Rotary Cutter Should a Bush Hog float

[excel25]

When on the tractor should it be able to float or not move ??
I can't seem to get mine in a position to float.

 

[Gator6x4]

When on the tractor should it be able to float or not move ??
I can't seem to get mine in a position to float.

With tongue in cheek he replied:

I have never had mine in water deep enough to check out the float option...........

Sorry could not resist....

 

[tommu56]

There should be a toggle or link that slides on your top link so when you rear tractor tires go in a dip mower can move up on the rear some so it doesn't put too much weight on mower wheel.

tom

 

[dieselsmoke1]

With tongue in cheek he replied:

I have never had mine in water deep enough to check out the float option...........

Sorry could not resist....

I have and they won't.....

 

[SuperDuty335]

When on the tractor should it be able to float or not move ??
I can't seem to get mine in a position to float.

We use a chain as the top link.

 

[greg_g]

When on the tractor should it be able to float or not move ??
I can't seem to get mine in a position to float.

Can you post a photograph of where the toplink attaches to the mower?

//greg//

 

[powerpace]

I use a chain. Used a chain for so many years I didn't realize everybody didn't know about it.

 

[excel25]

A picture would be Great, chain makes sense.
Thank You

 

[greg_g]

chain makes sense.

Quite a few here don't agree with that. I suggest you try to make your rotary cutter work as designed, before going off the reservation pursuing a chain solution. At best it's dangerous. It represents a flexible toplink, as opposed to the safety of a rigid toplink connected to a floating toplink bracket

The reason I asked you for a photo, is because even the cheapest entry level rotary cutters these days come with some kind of floating/flexible bracket. I got a light duty five foot Chinese RC from Rural King - $469 out the door - so even bargain basement light duty cutters are equipped with a floating bracket noadays. Your cutter may be too old, the bracket may be simply missing, or perhaps it's there - and you're just not using it right.

//greg//

 

[RobertBrown]

Unlike a finish mower, a bushhog or rotary cutter is designed for heavy brush. The mower must be allowed to pivot on the lift arms but lateral movement perpendicular to the pivot plane would not be desirable in heavy brush. This would allow the machine to move about violently and shorten the life of the cutter. The fact that most rotary cutters have one wheel instead of 4 should give pause to anyone wishing to get the cutter to float, allowing it to tip to one side or the other. This action would cause the corners of the cutter to dig in to the ground when turning.

 

[RalphVa]

Are you asking about whether the hitch pins float to keep the front of the bush hog the same distance above the ground? NO. It will float UP, if you encounter a hump with the trail wheel that wants to push it up, but it will not go down in the front, relative to the rear wheels.

What others are referring to above is a slotted gizmo where your top link attaches to the bush hog. Most will allow some amount of travel of the tail wheel relative to the tractor via this slotted device. However, when the rear wheels dip into a hole, the bush hog front will drop too. When the rear wheels go over a hump, the bush hog will rise more in proportion, but the trail wheel will hopefully stay on the ground.

The most flexible device is just a chain or nothing on the top link. The chain will allow it to drop a certain amount, like off the side of a creek, but will keep it from completing dropping over the side. I use both and believe the chain allows a better cut, as at least the rear of the bush hog will follow the contour of the ground. This is because I work on very hilly and uneven ground. Using the top link with the slotted gizmo on the bush hog will do fine on fairly smooth and slightly hilly land. There is some danger when using the chain or nothing that the bush hog could encounter something to make it rear way up. This could cause failure of the driveshaft and who knows what other mayhem.

Ralph

 

[Sprocket]

When i picked up my Bush Hog RZ 160 the top floating link was assembled upside down limiting its movement quite a bit....I reversed it and adjusted the top link (with the mower level) to keep the floating link at the center of its travel. That way I can still adjust the cut by moving the 3 pt arms up and down and the mower will lift for travel with the 3 pt all the way up.

 

[Oldmax]

If you want to see a chain on a brush hog here is a picture of mine.

 

[have_blue]

When on the tractor should it be able to float or not move ??
I can't seem to get mine in a position to float.

A bush hog should float. Downward pivot should be limited by the tail wheel, upward pivot should be limited by the "A" frame and top link.

Normally, on flat ground, the top link and/or the "A" frame should have a lot of slack in both directions.

When you raise up your bush hog, the deck should be level or sloped slightly toward the rear. When you mow going up or down a hill, the deck should be free to follow parallel with the hill. The tailwheel should never come off the ground unless the hill is severe. When you drive over bumpy ground, the tailwheel should not bounce and leave the ground.

I don't recommend chains on the A frame or top link if you have stumps and obstacles on your land. If you have gentle hills, you can benefit from the added flexibility of chains replacing solid members.

 

[greg_g]

When you raise up your bush hog, the deck should be level or sloped slightly toward the rear.

Not if you're using the flexible toplink bracket correctly. Doing so involves one adjustable toplink setting for transport, another for the actual mowing. When carrying the mower to/from the work area, the toplink should be pulled up as short as possible. It it doesn't draw the flexible toplink up tight, get a shorter toplink. That's one of the reasons they're made in different lengths.

When arriving at the area to be mowed, the mowing height should be established - then the toplink lengthened to permit up to 45 degrees flex in both directions. This is usually enough to compensate for the up and down motion of your tractor's front wheels. When finished mowing, pull the toplink up short again. That will almost always result in the rear of the mower being carried higher than the rear - thereby minimize the risk of bouncing the tailwheel against the ground. This two position approach usually applies to TPH finish mowers, TPH flail mowers, and many TPH tillers/harrows as well.

//greg//