Do I really need the tail wheel on my BH?

[Ford960]

Greetings All,
I picked up a used Bush Hog Model 305 cutter the other day and it is missing the tail wheel fork and shaft. I was going to use the wheel off my Squealer but the shaft is about 1/2" smaller diameter than the 305.
I can build a new fork but I would like to get a couple of lots mowed and think that I can do this without the tailwheel since I'm cutting brush and saplings. In fact I'm thinking of taking the whole tailwheel bracket off to give me more clearance working around the trees.

Anyone see any problems with not using the tailwheel?

 

[Farmwithjunk]

I would imagine you COULD use it like it is, but I'd sure rather have that tailwheel in place. One, you'll be supporting all the weight of the mower ALL THE TIME from the three-point hitch. Another issue would be the tail end of the mower wanting to "scalp" if the tractors front wheels go over any sort of raised bump.

I mow several acres of rocky hillside with a mower MUCH heavier than that one. I need to carry the mower off the tailwheel's support while doing such. It requires the front of the tractor to be weighted enough so that I don't get too much "bounce".

 

[normde2001]

Should be ok for brush cutting or mowing on flat ground; however, if terrain has dips and rises you will get a very ragged cut as the mower can't follow the terrain. You might also be doing a lot of "wheelies".

 

[Bird]

I'm inclined to think this is one of those situations in which you can do it, but you ain't gonna like it. I'd get a tail wheel of some kind if it were me.

 

[Soundguy]

The tail wheel is there to take some weight off the tractor.. it will be like you are running around with the mower always lifted. I imagine uneven ground will have an uneven cut.

I think I'd try to sleave the old shaft to make the other tail wheel work.. or otherwise make a new tailwheel out of an appropriate shaft/pipe and then add some flats to make the forks.. etc..

Soundguy

 

[Ford960]

Well that didn't take long for replies, I must not be the only one sitting watching it rain.

Yes this mower is quite a bit heavier than my Squealer and I may load the front tires for more weight. I don't care about scalping as this is a real rough cut just to knock down the brush so people can see the entire lots from the comfort of their vehicle or to be able to walk to the back and see it up close if really interested in buying.

Cutting the lots also makes them look so much bigger and on some the result is that a new owner can bring their camper to place on the lot with very little work. They can then continue to clear the lot while enjoying the great outdoors. It's a big selling point. I've worked out a deal that the lots that I mow are compensated against the money that I owe on my lot. Right now I've paid down a year off my lot. There are 4 to do now and another 4 available coming on Friday. The lots average 60' X 100' with most being smaller and a few with holes and mounds. It takes me about 90 minutes to clear a lot and I will do 3 a day until the heat gets the best of me.

Plus, I pick up a few to do for cash which helps pay for gas and repairs. I also do a little box blading but the owner must have a soil and erosion permit for that work. I'm not responsible for the permit but I warn the owner that they aren't allowed to break more than 100 square feet of dirt without it.

Of course this will slow down somewhat come winter and the brush dies off but for now there are several hundreds of lots available and others that are being resold and never cleared. The real gravy is lots that I've already done and not sold that will need to be mowed again in a few months.

Ya'll stay dry.

 

[Ford960]

The tail wheel is there to take some weight off the tractor.. it will be like you are running around with the mower always lifted. I imagine uneven ground will have an uneven cut.

I think I'd try to sleave the old shaft to make the other tail wheel work.. or otherwise make a new tailwheel out of an appropriate shaft/pipe and then add some flats to make the forks.. etc..

Soundguy

Since I'm getting real bored sitting around I might just go out and rumage around and see what I can come up with. I might have a piece of round stock that I can chuck in the lathe and turn to the correct diameter and some flat stock for the fork. I got 2 wheels and hubs with the mower but the hubs are completely eat out and I may just use the wheel off my squealer. I hate to scrounge too many parts off the squealer in case I need it for a back up in a pinch.

 

[Ford960]

I'm inclined to think this is one of those situations in which you can do it, but you ain't gonna like it. I'd get a tail wheel of some kind if it were me.

Ya, your probably right as I can see that it's going to be more work with the hand on the 3pt lever to keep the mower in position.

Another thing that I'm thinking about is that the top link is rigid on the 305 where the squealer has a chain to allow the mower to lift up in the rear...think that I'll change that too.

 

[Soundguy]

A piece of flat stock bent into a U shape and a few holes will add a felxible link tot he toplink connection point. Check out a KK pdf rotary mower manual for an idea how to build one ( KK PDF is a free download ).

Soundguy

 

[wrenchturner]

I was browsing posts when I noticed the picture of your bushhog. Looks a lot like mine, yours just has more paint. Anyway, I got mine with a tractor I bought several years ago. I probably only used it a total of 10 hours. Last week I decided to patch it up. Turned it over in the shop and low and behold the blades were on backwards. When removing the blades, I was shocked to find one of the blade bolt nut was so loose I removed it with my fingers. It was just a matter of time before the blade would have come off and possibly killing someone. Check your blades and bolts. This is a heavy built bushhog.

 

[Ford960]

wrenchturner,
Thanks for the heads up. I keep a close eye on things like that.

