Brush Hogs and swaybars

[3RRL]

Chris, these are from last Summer when I was fixing up my Howse medium duty brush hog.
I made some leveling gauge wheels that fit the brush hog and other implements such as my box blade and rake. They are hydraulic controlled so I can raise the rear or front while mowing. I don't have a level spot where I mow so I use the position control and 3 pt for raising or lowering the front and the hydraulic wheels for the rear. I have solid swaybars that are adjustable by pins and a slot for some movement.
Rob-

 

[djradz]

This is my RFM, but my hog is the same except without the turnbuckles - just add or shorten links on it since it's less precise.

 

[kthompson]

This is my RFM, but my hog is the same except without the turnbuckles - just add or shorten links on it since it's less precise.

Don't think I have ever seen that set up. Did run a boom mower that used about same thing with basically two additional 3rd arms. Will try to keep it in mind if such need ever comes up.

Is there a design reason for the twist in the belt?

 

[Chris_in_Oz]

Hey Rob.
That is a fantastic looking setup. I wasn't sure what to expect, but that looks sweeeeet!
Thanks for sharing the pics.

 

[Gary Fowler]

Chris in OZ: mine are similar to DJRaz but not quit as fancy. I just set my bush hog to the height that I wanted it to be and made mine solid link.out of what ever scrap material I had laying around. Instead of hooking to the bushhog, I attached mine to the lift pins. THe principle is the same. It allows upward float if you run thru a ditch or something, but keeps the mower at the same height. One of my neighbors said that he doesnt run a third link on his tractor when using the bushhog, instead he uses adjustable link chain so there is complete float if he runs into a deep ditch. Our area in Arkansas where my farm is is full of creeks and gullies so you need a lot of float when you cross one if you dont want to high center or break the 3rd arm.
PS. I would love to be able to post some photos, however, I am about 7000 miles away at the moment in not so beautiful downtown Warri Nigeria, West Africa. I would love to have some of you guys cold weather come this way.

 

[Chris_in_Oz]

They say that "When you stop learning you start dying" - At this rate I'll live forever!

Hadn't considered that I could limit downward travel like this...

I'll get to it!

 

[Oldmax]

Here is picture of my set up .

 

[djradz]

.

Is there a design reason for the twist in the belt?

Yes, you'd have to see the rest of the setup to get the whole picture, but there is a pulley for each of the three blade spindles and a huge (~2+ foot) flywheel that the belt wraps around. In order to get the blades all turning in the same direction and incorporate the flywheel, there is a couple of half-twists, so the 360 you are seeing puts it all back square.

 

[kthompson]

DJ, on the belt twist thanks.

Not sure who was talking about a neighbor who did not use a third arm with cutter so it could have full float. NOT A GOOD IDEA. You do not want your PTO shaft to be what limits your travel and without a third arm it is what limits the flip up movement. Guess what happens when the PTO shaft can not compress any more but the mower keeps coming...I was fortunate, it only bent a shifter fork in the trans. It can do major damage to your tractor and cutter gear box.

 

[Chris_in_Oz]

Now THAT doesn't sound like something I want to be on... Or near... Or even hear about...

 

[jinman]

Here is a photo of my old Ford Jubilee with the chain limters attached. Mine are hooked up to the 3PH pins instead of being hooked to the cutter itself. You'll also notice my chain toplink. Using this setup of very rough terrain, I never had any problem with the cutter flipping up, even when I hit something. I think that happens far more in imagination than in reality.

I've included an illustration of the chain setup in case you want to build one.

You may also notice the blue stabilizer bar attached on the right side lift arm. This was the common way of stabilizing the 3PH on old Fords. The chain limiters hold the cutter centered when it is all the way down, but as soon as you lift the 3PH, you need the stabilizers to hold the arms from swaying side-to-side.

 

[Chris_in_Oz]

Hey Jinman, that is a chain-sellers-paradise!

Where does the blue stabiliser fix and what is its purpose?

Cheers for the pics.

 

[jinman]

Where does the blue stabiliser fix and what is its purpose?

I've looked and don't have a picture of where the bar attaches, but it hooks on a pin directly under the rear axle. It pivots up and down on the same radius as the lower 3PH arm, but it will not allow the lift arm to move left or right becase it forms one side of a rigid triangle. These were common on old Fords or Fergusons and some other brands, but many newer tractors have some other method of stabilizing side-to-side movement.

 

[Chris_in_Oz]

Aaaaah - Gotcha! That makes sense, Jinman.
I'm sure I can work out how it works.