Mowing Mid-mount mower deck converted to rear mount 3 point?

[tl2926]

I never thought of moving the MMM to the front. I like that idea! My neighbor has a front mount mower and he loves it.

Now I just have to figure out if I can make that work. Sounds like a great winter time shop project - Any ideas?

 

[4570Man]

You've got a loader, right? The easiest thing to do would be to mount it to that. You'll need more substantial gauge wheels and ideally a floating mount to keep the weight of the loader off the mower. You'll have to chain the loader down to prevent lifting too high and damaging the PTO shaft. However you decide to do it you'll want hydraulic lift for the deck. It's way more useful that way. It also needs to be quick to mount. Otherwise you're defeating the point.

 

[Jeff F.]

Do you have the hitch from a front mount snowblower or broom or blade?

 

[tl2926]

I do have an FEL and was thinking of mounting the MMM to that if I decide to go this route. I can also custom fabricate any brackets that I will need.

The only things I am missing is a PTO shaft and front mount from something like a snowblower and I will continue looking to see if I can locate one. This might turn into a fun winter shop project.

Thanks for the help and ideas.

 

[zzvyb6]

I've seen a front mower from the MMM conversion done with hydraulic motors. They had a very large oil tank/reservoir/cooler in the system, though. That way you could use existing rear pto pump models and a motor hookup direct to your gearbox. This avoids the pto shaft tangling with the loader cross pieces.

We need J-J to chime in on this one.

 

[4570Man]

I've seen a front mower from the MMM conversion done with hydraulic motors. They had a very large oil tank/reservoir/cooler in the system, though. That way you could use existing rear pto pump models and a motor hookup direct to your gearbox. This avoids the pto shaft tangling with the loader cross pieces. We need J-J to chime in on this one.

Why would you bother? It takes longer than hooking up a MMM. Not to mention you're going to have more $$$ invested than I do in my real front mount mower. Third problem is he only has 21 hp.

 

[zzvyb6]

My JD F-935 is a 72" front mower (22 hp) and I have the 72" commercial MMM for my 1070. A MMM is a PITA for me because I have to take it off to process hay. Someday soon I will run tha extra deck off the front of the 1070 with either a pup motor on it or with the add-on front PTO (need to find a kit), or run a few hydraulic lines with a cooler.

If this fellow needs a good winter project with lots of cool factor, the front deck idea is a winner. He just needs to consider a few options that best suites his skills, tools and needs. I'd do it just because somebody said I couldn't do it. Most of my projects have this trait. That's why I have so much fun and my friends and neighbors only get to sit on their butz and get fat and lazy. I'm not a wet blanket when it comes to people turnng dreams and ideas into reality.

 

[Leejohn]

If I had the pto shaft or new how it was ran my mmm would be on the front in a heart beat. I guy would only have to have a jackshaft up and over the gear box to make a workable mower.

 

[4570Man]

My F-2560 is 25 HP, but remember our decks are shaft driven. Shafts are a lot more efficient than hydraulics. The real problem is $$$ unless he has a suitable pump and motor laying around. I only paid $3,500 for my F-2560, and I could still sell it and get my money back. How much do you think a homemade MMM conversion is worth? I fully understand the PITA of a MMM, but how much easier is a front mounted deck on a tractor going to be?

 

[JWR]

Yes, tl2926 it probably is a crazy idea. No way in the world it would make sense to do such a conversion, even if it weren't for the gearing and direction of rotation and having to make mounts, etc. Good word: crazy. For one thing, the belly mower deck tends to be more expensive than a universal off-the-shelf 3pt hitch mower. You can probably trade it for a rear mower if you want to.

However what zzvyb6 just suggested is, I think, a great idea ! Many larger tractors (esp. in Europe) have front mounted 3pt.hitches and PTOs for several reasons. There is a big advantage to being able to mow the grass before you run over it. Mowing up into tight places where the mower can "go first." Another thing may seem obscure but some people (me included) have placed custom rear wheel spacers on a Kubota for safety and comfort on steep ground since many models do not provide for rear wheel spacing adjustment. Because of that, I can no longer use my belly mower (unless I remove the wheel spacers) since the belly mower now conflicts with the rear tires. Most of time now I am using a 3pt 5ft hog on the B2150 Kubota. But the idea of being able to mount the belly mower up front, drive it from the mid-PTO and utilize something like the front snow blower hardware (or homebrew something similar) would be a neat little project -- worth doing. A "light bulb goes on" idea.