Brush Hog Positioning

[SLOBuds]

Hmmmm, I don't mean to sound mean but, you haven't run a cutter long have you?

The clutch you are talking about is the slip clutch on the PTO shaft, right?
jb

Yes to both questions - no offense taken. Thanks for the safety tip. I have rops and hardtop also, so the flipping object will need to go past all those devices as well. The 3pt assembly on the cutter (triangualr pyramid assembly) would pretty easily stab through the chair given enough force.

My question to you jb is if you believe a fixed toplink would have prevented injury to anyone that used a cain toplink and had a flipped cutter?

The scenario is that your cutter is thrown up in the air because of hitting an object in the perfect-storm configuration. In one case you have a fixed toplink. In another case you have a chain toplink with the same length as the fixed.

With a fixed toplink the cutter is thrown upwards. Then something happens to the lower link so that the cutter continues its upward movement. Then the cutter continues its upward movement and flips because the fixed toplink is still attached.

The fixed toplink might remain attached and (hopefully) pivot the cutter on the 3pt attachment at CUTTER, meaning that the cutter will go straight up. Or the toplink remain attached but allow the cutter 3ph to stab through the seat. Or the toplink will break off and ... well, many different things including a flip that puts rotating blades up against an operator.

With a chain toplink there are a few more potential movements. But it seems to be mostly the same.

What happens differently with a chain attached to the toplink? What makes that more dangerous?

 

[mjfox6]

Here in California we are getting close to spring so I attached my new(used) brush hog to make sure it works OK and to do a bit of practice. Quite an effort to attach that thing! But I guess you all are used to the process of muscling 900 pound implements onto 6000 pound tractors.

Buy Pat's Easy Change.
https://www.imcuniverse.com/store/easychange.htm

 

[djradz]

However, here's my take on that. If you have rough land and are mowing over swales like where the tractor was pointing down one side and the brush hog going up the other side, I'll bet you would still scalp the top of the swale somewhat. Maybe not so much a gentle swale, but sharper ones for sure. Not only that, but as the cutter passes over the top, the center of it gets closer to the ground. The only way to keep the cut constant height is to move the cutter up, using the front or rear or both...or get rid of the swales of course.

Yes, I would have to agree that if you have extremely rough land, where you would constantly be having to change the position, the setup might not provide the results you require. However, the pic I included was of my RFM and the area I mow with it. My brush hog otherwise sees some pretty rough terrain and I have the same setup, except without the turnbuckles and a little heavier chain. Adjustment is made simply by moving the attaching point by one or more chain links. For the most part, I drop it down and leave it alone. Ocassionally, if I see a stump, large rock, etc. I raise the 3pt, but not otherwise. I think if I had even rougher ground (and in which case I'd require an even less finished look) I'd probably take another link out of the chain and just mow a little higher so swales, etc. were not a problem. It is a pretty cheap setup, easy to install, and probably worth a try for almost everyone at least once. Note that to work, it does require some sort of moving top link, toggle or piece of chain for the top.

 

[gerard]

Gerard's technique sounds like it might work well for me. The cutter looks like it will float by attaching chains in that manner. Gerard - if I picture this accurately, you raise the lower arms only for installation of the chains. Then when you are cutting the arms are probably lowered all the way down which makes the cutter held up to the elevation set by the chains. Correct?

Correct - What it does is let the chains hold all the weight of the front of the deck and keep the front skids off the ground. I'll have to work on a picture - my bushog is out under snow but google check chains and you should be able to see a picture.

 

[gerard]

I also like the idea that you can use the check chains to quickly set the cutter back down to the elevation you intend - my 3pt height mechanism is kind of sticky for some reason that I'm not sure of yet.

djradz, your check chain assembly actually does not look bulky enough for my tractor/terrain/cutter weight. But it is a good setup that would not be difficult to fabricate. Easy to see how I would simply use a larger chain and beefier attachment hardware. I pictured this not set onto the base of the cutter though, but up on the 3ph pin attachment, on the cutter.

