Mahindra rotary cutter

[Hermio]

I have the 8' heavy duty dual spindle model. It is mounted with clevis pins and hairpin cotters. The cotters always get torn out by brush, letting the clevis pins fall out. Anyone have a good way of keeping this from happening? I hate to figure on buying a new 7/8" clevis pin about every 1-2 hours of operation. (No, I usually cannot find them in the woods.)

 

[mcfarmall]

If the clevis pins have a loop handle, attach them to the a-frame with a short length of chain. You may have to replace hair pins frequently but the chain would control loss of the more costly clevis pin. Another thought is to drive a roll pin or spring pin through the hole in the clevis pin. This would require a hammer and a punch to remove every time you take the mower off unless you have a quick hitch. Or drill the hole out in the clevis pin to accept the typical lynch pin with the round bail snap-over clip.

 

[Hermio]

If the clevis pins have a loop handle, attach them to the a-frame with a short length of chain. You may have to replace hair pins frequently but the chain would control loss of the more costly clevis pin. Another thought is to drive a roll pin or spring pin through the hole in the clevis pin. This would require a hammer and a punch to remove every time you take the mower off unless you have a quick hitch. Or drill the hole out in the clevis pin to accept the typical lynch pin with the round bail snap-over clip.

I like the chain idea. I may drill out for the click pin also. I bought a quick hitch, but it is cat 1, which fits the tractor, but the mower is cat 2. So, I use the hitch for log dragging and little else.

 

[Navasot]

I have the 8' heavy duty dual spindle model. It is mounted with clevis pins and hairpin cotters. The cotters always get torn out by brush, letting the clevis pins fall out. Anyone have a good way of keeping this from happening? I hate to figure on buying a new 7/8" clevis pin about every 1-2 hours of operation. (No, I usually cannot find them in the woods.)

What in the world are you mowing to knock the pins off?? Just put a bolt in it lol

 

[Hermio]

I am thinking of doing that. I mow in the woods, so a lot of branches kick up and snag things. I used to lose click pins on a normal bush hog, but the 3-point adjustment still kept the mower on. The dual spindle brush cutter does not have permanently mounted pins.

 

[Navasot]

Yeah id put hardened bolts on it with a lock nut... that way you just need a few turns with a wrench to be sure she aint goin no were

 

[Snowback]

It is mounted with clevis pins and hairpin cotters. The cotters always get torn out by brush, letting the clevis pins fall out. Anyone have a good way of keeping this from happening?

Although I agree completely that the bolt idea above is the sure fire way, have you considered simple lynch pins to secure the clevis pins and retain ease of switching without tools? I use these on my 6' Medium duty to secure the clevis pins and have never had a problem in the woods/brush. A guy could chain them back to the deck or arm in addition to the clevis itself in case you did have a come apart assuming a branch could flip the top loop up. Good luck!

Here is one of many sources: Lynch Pins - Pivot Point

 

[jmh1783]

Two simple solutions to try. Push the hair pins all the way to the loop that way there is nothing to catch. If you don't like that one duct tape the loops so it makes it more difficult for the brush to catch them.

 

[burzynsr]

I have a 6' SD Mahindra mower. It has been good so far but really I would get the "Medium duty" model if I have to do it again. Nothing wrong with the SD, I just push it more than I should. Navasot is right about the galvanized "Modern" mowers. I should have listened to him when I was buying.

 

[Hermio]

I have had brush remove click pins frequently. It did not matter with previous cutters, because they had a fixed pin on the hitch. I bought some new clevis pins with locking pins. I may try them.

Although I agree completely that the bolt idea above is the sure fire way, have you considered simple lynch pins to secure the clevis pins and retain ease of switching without tools? I use these on my 6' Medium duty to secure the clevis pins and have never had a problem in the woods/brush. A guy could chain them back to the deck or arm in addition to the clevis itself in case you did have a come apart assuming a branch could flip the top loop up. Good luck!

View attachment 470430

Here is one of many sources: Lynch Pins - Pivot Point

 

[Hermio]

I have tried that. It works pretty well. However, the hair pins get bent, making them difficult to remove. I may go with the bolt idea.

Two simple solutions to try. Push the hair pins all the way to the loop that way there is nothing to catch. If you don't like that one duct tape the loops so it makes it more difficult for the brush to catch them.

 

[Hermio]

I have a 6' SD Mahindra mower. It has been good so far but really I would get the "Medium duty" model if I have to do it again. Nothing wrong with the SD, I just push it more than I should. Navasot is right about the galvanized "Modern" mowers. I should have listened to him when I was buying.

I use the 8' heavy duty. I take out up to 3" saplings with it.

 

[bearthebruce]

We have the 60" Mahindra rotatry cutter with the slip clutch recommended by our dealer over the shear pin style drive. That slip clutch saved my bunns when I caught the telco box along the road in brush 8' tall. Did not see it as it had been hit by someone else - first time mowing the field - and I went over it. Well, that Mahindra cutter chewed up the box and then when I lifted the cutter, it just fell out the bottom. Did a good look around and said, "Well, let's give 'er a go!" Started the PTO, brought up to speed and moved on to the next adventure - finding the rock piles in the feild that were only a foot and a half high! More bouncing and stressing that Mahindra. The stump jumper also saves you on a rock pile!

Someone wrote about the weight hanging on the back of your tractor and if you get stuck, getting out is a bit troublesome. Yep, same field, I got hung up on grape vines alongside a little brook. You guessed it, we slid down into the brook and no matter what I tried, our Massey 1533 was not getting enough purchase with the front wheels to get 'er up outta there. Another friend told me, if ya own a tractor, ya need a friend with a bigger tractor! Our friend hooked us up with a chain and pulled us right out of that little brook.

I like our brush hog. Took out 1-1/2" diameter samplings along the trails that needed maintenance. Anything bigger we chose to take with a chain saw. I think we could push towards 2" but I didn't want to kill that rotary cutter in our first season! Strong machine and our thanks to T&E Small Engine in Floyd, VA for recommending this brush hog.

Season two is about to begin... let you know if we learn anything new!

 

[Hermio]

I use the 8' heavy duty. I take out up to 3" saplings with it.

Who put the stupid link for "take out" in my post? It has nothing to do with the content, and I sure as heck did not put it there.

 

[Sysop]

It's a type of ad-words thing. Certain things you type will cause such things. When it occurs to me, I generally just reword what I'm saying or place a creative typo to eliminate it.

 

[ljhayes988]

Bought a 6’ MD with my 5545....Seal blew out the first day I used it. Haven’t had time to get it back to the dealer yet, but not very happy with it so far.

 

[3gunr]

I have the 6 ft sd cutter and put about 60 hrs on it last yr cutting head high brush and 1 to 2 inch sumac with it and was very happy with its performance.

 

[Hermio]

Sounds like an assembly fault. Should be easy to fix. It isn't actually made by Mahindra, as far as I know.

 

[bearthebruce]

Sounds like an assembly fault. Should be easy to fix. It isn't actually made by Mahindra, as far as I know.

Our standard 5 ft Mahindra cutter is made by Kodiak, Paladin Attachments, Ooltewah, TN. Mahindra just rebrands the units.

 

[Molalla1]

Our standard 5 ft Mahindra cutter is made by Kodiak, Paladin Attachments, Ooltewah, TN. Mahindra just rebrands the units.

Yes that is their branded cutter (Kodiak).