"bushhog" Blade Sharpening

[joecdeere]

I try to sharpen mine when I know I’m gonna cut most grasses, by the time I’m through with that job, they are appropriately dull. The main reason to not keep them lawnmower sharp is that you will cut off small scrub trees and such with a sharp enough edge to puncture a tire. A bit of a blunt edge makes the tip chewed and fuzzy, and not sharp.
I’m getting too old to crawl under mine and sharpen them, so I just stand it up in the shop door and have at it!

 

[deezler]

I just hadn't put the tailwheel back on. It had been off for transportation some 2-3 years ago and I just never bolted it back on. I didn't know (or think about) where to set it and basically put it on the 3rd lowest setting (out of some ~12 height holes to choose from). With my hydraulic top link, I can basically control the height of the front of the mower deck independently from the rear, so I also experimented with some 2-3" grass height cutting by keeping the front low. But occasionally did drag the metal sides of the deck and cut lines in the grass. Mostly I would keep the front tipped up higher and let any tail wheel contact set the lowest cutting height possible, which made sure I never scalped/gouged. But I like your idea for casters on the front - if you can make them robust enough! I know I would whack them right off in rougher cutting myself.

 

[Mtsoxfan]

Mine came used with used tractor. One is bent to hell. I have hit rocks sticking up (hidden by brush) but damn, not to have bent it like it is. I'll be replaing once I find a socket big enough...

 

[SARG]

Just to mention..... On the majority of cutters the castle nut holding the "stump jumper" to the gearbox shaft will certainly loosen over time and while under there sharpening the blades .... Good idea to snug the nut up to reduce / remove the wobble in the assembly.

 

[John_Mc]

Just to mention..... On the majority of cutters the castle nut holding the "stump jumper" to the gearbox shaft will certainly loosen over time and while under there sharpening the blades .... Good idea to snug the nut up to reduce / remove the wobble in the assembly.

I thought the rotation and thread direction on those was such that it tightened over time? I've never found mine to be loose.

 

[big bubba]

not a big fan of crawling under & sharpening the knives while attached (not looking forward to a mouthful of grinder wheel, etc.) block the hog securely, remove knives w/impact & sharpen accordingly. i use a cheater bar for reassembly as well
i like to keep a spare set ready to go. inho too much liability in a lot of the above methods. best regards,

 

[SARG]

My experience with the castle nut ( that has a cotter pin ) indeed loosened with time. Actually two pin positions clockwise after 3 seasons on a Woods 72".
Never checked it when new ... so it could have been "loose" from the factory ... but I doubt it.

 

[deserteagle71]

Just to mention..... On the majority of cutters the castle nut holding the "stump jumper" to the gearbox shaft will certainly loosen over time and while under there sharpening the blades .... Good idea to snug the nut up to reduce / remove the wobble in the assembly.

Bought my cutter in 1997 and been using the heck out of it ever since. That nut has never come loose for me.

 

[SARG]

Bought my cutter in 1997 and been using the heck out of it ever since. That nut has never come loose for me.

OK.. But I wasn't aware the "wobble" existed until I checked the stump jumper tightness. For giggles the next time you're working on the cutter ...... just see if the jumper pan wobbles on the shaft.

 

[Too many Kubotas]

Tired of laying on a creeper and getting "dusted", this year I tilted both the little 5-footer and the larger one so I could stand up while sharpening the blades. Which my bad back appreciated.

By now I've found most of the rocks, so hopefully the blades won't take as much of a beating.
Besides, a serrated edge cuts better, doesn't it?