FEL Mounted Brush Mower / Trimmer

Hilbilly · Aug 12, 2019

I've looked into getting a Lane Shark, TB-One or Limb Ninja to use for maintaining the sides of our long driveway, the even longer fence line and the trails on our property but there were some things I didn't like about some of the offerings plus the price. When converted to $CAD they were a lot more than I want to spend. So I decided to make one myself. I already have a hydraulic power pack I built for my converted 3PTH snowblower plus the hydraulic motor I use on the blower. All I needed was a used 4ft brush mower. I couldn't find anything used anywhere near us so I bought the cheapest new one I could. Here are some pics of the beginning of this project.

1st is the new mower before any work started
2nd, 3rd and 4th are the adapter I had to make to attache the hydraulic motor to the gear box. The motor side is 1" diameter with a keyway and the gear box side is 1 3/8" with a 1/2" shear bolt
5th was the operation I feared the most. Marking out the radius for the cut and trying to get a smooth cut. Sure was reluctant to cut up that nice new mower.
6th shows the reinforced lip I made to strengthen the cut edge of sheet metal. I used the 3PTH support braces for the material and slowly formed the radius using a hydraulic press. Tedious work.
7th is the homemade hydraulic power pack. The pump will produce up to 37gpm at 2400 rpm. I built a gear and sprocket setup to increase the 540 PTO rpm to 850 rpm to produce up to 20 gpm.
8th is the temporary setup on the FEL 3PTH adapter I made for the snowblower conversion. I just wanted to see how it performed before I started on the mounting system to offset the mower and tilt it.

It worked well and now I have to figure out how to set up the mounting system. I would like the following features;
1 mounts on either side
2 mounts in center
3 has hydraulic side tilt for moving from below horizontal to vertical.

Wyobuckaroo · Aug 13, 2019

Nice job......

raptorterry · Aug 13, 2019

Wow, great job. That is impressive!!

2 cents: when mowing above ankle level it's real easy to have the glass struck with flying debris. I have a skid steer with a forestry package that has 1 inch lexan for "glass".

ArlyA · Aug 13, 2019

Gee, looks like something I'd try. :thumbsup: :thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

ArlyA · Aug 13, 2019

Do report back or make a video of it in action for us. I would worry about the strength of the front where you trimmed the deck off. (formally its back)

Hilbilly · Aug 13, 2019

raptorterry said:
Wow, great job. That is impressive!!

2 cents: when mowing above ankle level it's real easy to have the glass struck with flying debris. I have a skid steer with a forestry package that has 1 inch lexan for "glass".

So far I've only used it for about 1hr just to see if there are any issues that need to be addressed before I come up with a permanent mounting system and I can see the possible need for some kind of protection. The salesman that sold me the tractor and the mower said they have sold some lexan covers, that mount about 1" away from the glass, to customers that do a lot of brush work. What I really noticed the most was that this thing really flings stuff off to the left side. The blade rotates counterclockwise which explains the direction. I think part of the problem may be that the blades are like lawn mower blades, with the backside turned up. From all the pics and videos I've watched about similar mowers, they all have flat blades that would not have a tendency to throw things up. There is one homemade one that turns counterclockwise so the turned up blade is reversed and would therefore throw stuff down or away from the mower when in the vertical position. That blade is also straight whereas mine have the typical brush mower bends, ie bent down, then horizontal, with an upturned backside.

I'm thinking of trying to flatten the blades to remove the upturned backside and maybe flip them over and run the mower in a clockwise direction. However if I end up keeping the counterclockwise spin I will mount this on the left side of the tractor so it throws stuff away from the tractor and the work area. Only concern with that is when the mower is used vertically it will throw stuff up, which will likely come back down on the tractor. More thought required to solve this issue.