You're correct - mine attach to the pins on the cutter, not the cutter itself but it would work the same way and yes - use the heaviest chain you can - mine looks like the same size as the picture and I've snapped links twice and had to reweld them. Hit a bump and that's a LOT of instant tension on the links.

 

[gerard]

Buy Pat's Easy Change.
https://www.imcuniverse.com/store/easychange.htm

Not an ad but I bought a set of these and sold my quick hitch. Well worth the money and work as advertised. This style is what you see on the bigger tractors as stock because those implements are too big to muscle around. These things work great, back up, line up and lift arms, locks in automatically and all you have to hook up is the toplink. I'd never be without a pair again

 

[3RRL]

Not an ad but I bought a set of these and sold my quick hitch. Well worth the money and work as advertised. This style is what you see on the bigger tractors as stock because those implements are too big to muscle around. These things work great, back up, line up and lift arms, locks in automatically and all you have to hook up is the toplink. I'd never be without a pair again

I also recommend them.
My cat II stuff is heavy to muscle around and Pat's EZ change made a great difference in ease of attaching. I met Pat lat month at the Tulare Ag Show in CA. Bought another set for my wife's tractor from him there. He's a real nice man and has a great product.

 

[john_bud]

Yes to both questions - no offense taken. Thanks for the safety tip. I have rops and hardtop also, so the flipping object will need to go past all those devices as well. The 3pt assembly on the cutter (triangualr pyramid assembly) would pretty easily stab through the chair given enough force.

My question to you jb is if you believe a fixed toplink would have prevented injury to anyone that used a cain toplink and had a flipped cutter?

The scenario is that your cutter is thrown up in the air because of hitting an object in the perfect-storm configuration. In one case you have a fixed toplink. In another case you have a chain toplink with the same length as the fixed.

With a fixed toplink the cutter is thrown upwards. Then something happens to the lower link so that the cutter continues its upward movement. Then the cutter continues its upward movement and flips because the fixed toplink is still attached.

The fixed toplink might remain attached and (hopefully) pivot the cutter on the 3pt attachment at CUTTER, meaning that the cutter will go straight up. Or the toplink remain attached but allow the cutter 3ph to stab through the seat. Or the toplink will break off and ... well, many different things including a flip that puts rotating blades up against an operator.

With a chain toplink there are a few more potential movements. But it seems to be mostly the same.

What happens differently with a chain attached to the toplink? What makes that more dangerous?

First off, it is actually pretty rare to have the deck jump at you. The object struck has to be basically fixed solid. The typical one is an old steel pole cemented in the ground and then cut off or bent over. Also, you pretty much have to be backing in. Sounds like that is an "about never" situation, right? Except, you'll find that backing in to heavy brush is the easiest and heavy brush hides nasty stuff...

Next, the top link and chains are supposed to be used together. I don't know of any modern rear cutter that does not have a pivoting top link. (Not that there are none, just that I have yet to notice one). My point is that you should always use the top link of the 3pt - even with chains. The solid top link limits the deck's upward travel. If you don't have a solid top link and use just a chain, that would make it a 2pt hitch, which was common in the '30's and '40's. 2pt hitches were upgraded way back then with the addition of a 3rd top link. Wonder why?) So don't revert back to 1930's technology - keep the top link. It has a purpose. It both gives an extra axis of adjustability and provides protection.

Chains are most commonly used to remove the stress of the hanging weight from the hydraulics. You see them on older tractors (20 to 50 year old types) commonly. It's common as using chains gets around havnig to fix a worn out lift cylinder that leaks down. Most new tractors can hold an attachment up for days or weeks.

With a fixed toplink the cutter is thrown upwards. Then something happens to the lower link so that the cutter continues its upward movement. Then the cutter continues its upward movement and flips because the fixed toplink is still attached.

No. the situation with a solid toplink is the cutter is thrown upwards by pivoting around the bottom lift arms. The back edge only goes up about 2-3 foot then is stopped dead by the solid toplink as the pivot reaches it limit. You get off, go inside for a shower, clean undies and nappie.


The situation with replacing the solid top link with a chain is the same, except the deck continues up until it either falls back by gravity or hits something.