Has anyone tried to make a front mounted mower
- Thread starter Mith
- Start date
- Views: 4756
Funny you should mention this.I 've been toying with the idea.I wanted to buy a Kubota w/r4 tires(tyres) and you cant get a midmount mower and I hate rear mount.I found a used snow blower that mounted in the front and ran off the rear pto ,When you lowered your 3pt it would raise the blower,I wanted to try to modify it for a mower.
You might want to look into "Materials Collection Systems" that can be used to suck the discharge from a mid-mount-mower into a hopper on the back of the tractor, or in a cart pulled behind the tractor.
- Rick
- Rick
well mid mount im not convinced about mostly as it would need a mid PTO which i probably wont end up with on my tight budget and secont it would be a pain to get on and off when i decide to head out into the mud. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
you say mulch - im not to sure about this - seeing as i do work for others like the local guide hut they arent too thrilled about cut grass getting dragged into the hut thats been left by the mower /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif so i guess collection is the only way forward
thaks for your input mith
you say mulch - im not to sure about this - seeing as i do work for others like the local guide hut they arent too thrilled about cut grass getting dragged into the hut thats been left by the mower /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif so i guess collection is the only way forward
thaks for your input mith
gbirky
Platinum Member
- Joined
- Mar 25, 2002
- Messages
- 640
- Location
- Near Hagerstown, MD
- Tractor
- Yanmar models: YM1110D, YM1301D
I have been toying with this very idea. I have a very small diesel tractor - a Yanmar YM1110D, 13 hp. It is 4x4 and has a powershift transmission. It is an ideal mowing machine - except there is so little distance between the front and rear wheels that it is very difficult to put a belly mower on it. So...I've been thinking about how to run a front mount mower.
The physical linkage doesn't seem like such a problem - just need some arms pivoting from the front frame of the tractor with a cable and pulley arrangement to lift with the rear 3pt. I have a Yanmar belly mower on my YM1301D that lifts like this.
It seems to me the real problem is powering the deck since I don't have a mid-pto. I think there are two options for powering from the front of the tractor. 1) front electric clutch with belt drive (the belly deck on my YM1301D is driven this way 2) belt drive from a pulley bolted directly to the front crank pulley with a tensioning system rather than a clutch. A third option would involve powering the deck from the rear pto either with a shaft, or a long belt - but this seems difficult compared to the other two options.
It seems either option could work depending on whether you had access to a low cost electric clutch.
Incidentally, when I fabricated the mounting system for the idler/tensioner to drive the belly mower on my YM1301D, I made provisions to run the belt forward (by moving the idler/tensioner forward) to drive a front mounted snow blower. But it could be used to drive a front mounted mower.
If you get a chance, check out my web site. You can see the lift mechanism for my belly mower. The front mount mower lift would be similar.
I also attached a photo of an older setup for a small front blade on my YM1301D. I used the cable/pulley arrangement for the lift from the rear 3pt.
If you go to my web site and then use the link at the bottom of the page to the 54" JD hydraulic blade page, you can see the belly mower idler/tensioner in its finished form. Painted even. The rectangular plates on which the idler and tensioner pulleys are mounted are removeable as an assembly by removing 4 pins. The assembly can then be moved forward about 5" and reattached with the same 4 pins. This aligns the idler and tensioner pulleys to run the belt forward (though I have no use for this feature YET...).
The physical linkage doesn't seem like such a problem - just need some arms pivoting from the front frame of the tractor with a cable and pulley arrangement to lift with the rear 3pt. I have a Yanmar belly mower on my YM1301D that lifts like this.
It seems to me the real problem is powering the deck since I don't have a mid-pto. I think there are two options for powering from the front of the tractor. 1) front electric clutch with belt drive (the belly deck on my YM1301D is driven this way 2) belt drive from a pulley bolted directly to the front crank pulley with a tensioning system rather than a clutch. A third option would involve powering the deck from the rear pto either with a shaft, or a long belt - but this seems difficult compared to the other two options.