ArlyA said:
Do report back or make a video of it in action for us. I would worry about the strength of the front where you trimmed the deck off. (formally its back)

You might not be able to see it in the pics but I welded a 1 1/2" x 1/4" steel band along the top side of the deck where I cut it. The band is welded on vertically and stood up well during my trial run. If it ever gets bent I will fix it and strengthen it. At this point I don't see that happening with my intended uses. Another point to consider is that the blades stick out 2 1/2" past the deck, so whatever is being mowed will be cut before it hits the deck. I did give it a pretty rough go on my trial run and inadvertently cut down some small trees that where 3'' or slightly bigger. Sure shakes the machine and it must be done slowly. No damage doing that. With smaller stuff that is only 1 1/2" or so it just cuts through easily. One drawback is that the trees sometimes fall back toward the tractor and on top of the mower. I may add a push bar to the front to push the trees slightly forward before the blades make contact. That way the trees, branches, etc, will fall away from the tractor / mower.

Hilbilly · Aug 19, 2019

I finally got the new mount system set up and here are some pics.

What I've discovered is the following;
1) I absolutely need to have a hydraulic side tilt. With the work I do, I am constantly wanting to change the angle. I'm going to the city tomorrow to get a hydraulic cylinder and hoses.
2) I should have used larger steel sections. There is quite a bit of flex in the steel tubes when the tractor is bouncing around. I think it is still strong enough, as I stood on the outside edge of the deck,when it was fully extended and jumped up and down on it to see if anything would let go, bend or break. As far as I can see everything is fine. I weigh over 200lbs. Maybe this is a good thing. The tube will bend before I damage the loader.
3) The upturned blades cause material to fly up from the deck. I need to straighten them and / or flip them and turn them the other direction, to cause a downdraft instead of an updraft.
4) There are times I would like the mower with less offset. I may need to make a 2nd mounting location.

Other than the above, this thing works great. I love the ability to mow off to the side but for my uses it MUST have hydraulic side tilt.

JWR · Aug 20, 2019

Hillbilly -- you really are into a good one !! I am impressed to say the least.

I have had quite a bit of experience with cutters that are not simple "bush hogs" but I have none of the fabrication capability you are using. I'll post some pictures in a few minutes after making comments.

Regarding your project: (I'm just going to list my thoughts on it...)
1) For sure it is a fun project and bound to end with a lot of satisfaction. A unique tool and many rewards of a DIY project.
2) You will (probably already have) spent more than a Lane Shark costs and you are not done yet. Not even counting the huge amount of time and fabrication skills you have invested. I suspect that is perfectly OK with you as long as it does what you want AND you get big satisfaction out of doing the work.
3) Your cutter will have much more robust heavy cutting capacity than a Lane Shark or TB-One because of the pto driven hydraulic pump. Your cutter will also have a big advantage over Lane Shark design in that your loader movements are totally independent of the cutter drive. That's the good news. The bad news is it ties up the whole tractor and you can't operate other things while this rig is installed.
4) I assume you know that the TB-one is a knock-off copy of the Lane Shark. That company bought a Lane Shark, and soon started manufacturing copies which I call a rotten business practice, even if the patents failed to protect the original.
5) The Lane Shark is pretty ingenious in all the many features -- the various angles it can be used at, the sizing, weight and strength to match medium sized tractors -- there was no such thing on the market before it. Another key feature (which you may or may not have in your homemade machine) is free-wheeling when drive is shut off. Part of the genius of the Lane Shark is that it was sized and tailored to work well with the medium sized farm tractor and in being able to operate from the existing tractor hydraulic pump rather than the expense and drawbacks of tying up the pto. Yet the Shark is very reasonably robust in cutting overhanging limbs, fence rows,and the like. Very carefully sized hydraulic motor.
6) "Your rig," if i may call it that, SHOULD be more durable than the Shark in that it does not stress the tractor hydraulic pump, you should be able to dissipate heat better, and your Landpride gearbox and production rotary cutter are proven & probably a little stronger than the Shark. I hear your concerns about bent shape blades. I do not like the idea of trying to straighten them. Originally straight heavier blades with double edges and no "sucking intent" or vacuum of grass like those on most hydraulically driven brush cutters are much better in my view.
7) I will be very surprised if you implement the support structure and angling features as well as the Shark. Hopefully you will prove me wrong on that with future pictures and experience related to us.
8) Shark people have at least considered coming out with hydraulic angling features that you indicated you must have. I do not know the status of their development.
9) Your rig will be rather heavy when all the features you plan have been put on. It may put some serious stress on your FEL. The tractor industry provide no data on torque capacity or limits of FELs. None. They act like it is so much overkill that it can't be twisted out of shape. Not true. Even the Nebraska tractor test facility does not/has not tested FELs for torsion loading.

