How to keep from gouging trees

[woodlandfarms]

I have a 90" brush cutter on the front of my tractor. One of the tough things is that the metal lip tends to tear on trees if I brush up agains them. Firs don''t like this and tend to die.

i was wondering if putting some wood or rubber tire lip on the tractor would help prevent this damage. There is a lot of weight I am pushing around so... but any ideas appreciated.

 

[bigtiller]

I have learned that trying to get the last 6 inches of anything, on any project that I do, is best done by hand. Mowing, moving snow, spray painting, even parallel parking ect. Just keep what ever machine I am using at the time at least 6 inches away from a solid object and everyone stays happy.

 

[sandman2234]

My thoughts are that adding wood, rubber, etc is going to still rub the trees the wrong way. If you are bound and determined to run into trees with that poor mower, then consider maybe adding some sort of roller to deflect the mower before it has time to damage the tree bark. You could add a wheel as a roller to the top edge of the mower with just a little hanging out if it is typically just a corner your catching, or a row of them if your a little more app to broadside them. The amount you leave overhanging is how much protection you will have, and the amount of space your going to loose.
Some of the plastics might have a low enough coeffiecent of friction not to hurt the tree bark, and could be bolted onto the side of the mower. (like you were thinking about with the tire tread)Possibly use longer bolts with recessed heads and springs behind them to absorb some of the shock when you get too froggy. Keeping them with an air gap behind them would also decrease the rust problem of sandwiching them.
Nothing concrete, just trying to get a few ideas started...
David from jax

 

[Coyote machine]

Depending on how many trees you bang into on a given day; I'd take some fiberglass driveway markers and stick them in the ground far enough away from any tree you don't want to damage and then as you approach the tree when the marker moves you are done. Once area is cleared remove the stakes and move on.
Simplest ideas usually work best. And while you're at it learn to drive that thing:laughing::thumbsup:

 

[Cacinok]

Makes me wonder why you're hitting the trees? Just trying to cut to close to them, or can't see/estimate where the edge is?

I'd guess would or rubber wouldn't dampen the effect, but may still damage the trees.

 

[woodlandfarms]

I mow 40 wooded acres. It is all about trying to mow as close to a tree as possible. Also blackberries seem to grow quite close to these trees as well and we try to eradicate them.

So, it is either mowing to close or trying to navigate my way around. Or looking back when I should look forward. or just listening to the headsets and not paying attention to the 90" of murderous steel I have on the front of the machine.

 

[Mikeeemo]

Bigtiller and others have the right idea. Most of us have given up on the idea that we can cut it all with the tractor. I have pulled down fence, killed trees, and damaged far more than I would care to admit. By trying to "trim" with the tractor. I just can't get that push mower level of precision with my Kubota.

 

[Cacinok]

I mow 40 wooded acres. It is all about trying to mow as close to a tree as possible. Also blackberries seem to grow quite close to these trees as well and we try to eradicate them.

So, it is either mowing to close or trying to navigate my way around. Or looking back when I should look forward. or just listening to the headsets and not paying attention to the 90" of murderous steel I have on the front of the machine.

I resemble your last paragraph, only my FEL is just 72". Our previous piece of land seemed to have trees spaced just barely wide enough to get the tractor through - any slight deviation and you'd gouge a tree - lot of gouged trees on that property. Our new place isn't near as bad and the goats do well to eat down the grass and weeds around the trees.

 

[JohninCT]

Get some fluorescent snow plow guide sticks (I think they have ones with springs on the bottom) and bolt them onto the lip of your mower deck so you can see where the deck edge is. You can angle them slightly outward so when the stick touches the tree you know the edge of the mower is within an inch or two of hitting. This solution won't help inattentive bumping

My other thought was to mount a pneumatic tire/wheel (like a wheelbarrow tire) horizontally to each side of the top of the mower deck. The outer edge of the wheel would extend an inch or two beyond the deck and roll when contact is made with the trees. Your mower mounting probably has enough lateral "give" that it will deflect the mower away.

 

[johnk]

I use 4" corragated black plastic pipe that I cut in 12" lenghts and then slit it lengthwise. I then pry them open and place around the bottom of the trees..