Help with top link adjustment for rotary cutter.

[daTeacha]

I have a heavy Huskee brand 48" cutter. It has more weight than my B7100 could pick up. The top link of the mower has a strap and chain to connect it to the rear wheel mounting, which has several holes to set the height of the rear wheel. The 3 point hookup is thus free to pivot at it's base, which is really nice when hooking the the thing up.

With the Kubota, I mowed with the rear wheel on the ground and the stabilizer links on the lift arms drawn up tight to make it track straight. I adjusted the tractor top link to keep the chain/strap on the mower tight while mowing and the deck level front to back. About half the weight of the mower was transferred to the tractor and the rest was on the rear wheel. If I wanted to mow higher or lower, I adjusted the wheel first. When I wanted to transport it, I put the rear lift all the way up, then had to reach back and pull on the top link to get it off the ground, which it would hold for quite a while, but I didn't transport it very far. The loader on the front helped keep things balanced. I suspect that without it the front wheels would have been in the air when I tried to lift the mower.

 

[daTeacha]

I have a heavy Huskee brand 48" cutter. It has more weight than my B7100 could pick up. The top link of the mower has a strap and chain to connect it to the rear wheel mounting, which has several holes to set the height of the rear wheel. The 3 point hookup is thus free to pivot at it's base, which is really nice when hooking the the thing up.

With the Kubota, I mowed with the rear wheel on the ground and the stabilizer links on the lift arms drawn up tight to make it track straight. I adjusted the tractor top link to keep the chain/strap on the mower tight while mowing and the deck level front to back. About half the weight of the mower was transferred to the tractor and the rest was on the rear wheel. If I wanted to mow higher or lower, I adjusted the wheel first. When I wanted to transport it, I put the rear lift all the way up, then had to reach back and pull on the top link to get it off the ground, which it would hold for quite a while, but I didn't transport it very far. The loader on the front helped keep things balanced. I suspect that without it the front wheels would have been in the air when I tried to lift the mower.

 

[Bob_Skurka]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( it was evident that ther was a problem because unless the 3pt hitch kept the front of the cutter very close to the ground, the cutter would be lifted (rear wheel no longer on the ground). )</font>

SAFETY WARNING!!! This is an incredibly dangerous implement. And to operate it in this manner is a risk to all people within 50 yards of the machine.

A rotary cutter can launch large rocks, debris, even partial sheets of plywood or lumber at incredible speeds and hurl them amazing distances.

A rotary cutter should be operated at only a very slight forward pitch so that it almost looks level. The rise to run from the front of the cutter to the rear of the cutter should be something like 1/2" per foot, although some manufacturers will allow for 1" per foot in heavy grasses,etc. That means on a 5' rotary cutter the rear should only be about 2.5" higher than the front.

Operating the cutter with the rear elevated excessively is pretty much an accident waiting to happen and any object that you hit could potentialy be hurled out the back of the cutter. There are stories here on TBN where people have shot rocks and wood through the siding of homes and barns.

 

[Bob_Skurka]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( it was evident that ther was a problem because unless the 3pt hitch kept the front of the cutter very close to the ground, the cutter would be lifted (rear wheel no longer on the ground). )</font>

SAFETY WARNING!!! This is an incredibly dangerous implement. And to operate it in this manner is a risk to all people within 50 yards of the machine.

A rotary cutter can launch large rocks, debris, even partial sheets of plywood or lumber at incredible speeds and hurl them amazing distances.

A rotary cutter should be operated at only a very slight forward pitch so that it almost looks level. The rise to run from the front of the cutter to the rear of the cutter should be something like 1/2" per foot, although some manufacturers will allow for 1" per foot in heavy grasses,etc. That means on a 5' rotary cutter the rear should only be about 2.5" higher than the front.

Operating the cutter with the rear elevated excessively is pretty much an accident waiting to happen and any object that you hit could potentialy be hurled out the back of the cutter. There are stories here on TBN where people have shot rocks and wood through the siding of homes and barns.

 

[joerocker]

I was under the impression that you have the adjust the cutter so it's in the correct cutting position when FULLY lowered. Am I wrong here? Can you drag that big heavy thing around all day, bouncing and all while RAISED slightly? Isn't that a GREAT strain on the 3PH?

I have ALL my bottom links REALLY tight (as tight as they will go) and as short as possible, I have my top link PUSHING the top out to rotate the mower a bit, bringing the front up so I can cut at a decent height with my 3PH all the way down. I scalp a bit here and there and dig a few ruts too but there's no weight on a partially raised 3PH.

So, am I worrying about nothing? Can I cut with a partially raised 3PH? Without undue strain?

 

[joerocker]

I was under the impression that you have the adjust the cutter so it's in the correct cutting position when FULLY lowered. Am I wrong here? Can you drag that big heavy thing around all day, bouncing and all while RAISED slightly? Isn't that a GREAT strain on the 3PH?

I have ALL my bottom links REALLY tight (as tight as they will go) and as short as possible, I have my top link PUSHING the top out to rotate the mower a bit, bringing the front up so I can cut at a decent height with my 3PH all the way down. I scalp a bit here and there and dig a few ruts too but there's no weight on a partially raised 3PH.

So, am I worrying about nothing? Can I cut with a partially raised 3PH? Without undue strain?

 

[Billy_S]

Don't feel silly because I have exactly the same question. I have only had my rotary mower hooked up to my new BX2230 long enough to see that it works.

When my tail wheels are on the ground, the front is dragging the ground. Clearly, not a good setup. The manual isn't terribly helpful. It says something to the effect of, to change the angle of attack of your implement, adjust the length of the top link. Thanks for clearing that up, Kubota. /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

Where my top link attaches to the mower sounds like yours. The attachment point on the mower pivots back and forth. There is probably a good reason for it not being rigid but I am too stupid to figure it out. Anyway, I asked about it here and I was told that I need to LENGTHEN the top link. With all the rain, I haven't had a chance to try that. I assume it will work though.

As it is right now, the only way I have found to keep the front end of the mower from dragging the ground is to not let the 3pt hitch go all the way down. A bit cumbersome, at best.

Maybe this weekend I can get out and play with the top link adjustment.

 

[Billy_S]

Don't feel silly because I have exactly the same question. I have only had my rotary mower hooked up to my new BX2230 long enough to see that it works.

When my tail wheels are on the ground, the front is dragging the ground. Clearly, not a good setup. The manual isn't terribly helpful. It says something to the effect of, to change the angle of attack of your implement, adjust the length of the top link. Thanks for clearing that up, Kubota. /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

Where my top link attaches to the mower sounds like yours. The attachment point on the mower pivots back and forth. There is probably a good reason for it not being rigid but I am too stupid to figure it out. Anyway, I asked about it here and I was told that I need to LENGTHEN the top link. With all the rain, I haven't had a chance to try that. I assume it will work though.

As it is right now, the only way I have found to keep the front end of the mower from dragging the ground is to not let the 3pt hitch go all the way down. A bit cumbersome, at best.

Maybe this weekend I can get out and play with the top link adjustment.

 

[Bob_Skurka]

Joe, you are correct. It has to be adjusted properly while it is in use in the lowered position. I'm sorry if my post was unclear or confusing.

 

[Bob_Skurka]

Joe, you are correct. It has to be adjusted properly while it is in use in the lowered position. I'm sorry if my post was unclear or confusing.