Convert bush hog to finish mower???

[GPintheMitten]

Also, I mowed with a hog for a few years, relunctant to spend money on a 3pt grooming mower. Eventually I bought a mower and it was a good investment. It not only did a much better job, but it was much less stress on me and the tractor.

 

[Soundguy]

ditto what GP said. ORC's can be had in the 35-65$ range and cut out all of that 'momentum' issue. if you have a non live pto and single stage clutch AND are cutting with a brush mower.. you SHOULD already have an ORC anyway...


soundguy

 

[jinman]

When I think of lawnmower blades attached to a stump jumper, I also think of how it would be to put a claw hammer on the end of a 36" sledge hammer handle and try to drive nails with it. It's not going to be pretty and you'll use much more energy than it is worth.

Finish mowers spin at much higher rpm than a rotary cutter. They produce much more vacuum lift of the grass and produce a relatively flat cut all the way across their width, chopping up grass into fine pieces that quickly decompose and add nutrients back to the soil. A shredder's cut can be pretty good, but the surface will be less flat and you'll get big chunks of grass/weeds. Anytime you try to turn sharply, you'll also have level problems because the cutter doesn't have gage wheels. That rear tire will leave massive ruts in soft/wet soil because the cutter weighs probably twice the weight of a finish mower and it's weight is on one pivoting rear wheel.

The best advice I've heard is to sharpen your cutter's standard blades as sharp as they can be sharpened and give the cutter a try. If it does a satisfactory job, then you know what to expect. Somewhere along the line, you'll probably want to buy a finish mower and you'll be glad you did.

EDIT: Rotary cutters are known for throwing things whether it be chunks of wood or rocks. If you use your RC around your home, make sure it has safety chains and send everyone inside. Finish mowers have much better deflector shields than most rotary cutters. In general, mowing is not a good spectator sport.:thumbdown:

 

[Soundguy]

using depth limit chains that attach at the top link rocker and run to the implement pins REALY helps when turning.. keeps the mower pretty level and generally keeps it from gouging ont he front corners.

I use a ford trike 950 and a 5' cutter to mow a couple ac of ROW between me and a neighbor.. it's 'lawn' style grass, not brush.. I've been doing it like this a while with the limit chains.. that and a well greased and maintained tail wheel, and it does a decent job. as for mowing in the rain? I'll pasture mow in the rain.. bit not anything like finish or lawn mowing..

soundguy

 

[kebo]

if I wanted to 'finish cut' with a hog, I'd simple sharpen the blades like a lawnmowers blades instead of a 1/16 blut edge that a brush mower likes. might also pay attention to the front skids, and build a set of depth limit chains and stabilizer bars so i could mow as close to the ground as possible without dragging the front edge.

BTDT.. works ok.. not as great as a finish mower.. but if you do it correctly and the mower cooperates.. you can get real close to a 2-3 day growth after a rider mower..

soundguy

I used to have a 4ft Landpride bush hog and with new (or sharp) blades, it would cut a lawn surpisingly well, almost like a finish cut quality, and it didn't tear the yard up unless you started making a lot of really sharp turns. When you made sharp turns, that Landpride BH had a lip on the bottom of the sidewalls and it would tend to dig in some.

 

[Soundguy]

the depth limit chains help with the dig in as they keep the corners from going down so far on a turn.

soundguy

 

[Down South]

Back in the early 60's my father got 3 wheel assembles from bush hogs and remounted them on each corner or ours, with spacers got 1/2" height adjustments. Sharpen the blades.

Well I spent hours under the bush hog with a 7" grinder sharping the blades.
you wouldn't believe the great job it did on 20 acres. Flattening high spots too.

Not a finish mower but wow!

The only problem was a 8n with out ORC or brakes, you kiss a lot of trees.
We eventually got a ORC, what a difference!

DS

 

[gilbertmsg]

I think it will do fine, just sharpen your blades, if old and beat up, buy new and then sharpen, will make a very good cut. By the way, 4 inches is not to high for a good yard look. Plenty of people in the south who are in the know mow their grass that high in the summer, it makes for deeper roots and healthier grass.

Eddie

 

[quicksandfarmer]

I put 6" steel wheels on the front corners of my mower. Like these:
Steel 6" Rigid Caster | eBay

They are just through-bolted to the deck, inside the skids. I left about 2" between the skid and the wheel to try to keep debris from building up. They sit about 3/4" lower than the skid. It really helps keep the skid from digging in, although occasionally a stick or something gets caught and they clog up. They also make hitching up the mower a lot easier, on a concrete floor the whole thing rolls and I can move it with one hand.

I was worried about durability. At first I had rubber wheels from Harbor Freight, and while they worked they gave up after a few months. The steel wheels have been on for 18 months now and have given no trouble.

 

[murphy1244]

That was smart, Are they fixed wheels????