Bush hog blade stopping

[LD1]

Hi













































Hi
Have any of the previous commenters ever flipped over a bush hog to sharpen the blades. If they had they would not be making the
suggestions they made.
There is no direct connection of the pto shaft and motor to the blades. The blades spin freely on pins that are connected to a frame that is connected to the motor. On mowers the blades are connected directly to the motor with or without a clutch usually via belts. On a bush hog when the motor gets up to speed the frame holding the blades gets up to speed and the free spinning blades
spin due to centrifugal force. When your blades bog down and stop cutting the frame holding the blades is still spinning at the correct
speed, but the blades are stalling because of the heavy resistance
of the tall grass.
That is why it works fine in short grass.
The simple solution is to raise the bush hog up until it cuts and make a few passes progressively lowering the bush hog after each
complete pass.
If you doubt the veracity of my opinion just flip over the bush hog and see for your self.
While you are at it sharpen the blades with an angle grinder.
Dull blades are part of your problem.
Good luck .

Novel idea but incorrect in reality. When it comes to grass and vegetation, the blades might as well be solid and not swinging. They only allow a little swing to protect things if you hit a big rock, stump, chunk of concrete, etc.

And besides....IF that was the problem....he wouldnt notice the PTO shaft itself slowing down also

 

[airbiscuit]

Maybe try some of the suggestions put forward and report back.

 

[LD1]

hi
Try only cutting 1/2 a bush hog width and see what happens.

Will probably work just fine....but dont prove your theory. IT will only prove that the internal clutch on the tractor can handle mowing 2-1/2' of material without slipping but not 5'

 

[ruffdog]

A TC40D not being able to spin a 5' cutter in 2 ft grass? That ain't right. My TC33D did it fine. Either the free play adjustment on the clutch needs adjustment or the pivot shaft going into the case for the clutch is rusted so it acts like no free-play. If it is not fixed soon, that pto clutch will be cooked. A TC40D should cut 4' of grass with no problem.

 

[TerryR]

hi
I never said the blade swings back .I said it bogs down due to the heavy resistance of the tall grass. Once it bogs down if you continue on it cannot regain momentum and return to speed.

If the engine speed is not reduced, the blade cannot slow down unless something is broken. It is fixed mechanically to the PTO shaft.

 

[ROUSTABOUT]

Hydraulic pto will stop. You need to creep through the tall stuff. I worked at new holland for years as mechanic, snd kubota. Just slow down. Have sharp blades. Cheap bush hogs turn 1 1/2 to 1, good bush hogs 2 to 1. Always check that when buying one. Ive never ran a diesel 2500 rpm. 1800 is top for me, I go slower travel to make it work. I cut lots of hay and bush hog. Plus it all gets chicken litter on it, so it is thick. Got 110 round bales off of ten acres.

 

[ruffdog]

So no clutch peddle, instead, it is a hydraulically actuated multi-plate clutch. Hmm. It looks like the clutch was updated?

 

[ruffdog]

Reading material:

TC40D PTO loss of power

 

[airbiscuit]

From the TC40 PTO loss of power thread ...

Dave, the symptoms Nester describes fit perfectly for a worn/slipping PTO clutch. He should check his lever for full actuation and maybe even pull the access plate on the platform below the operator's seat to look at the hydraulic valve that actuates the clutch. Partial engagement of that valve could also cause slippage.

I think the PTO clutch will have to be renewed. It requires a tractor split to R&R that clutch/brake assy. The problem is removing the shaft that goes through the clutch. It has to come out of the front of the transmission and can only be removed with the tractor split. Sorry for the bad news.

 

[Tx Jim]

Hydraulic pto will stop. You need to creep through the tall stuff. Got 110 round bales off of ten acres.

IMHO & yrs of experience repairing/operating farm tractors if hyd actuated pto shaft speed slows in a greater % than engine speed drops or pto shaft stops while engaged then pto clutch/control valve needs attention.

Round bales come in many different widths/diameters/weights! what width/diameter/weight were your 110 rd bales?