Brush Hog

[dtd24]

I was doing some well needed brush hoging last week, and was wondering if anyone thought of putting wheels on the front side of the hog to help from scalping. When I hog I am constantly looking back adjusting the 3ph to keep level cut as my land is all over the place. Dont the finish mowers have this kind of set up?

 

[have_blue]

When brush hogging, ideally the 3ph should be all the way down in float position. The tractor's rear wheels should (sort of) act like wheels for the brush hog. If you keep the brush hog raised up, it doesn't float properly, and you can get all sorts of odd behavior. Also, it's very hard on the 3ph hydraulics.

In my opinion, it's better to scalp once in a while than to keep all the heavy bouncing weight on the 3ph.

Converting the 3ph brush hog to a "pull behind" unit would be the ultimate solution, but be ready to do some heavy-duty fabrication. A brush hog will eat light wheels and brackets for breakfast.

 

[pitt_md]

When brush hogging, ideally the 3ph should be all the way down in float position. The tractor's rear wheels should (sort of) act like wheels for the brush hog. If you keep the brush hog raised up, it doesn't float properly, and you can get all sorts of odd behavior. Also, it's very hard on the 3ph hydraulics.

In my opinion, it's better to scalp once in a while than to keep all the heavy bouncing weight on the 3ph.

Converting the 3ph brush hog to a "pull behind" unit would be the ultimate solution, but be ready to do some heavy-duty fabrication. A brush hog will eat light wheels and brackets for breakfast.

I wonder why you say it's hard on the 3ph hydraulics? That is what it is desinged to do. Many implements rely on the 3ph for height adjustment.

 

[greggh]

I think that if you consider what the brush hog was designed to do, chop up heavy duty brush, that wheels would be a detriment to the operation. Like getting tangled in the wheels. I could be wrong, but if it was a desirable trait, I think some manufacturer would have incorporated wheels into the design. Where as a finish mower is not designed to go through any brush.

Just my 2 Cents.

 

[Soundguy]

I agree... The hog wasn't made to be a finish mower.. it's a rough cut device.

soundguy

 

[Willl]

I was thinking the same thing yesterday while mowing, riding on the skids is to low.

By the time the tractor is over the hump, the mower is into it.

 

[Farmwithjunk]

After a quick look at your profile, you have without a doubt, enough tractor to handle the mower you own. YOU DON'T "drag" a mower. The tractor (the hitch) can MORE THAN ADAQUATELY carry the front of the mower. The hitch (as well as the rest of the tractor) is designed to carry the weight of implements sized to fit. Unless you're mowing a surface as smooth as a pool table (or a manicured lawn), resting the mower on small wheels on the front corners will probably result in the wheels finding holes and irregularities resulting in MORE problems with maintaining a set position than you already have.

 

[dtd24]

Got it

 

[TDVT]

A set of limiter chains can help eliminate constant adjustments. Basically you get the mower set at the height you want for the front & then use a set of chains to hold the 3PH at that specific height. You can still raise it for rocks, stumps, etc. but when you lower it, the chains limit the drop to that pre-determined setting. You don't even need to use the position control, just lower the 3PH all the way because the mower is held by the chains.

I had to make a set for my 8N as the position control doesn't really work all that well & I also had leak-down. I made a bracket that attached just below the top link & had a chain down to each lift arm/pin. I made mine with threaded eye bolts on the implement-end so I had a finer adjustment than removing/adding links to each chain. Unfortunately I don't have any photos on hand.

Here is a photo I found online to give you the idea. There are also kits available commercially.

 

[RoyJackson]

When brush hogging, ideally the 3ph should be all the way down in float position.

If you have position control on your rockshaft lever, you can set how low the 3PH can go.
On a 790, it's quite simple. The rockshaft lever has an adjustable stop which I adjust to keep enough pressure on the lower links. For me, this is because I'll occasionally lose one of the special washers from the Pat's Easy Change system if I lower the lower links as far as they can go....that takes any pressure off the cutters lower link pins.

As long as the upper link is extended, the cutter will bear upon the tail wheel yet the tractor's lower links take part of the load. I know some guys replace the upper link with a chain...and I have just unhooked the upper link on occasion (the cutter floats better on uneven ground). This, in theory, could be dangerous. The cutter could flip up and there would be nothing to slow it's travel.

 

[have_blue]

I wonder why you say it's hard on the 3ph hydraulics? That is what it is desinged to do. Many implements rely on the 3ph for height adjustment.

It all depends on the tractor and the brush hog. If your brush hog is on the big side for your tractor, you sure don't want to carry it where the tail wheel is barely touching. With the length of the brush hog hanging off 6-8' back there, you have a lot of leverage working against the 3ph. Then there is a lot of bouncing, that probably adds 2x shock load to the 3ph. Brush hogs have front and rear adjustment just for the purpose of getting the desired cutting height while the 3ph is in the float position.

 

[3RRL]

The terrain I cut varies so much, I am constantly adjusting the 3pt to keep the brush hog from scalping and digging in. There's just no reason to cut dirt if you can avoid it.



I went to the extreme to make my tail wheels so I could adjust them on the fly too ... hydraulically. I back into a lot of those places and use the tail wheel adjustment to do so when I get into a gully or something. The combination worked great this last weekend.

 

[Charlesaf3]

Hydraulic tailwheels on a brushhog?! I'm impressed!

Though I wonder if there is such a thing as gratuitous fabrication of tractor parts

 

[3RRL]

Though I wonder if there is such a thing as gratuitous fabrication of tractor parts
LOL ... without a doubt!

 

[pitt_md]

It all depends on the tractor and the brush hog. If your brush hog is on the big side for your tractor, you sure don't want to carry it where the tail wheel is barely touching. With the length of the brush hog hanging off 6-8' back there, you have a lot of leverage working against the 3ph. Then there is a lot of bouncing, that probably adds 2x shock load to the 3ph. Brush hogs have front and rear adjustment just for the purpose of getting the desired cutting height while the 3ph is in the float position.

We must be thinking of different attachments. My Woods brush hog has a single tail wheel on the back and the front just mounts to the 3PH.
By Float position I assume you mean all the way down. The 3PH is THE only adjustment for height of the front of the brush hog.

 

[Texas Dodge]

Why would you have the hog in the float position? Aren't your skids on the hog gonna be dragging on the ground? I have a stop that I set at 3 and my skids are about 1 inch off the ground. It still floats up as the tractor goes down.

 

[3RRL]

It can always float up no matter where you have the 3pt set since there is no down pressure.
So you don't necessarily have to set the 3pt in "float".
Doing that would require you to set the sidelinks so the front doesn't drag in the dirt with the 3pt in float. Then that position does not allow you to lower it any further if (when) needed, since you are already in float, all the way down. At least that's how it is on mine.
Using the 3pt to set the front height allows you to:
On level ground
1) it floats up automatically (always) but no lower than where you set it.
On uneven ground
2) let's you raise the 3pt when needed.
3) lets you lower the 3pt when needed.

 

[have_blue]

We must be thinking of different attachments. My Woods brush hog has a single tail wheel on the back and the front just mounts to the 3PH.
By Float position I assume you mean all the way down. The 3PH is THE only adjustment for height of the front of the brush hog.

Just sold my Woods, but I thought it had height adjustment on both ends. If not, you're right of course. My point is, try to split the weight of the cutter between the tail wheel and the 3ph. If you carry it all jacked up (or with the top link tight) you're seriously stressing the 3ph when you hit a bump.