Slip clutch vs shear pin for bush hog

[JMER817]

What's your thoughts? I like the slip clutch on an attachment like a rototiller but for a brush hog what do you think? I'm looking at a good deal on a new brush hog with the shear pin protection. The issue that I have with the clutch style is that you need to free it up and adjust every year. But once adjusted I would think it gives better protection? Brush hog is a 72", tractor is a JD 4120 (35 PTO HP)

 

[Ed of all trades]

Used both for years, would guess that the shear pin gives better protection because there is always that one time that you don't adjust it and hit something that you know was not there.

 

[HEC]

I guess both have there benefits . If you have implement rated for 60 hp tractor and you only have 30 hp the shear pin is rated for the 60 hp tractor , which may cause a problem for the smaller tractor before it shears . With a slip clutch you can adjust it just right for the job you are doing , anything above that it will slip. I like the slip clutch , I could be all wrong but that's how I look at it .

 

[buck boost]

I have both. A shear on my 4' cutter and clutch on the 6'. I have no problem with the shear bolt system. The clutch is more temperamental as far as adjustment. Not setting the slip clutch too tight takes some practice. But it sounds that you have experience with your tiller.

The most ideal drive line protection for you is dependant on what you will be hacking down. If just heavy grass and weeds and one inch and smaller saplings, my reccomendation is shear bolt. That is assuming your cutting area is free of damaging debris (big rocks, stumps, concrete blocks ect). If you will be regularly chopping brush to max rating for the cutter, or in a debris field, you may wanna go slip.

It also depends on how you store your cutter. If you have a slip clutch and the cutter is stored outside, the clutch should checked/inspected every use to insure it WILL slip in need and not rusted locked.

35 hp sounds a little on low end for a 6' cutter, but it all depends on what you are cutting.

Cheers!

 

[JMER817]

I have both. A shear on my 4' cutter and clutch on the 6'. I have no problem with the shear bolt system. The clutch is more temperamental as far as adjustment. Not setting the slip clutch too tight takes some practice. But it sounds that you have experience with your tiller.

The most ideal drive line protection for you is dependant on what you will be hacking down. If just heavy grass and weeds and one inch and smaller saplings, my reccomendation is shear bolt. That is assuming your cutting area is free of damaging debris (big rocks, stumps, concrete blocks ect). If you will be regularly chopping brush to max rating for the cutter, or in a debris field, you may wanna go slip.

It also depends on how you store your cutter. If you have a slip clutch and the cutter is stored outside, the clutch should checked/inspected every use to insure it WILL slip in need and not rusted locked.

35 hp sounds a little on low end for a 6' cutter, but it all depends on what you are cutting.

Cheers!

Its 43 HP that's 35hp at the PTO

 

[pmsmechanic]

I have both. The rototiller has a slip clutch which I never check but it's always stored inside so rust isn't an issue. My rough cut mower has a sheer bolt which most of the time is ok. It get's to be annoying after breaking it for about the 4th time and your 30 miles from home and you don't have any more spare bolts along. My friend has the same mower with a slip clutch. When he broke the shaft because the slip clutch was rusted it was very expensive to repair. Made my sheer bolts a lot less annoying.

 

[SPYDERLK]

I have no experience with the modern apparently fragile bushogs I keep hearing about. What a pain. I have a 50yr old JD 127 Gyramor. Stored outside. Slip clutch is standard. I only adjust it when it slips. About 4 times in 50 yrs. Its a 600# bushog that Iv cut oaks with up to 6" - other trees up to 8" .
larry

 

[Texasmark]

I can trust a shear bolt. I can't trust a slip clutch even though I dressed them up at the season onset. Always the nagging question: Will it slip or not! I have lost one gearbox over the yearsm, getting hung up on a terrace. In all honesty, I can't recollect the protection system for that. It was on an 8' Mohawk and had 2 blades. The center distribution box blew up internally.

One thing I learned recently after 35+ years of running them is that you need a Grade 5 or so bolt. Reason is a Grade 2 won't snap, it just smears and sometimes you can't find where the slug is to drive it out when replacing. A higher grade bolt shears nice and clean, easy to find.

Other thing I learned and may be unique to my mowers, is that the shear bolt is held in place with a locking nut and is not jammed up tight to the housing; just a little bit of slack so that you can spin the bolt with your fingers. Learning this helped a lot in false shears of the bolt.

Mark

 

[Guesseral]

I have no experience with the modern apparently fragile bushogs I keep hearing about. What a pain. I have a 50yr old JD 127 Gyramor. Stored outside. Slip clutch is standard. I only adjust it when it slips. About 4 times in 50 yrs. Its a 600# bushog that Iv cut oaks with up to 6" - other trees up to 8" .
larry

If in fact you have cut anything up to 6 to 8" you are using the wrong tool! They call that tool a chain saw.

 

[SPYDERLK]

If in fact you have cut anything up to 6 to 8" you are using the wrong tool! They call that tool a chain saw.

You, with helper, and any chain saw would be hopelessly outclassed by a 45HP axe. Im not saying you go out planning on a lot of 6" stuf. But if you encounter a few among the standard 4" fare, dealing with each in less than a minute rolling over them forward and leaving them cut, delimbed and at least partially shredded gets the work done.
larry