Brush Hog mods

[scootr]

Good Morning scootr,
Glad its working out for you ! Looks awfully dry out there, maybe you should bring it up to Vermont and see how it works on our really lush and green fields !

Anyway good to see you managed to fix all the problems with this unit ! Wondering how thick of a shim or gasket you had to use to get the proper backlash on your gears ?

Now that its working properly, you can paint it up pretty to match your tractor !

I think we ended up with a little more than 10 thousandths by stacking a home made with 2 paper thin gaskets. The gears seem to be tight but free moving. The gears looked surprising good for being found dry.

The end of summer here is always brown. Can't wait for the next growing season of weeds.
Can't believe I said that. lol

I need to get all the oil off the deck now for paint. Will start cleaning it up today. This really is a great old machine.

 

[scott_vt]

I need to get all the oil off the deck now for paint. Will start cleaning it up today. This really is a great old machine.

Good Afternoon scootr,
I knew I could talk you into a fancy paint job !

 

[scootr]

Good Afternoon scootr,
I knew I could talk you into a fancy paint job !

Lol - Scootr and fancy paint should not be used in the same sentence.
It will get some flat black rust reformer once the oil is cleaned off but I can't promise more than that

 

[scootr]

Still haven't gotten a paint job on her... but I did get it out today for a some weed abatement. Weeds were above the hood on the MX and tenacious. Mower did good enough. It's not a finish cut. In fact it's not a cut at all It did beat that stuff down and I'm happy with it.
I tried to hop off at one point and get a picture.
This field is full of rocks 4-8 inches on the surface. This mower was modified with this field in mind. I have a contract to maintain the field now so ~ this chain mower has a job.

 

[ptsg]

Still haven't gotten a paint job on her... but I did it out today for a some weed abatement. Weeds were above the hood on the MX and tenacious. Mower did good enough. It's not a finish cut. In fact it's not a cut at all It did beat that stuff down and I'm happy with it.
I tried to hop off at one point and get a picture.
This field is full of rocks 4-8 inches on the surface. This mower was modified with this field in mind. I have a contract to maintain the field now so ~ this mower has a job.

It really could use the 2:1 gearbox. It will make a big difference on finish, even though, brush cutters are not finish mowers by any means.

Being that it pretty much shreds the material instead of cutting, it usually takes a little bit longer for brush to grow back.

 

[5030]

I'd say it's time for my 12 volt electrically reversable fan mod I did to both of my M9's. Was less than 200 bucks for each all in and I installed the reversing switch on the dash right next to the temp gage.

Don't have your issue here, In fact both tractors are in the barn sleeping until spring.

I leave them in 'suck' rotation until the temp gage edges up just past the middle and then flip it over to 'blow' for a few minutes to blow out the rad and all the coolers out and then back to 'suck' again.

I removed all the pesky screens that Kubota installs on the tractors which are a royal PITA anyway. Put them on the shelf so when the tractors get sold, the new owners can have them.

 

[Gord Baker]

It appears to be set about 3-4" too low. It is not a golf course and cuttings must have an escape path. Bush Hogs are sensitive to height in regard to the efficiency. Do you use chain instead of Blades?

 

[scootr]

It appears to be set about 3-4" too low. It is not a golf course and cuttings must have an escape path. Bush Hogs are sensitive to height in regard to the efficiency. Do you use chain instead of Blades?

Yes, chains, no blades. At the beginning of this thread we showed the chain modification. It is an older BH mower that is now a giant chain weed eater. I am still experimenting to find the right height and angle of attack. lol

 

[5030]

Blades on both of mine.. The 72" Landpride flat back shredder and the Landpride bat wing. I actually use both of them. The flat back for the hay fields and the bat wing for the roadside. I never sharpen the blades either, when they get ragged, I replace them with new ones. ASC sells the blades pretty cheap as well as the pivot bolts and locking nuts. I does take a substantial impact wrench to break them. No issue with me. If my Astro Pneumatic Thor 1/2" drive impact wrench won't break them (1500 foot pounds breakaway), My IR 1" drive impact does (2100 pounds feet breakaway torque) impact will or it twists the nut right off anyway.

I use Harbor Freight black oxide impact sockets on both and I've never split one yet. I've split everything else, Snap-On, Proto, SK Wayne and Williams in the past. Far as I'm concerned HF has the best impact sockets and they have a lifetime replacement warranty on them though I've never had to take one back yet. Finally, they aren't that expensive compared to all the others. If I do need to use an impact universal, I always use a cross pinned one, usually a Williams. Never a broached one. My issue with the IR impact is the weight of it. It's a heavy beast and it wasn't a cheap date either and it's an air hog as well but no problem with compressed air as I have 2 compressors in the shop. I own a Quincy QP pressure lubed reciprocating vertical twin 2 stage as well as a Sullaire screw compressor and with both running and compete disregard for the electric bill, I have in the excess of 40 CFM at 135 psi continuous. I keep both of my compressors set at 135 psi maximum because 135 psi is more than enough for any air operated tool. Air tools are CFM dependent, not high pressure. Only thing high compressor pressure does in increase down time from carbon buildup on the compressor valves and generate excessive heat.

My quincy is over 40 years old and other than changing the oil and filter and cleaning the air filter, I've never experienced any down time and the Sullaire is maintenance free for the most part aside from a yearly oil change and cleaning the air filter. I run K&N filters on both compressors, not the throwaway dry filters that come with them.

I like the Sullair screw compressor because it's very quiet and it has a built in refrigerated air dryer too, however it cannot keep up with my peak demand so I run the Quincy as my primary compressor with the Sullaire as my backup. besides, I kind of like listening to the Quincy run as it sounds very mechanical and it is. I'd hate to buy either today. The Quincy retails for over 5 grand and the Sullaire retails for 7 grand. You do get what you pay for and both are American made units too.

 

[ptsg]

It appears to be set about 3-4" too low. It is not a golf course and cuttings must have an escape path. Bush Hogs are sensitive to height in regard to the efficiency. Do you use chain instead of Blades?

These brush cutters are really meant to run with the skids on the ground, that's why there isn't really a need for a tail wheel that will only get bent eventually considering the stuff we back these in to.

I use chains on mine and I have 3 positions for the skids. For my ground, since I know what's there, I run as low as possible. It's cutting at about 1 to 1.5" from the ground. When mowing for someone else, I tend to raise the skids to it cuts about 3" from the ground. The skids always ride on the ground.