I bought a Lane Shark last year (first one sold in WV) and had it installed by a dealer.

The blades did not stay on the blade carrier for long periods of heavier limb cutting and the Shark people sent me a new design heavier blade carrier, blades, shaft and bearings. I just got that installed last week.

These are much better and are not going to be flying off like the older design.

My post is getting too long and I'll stop here but will send along quickie shots (in the next post) of the other cutter types I use too.

JWR · Aug 20, 2019

Hillbilly -- these are other cutter types I am using these days and have used but got rid of. All aimed at something other than routine bush hog work which you are apparently into.

My first round:

This was a big mistake. The tractor supposedly had plenty of hydraulic pump capacity to run the thing -- it did not. The cutter was made for a skid steer with much different control (such as being able to move the loader frame WHILE running the cutter) unlike farm tractors, etc. On top of that stopping the cutter was a sudden jerk with no free wheeling which the Shark people have solved. This very heavy cutter was NOT rubust because of inadequate hydraulic flow, too small hoses, etc. Because all tractors with open center hydraulics have "one track mind" hydraulics any time you raise or lower the FEL you also stop the cutter which becomes unsat.

I traded this beast above in on a rear-mount arm cutter which has 2 of it's own pumps, one for positioning the arm and one for driving the cutter. This ("Orsi" Italian design) is a great tool and very robust. Like your home-made unit, it runs off the pto and is thus independent of other hydraulic issues on the tractor. It is around a ton and a half or a little more and needs some serious considerartions for support in order to avoid damaging the tractor. It is a tough job for one guy to get it on and off the tractor. It does tie up the pto but leaves anything one may want to do with the FEL open. For example one can run BOTH the Orsi and the Lane Shark concurrently attacking the brush.

Hilbilly · Aug 20, 2019

JWR said:
Hillbilly -- you really are into a good one !! I am impressed to say the least. Thanks

I have had quite a bit of experience with cutters that are not simple "bush hogs" but I have none of the fabrication capability you are using. I'll post some pictures in a few minutes after making comments.

