MODIFY BRUSH HOG SOME MORE

[3RRL]

Well, I've decided to end this thread with the final modifications to the brush hog as I started out to do. I know I deviated from the original idea to make these guage wheels Quick Attach onto other implements, so instead of adding all that in this thread, I feel a new thread is in order to tell all about the Quick Attach guage Wheels as a stand alone unit.

You can go here to follow the outcome of how they are used on both the Brush Hog and the Boxblade.

Hyd Quick Attach Guage Wheels

In the meantime, here are the final steps to complete the brush hog mods.
Last you saw was the addition of the extra tubing on the sides of the rotary cutter. In order to mount the receiver bars, I decided to weld them to 3/8" thick plates which will be welded to the rotary cutter body for even more strength. I had to do some fitting and welding first, and then space the receivers so the quick attach wheels would slide on and off them.

 

[3RRL]

After Loretta and I spent a couple hours getting the rails perfectly straight, we had a chance to touch up the welds with a little paint. It was touch and go getting the rails straight enough for the gauge wheels to slide on and off without binding up. I left .050" clearance and thought it would be plenty, but I was wrong. I could have easily used .051" or .052"... just kidding. Anyway, we managed and they slid on and off easily once we got the position correct. Here are a couple pics showing the result and with the wheels on.

 

[3RRL]

I hooked up the cutter to the tractor so I could get the hose length for the hydraulics. This is the longest they have to be to and could be shorter for the other implements, but I will just roll them up for the others instead of having separate hose lengths for each. Quick disconnects are expensive.

Anyway, this first picture is with the wheels lifted up completely. They are off the ground and the brush hog body is sitting down. The wheels are up in the air enough to where I could lift the entire cutter up to back into shrubs and stuff. The other photos are of the wheels lifting the cutter at various positions and an end view.




The wheels lift the cutter about 14" off the ground and even a little more when I raise the 3pt up. It's a pretty good range of cut height.
The best part is I get to set it from the seat of my tractor or change it if I want.
That was the whole idea.

 

[3RRL]

Here is a short video of how it works.
I guess I will have to play around with setting the hydraulic top link so there is enough play in the slot for the cutter to follow the contours, but you get the idea.

 

[Ductape]

Again..... not bad work for a mad man !

Rob, i hope you are patenting these inventions of yours !!

I'd like to place an order for one set of hydraulic guage wheels please !!




Scott

 

[tommu56]

Rob
The 4 for the house are stacked to get 220 and in parralle to carry the current

The ones for the shop are just stacked to get 220 at alower current
I would spring for another one or the shop and eliminate the phase convertor.

It's easy spending some one elses money.
I am putting one invertor in (I'm on a lower buget than rob)

tom

Rob I loooked at my manual this weekend and it looks like you would need a 3 phase generator for it to work in 3 phase mode

tom

 

[3RRL]

Scott,
Thanks for the kind words from one madman to another.
I think I over did it with that self leveling linkage though. It is certainly not needed. My very first concept of using the hydraulic cylinder in place of the bolt on bracket would easily have worked and been a hundred times easier to do. Of course what's the fun in that? Not only that, but they are super heavy! If you want a set, I'd consider a redesign to make it easier and less expensive to make. They could still be switched from implement to implement that way with the hydraulic cylinder on the unit, ready to plug into your rear remotes.

Tom, my generator is single phase so I'll stick with the rotary 3 phase converter I have. It should work fine for I'll do up there.
Thanks for your concern and research.

 

[GuglioLS]

WOW what a creation. Man o Man the self leveling feature works to perfection! Over the top for sure. I think you have not received more replies because everyone is paralyzed by shock and awe, or they simply hate you for being able to doing this kind of marvelous stuff. Totally cool Rob.

When will you have the opportunity to do some mowing so as to field test it?

Larry

 

[3RRL]

Hi my good buddy Larry.
Thanks for the cool compliments and coming from you, the "Master of Mods" it is quite something.
I'm sure most of the guys have better things to do than to visit an old thread that's been dragged on for 3 months now, but I appreciate your thoughts.
More important is that I am very happy with the kind comments and compliments I've gotten already.
I'm glad you like the QA wheels. I will field test the rotary cutter probably next Spring, but I might do a small section of meadow below the homesite. I already test the boxblade out on the road grading and it works great with these QA wheels on it.

 

[MJPetersen]

I already test the boxblade out on the road grading and it works great with these QA wheels on it.

Wait a minute Rob!! I did NOT see any pictures of the wheels even hooked up to the BB, let alone a video of it in action in grading your road. I have followed carefully your "modification" and figured I would just have to be patient for the pics with the BB.

As far as the low response rate, Rob (and Larry) has set such a high standard of excellence that what is "standard fare" for your Meister skills, would be "wow-o-wow" for the rest of us. We've run out of superlative adjectives.

Mike

PS Opps--Now I see that you updated the other thread and what I have been waiting for is THERE!