give me a quick run down.
Cheers

 

[zman007007]

that would prob be best thing to do and make up a list of any questions you may want to ask , so you dont forget anything. congrats. , and have fun. zman

 

[Mock1]

Does it have guards front and back? If not, then get something in place.
Does it have a slip clutch or shear bolts? If it has a slip clutch, go over the maintenance schedule. If it has shear bolts, buy extras to have on hand.
It's not if you will break a shear bolt, it's how many you will break. Lastly,
but the most important thing. When I bought mine the dealer told me it will throw a rock 250 ft with enough force to penetrate wood. Remember that when people are around. I'm a relative newbie as well, but when they chuck stuff, it's not like a walk behind lawnmower.
Happy mowing...

 

[sms0000]

Does it have guards front and back? If not, then get something in place.
Does it have a slip clutch or shear bolts? If it has a slip clutch, go over the maintenance schedule. If it has shear bolts, buy extras to have on hand.
It's not if you will break a shear bolt, it's how many you will break. Lastly,
but the most important thing. When I bought mine the dealer told me it will throw a rock 250 ft with enough force to penetrate wood. Remember that when people are around. I'm a relative newbie as well, but when they chuck stuff, it's not like a walk behind lawnmower.
Happy mowing...

It has the guards front and back. shear bolt (I asked them to throw in a few) and asked them to put fresh gear oil in it too. Nobody will be nearby . I'll let you know how it works.
Thanks

 

[savageactor7]

We have a 48" brushhog. If your cutting heavy brush keep the FEL low to the ground so you feel out rocks and stumps. Sure the BH is designed to resist those impediments but like your body absorbing X-rays, there's a collective amount of abuse a BH will take.

Our BH is adjusted with the top link so it tilts forward a tad. Now if there so real thick stuff I don't want to drive over I'll lift the BH and slowly back over the brush...

...and that reminds me since I do cut a lot in reverse after hooking up and centering the BH the turnbuckles on both sides are tightened down to lock down any left/right sliding.

Brush we cut in low but a couple times of year we cut some previously cleared areas we don't want to go native in high range cause it's just tall grass and small saplings.

One caveat to beware when dismounting...because of those swinging blades, BH's have a lot of momentum. It will still be spinning when you dismount so be mindful of the drive shaft etc.

Also the brush will take strip the machine of many of these circled locking hitch pins so carry a few extra with you. The lower 2 below the PTO are what you want to keep an eye on...it can be a showstopper. If one of those ears come off in the field it can take some effort to realign and hook it up again.

Enjoy your brush hog.

 

[8x56mn]

Good point regarding the pins coming out. Been there several times. Now I use bolts with nylock nuts. Takes a little longer, but it's much better than wrestling the bugger back on in the field. Funny, I just pulled the blades last night for sharpening.

 

[Tractor Factor]

...it will throw a rock 250 ft with enough force to penetrate wood.

With a little luck he can get a clean head shot and be eating venison tenderloin for dinner tonight.

 

[KU Gator]

When you hook the pto shaft from the mower to the pto on your tractor, you have to pull the collar back to slide it on. Then it will click back forward into place. Make sure you give it a couple of good tugs to make sure it is locked in place. There should also be like a hard plastic sleeve around the outside of the PTO shaft. Mine has small chains on each end that I lock one around something stationary on the mower and one around the drawbar on the tractor to keep that shield from spinning.

Once hooked up and ready, make sure the turnbuckles that stabilize the lower lift arms on the 3 pt hitch have enough slack to give the mower a little swing back and forth so if you bump a tree it won't transmit so much shock to the tractor, but not so much that it will swing the arms against the tires. You should probably put some pins in the bolts on the turnbuckles to keep them from loosening once you get them set. Ours loosened the 1st time we used it and let the arms get against the tires and chew on it.

While mowing, the front of the mower will tend to gradually drop because you have the 1/4" valve for the 3pt hitch instead of position control. I start out with mine a couple of inches off the ground, but while mowing it will gradually drop until it is on the ground in the front. So you have to look back and bump it up ever so often. Tightening the knob that limits the speed of the drop that it behind you leg when you are sitting in the seat helps, but didn't seem to eliminate it and if you raise the mower, then you have to loosen the knob to allow it to drop again.

When you take the mower off, you will have to loosen the turnbuckles back up to get it off. Also when you take it off, it is good to have something like a 4X4 or some bricks to set under the front of the mower to keep it more level. It will make putting it back on easier.

 

[sms0000]

Thanks for the tips guys.

 

[ShenandoahJoe]

I set the 3-point-hitch lowering speed to be very slow.
I engage the clutch when the engine RPMs are pretty low, and then ease it up to operating speed. I don't know if I'm buying any safety that way, but it sure makes me feel better.