Tires Nasty Sticker Bushs and Flat Tires

[Anonymous Poster]

I'm getting ready ready to clear out an overgrown field with a TC33D and a 5' "light duty" rotary cutter. ( I also have a FEL with HD bucket and tooth bar). There is a bunch of really nasty "sticker bushes" 4 to 5 feet tall with most branchs less than 1/4 inch thick and maybe up to 1 inch at the base. The thorns are 1/4 to sometimes 1/2 inch long and shread anything they touch be it cloth or skin.

I'd like to just back the rotary cutter into these nasty things and grind them up but I'm concerned about all those horrible thorns flying everywhere. Is this anything to be concerned about? I have Industrial (R4) tires, can these thorns cause a flat. I guess I could dig them out with the FEL but then what?
Then I'd have a 5' ball of thorns and branchs not really solving the problem.

Thanks,
Newland

[JohnMiller3]

<font color=blue>... have Industrial (R4) tires, can these thorns cause a flat...</font color=blue>

I think you'll be in good shape... with industrials... you normally have many more ply than with ag's...

Worse than thorns will be the sharp sapling stubble that can pierce your sidewalls...

[Thomas]

Backing up while mowering not a bad idea if you know what lays ahead.

Going foreward..ouch [img]/w3tcompact/icons/sad.gif[/img] mowing thorn trees also those pesky tall berry bushes..goggles,heavy clothes,high boots and slow speed the best way to handle them..not unless you can get a burning permit.

[RoyJackson]

I'd like to just back the rotary cutter into these nasty things and grind them up but I'm concerned about all those horrible thorns flying everywhere.

I have a situation very similar to yours.

I did back into the bushes and vines, never had any thorns or debris (other then dust and small clippings) flying out. Since the 'hog I used was borrowed from a friend, I didn't want to destroy it.
So...if you're going to back in...dress appropriately <font color=red>(gloves, work shoes, heavy jeans and a long sleeve shirt (better, one of those Carhart canvas jackets...if you weld, use your welders jacket)</font color=red> and walk the area first as best you can to assess any safety issues.
The FEL comes in handy if you're driving forward. With the bucket low, it'll knock down quite a few of the bushes and vines before the mower chews 'em up.

[stmiller2]

Newland,

Where are you located? The bushes you describe sound like young locusts. If so, they can play havoc with tires.

[Anonymous Poster]

As far as location, I'm in Northern Virgina near the town of Lovettsville.

Newland

[bubenberg]

have you ever thought of doing a search? some great minds on this subject have reinvented the wheel at least three times this spring alone .. including myself not so great of a mind.

many people really do alot of work on this and other sights, it would be nice to honor them and mohammed who installed this great tool "SEARCH" by using them.

[pennwalk]

I have Ags on my Yanmar and I haven't had any problems yet with the tires. I run over the small rose bushes forward. I have a couple of briar patches that would swallow my tractor. I have backed into some spots but the danger is having those long armed suckers reach over and try to draw blood. I just bought a 6' Fiskars pruning stik. I hope it will let me reach into the briar patch and defang it a little then I hope I can back over it a little then prune a little till I get them dang briars beaten back.[img]/w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif[/img]

Chris

[paccorti]

Hey! We're neighbors! I'm down near Hillsboro. My family hits the pizza joint in Lovettsville all the time! I must have the same bushes. I drive up with the fel and (with cutting edge down) karate chop the brush to make its height more manageable. I then drive over the mess and blow it to smithereens with my rotary cutter. Never had a problem with my R4's.

Peter

[SmokyMtnMan]

I had a L2350 bota with turf tires two years ago. I got into some crab apple, hawthorn and lots of stuff i didn't know what it was...hard, long thorns about 3 " long and tough, too.......i had three flat tires on front tires trying to bush hog it.
Now I have a 4610 bota with R-4's and it just laughs at same stuff......no problem
and with the cab on mine, i just smile at those boogers as i go by