Bush Hog BH25 yokes breaking

[redman135]

Could you show a pic of BOTH bars ( the broken 1 AND the intact 1) on the machine on the BH please? The photo cuts of the intact bar.

 

[Boatman62]

Could you show a pic of BOTH bars ( the broken 1 AND the intact 1) on the machine on the BH please? The photo cuts of the intact bar.

I'll get back over there in the next couple days and take a couple more pics.

 

[Grandad4]

Ok, good to know they at least look correct.
I'm not sure why they would be "hardened" I would think it might make them more brittle.
Looking at where the break is and trying to compare to the picture it looks like the "bend" is further back or closer the mounting point in the picture I found.
May not be, hard to tell!

The only real force on those bars would be -
1: when lifting the brush hog but that is a "pull" type force. It might stress the bars if he drives fast on bumpy ground and the hog bounces a lot but I don't think that would break them.
2: The other would be a "push" type force such as if he backs into an incline or backs into brush/trees forcing the rear of the hog to lift up. This could cause the two bars to try to bow outward and enough force like this could conceivably snap them. This is the most likely scenario I can see.
Nothing else makes much sense.

When making sharp turns (particularly if the tail wheel isn't pivoting freely), or hitting a rock or stump from the side while turning could put a lateral force on those bars also. I could see fatigue cracks developing from doing that repeatedly.

 

[ericm979]

Maybe you and the owner have already tried this but make sure the bolt on the pivot link is not too tight. My mower has a similar link. It's easy to over tighten that bolt and make the link solid, especially when it's fully extended as in the pic. I give the pivot a shot of spray grease every so often as well.

 

[Rebeldad1]

best if he does 400 acres a year is to get a heavy duty brush cutter for commercial use. chain the top link.
problem solved.

 

[RickB]

best if he does 400 acres a year is to get a heavy duty brush cutter for commercial use. chain the top link.
problem solved.

I don't see where he's cutting 400 acres a year, but if it is all grass he doesn't need a heavier cutter, just a solution to his immediate concern.

 

[Boatman62]

best if he does 400 acres a year is to get a heavy duty brush cutter for commercial use. chain the top link.
problem solved.

This is his "edger". The main mower is a batwing.

 

[Boatman62]

I don't see where he's cutting 400 acres a year, but if it is all grass he doesn't need a heavier cutter, just a solution to his immediate concern.

I mentioned in an earlier post that he cuts about 200 acres twice a year,,, so about 400 all
together.

As I said in the last post.... he has a heavier cutter. This small cutter is for just getting where the batwing can't easily go.

Occasionally he'll go and knock down some actual brush but yup.... mostly tall grasses.

 

[Boatman62]

Maybe you and the owner have already tried this but make sure the bolt on the pivot link is not too tight. My mower has a similar link. It's easy to over tighten that bolt and make the link solid, especially when it's fully extended as in the pic. I give the pivot a shot of spray grease every so often as well.

Yes I have to check that top connection. It was raining while we were talking the other day and I got distracted.

 

[Gord Baker]

Those bars should have NEVER broken in that way. Wrong metallurgy, chineeeeesium parts. Replace them with locally obtained flat bar.