Wheels for slasher

[NT5224]

Hi folks!

A question from Australia here. I have a 6ft slasher ( not sure if its called the same thing in the States), which weighs 500kg and is meant to hang off the three point hitch on my 50hp Mahindra. The agent sells little trailing wheels as extras. I assume these help take the weight of the slasher. I currently have the slasher but not the wheels. Do I need the wheels?

I need the slasher principally to trim my airstrip, so the surface it will operate on is basically very smooth and flat. Does anybody here use a large slasher without wheels? What happens? I assume the wheels are not essential -or else why is the slasher sold without them?

Thanks for any advice on this

Alan

 

[Roadworthy]

You may be running something like what we call a rotary mower or perhaps a finish mower. The rear wheels may not be absolutely necessary but they would take part of the load off the three point hitch. Setting their height would also adjust the lowest point to which the rear of the unit could cut. They would also add a degree of stability. The three point then adjusts the front height and the top link sets the attitude or angle of attack.

 

[3Ts]

This is what I think you are referring to.
Here the tail wheel comes as part of the machine. It's purpose is so that the mower can follow the contour of the ground. Typically the top link is loose - as in a chain for a top link, or a swivel linkage. If you only have the 3ph, when the front wheels of your tractor go into a depression, it will raise the mower. If you use a tail wheel the mower will pivot at the link pins and stay level.

Since you are mowing a runway, it should be very smooth so you shouldn't have to have a tail wheel. Any other use, i'd want a tail wheel.

 

[mcfarmall]

Slashers...rotary cutters, bush hogs, brush hogs, brush choppers, whatever you want to call them typically are only available in the U.S. with a single and sometimes tandem tail wheels. Haven't seen a wheelless cutter in all me days except for what foreigners (people not within the United States) post pictures of.

I like the tailwheel personally and would prefer twins over a single if possible. The flatter you make the deck, the better the cut.