getting ready to mow

[Soundguy]

Well, Looks like my NH 7610s will be away att he dealer for a week or two getting it's remote pack fixed so I can use my batwing. Seeings as how the weeds are getting high, I figured I gussy up my backup tractor, a ford 5000.

Got a set of sway chains on her today, fitted the 10' mower, and then added an old buggy top I had in the barn, to keep some o fthe sun off of me. I still need to mount a cup holder and a fire extinguisher.

Soundguy

 

[KiotiJohn]

That's still a great looking machine. I always like that styling.
Sorry to hear that the big daddy is out for a while.
John

 

[RonR]

Cool lookin' setup!

I recall, not very fondly, mowing pastures with a 40HP ford and a six ft mower. Talk about taking FOREVER!

I enjoy mowing, even though you get dirty/dusty/itchy. If I had the stuff to mow, I'd like to get a 50HP utility tractor and mower just to keep stuff lookin' nice............

ron

 

[RobT]

Soundguy:

Sweet setup. I love those Fords.

Question for you: How did you mount the safety triangle to the back of the mower? I would like to do that, but am afraid it will come off and I'll lose it.

Thanks.
RobT

 

[scott_vt]

Hi Soundguy,
Nice lookin setup and a real workhorse for sure. My buddy just picked up a Ford 6000 and then he went out and bought a 6ft bush hog for it /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif I told him that mower was way too small, but I guess hes lookin for seat time /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Hes got 52 acres mostly open, Im thinkin hes gonna have a sore butt /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

scotty

 

[Soundguy]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( How did you mount the safety triangle to the back of the mower )</font>

The back tailwheel rocker bar has the 2 rear tail wheels bolted to it.. each has a square 4 bolt pattern 'plate' that the wheel spindle and arm use to bolt to the rocker bar. I used a tsc SMV sign, and one of their thin metal attach brackets.. metal is super thin.. like 'thick' sheetmetal.. I sandwhiched the metal between the rockerbar and the spindle when bolting them on.. Has worked great for 2.5 seasons of mowing.

Soundguy

 

[Soundguy]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Ford 6000 .... 6ft bush hog ....52 acres )</font>

Wow... I guess he does like seat time. When i used to mow with a 5' mower it took me about 5 hrs to do 10ac.. give or take. When i jumped up to a 10' mower it dropped me to about 2hr45m of mowing. 52 ac... With my 10' mower that would be about 15.5 hours of mowing!!! With a 6'er probably more like 26-28 hours.... Yikes!!

That commander should pull a 15' mower easilly... though Zi know 15' mowers can be spendy... ( although you can find a deal now and then.. I picked up a used but serviceable one for 2000$.. that.. and a new howse 10' mower should be able to be had for 3000$ or so.. etc.... guess looking at those numbers, and a 700$ 6' mower looked good! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Soundguy

 

[RobT]

Thanks for the explanation, Soundguy. I'll have to see what I can do with mine.
RobT.

 

[ejtaylor822]

What an awesome looking machine - she's a beauty. Love the buggy top.

Showing my newbieness here......

Can you post some pictures and explain what the "sway chains" are and what they do? I have seen this mentioned several times, especially with box blades. Just curious how they are hooked up and the true purpose.

Sounds like they provide a sort of draft control for limiting travel for the attachments, but, not sure. I have a couple of large hooks right above the drawbar on mine. Not sure if this is what they are for. The mechanics of it all is throwing me as the hooks would be below any place I would connect to the attachment.

Just curious if you have time.

Thanks,
Eddie

 

[scott_vt]

Mornin Eddie,
I think Soundguy is refering to the chains that go from the outside of the 3pt lift arms to the bracket below the rear axle housing, usually with turnbuckles in between to control the sway from side to side of rear mounted implements. The turnbuckles adjust the freeplay. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif Boy, thats about as clear as mud /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif Hopefully that gives you an idea.

scotty

 

[Soundguy]

Yep EJ.. scott naile dit. The chains hook from the outside of the lift arm to a bracket under the axle.. 1 set for each side.. keeps the implement out of the tires. Mine -do=- have the turn buckles. Most fords also have some sway chains ont he inside of the arms to the diffy.. but those just keep the arms out of the tires.. implement could still touch.. that's what the extra outside sway chains are for ( older units also used sway bars.. .. same function.. just pinned on. Sway bars went out as they tended to bend if hooked up or used wrong.. also some implement manufacturers do not adhere 100% to the implement sizing, making the sway bars hard to hook up if the implement lower pins are not withing about 1/2" of where they should be... )

Soundguy

 

[ejtaylor822]

Hey Scott and Soundguy,
Thanks. Got it now. It's just as the name implies. I actually have a couple of hooks, believe they were referred to as turnbuckles, right above the drawbar. Now I understand how/what they are used for.

Had read a post where someone was talking about using a chain to limit the travel - vertical - to control the height like for a box blade. I thought they were referring to the hooks/turnbuckles. I just did not see any way of doing this as the turnbuckles on mine are actually level or just slightly higher than the arms. Did not see a way this could be done.

Anyway, thanks again for the education - this is handy information.

Eddie

 

[Soundguy]

Some tractors with no position control on the 3pt only have draft control.. examples are the ford 9n/2n and ferguson tractors. on those, the lift arms can and will move up and down as load on the toplink changes.. if you are mowing this makes you mower Bob up and down.. not a good deal. People came up with limit chains. You have a bracket or hooks at the toplink, and then run a chain down to the implement pin and lift the 3pt, and then hook the free end of the chain into the bracket/hook, then relax the 3pt. The implement is now held by the 2 limit chains and not the hyds.. This is also a good safety for 'roading' implements and now relying on hyds to keep your implement off the asphalt...

Soundguy