Bushog Adjustments help needed

[TractorHelp101]

Hi
I am a long ago member, I've forgotten my log in information so I had to start another new account.
What I need help with is making the adjustment for my 3 point hitch to get bush hog to float correctly and not dig into ground either in front or rear. What I have done is raise the front of cutter to maybe 3 inches high, set 3 point lever to that point.

I've adjusted the middle bar to what to me seems to be lowering the back end to make rear wheel keep solid contact with ground.
I've tinkered with this for couple of hours today until it frustrated me so much I just left pasture and went home....
The rear wheel just goes crazy flipping from left to right or sideways, it never runs straight as it should.

For more information to you all I attached a short video(I hope)of the problem I am having.
All suggestions and advice will be more than appreciated.
If the files doesnot attach I can e-mail it to you to view.
Thanks

Sig.

 

[bumperm]

As a general rule, you want the front of the deck about 1" lower than the rear. So you'll need to adjust the rear accordingly with the height adjustment on the rear wheel with the top link loose. Do this set up on a flat surface.

Where the top link attaches to the deck there should be some sort of mechanism, pivot bracket or chain) to allow the back of the deck to move up or down following slightly uneven terrain. The top link is adjusted to allow for this.

In the good old days, bush hog style mowers used a chain from top link bracket to rear deck to allow adjusting with a fair amount of float to follow uneven terrain. Safety police or the threat of litigation pretty much eliminated this feather as they figured the deck could hit an obstruction and bounce up and attack the operator. I have a cab tractor, I replaced the solid bars going aft with a chain. I'll take my chances.

 

[LD1]

Video didn't load. A picture would help. Tailwheel flopping means its just barley contacting the ground and not carrying enough weight.

Assuming you have no chain or swinging toplink allowing the tail to float, set it up as follows:

On level ground, unhook toplink and set front cutter to desired height.

You want the rear about an inch higher. If if isn't, adjust the fail wheel by booking the toplink back up and making said adjustment. Unhook toplink again, lower cutter to desired position and recheck front and rear heights.

If its where you want it, set your stops or make a mark for the 3ph lever. Now reattach the toplink by lengthening or shortening it til it lines up with the holes and put the pin back in. The toplink is basically doing nothing til either the terrain changes or you lift the cutter

 

[DerikL]

You want to get the mower on a lever surface then try to set it up with the front lower then rear. If you don't have a chain top link set it up so top link has no effect until you want to lift the mower with 3ph.

 

[Ed of all trades]

They have given you good advice, I would add you can replace the top link with a chain so it can more easily float in the dips ect. Ed

 

[brown40]

A friend and I were talking about scalping with finish mowers and came to the conclusion that some terrain has too much undulation for more than a 48" mower. Even properly adjusted you may run into cuts--especially turning, especially in reverse.
Once you get the weight to the rear wheel it should track better. It's definitely too tight, but any chance your top link is too short? I have a couple sizes to have enough threads to feel comfortable with some implements. Could that have changed?
Do your lower links have float/leveling settings? Mine can be fixed, or turned to allow vertical movement side to side, but the single rear wheel doesn't seem to encourage it. Usually the ground causes the movement.
I do find raising the cut height and putting the tail lower helps greatly with scalping, but I can still slice into turf on tight turns and rough terrain if I'm going haphazardly. Mines only 60".

 

[TractorHelp101]

bumperm, Ed of all trades, derikl,brown40 and Ld1 I am going to attempt this adjusting on level ground and try what you all have suggested. I do have a question on the control that I use to lift bush hog there are numbers 1,2,3, and so forth what do they mean or their purpose? Someone suggest setting it to 3 hp???? I'm gonna work on getting this video loaded when my 9 year old grandson come down to visit....

thanks guys I'll give an update later today

 

[SPYDERLK]

bumperm, Ed of all trades, derikl,brown40 and Ld1 I am going to attempt this adjusting on level ground and try what you all have suggested. I do have a question on the control that I use to lift bush hog there are numbers 1,2,3, and so forth what do they mean or their purpose? Someone suggest setting it to 3 hp???? I'm gonna work on getting this video loaded when my 9 year old grandson come down to visit....

thanks guys I'll give an update later today

The numbers are for visual reference when changing the lift height. You need a setup that lets your mower be carried by its rear wheel and the 2 lower lift arms on the tractor. This will give you the best terrain following cut.
,,, The toplink should have a lost motion linkage or be chain, as mentioned. Its only use is to lift the entire bushog off the ground.

 

[TractorHelp101]

I sort of thought that but was not sure...thanks

 

[Kenneth S]

On mine I set the mower with the front on the ground (on flat ground not hooked to the tractor). Adjusted the rear wheel to hold the rear 2" off the ground, hook the mower to the lower lift links only (I don't use the top link at all), raise it 1", put mark on the quadrant, and that's it. In the rough areas I run it a little higher. I have no reason lift the mower way up in the air.