Bush hog for my TC18

[OkieG]

Hi Jerry,
The front axle pivot and steering linkage are all the lube sites I know of up front. Is there something else, or are those the bushings you're talking about?

OkieG

 

[JerryG]

Those are the ones. The pivots for the front axle is the most critical. If they wear out, they can be a bear to change. Just make sure that it is lubed often and you shouldn't have a problem.

 

[OkieG]

Yes, the pivot zerk itself is a bear to get to. I can imagine how tough changing the bushings would be.

OkieG

 

[OkieG]

<font color="blue"> I would go with 4 ft and not use the FEL for ballast. </font>

Ken,
I can tell we are coming from different angles on this one. I'll start by saying I value the experience your comments bring to this forum. My approach comes more from personal observation and what thought-power I can muster, rather than long experience.

My thought is that much of the additional weight brought to bear on the front axle by the FEL is countered by the weight of the brush hog hanging off the back end.

Who would want a FEL sized so that rear counterbalance wasn't necessary?? Isn't it pretty much the same for rear implements? The weight of the brush hog should substantially counter the pressure placed on the front axle by the FEL. So, at the end of the day, extra wear and tear should be minimal.

OkieG

 

[Henro]

Coming from a different angle....what would a 5' gain you over a 4'?

A five foot could be hard on your tractor. After all a TC18 is not a huge tractor by any means. A 4' would have to be easier on the tractor than a five footer...

How much property are you going to brush hog each time?

My gut says if it were very much you would have a bigger tractor so I guess it is only a couple acres.

No doubt in my mind that if it were me with a TC18 I would be buying a four footer.

But you know what your needs are better than many of us here, expecially since we don't know all the specifics of your application...

 

[Solo]

Spitz
I use a 42" BushHog on my TC18. The SQ 420 from BushHog. I mow a lot of hills though and have no FEL. I do have 160#'s of weight and the front tires loaded. Without the front weights the 42" cutter will make the front end light on mine. From your post you are only mowing flat areas, so weight is probably not an issue. It seems that the 5' cutter would require more than 15hp at the pto. IMO I would go for the 4' cutter.
Solo

 

[Nik]

Go for the 4 footer. I have a Kubota B2410 (24 hp) and have used a 5' JD 513 rotary cutter and a 4' Woods brushbull. Although the Kubota handled the 5' without bogging down it felt somewhat too big for the tractor. The vibrations from the larger cutter seemed to cause the tractor to oscillate. The 4' is a perfect match for this size tractor. The cut and control seem superior and more importantly the 4' cutter does not feel to heavy for the tractor.

 

[OkeeDon]

I have a TC18 that has approximately 350 hours in a little over a year, perhaps 25% of it using the brush hog. I have a 4' Rhino unit supplied as part of a package deal from my dealer. Most people think Rhino is a decent unit.

I wouldn't want anything bigger. Running at the indicated speed for 540 pto rpm (somewhere around 2300 rpm), I can stall the 4' unit in some circumstances. Thick, high grass, the type that likes to get twisted around itself, will slow the unit. Thank goodness for the hydro tranny -- I can slow to an absolute creep as I go through the thick stuff to avoid stalling, then easily give it a bit more motivation when I hit the thinner stuff again.