Tires Solid, no flat tires for brush hog casters

[RegL]

I know someone replaced the caster wheels on their brush hog with solids, but I can't seem to find it. Just wondering where to get them as I just keep demolishing anything I can get locally. I might check with my Exmark mower dealer to see if any of theirs are the right size.

As a side note, I see that most of the brush hogs designed for skid-steers don't have wheels. With draft control on the 1430 keeping the weight of the mower off the ground, I wonder if you could weld some kind of skids to the sides and forgo the wheels all together.

 

[KentT]

Here's Sedgewood's mod....

PT-1845 Rough cut mower

 

[MossRoad]

I know someone replaced the caster wheels on their brush hog with solids, but I can't seem to find it. Just wondering where to get them as I just keep demolishing anything I can get locally. I might check with my Exmark mower dealer to see if any of theirs are the right size.

As a side note, I see that most of the brush hogs designed for skid-steers don't have wheels. With draft control on the 1430 keeping the weight of the mower off the ground, I wonder if you could weld some kind of skids to the sides and forgo the wheels all together.

Look for a local business that specializes in caster wheels for industrial material handling carts, baskets and hand trucks. Almost all towns have such a business close by. Take in one of your existing wheels and they can match the diameter and width, as well as the axle size. They may have to use bushings to get it to fit correctly.

Anyhow, that's what I did nor my 48" brush hog on the PT425.

 

[RegL]

Look for a local business that specializes in caster wheels for industrial material handling carts, baskets and hand trucks. Almost all towns have such a business close by. Take in one of your existing wheels and they can match the diameter and width, as well as the axle size. They may have to use bushings to get it to fit correctly.

Anyhow, that's what I did nor my 48" brush hog on the PT425.

Thanks Moss. I will look for one of those shops. I did find some sources on the web but it looks a little tricky to get all the sizes right. Like you said, it's probable better to work with someone face to face on this one. Have you ever seen any of the skid-steer mowers in person? Most I see on the web don't use wheels. Looks like their designed to glide. Maybe the PT brush hog could be modified to do the same.

 

[KentT]

Have you ever seen any of the skid-steer mowers in person? Most I see on the web don't use wheels. Looks like their designed to glide. Maybe the PT brush hog could be modified to do the same.

IMO, with the way the PT articulates, you risk tearing up a lot of ground with the skids... that's why the front wheels are casters, and IMO, the rear ones should be also...

 

[RegL]

IMO, with the way the PT articulates, you risk tearing up a lot of ground with the skids... that's why the front wheels are casters, and IMO, the rear ones should be also...

I hear what your saying, but isn't turning with a skid-steer even more radical? I have never driven one so not talking from experience. Also the red PT's have draft control that transfers some of the weight of mower to tractor's front wheels, so all the weight of the mower would not be dragging on the ground.

 

[KentT]

Reg,

They're probably lifting the mower deck every time they turn sharply, then sit it back down... If you wanted to do that, you'd probably be OK with just skids.

I bought a pair of 10" utility wheels off eBay a while back. The tread is a bit narrower (only 2 to 2.5") but they're steel with roller bearings and semi-pneumatic tires. I'm going to try them and see how they'll hold up....

 

[MossRoad]

Thanks Moss. I will look for one of those shops. I did find some sources on the web but it looks a little tricky to get all the sizes right. Like you said, it's probable better to work with someone face to face on this one. Have you ever seen any of the skid-steer mowers in person? Most I see on the web don't use wheels. Looks like their designed to glide. Maybe the PT brush hog could be modified to do the same.

As KentT said, I wouldn't want skids on my brush hog. In my terrain, which is very uneven, soft, sand, it would gouge too often just going straight, let alone any turns.

Skid steers are awfull on terrain because, well, they skid! They tear up everything under the tires. They are fine for construction sites and rough-in work, but terrible if you are trying to do finish work or not cause errision channels in the soil. The articulated design of the Power Trac is about as perfect a design you can have in regards to not tearing up the ground underneath it.

The Power Trac implements with four wheels, however, really would bennefit from casters on the rear instead of the fixed wheels. Those will tear up the turf and cause errosion channels if you swing the implement too sharply.

I went with a set of sollid rubber tires for the front of my brush hog. In the winter, I take them off and put them on my snowplow. I kept the pneumatic tires on my finish mower, as they do give a bit on bumps and are more gental than the solids. But a few times a year, I lose the bead when the tire hits an immovable object like a landscape timber and the wheel tries to caster and I step on the forward pedal instead of reversing it. I could solve that quickly with some tubes, but have been too lazy to do it!

 

[Rivco]

I ended up buying 4 new smaller solid rubber caster wheels for my brush mower modification. Now there is plenty of clearance in all directions, and the new setup is working great. picture #3 shows the new smaller wheels.

This modification worked very well on my 45" 180 brush mower, BUT it may not work for the 422, 425, and larger machines! I had to change the axle bolt bushings and spacer bushings when I put on the smaller wheels. So if anyone might be considering doing a similar upgrade you'll have to research kits that will work for your specific mower deck.

 

[MuncyBob]

MR, I solved the front wheels on the mower with Slime. Took me awhile to get around to it but so far so good! I put more in than the container said to though.