Regarding your project: (I'm just going to list my thoughts on it...)
1) For sure it is a fun project and bound to end with a lot of satisfaction. A unique tool and many rewards of a DIY project.
2) You will (probably already have) spent more than a Lane Shark costs and you are not done yet. So far, not counting the hydraulic cylinder, I have $1,895 Cad into this project. I already had the hydraulic power pack, motor and hoses from my 3PTH snow blower conversion. The Lane shark would be $4,695US ($6,345 Cad)delivered to my location. So I'm into this for less than 1/3 the cost of the Lane Shark. Not even counting the huge amount of time and fabrication skills you have invested. I enjoy this sort of thing, so my time and labor are a form of entertainment. I have to keep busy doing something,lol. I suspect that is perfectly OK with you as long as it does what you want AND you get big satisfaction out of doing the work.
3) Your cutter will have much more robust heavy cutting capacity than a Lane Shark or TB-One because of the pto driven hydraulic pump. Your cutter will also have a big advantage over Lane Shark design in that your loader movements are totally independent of the cutter drive. That's the good news. The bad news is it ties up the whole tractor and you can't operate other things while this rig is installed.I thought about thtat going into this project and I'm fine with that.
4) I assume you know that the TB-one is a knock-off copy of the Lane Shark. That company bought a Lane Shark, and soon started manufacturing copies which I call a rotten business practice, even if the patents failed to protect the original. Yes and I totally agree.
5) The Lane Shark is pretty ingenious in all the many featuresAbsolutely agree with you on this point. I came very close to getting one but there were a few things that changed my mind. The cost being one, I could afford it but I'm a cheap SOB and prefer to make something if I have the time and the second thing was the pivot seemed to be a weak point. I've read posts about this getting bent. -- the various angles it can be used at, the sizing, weight and strength to match medium sized tractors -- there was no such thing on the market before it. Another key feature (which you may or may not have in your homemade machine) is free-wheeling when drive is shut off. Mine freewheels too. Takes quite a while to stop spinning when the PTO is turned off. Part of the genius of the Lane Shark is that it was sized and tailored to work well with the medium sized farm tractor and in being able to operate from the existing tractor hydraulic pump rather than the expense and drawbacks of tying up the pto. Yet the Shark is very reasonably robust in cutting overhanging limbs, fence rows,and the like. Very carefully sized hydraulic motor. The hydraulic motor I have was also carefully sized to work with the hydraulic pump I have. I had to make a speed increaser for the hydraulic pump, to take the 540PTO speed up to the 870RPM the pump needs as input shaft speed to produce the correct flow for the motor.
6) "Your rig," if i may call it that, SHOULD be more durable than the Shark in that it does not stress the tractor hydraulic pump, you should be able to dissipate heat better, and your Landpride gearbox and production rotary cutter are proven & probably a little stronger than the Shark. I hear your concerns about bent shape blades. I do not like the idea of trying to straighten them. Originally straight heavier blades with double edges and no "sucking intent" or vacuum of grass like those on most hydraulically driven brush cutters are much better in my view. Agree about the flat blades and may end up flattening the upsweep on the ends of mine. Not sure yet though.
7) I will be very surprised if you implement the support structure and angling features as well as the Shark. Probably not but I will end up with a hydraulic tilt function that will better suit my needs. The one thing I will not have is a way to swing the mower to use directly in front of the FEL. But if I find I need this function I will come up with a way to remount the mower in that position.Hopefully you will prove me wrong on that with future pictures and experience related to us. I guess time will tell but proving you wrong is not my intention.
8) Shark people have at least considered coming out with hydraulic angling features that you indicated you must have. I do not know the status of their development.
9) Your rig will be rather heavy when all the features you plan have been put on. I don't think the mower itself it will be heavier than the Lane Shark except for the additional weight of the gear box. Not a lot of weight though. It may put some serious stress on your FEL. The tractor industry provide no data on torque capacity or limits of FELs. None. They act like it is so much overkill that it can't be twisted out of shape. Not true. Even the Nebraska tractor test facility does not/has not tested FELs for torsion loading.

I bought a Lane Shark last year (first one sold in WV) and had it installed by a dealer.

View attachment 617816 View attachment 617817

The blades did not stay on the blade carrier for long periods of heavier limb cutting and the Shark people sent me a new design heavier blade carrier, blades, shaft and bearings. I just got that installed last week.

View attachment 617818 View attachment 617819

View attachment 617820 View attachment 617821

These are much better and are not going to be flying off like the older design.

My post is getting too long and I'll stop here but will send along quickie shots (in the next post) of the other cutter types I use too.

Thanks and I appreciate your comments. I've responded to some in red above.

I just got back from the big City with a new hydraulic cylinder that will provide the tilt function I so desperately want on this mower. For my conditions, I find the need to frequently adjust the angle of the mower and doing it manually is far too time consuming to even consider doing it as often as I would like to move it. It's too hot to be working outside today so I'm going to wait until the morning to start on the hydraulic cylinder addition. I'll post some more pics when I get it done and see if I can make a short video of it in action. One concern I have with the hydraulic cylinder is that it will be operated with the 3rd function on the FEL. I have not used it yet but believe it is basically an on/off switch and the flow is full on or full off, no feathering capabilities. If that turns out to be a problem I will have to add some flow control valves. I'm going to try it this way first and will report back.