adjusting brush hog

[Freds]

Re: adjusting brush hog (draft control)

Wow!
Some really good info here. I have a step bit that goes from 1/2" to 7/8", I'll have to hunt it up and see how it handles the 1/2" bracket. I haven't decided yet if I will drill new holes or use the existing bottom ones. Wish I still worked in a sheet metal shop (well, not really /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif). The yellow color is kind of different, but not as noticeable now with a fine layer of dirt on it.
Three hash marks for a grade 5 bolt, that's good to know. A while ago I was looking for a hardened bolt and the local nut & bolt specialty store didn't have one in stock that was the size I was looking for. He told me that stainless was the same hardness as a grade 5 (fwiw).
Love the chain idea! Still allows the cutter to raise up, but prevents it from dropping. Just what I was looking for.

Thanks guys,

Fred

 

[TresCrows]

Re: adjusting brush hog (draft control)

I love step bits but i doubt that is the weapon of choice here, a standard bit will do better.
I realize there are more ways thatn mine but I would definitly go for the lower bolt holes--this area is stronger and will help prevent the "sag" I see in so many hogs where you see the pins bent upward--one famous persons (here on TBN--it was red) pic of their hog showed exactly that and I see it all the time including my neighbors hog. Not sure it hurts anything but still I prefer the strength of that location and and it will work great with your 7500. I f I had a 2710/2910 I might consider a slightly higher position and maybe a reinforcing strap to support the pins. Good luck. I am gonna go see how many more stumps I can hit today so I can tear my tractor up--hey--ain't they shear bolt supposed to shear? /w3tcompact/icons/sad.gif . J

 

[Mosey]

Re: adjusting brush hog (draft control)

Duane – I don’t see how check chains are going to keep the mower from bottoming out any more than position control does. I have a little knob in front of my 3pt lift control lever that I can screw down at a desired position so when I lift the mower then lower it again, the lever always goes back to the same position. You said that "The chains keep the deck front level with the tractor rear tires" which is true. But, the rear tires of the tractor are over 2 feet from the front of the mower, so when the rear tires of the tractor go in a dip, the mower is still on level ground and it bottoms out. Also, when the front tires go up on a hump it causes the tractor to pivot from front to rear (like doing a wheelie), which lowers the 3pt arms and will lower the point on the tractor where the check chains attach, which will lower the front of the mower. Maybe I’m mowing in much rougher terrain than you are, so you’re not having the same problem. In most places I don’t have a problem either.

Beenthere – I admit I’m no expert on draft control. I thought there was some hydraulics involved that could sense when the tractor was not level and adjust the position control accordingly. If it needs to be under compression to work, then it would not help in this situation since the mower would already have to be bottomed out before the draft control reacted. A draft control that could do what I described would sure be great!

 

[djradz]

Re: adjusting brush hog (draft control)

Mosey, you're right about if the rear tractor tires drop in a dip and the deck, being a few feet back, is still up higher, than the deck will bottom out. My land is quite hilly, but the ups and downs are maybe more gradual. However, the situation's different when the tractor front tires go down, or up (like in a wheelie). The deck really is supported just by the chains, which are riding with the tractor's rear tires, and the deck's rear tire(s). In this setup, to start with you lower your 3-pt position control all the way down. Therefore, in the case of the front tires hitting a dip, and the tractor front going down, the lower arms stay in their same position relative to the rear ground and actually move down, relative to the tractor. This works until the lower links reach their lowest point of travel, which for my tractor is almost on the ground, when on level ground. The lower links float just like if you went to the rear of your tractor with no implement on, lowered them all the way, and then picked them up by hand. You'd find you can move then up and down with no resistance, all the way to their upper and lower-most positions. With this setup, the tractor front would have to fall in a hole about the size of the front wheels before it would have any effect on the rear, assuming your top link can flex.

What we need to do is show this on a sketch,(someone did something similar on TBN regarding a brush hog, when raised, rubbing on tractor tires) or else I should take some pictures with the whole thing in action. I can't say this will work in every situation, but for anything short of mowing on a rocky mountain side, I think it's the way to go. In my mind, every mower or brush hog sold, unless it has factory installed front casters, should come this way.

 

[Mosey]

Re: adjusting brush hog (draft control)

Duane – I looked at your picture again and I see that the check chains are attached to the tractor close to the center of the rear wheels, so I see what you mean. There won’t be near as much leverage as the 3pt arms have, so when the tractor pivots from front to rear it wouldn’t have as much effect. So, it appears that with this setup the 3pt arms provide the pull, but not the lift. I’ll check TSC on that kit you mentioned. I can see where it would help in most situations, although I don’t think it will handle some of the more extreme angles.

 

[pennwalk]

Fred about dulling, have you looked at your bush hog blades? The new ones I just put on were dull to start with. dirt, wood and gravel isn't going to do much to those blades. I have busted up a fair number of sandstone rocks in the field and I was amazed at how little effect that had on the blades.

Chris

 

[pennwalk]

Re: adjusting brush hog (draft control)

I think the check chains make it easier to set the hight of the leading edge of the bush hog and to return to that setting after you lift the mower over ditches and stumps.

Chris

 

[Freds]

Re: adjusting brush hog (draft control)

Chris,
No I haven't looked at the blades. I just figured the less they bottom out, the better off they would be.
On an unrelated note, I went to the local watering hole two nights ago and parked with my truck facing a tractor trailer. When I left I happened to look at the door of the tractor and saw the words "Bush Hog" painted on the red cab. Of course I immediately looked at the trailer and ALL kinds of goodies were in the open trailer including cutters, an orange FEL and a few KK yellow implements. I hope this means my BH rear discharge finally came in. I gave the dealer a day to put it together, I'll have to give him a call today when they open and find out. If I'm going to take the BH off and mow, I'd just as soon hook up the RFM I've been waiting for and not the loaner. My eyes must have been as big as shot glasses looking into the back of the trailer /w3tcompact/icons/love.gif

Fred

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Hey beenthere,
Maybe where YOU live there's not much mulboard plowing going on, but over this way there's plenty of it still today.
You did describe one kind of draft, but there are other kinds on newer tractors. Some sence the top link, others the lift arms. Any way, it's not used for brush hogging, like was said here before.
Robert

 

[Freds]

TresCrows,
I moved my pins down like your attachment shows and after I adjusted the BH I noticed that all the side to side sway pressure is now against the (can't think of the name, the pins that hold the attachment pins in place) clinch pins/ring pins (?) rather than the frame of the BH. Have you ever had a problem with these pins bending and making it hard to remove them to change implements?

Fred