Brush Mowers for places too small for bushhog

[Gale Hawkins]

We are excited about our new to us 17 HP DR Brush Mower. I will order the correct blade to make sure it has a fair change against the these old stunted maple trees.

Do you try to keep the blade sharp all of the time for just leave it somewhat blunt most of the time? I noticed the heavy duty brush blade comes sharpened on both sides.

It got the choke adjusted so it will close and next I have to see why the brakes are not working when applied. The lever is moving but nothing is locking down on the rotating disc. I need to do some linkage adjusting it goes into reverse easier.

 

[Ken45101]

re: sharpening: I ought to sharpen mine one of these years. I guess once every ten years would be reasonable :laughing:

Note, I know on big brush mowers (e.g. "Bush Hogs") it is not supposed to be sharpened to a fine point. That's per the BH manual. I would assume a similar approach is warranted for the DR. These are not finish mowers.

Ken

 

[JakeBrake]

We are excited about our new to us 17 HP DR Brush Mower. I will order the correct blade to make sure it has a fair change against the these old stunted maple trees.

Do you try to keep the blade sharp all of the time for just leave it somewhat blunt most of the time? I noticed the heavy duty brush blade comes sharpened on both sides.

It got the choke adjusted so it will close and next I have to see why the brakes are not working when applied. The lever is moving but nothing is locking down on the rotating disc. I need to do some linkage adjusting it goes into reverse easier.

I sharpen my blade every 25 hours when I service the mower per the maintenance meter/hourmeter/tachometer.

I bought the meter when I bought the mower from Country Home Products. When I bought the 6KW generator, they included a meter so I have an extra. The 6KW generator requires the engine to operate at 3600 RPM for optimum output.

The light is nice but low hanging limbs will knock it off if you mount it above the handlebars per the instructions. the light can be mounted below the handlebars on my 2002 15HP model which makes the light much less vulnerable to low limbs.

You need a 1/2" wrench to adjust the brakes. The procedure is obvious if you take a close look.

 

[jinjimbob]

I don't they sell the generator attachment anymore, its not on their site.

Don't worry about hitting saplings with any blade, they'll be destroyed no problem. I sharpen mine once a year, as the first rock or concrete block takes the edge off.

 

[Gale Hawkins]

UPS brought my heavy brush blade after dark today so I may try to get it mounted before it starts snowing. I got of the 30" general duty OEM blade earlier today to have that done before UPS ran.

I swear it looks like the angle on the cutting edges are backwards but I may be wrong. It seems the long angle/cutting edge is on the top edge of the blade unlike the regular mower blade that lifts when it cuts.

It can not be put on backwards because it is double edged.

 

[Gale Hawkins]

Well get got the brush blade on today and used it a few hours. It cuts the big stuff about 10x faster and with much less shaking. The DR mower could be called a Bushed mower becauses after a few hours I was bushed many times over.

It is an awesome machine for making a woods look like a park. After watching on Youtube how the differential lock works I am fine that mind does not have it. I would be OK if it worked like the lock on the tractors.

There are times when I think maybe the 26" vs. our 30" deck would be easier in tight spots but I like the 30 because it cuts out a path as wide as the tires.

Loose the OEM blade and get DR's heavy duty blade if you are pushing it to the max tree size.

 

[IslandTractor]

I used a 13hp 26" DR mower for several years and agree that they are effective and will give you the shoulders of a linebacker with use in brush. I have just the regular rather than heavy duty brush blade and found it handled stuff up to an inch or so fine. I have been very pleased that the B+S engine has been flawless and has never failed to start despite being left unwinterized for years (I do add fuel stabilizer). I have about 50 hours on it now of mostly pretty tough use and it is in fine shape.

After starting to clear a four acre overgrown field and managing about an acre over a summer, I broke down and bought a tractor with bush hog and grapple instead. You really cannot compare the amount of work they do nor the amount of work you will do manhandling the DR. I still have the DR as it really is a good piece of equipment but is better for maintaining trails or clearing relatively small areas. I'd never try to tackle anything more than a quarter acre or so again.

