Rotary Cutter Scalping problem 72 bush hog, can i add front wheels?

[greg_g]

I'm not sure that I am getting it across to where it is understandable. The pipe would be to keep the side skirts from digging in when it does touch. It would add very little to the depth of the side skirt. Here is a cross section drawing of the way it would look.

I understood completely. I also understand your drawing is not to scale (the M5 has an I-beam skid, doesn't it?). Anyway, it's clear that adding such a "skid pipe" to a typical rotary cutter L- or I-beam side rail in that manner will by design increase the overall side height. Since the addition is at the bottom - and if your cutting height remains unchanged - the (new) bottom of the siderail will necessarily be closer to the ground. Eyeball engineering suggests such an arrangement will add an inch or more to the bottom of a typical (6-8") siderail. I still predict you'll just end up with a different looking set of divots on turns.

//greg//

 

[runwme]

UPDATE....

Another 12 acres mowed and still happy with results.

With sharp blades, and the wheels giving consistent mowing height, the area i mow has never looked so good. I wish I had added front wheels years ago as it makes mowing easier on me and the land.

An added benefit is I can mow looking in front of me instead of keeping hand on hydraulics and watching cutting height. When I need to lift deck, I just pick it up, drive past obstacle and go full lower ( to let deck float on wheels) no more constantly fine tuning to get lowest cut without scalping. I can swing circles round and round with no scalping and it seems like the ride on the tractor is smoother also.

To remove the wheels for clearing land, i just lift deck, pull cotter pins and wheel forks just drop right out.

If there is a downside to this modification, I haven't found it yet.

 

[heehaw]

i use a 72 inch Rhino to brush hog my place: and yes, it gouges when i turn too: the easiest way to solve this problem, i think, would be to pick up an old drag type cutter: i have had a couple of these over the years: and they do a great job, just harder to back with: they have a pipe that goes across the deck, with wheels on each side. they are usually cheap at auctions.
heehaw

 

[JerryG]

The amount raised will not be very much if the pipe is sized correctly and placed on the runner correctly. I really don't think that it would close to an inch. From my experience, most of cutting in that the side rail does is because of the sharp edge on the runner. With out actually trying it to see the out come, we won't know 100% either way. At least with a pipe, there wouldn't be a sharp edge. If I do go ahead and put it on, I will post it.The M5 has an L shaped runner.

I understood completely. I also understand your drawing is not to scale (the M5 has an I-beam skid, doesn't it?). Anyway, it's clear that adding such a "skid pipe" to a typical rotary cutter L- or I-beam side rail in that manner will by design increase the overall side height. Since the addition is at the bottom - and if your cutting height remains unchanged - the (new) bottom of the siderail will necessarily be closer to the ground. Eyeball engineering suggests such an arrangement will add an inch or more to the bottom of a typical (6-8") siderail. I still predict you'll just end up with a different looking set of divots on turns.

//greg//

 

[NoMo]

I am still confused as to why this issue is not discussed on TBN more. I assumed I was doing something wrong when I gouged out turf but when I hear that even you and LoneCowboy can have the same problem at times I gotta assume it is a more common issue.

Not trying to be a smart-@$$, but you are doing something wrong. You are using a rough-cutter as a finish mower.

Not that there's anything really wrong with that; I've done it too... and got gouges when making turns. But, I wouldn't consider coming onto a forum and complaining about it. It's simply an undesirable outcome one should expect when using the wrong tool for the job.

 

[IslandTractor]

Not trying to be a smart-@$$, but you are doing something wrong. You are using a rough-cutter as a finish mower.

Not that there's anything really wrong with that; I've done it too... and got gouges when making turns. But, I wouldn't consider coming onto a forum and complaining about it. It's simply an undesirable outcome one should expect when using the wrong tool for the job.

Point well taken. However, my use is really not as a finish mower (pasture mowing is what I do with the Bush Hog) and I wasn't trying to cut lower than what the specs for the mower are in the Bush Hog SQ480 literature. Having said that, I accept what you and LoneCowboy have been telling me....that regardless of the specs, if you are gouging on turns you are trying to cut too low for this type of cutter.

That's why I just ordered a Caroni flail mower to handle the rough pasture mowing without worrying about gouging. I need to get the grass/weeds down to 3-4 inches simply to make the area walkable (this is major league deer tick country) and also so I don't need to mow it every week. I'll see how the flail does with the other typical bush hog tasks and then decide whether to keep a bush hog in my arsenal or not.

If I decided I did need to stick with the bush hog, I think I would try JerryG's proposed solution before going the gauge wheel route but removable gauge wheels still seem like a viable option too.