Brush Cutting Armor and Clothing

[glennmac]

Fun and dangerous.

That's what brushhogging is. I need some recommendations for protective dress for me and the tractor.

I have spent several hours now brushhogging across my creek in impenetrable brush and brambles. Broke the tractor today doing it. Branches and stickers constantly sweep into my face and body, grabbing at my skin and clothing, tearing off my hat, thwacking the tractor from all sides and underneath. It is often impossible to see what what you are driving over, the tangle is so dense.

Today I drove over an unseen crooked log, maybe 3 inches in diameter. Somehow, the way the wheels pushed up the crooked log, it came up underneath the operator deck and crumpled the sheetmetal upward, almost jamming the clutch slot. Before I understood what was going on, the log continued jamming under my left rear wheel well and tore the tool box out of its sheet metal housing. The housing bent until it was pressed into my tire, gouging the tire (but not seriously) before I could stop.

So now I'm stopped on a hill with no parking brake (see related post). Lowered the brush cutter and bucket, and walked back to the house to get a crowbar and axe. I managed to free the toolbox and crowbar the twisted housing away from the tire. Drove home with my crumpled deck, intensely ticked off.

I have to dress differently for brush cutting and maybe dress the tractor differently. I'm thinking of wearing goggles and a helmet to protect my face and head from the branches and brambles. Is there some kind of clothing that is more resistant to grabbing stickerbush thorns? Is there something I can add to the tractor, like a skid plate on 4wd cars, to better protect the tractor and me? (I can see a branch or an old metal fence post going right through that thin sheetmetal under the operator area. I'm sick of weak spots that attract Murphy's Law in a flash.)

Maybe an M120 and a suit of armor is called for.

Glenn

P.S. This is an example of a topic that belongs in a generic tractor operation forum, not a brand specific forum.

<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by glennmac on 10/27/00 07:34 PM.</FONT></P>

 

[Von]

Glenn,
I find that if I back into the thick stuff and let the cutter clear a path for the tractor its a lot easier on you and your tractor. It may be slower and a real "pain in the neck" but its worth it for the first cut. Also set your cutter at the highest setting for the first cut so as to miss any big rocks and stumps.

Von

 

[geneP]

Glenn, I'm convinced that there is no way to operate in the environment you describe without scratching/denting sheetmetal eventually. If you play, you pay. My L2250 has clutch and brake linkages and hydraulic lines along the bottom of the transmission. Since I am prone to push treetops around and rotary cut in dense underbrush, I built a skidplate out of 1/4 x 2" angle and covered it with 3/16 plate. This extends from the clutch housing to the rear axle and overhangs the linkages and lines about 2" on each side. It's not foolproof, but at least it will protect from direct hits. I don't know if there is a ready made skidplate for the Kubota.

 

[JerryG]

Years ago, when I was a teenager, I worked at a tractor dealer. We had several customers that did a lot of brush hogging and wanted skidpans. As far as I know there is not one available commercially. We always made them much like geneP said. We would use 1/4" plate and start at the front bumper and stop at the rear axle. Then we would have to do cut outs for the steering and for the oil drains.
JerryG

 

[glennmac]

Gene, does your jury rig prevent you from attaching a belly mower?

 

[Bird]

Glenn, I guess denim (blue jeans) and denim shirt, or denim overalls is about the toughest clothing I know of for thorns and brush, unless you can get leather, like the chaps the cowboys wear to protect their legs from mesquite thorns (or so I 've been told)./w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif Sounds as if you need to consider a bull dozer./w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

Bird

 

[BobT]

Glenn,

Do they sell Carharts in your neck of the woods? There are various styles, but I like the one piece jumpsuit. Pretty tough.

BobT.

A Indiana Boy

 

[scruffy]

Glenn, maybe an M60A tank shell with cutouts for tires and opened up at the rear for your brush hog? Only safe way that I can think of, course I DON'T think your tractor could move it very far. Sounds like a first clearing with a cat would be the best on your equipment.

 

[glennmac]

Bird,

An all leather tractor outfit. That would look cool. /w3tcompact/icons/cool.gif Deer maybe./w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif Where the heck is that slingshot ... /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

 

[Bird]

One made from deer hide ought to be cute./w3tcompact/icons/cool.gif But if you want tough, it'll have to be the hide off a Texas longhorn./w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

Bird