 

[Gale Hawkins]

Right around the house the woods is on slopes of up to 60 degrees in a few places makes the 265 MF with the 7' bush hog not an option. Even where the slope is less there are too many trees to thread the tractor through. Also the hills have a lot of sand in them a tractor can dig a hole quickly this time of the year.

The DR does spin some but it is not like slipping a large R-1 lugged tire. We have added land on all three (non road) sides so I have barb wire to remove and worked on that some today. After it is out then the tractor will be more on an option.

We plan to work with the DR and chainsaw and fire this winter to reclaim the woods right around the house. About 5-6 years ago we added new property lines and I had stakes driven on each peak/valley and then drove white top green metal posts at each stake and those lines have just been growing up ever since so I use the DR to cut a path so I can see what is going on before I get the tractor into tight places.

Down the side of the road I bushhogged some heavy stuff and used the DR to lower the remaining stobs. In the woods the DR pulls up some brush by the roots.

After we get some of the undergrowth out we are then going to trim lower limbs then the 265 MF can be used to cut/pull the stuff that we plan to remove that is too large for the DR to address. With the 30" blade I would not want any less then the 17 HP. I was killing it a lot with the shipping blade but only it a few times today with the new heavy sharp brush blade.

The DR just does not shop leaves but it will walk through the 1 inch brush like it was 6 inch grass.

Do you put any grease on the rod the deck floats on?

 

[JakeBrake]

Right around the house the woods is on slopes of up to 60 degrees in a few places makes the 265 MF with the 7' bush hog not an option. Even where the slope is less there are too many trees to thread the tractor through. Also the hills have a lot of sand in them a tractor can dig a hole quickly this time of the year.

The DR does spin some but it is not like slipping a large R-1 lugged tire. We have added land on all three (non road) sides so I have barb wire to remove and worked on that some today. After it is out then the tractor will be more on an option.

We plan to work with the DR and chainsaw and fire this winter to reclaim the woods right around the house. About 5-6 years ago we added new property lines and I had stakes driven on each peak/valley and then drove white top green metal posts at each stake and those lines have just been growing up ever since so I use the DR to cut a path so I can see what is going on before I get the tractor into tight places.

Down the side of the road I bushhogged some heavy stuff and used the DR to lower the remaining stobs. In the woods the DR pulls up some brush by the roots.

After we get some of the undergrowth out we are then going to trim lower limbs then the 265 MF can be used to cut/pull the stuff that we plan to remove that is too large for the DR to address. With the 30" blade I would not want any less then the 17 HP. I was killing it a lot with the shipping blade but only it a few times today with the new heavy sharp brush blade.

The DR just does not shop leaves but it will walk through the 1 inch brush like it was 6 inch grass.

Do you put any grease on the rod the deck floats on?

Merry Christmas!

I do use grease on the rod the deck floats on. I use the same grease I use on the grease fittings. This is probably not necessary because all the attachments have nylon bushings on the attachment hole. I think the grease lets the attachments slide on and off a little easier. It is a tight fit.

If you have never removed the deck, be careful! The power unit will flip backwards onto the handlebars when the attachment is removed. I usually recruit DW (Dear Wife) to hold the handlebars when I change attachments.

 

[Gale Hawkins]

Thanks for the nylon bushing info.

I have a 2x6 that is the right length to hold up the deckless DR mower. We had to bring it home without a deck attacted because deck would not go under the tool box. So we just put the naked tractor cross ways against the tool box and slipped the bushhog deck behind it and stood the 42" grass deck in its nose and closed the tailgate.

While have pulled the deck by myself I am not sure I could install it very well due to the belt short of getting down on the ground. Two can keep the belt on the tractor pulley fine we have learned.

We are thinking about building a box to mount on the frame of the 42" mower deck. Removing 12 bolts will let the mowing part drop out. I am not sure how the balance would work out and it would only be strong enough for light loads. It would be nice for getting the saw, axle, etc into the woods and maybe hauling the 3500 watt generator to power the electric pole saw for trimming limbs in the woods.