cutter safety chains?

BLUEBONNET2 · Aug 9, 2004

good afternoon,
seems i saw a post awhile back about safety chains for the front end of a rotary cutter (bush hog) can't find it /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif.......
anyone know where to look? does TSC have these? getting a 5' mower and would like to bolt these on....... 4' would work fine for me since i have mostly grass /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif.....

thank to all.....

good luck,
bluebonnet2

Glenn9643 · Aug 9, 2004

I ordered my bush-hog with safety chains when I bought it and don't know if they're available as generic after-market items. Mine has chains across the front as well as the rear openings. If you had something to look at and go by it wouldn't be too difficult to fabricate. I would certainly recommend them if you're cutting anywhere near civilization.

Gary_in_Indiana · Aug 10, 2004

Most manufacturers do offer this option. They are not completely generic items and each manufacturer I've encountered has a proprietary version specifically for their mower. I know some people on here have adapted one maker's chain set to another maker's mower. A little welding can go a long way. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Others here have used truck mudflap material or even old horse mat material and made their own. Still another built a shield that fits behind his tractor seat.

Good luck with whatever you decide. I hope this helps. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

BB_TX · Aug 10, 2004

Have you priced the pre-made chain guards? /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif They are very proud of them. As Gary mentioned, there have been numerous posts of guys making their own versions. However, I did a quick search and could not find them either. Maybe someone else will remember where they are.

Golfgar4 · Aug 10, 2004

Gary,

Here's a link Chain Guard Questions to a previous thread that discussed this very topic. Included in the thread are some pics of things other guys have done.

A lot of good info.! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Soundguy · Aug 10, 2004

I have a 5' KK and made mine out of a semi-truck mudflap cut in two pieces ( 4$ ).. and 7' of perfed 1.5" metal angle iron from TSC.. and a handfull of 1/4 inch nuts, bolts washers and lockwashers.

5' of the metal wa sthe front bracket.. the mudflap attatched to it via bolts.. drilled out the mudflap with a drill to start the bolts.

The other two 1' pieces were the bracket to attatch the front piece to the mower. I used the 3pt pin bolts and a small bracket bolt. I drilled out the holes in the perfed metal to 1/2" and then slid on.. added a nut. then hung the front piece on.. made it really adjustable.

If this had been a howse.. the mudflap could have been bolted right to the cutter with predrilled holes added by the manufacturer.

total cost was about 22$ and an hour to build, and about another half hour to install and adjust for tire clearance..

chain ones I see for over a hundred bucks..

my guard

my guard 2

Soundguy

ScottAR · Aug 10, 2004

At the local road dept. they simply weld the chains directly to the mower deck. Just "measure" (hold some chain up there and look) Fold it over and count in one extra link to be welded. Cut the lengths, weld em on.

I suppose one could attach a piece of angle iron to the deck with bolts and weld to that if one wanted to remove them.

soarkrebel · Aug 10, 2004

I made my own. i think about $60 bucks in chain some scrap angle and alot of cutting with bolt cutters. i bolted them up on the front using the hole for the cheap rubber guards.
if you do your own just make sure you measure your chains right. a few of mine got trimmed up by the blades . /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif
i think they look better than the factory ones.

green4710 · Aug 10, 2004

Soundguy, does your guard setup work to keep all the stuff from blowing out the front end? I have a cutter with chains on the front, and after about a hour of mowing, im covered. Your setup looks like it may keep the debris from blowing out better than just chains.

stnickstoys · Aug 10, 2004

I did both, I posted pics of my chain guard system and then sold that cutter. I didn't really like all if the shredded green stuff that was getting strained through the chains and splattered on my tractor so I made some out of round baler belting. That works much better, nothing flies out at the tractor or me now.
See pics attached. Framework is simply 1 x 1 angle iron
Nick