Rotary Cutter Bush Hog 3715 Deck Hinge Seizure

[Bush Hog 3715]

Neither of the wings (side decks) on my 15' Bush Hog 3715 Batwing Mower will lower all the way to the ground anymore. It appears that the deck hinges have seized. Any tips/suggestions for the simplest way to resolve this issue?

 

[leonz]

No real way to know until we see a few pictures as it
could be the hinges are sprung, welds broken and
wracked/twisted.

 

[oldnslo]

I presume no grease zerks on these pivot pins?

 

[Bush Hog 3715]

I presume no grease zerks on these pivot pins?

Correct no grease zerks on hinge assembly/pivot pins

 

[Bush Hog 3715]

No real way to know until we see a few pictures as it
could be the hinges are sprung, welds broken and
wracked/twisted.

Great points, I don't see any broken welds but can't look too good underneath at the moment. On the left wing, which sticks the worst, I did notice the bracket in the middle of the wing hinge that connects the 2 hinge pins is twisted and one of the bolt heads is broken off underneath. Pics attached

 

[leonz]

UGH, I guess you have to have decide whether you want to have it cut up
and repaired with better hinges and adding more flat proof tires in front to
reduce the stress on the hinges.

As old as this mower is it may be time to send it the happy bush hog pasture
and invest in a folding flail mower like the MASCHIO GAMELLA if you want a
folding mower.

Another option would be a towed 15 foot Hiniker flail shredder with a hydraulic wheel lift.
The Hiniker Crop shredders do not fold but you can order them with tow hitches that
allow you to transport it within the legal road width as they are narrower than the tractor
when towed with the end hitch system.

 

[Williy]

If its rusted you could tilt the unit and keep applying something like Evapo-Rust ERO12

or grind the part off that holds the pins and weld new
hinges on

willy

 

[Harry in Ky]

I've seen that before. One solution is to remove the vent plugs from the wing cylinders, add another set of hoses, and use the hydraulics to lower the wings. The valve you're using to raise the wings no doubt has down pressure available too, you just aren't using it. That does limit the float capability, but with the hinge pins as they are it doesn't float much anyway.