My first couple of PTO attachments! Yay!

[Domush]

For the past couple of months I've been borrowing a neighbor's finish mower to mow my lawn. I used to use a 42" Wheel Horse mower and it took me about 1.5hrs. With the finish mower I cut that time down to 40 minutes easy. Also, it goes without saying how awesome it is to mow with a tractor, not to mention how much fuel I save (~1gl of diesel vs 2gl gas)! So the search began for a finish mower, but boy are they pricey!

Seeing as I have pretty much perpetual use of his finish mower, I decided to take the risk and sell my Wheel Horse in the hopes of affording a finish mower in return. Plus, that makes one less tool to maintain. Well, I did much better than I had hoped, I found one for $50! It is old, and only a 5', but as long as it mows.. who cares!

It's a Woods RM 59. Not sure if they are decent or not, but for $50.. I wasn't about to pass on the chance.

In doing some other haggling, I managed to trade some extra office lights for a 5' bush hog as well. The bush hog is in much better shape and works great in the tiny spot of my land which doesn't have fallen trees covering it.

Looks to be a Howse 5' econo cutter which is rated for 25-45HP w/a 55HP gearbox, so hopefully I won't destroy it trying to chop up some downed limbs which are spread everywhere.

I'm installing a split rail fence as well, so I have about 46 post holes to dig in hard clay. I found a guy who let me borrow a 3-pt auger :thumbsup: but it is apparently meant for a bigger tractor than my 336, as even with the 3-pt lifted all the way up I still can't lift the auger off the ground. A neighbor has been using his tractor to help me, but I really wish I could figure out a means to use it on my tractor.

All in all, 2 out of 3 ain't bad

Obviously the finish mower needs some TLC, so I'll be working on making it match my 336. Can't have an ugly finish mower tarnishing the pristine image of my little tractor! :laughing:

Any tips on getting a few extra inches of lift on my 3-pt arms? I have the adjuster verticals as far up as they go. All I can think to do is replace the verticals with shorter ones, which would be overly costly.

 

[284 International]

Are you able to use the lower hole on the tractor top link bracket? If that isn't enough, maybe a pin-on bracket that lowers the mounting point for the boom would work.

Some of the auger booms have multiple attachment points for the lower hoop to alter the lift geometry. If yours doesn't, perhaps you could reweld the mounting tab closer to the tractor. Mine doesn't lift very high; it just barely clears the ground. You don't need much clearance, especially since the auger head swings.

 

[California]

You did good!

Just a comment - I just changed the oil in my nearly identical rotary mower after 5 years use and when I saw what came out, I realized I should have done this long ago. Soundguy recently posted his formula for a cleanout fluid - something like diesel, atf, and rubbing alcohol to absorb the water. I recommend you do this cleanout to the rotary mower. I don't know how the finish mower works but if it has a similar gearbox, then I would do that one too. I assume both use 90 weight gear oil for the refill.

 

[creekbend]

Congratulations. :thumbsup: in regards to the price.

 

[Neat 1500]

Are you able to use the lower hole on the tractor top link bracket? If that isn't enough, maybe a pin-on bracket that lowers the mounting point for the boom would work.

Some of the auger booms have multiple attachment points for the lower hoop to alter the lift geometry. If yours doesn't, perhaps you could reweld the mounting tab closer to the tractor. Mine doesn't lift very high; it just barely clears the ground. You don't need much clearance, especially since the auger head swings.

my 3 Pt Auger has 3 holes for height adjustment on the boom arm, using the middle one it just lifts high enough and goes in the ground up to the top of the auger which is perfect at the lowest 3pt setting. maybe a bolt on adaptor or something could be thrown together. i am sure after what you just went through making an adaptor for it would be a breeze....:thumbsup:

 

[90cummins]

The RM59 is a good mower providing you check the following.
All pulleys must be clean & free of rust otherwise the belt will get chewed up.
Remove the belt covers and engage the PTO and run it at full speed, check that the belt is not hitting any part of the frame. This will shred the belt over time.
This belt runs a torturous path around the pulleys so do your self a favor and but a spare.
Measure the length as there are 3 or 4 different RM59 versions then check e-bay.
I bought 2 PIX belts for less than the cost of 1 woods belt.
The screw that holds the blades on is left hand thread.
Buy a new set of high lift blades and install the new blades on top (old blades will be on bottom towards ground) this will cut and mulch much better.
The old blade being on the bottom will also protect the new sharp blade from damage if you hit a rock.
It will take a bit more power but you will get a great cut and it will also discharge the grass much better.
Do not run it above 540 rpm because the belt is quite busy and gets rather hot.

 

[pennwalk]

You can download the operator manual from Woods. There are RM 59 (-1), RM 59-2 and RM 59-3. There are optional add ons you can get from Woods and as far as I can tell you can get all the parts if you have the money. I think you can get gator blades for it. I have never heard of anyone who had then so I don't know how they work.

Chris

 

[Car Doc]

Nice find! I have the exact same Howse 5' rough cut and believe me it will go and go if its had any care at all. They cut pretty decent too. I do my 2 acres front lawn at the shop it looks as good as her garden tractor does. :thumbsup:

I have chopped up saplings 1 to 1 1/2 before and not had any trouble. The blades rusted up on pivots fyi at the stump plate sitting outside for the last few years (its back inside now) and caused it to be out of balance.

Once I figured that out they wouldn't swing I spray oiled them smacked the pivot with a big whammer and away I went.

 

[Kyhunter42]

The screw that holds the blades on is left hand thread.
Buy a new set of high lift blades and install the new blades on top (old blades will be on bottom towards ground) this will cut and mulch much better.
The old blade being on the bottom will also protect the new sharp blade from damage if you hit a rock.

I've got a question. Do you put any spacer between the blades?

 

[clemsonfor]

ok i posted to this this mourning but cant find it??

I said you did good. The woods mower is up there with Bush hog brand as far as quality. I think they make stuff for kubota? As to this model not sure of its reliability?
\
The Howse mower should be fine i have a light Jbar mower and i really used it hard to get my fields back in shape, cutting trees up to 3" at base and blackberries and saplings. Now mostly grass after a few years and an occasional sappling.

I wound vines up in mine on one of the first uses and cut the oil seal, finially replaced that last season and its been fine since. Has a few dents and stuff in it but thats to be expected when you hit a rock the size of a nerf football and it shatters it in to golfball size hunks that fly inside it. The few branches wont hurt esp if thier dried and old and not huge.