It seems either option could work depending on whether you had access to a low cost electric clutch.
Incidentally, when I fabricated the mounting system for the idler/tensioner to drive the belly mower on my YM1301D, I made provisions to run the belt forward (by moving the idler/tensioner forward) to drive a front mounted snow blower. But it could be used to drive a front mounted mower.
If you get a chance, check out my web site. You can see the lift mechanism for my belly mower. The front mount mower lift would be similar.
I also attached a photo of an older setup for a small front blade on my YM1301D. I used the cable/pulley arrangement for the lift from the rear 3pt.
If you go to my web site and then use the link at the bottom of the page to the 54" JD hydraulic blade page, you can see the belly mower idler/tensioner in its finished form. Painted even. The rectangular plates on which the idler and tensioner pulleys are mounted are removeable as an assembly by removing 4 pins. The assembly can then be moved forward about 5" and reattached with the same 4 pins. This aligns the idler and tensioner pulleys to run the belt forward (though I have no use for this feature YET...).
Attachments
/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif excellent - someone on the same tack as me (although you may argue against this /forums/images/graemlins/ooo.gif) /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
i was thinking about a form of front 3pt hitch to mount the mower on - kinda like the mounting for the blade on your website. you say you have a belt drive to your belly mower on the YM1301D, where does the belt run from?
its real good to see that im not alone in toying with the idea of a front mount mower for a very small tractor
have you thought about the idea of running it off a small hydro motor? or any shaft drive plans?
thanks for your post /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
cheers mith
i was thinking about a form of front 3pt hitch to mount the mower on - kinda like the mounting for the blade on your website. you say you have a belt drive to your belly mower on the YM1301D, where does the belt run from?
its real good to see that im not alone in toying with the idea of a front mount mower for a very small tractor
have you thought about the idea of running it off a small hydro motor? or any shaft drive plans?
thanks for your post /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
cheers mith
gbirky
Platinum Member
- Joined
- Mar 25, 2002
- Messages
- 640
- Location
- Near Hagerstown, MD
- Tractor
- Yanmar models: YM1110D, YM1301D
I was going for the least expensive path, just in case it uhhh... doesn't work. I was going to try to get a used 48" deck from a Murray or MTD lawn tractor. (I ran across two about 2 years ago for $25 each - and in decent shape. I wish I had bought one then.) Then just rig up a mounting system with two arms attached to the tractor frame or front axle. Use pulleys and cable for lift from the 3pt. Drive it with a belt from the front of the engine by adding a pulley to the front crank pulley. Use some type of tensioner with enough belt guides to make sure the belt disengages that drive pulley, but stays positioned to re-engage.
Using hydraulics would work, but it will be expensive. Driving hydraulic motors requires high hydraulic flows. A 540 rpm high flow hydraulic pump is in the $300 range. High speed hydraulic motors are also expensive.
On my YM1301D, the deck is driven from the front of the tractor. There is a shaft stub that bolts to the front crank pulley which goes into an electric clutch. The clutch drives a belt which goes down and around a tensioner and idler, then back to the deck. Due to engine rotation direction, the belly deck is a left discharge. The deck is a YMM-45 (45" width), original equipment on the (built for U.S.) YM135, YM155, and YM155D.
Attached is a shot showing the tensioner side of the idler/tensioner assembly on my YM1301D.
Using hydraulics would work, but it will be expensive. Driving hydraulic motors requires high hydraulic flows. A 540 rpm high flow hydraulic pump is in the $300 range. High speed hydraulic motors are also expensive.
On my YM1301D, the deck is driven from the front of the tractor. There is a shaft stub that bolts to the front crank pulley which goes into an electric clutch. The clutch drives a belt which goes down and around a tensioner and idler, then back to the deck. Due to engine rotation direction, the belly deck is a left discharge. The deck is a YMM-45 (45" width), original equipment on the (built for U.S.) YM135, YM155, and YM155D.
Attached is a shot showing the tensioner side of the idler/tensioner assembly on my YM1301D.
