Bush Hog Mod?

[RDrancher]

Over the years my Bush Hog SQ720 has really taken a beating. I mow quite a few rough properties that no one else will mow and have even done some tree clearing with it. It will flat out mow down trees up to 3" with the heavy duty blades.

With all of this abuse the welds on the tailwheel frame where the tailwheel - tube is attached have cracked and been welded a couple of times and I even broke the shaft off of the tailwheel at one point. The tube has wallowed out like they all do after being used for a few years, which brings me to my question.

Has anyone modified the tailshaft tube to accept a top and bottom bearing? It seems reasonable. I'm thinking about adding a tube bumper to protect the rear as well.

 

[mlauk]

Needle bearings would be nice but you might need a bigger tube. Another option would be to press in a greasable bronze bushing.

 

[slowzuki]

Bushing would be best choice, bearings there are going to get dirt, grit etc into them and don't improve anything. The wheel is just there to keep the back of the mower off the ground.

 

[Hollow]

I just keep mine greased, I've never had a problem. As for the tube breaking off, you can take a flat plate of steel and bend it to brace whatever you replace the tube with like bushhog braces the 280 series. I use to have an SQ model and kept having the same problem. A few years ago I upgraded to a 286 and never had any problems with it.

 

[RDrancher]

Thanks for the ideas!

mlauk & slowzuki - I figured I should replace the existing tube with a thicker one and then plate it for strength. Greasable bushings would be great, and more along the lines of what I was envisioning.

hollow - I've greased the heck out of the tailshaft tube, it doesn't stop it from wallowing out the top where the pin rides, or wearing the shaft at the bottom where it rides on the plate. I have an old 5' model that gets used on another tractor and only on our pasture where there's nothing to back into. It's wallowed out too, but I'm not too concerned with it breaking. I'll look at the bracing on the 280 series for some ideas.

 

[Soundguy]

I've rewelded, built up tail wheel frames, and have used pipe as bushings.. but never went to bearings. IMHO.. if you go bearings, then you need a grease seal, and dust seal.. just my opinion.. etc..

soundguy

Over the years my Bush Hog SQ720 has really taken a beating. I mow quite a few rough properties that no one else will mow and have even done some tree clearing with it. It will flat out mow down trees up to 3" with the heavy duty blades.

With all of this abuse the welds on the tailwheel frame where the tailwheel - tube is attached have cracked and been welded a couple of times and I even broke the shaft off of the tailwheel at one point. The tube has wallowed out like they all do after being used for a few years, which brings me to my question.

Has anyone modified the tailshaft tube to accept a top and bottom bearing? It seems reasonable. I'm thinking about adding a tube bumper to protect the rear as well.

 

[Don87]

I'm not sure of the design you need, but sealed bearings come in lots of sizes and styles. I've ordered from these people before:


Ball Bearing, Agricultural Bearings, Pillow BLock Bearings, Roller Chain

 

[new jersey mike]

I bought the SQ172 new, I had a lot of work to do and it has performed perfectly! I did blow off the forward rubber guard but that was it and I was cutting up to 2.5 - 3 although I would try not to cut 3".

I always wonder though why don't they use a bushing on the vertical shaft for the tail wheel?

Here is a url of my (what was) most overgrown field. The satellite passed over this past october 21st. , if you select satellite view the pin will be in my field and the far right edge still needs to be cut with a mix of chainsaw and brush hog.
Google Maps To Send a Position

Below is are pics of the field before and after along with the grapple attached. I have leaned to brush hog with the bucket on to push down the brush and then move the piles of trees I cut and piled at the end of the day.

 

[bjmsam]

Has anyone modified the tailshaft tube to accept a top and bottom bearing?

My search for a similar solution revealed this thread. Shaft wear and tube wallowing prevent the tail wheel on my rotary cutter from pivoting effectively, so it ends up getting dragged along at an angle, scarring the ground. The 1.5" post eventually broke away from the fork, so I am investigating alternatives before having it rewelded. I like the idea of bearings but that does not appear to be a popular approach. What did you end up doing, and how well did it work?

 

[RickB]

There's a grease fitting on the support. If it gets used regularly, wear in that pin/bushing is minimal. If the support had a replaceable bushing, it would wear through and trash the support before those guys who never grease that pivot wouid notice anyways.