Last week I broke one of the blades on my squealer. Don't know what I hit but it left a 3/4" half moon gouge in the cutting edge and the blade broke clean off at the pivot hole. The break shows no evidence of a prior crack or fatigue. I think that it came out and hit the right lower lift arm and bent it pretty bad but can't find a strike mark. Of course when the arm bent I shut down the pto because I didn't know what was going on. The tractor didn't stain or bog and I wasn't cutting anything major at the time. I replaced the lift arm and took a look under the mower to find that the blade was gone. I rode back down to the lot and found the blade laying about 5' to the right side of where I was cutting at the time.

I plan to replace both blades and pivot bolts so I'll have a back up unit if needed.

 

[normde2001]

"Well that didn't take long for replies, I must not be the only one sitting watching it rain."

Bird and I are retired, but I suspect Soundguy is doing it on company time .

 

[Ford960]

Well I got up this morning and pulled the tailwheel off the squealer and adapted it to the 305. It's kinda sloppy but seemed to do the job. On the second lot I backed into a tree and snapped the new lower lift arm clean in two. I took it back to the tractor dealer but wasn't able to convince him that it was defective. I bought two arms so that I would have a spare and I'll weld the broken one back together for another spare.

The difference in the two mowers is like night and day, I can easily knock down and destroy 3"-4" trees. The 305 cuts them off right at ground level and then chops up the limbs and leaves to mulch.

I was able to clear 4 lots today in 4 hours, got stung by 2 yellow jackets and had to chain saw the tractor out of the trees once. Also I got an entire tree hung under the mower and had to chain saw that too.

In the last three weeks I've cleared 17 lots and there should be another 4 coming up today or tomorrow.

Thanks for all the help.

 

[Soundguy]

Now that kind of post is what it's all about.

have fun, and keep us updated.

Soundguy

 

[sandman2234]

What is fun about getting stung by yellow jackets???
Been there, done that, it is anything but fun!!
I sold my Ford 1100 and bought it back for the same $ a year later. The owner had taken the wheel and bracket off so he could mow in some really tight areas around his grape vines. He put it in the attic of a shed. After he sold the property and I bought the Ford back, I realized the wheel was missing and asked about it. He called the new property owner and I was able to retrieve them. (They found them when they bulldozed the shed) I have never put them back on, as it works fine without it. However, since I am selling the tractor again, I need to drag it out and throw it on the truck for it's trip to Gulf Breeze.
David from jax

 

[Ford960]

Those little yellow ******** do hurt, a few weeks ago I had one get up my pants leg. The sting on the inside of my leg was a bad one too. Thing is that you don't know that they are attacking until the hurt starts.

Today I went to Harbor Freight and bought me a 1" impact wrench so the next time that I have to deal with blades it will be much easier. This wrench listed for $169.99 on sale for $99.99 and then the old lady said that she had a 20% off coupon so it cost me $80+tax. Now I have to go get my big air compressor from Charleston as I traded my son-in-law for his 20 gal compressor since I didn't have 220v power to run my 60 gal. He's never even put a plug on my compressor and is still putting the bare wires in the receptacle when he needs air. Now I have 220 and it's time for my new compressor to come home again. Who knows, I might even start sand blasting the sheet metal on this 960 to get some of the rust off, and a little paint couldn't hurt.

With the big compressor and 1/2" air hose I'll have 1,400 ft/lbs of torque to wring off as many bolts as I want. I also bought a set of 1" impact sockets, they weigh as much as the wrench.

I plumbed the wrench to the little compressor with a 3/8" hose just to see it work and it had an amazing amount of torque, enough to easily loosen the nuts on the axle of the tractor that I tightened with a 5' cheater pipe.

So now I've decided to replace the blades on the squealer and hold on to it as a back up unit. The stump jumper could use some work too but it's still a good mower.

 

[Soundguy]

Take pics along the way!!

Soundguy

 

[Ford960]

Take pics along the way!!

Soundguy

Of what? My trip to Charleston?

I go down there about every month and take my 35' fifthwheel for a week since it cost less than staying in a motel and we don't like staying with family.
Already this morning I've been getting ready to go in the morning and put the little compressor in the side compartment of the camper. The big compressor however is going to require a trip back up here to NC since it's too big and will have to be hauled in the back of the truck. What's another 500 mile round trip anyway.

I pull the camper with an F-350 DRW 6.0L PSD, 6sp man trans crew cab and have a 50 gallon aux fuel tank in the bed. Fuel in SC is ~$0.12-0.15 cheaper than NC and I fill my tanks down there which lasts me till the next trip. When I went to Ohio to get the Bush Hog last week I checked the fuel prices in all the states that I would be in and found that VA had the best price at $2.699/gallon as compared to $2.859 here in NC. I stopped in Wytheville and got fuel on the way up and again on the way back. Right now my main tank is full in the filler tube and the aux tank has a little more than half left with over 400 miles since fueling. I can regularly get over 1,200 miles on the available fuel.

I guess that I could take a few pictures when I put that big impact to work changing the blades on my squealer. I can't wait to pull the trigger and feel the power. I always did like to do that when changing tires on an 18 wheeler, you just can't beat the brute force that one of these wrenches has.

Well, we're headed over to some friends place and an afternoon on their boat. They have a place right on the lake and we ride the golf cart over. When we bought our lot here there were no waterfront properties available so we're one street back. As full time RVers we live in this fifthwheel year round and love it.

Gotta go.