check chains

[djradz]

Jerry, see attached. This pic is of my mower check chains setup, but my brush hog is exactly the same except without the turnbuckles.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

THE CHECK CHAIN IDEA IS PROBABLY WHAT I NEED TO DO AND THANKS FOR THE PICTURE. RICHARD

 

[JerryT]

Great stuff everyone. I'm going to do this for my hog, I think it will solve a lot of problems.
Jerry

 

[normde2001]

I'm obviously missing something here. What kinds of problems are you guys having that require the use of check chains?

 

[gerard]

I don't know if it's "problems" as such, more a way of controlling the front height of the deck to keep it constant while raising/lowering the deck wehn cutting while taking all the weight off the three point arms. Rotary mowers are probably the heaviest implements a lot of us us and when bouncing around a field that weight is compounded, putting added stress on the "rockshaft", a common failure point on three point systems. The check chains just remove all this from the equation as well as allowing you to lower the mower without having to worry about where to set the height. You go all the way down and it lowers until it hits the chains. I look at it as a cheap $20 insurance policy to remove some wear/tear on the equipment.

 

[normde2001]

Seems like overkill to me. I just set the height of the front of the cutter by lifting the 3 point, then lock the lower limit with the wing nut and it can never go below that point no matter how many times I raise the mower. I'm sure the hydraulics/3 pount are capable of holding that weight.

 

[gerard]

yup, overkill is exactly what it MIGHT be but for $20 it's the cheapest overkill I can think of. I used to do it as you described and when the mower is in the down position I don't think there's much weight on the rockshaft because at least 50% is supported from the back wheel. It's when the mower is raised, 100% of the weight is on the three point arms and you hit a bump in the field (which then momentarily greatly increases the effective down weight on the arms and other componenets) that I'm glad I have the check chains. Just an extra margin of safety at a cheap cost. (Also as tractors get older and seals start to wear you WILL get leakdown and you're three point will no longer hold position indefinitely so in thoses cases they're even more beneficial.)

 

[djradz]

Norm, I've done it both ways, and to me it's not overkill at all. The chains completely take out the up and down motion the brush hog sees when the front wheels of the tractor do the same. The front wheels can raise or drop many inches without anything happening to the brush hog. I guess you'd just have to try it to see the advantage. As Ive said though, once you do, you'd never cut without it - guaranteed.

 

[bartman]

Hey all you check chain users!!!!!!!!!!!

Will the check chains stop my 6' KK Finish Mower from scalping the yard any? Or is that just what happens on the ridge of the storm culverts??

Bartman

 

[rdbrumfield]

Makes a great planer until all the humps are taken out doesn't it.