Mowing

[EddieWalker]

In your pictures of the grass that you've cut, I'm not seeing the lines of cut grass that are so common from shredders. When I cut my fields, I have a line of cut grass that runs along the edge of my cutter. I don't sharpen my blades either, but the cut I'm getting on Bahia, Bermuca and several dozen types of weeds is much cleaner then what your showing in your pictures.

I'm not sure if the deck height, or angle will make allot of difference, but I think your tractor speed and blade speed might be your problem. What RPM's are you running your engine when cutting? I have mine set at 2,500 RPM, the PTO set to 540 and my ground speed is fairly slow, but I'll speed up if I'm in thiner grass. In heavy cutting, I'm in low range and second gear. But it's my RPM's that spin the blades at a speed that cuts the grass nice an clean.

I don't think a diffferent brand of cutter is going to make much differnce. The technology is very basic on the blades, and they pretty much all do the same thing. Different brands will have other features in decking, tail wheels and gear boxes, but when it comes to blades, it's pretty much standard.

Good Luck,
Eddie

 

[zzvyb6]

I've seen that look before in my own yard. It was caused by the blades being installed backwards. Oops. Check to see that the cutting edge is actually attacking the grass. If the blades are upside down then the back edge is doing the cutting, not the sharp edge.

 

[flusher]

I have a 6' HD rotary cutter that does wonders in the real heavy brushy stuff. And while I do not expect a finishing mower look to its cut, I am a little dissapointed at how it does in my open pasture areas. The closest cut I can get is about 6". Any lower than that and the mower turns into a plow... the front shoes will dig in real bad making the pasture look terrible.

Are there any modifications I can make that will allow me to mow the real heavy stuff and get a closer cut in the more tame areas?

I have a King Kutter 48" brush hog for my Kubota B7510HST and cut about 8 acres of pasture with it. I cut twice, first in April and then in late June. The rainy season runs from Nov to May. Then the hot weather takes over for 3-4 months.

The April cut looks pretty crummy because the weeds are green and have a lot of moisture. The June cut is much better because the weeds are a lot dryer.

 

[JerryG]

There are clockwise and counter clockwise cut blades. Check to see if someone accidentally installed the wrong direction of blades on. If they did and it could have been done at the factory, you could be cutting with the back of the blade.

 

[sandman2234]

Something is wrong, as a bush hog usually does a better job than that.
Try the things mentioned and then maybe get a friends bush hog to see how it compares or pay someone to mow part of it, with you watching to see what they do different. If their cut looks the same as yours, then stop them and tell them that isn't exceptable enough, that you can do that good.
David from jax

 

[thingy]

Use a chain length instead of the top link,lets your mower float,,,,thingy

 

[Tom_Veatch]

Use a chain length instead of the top link,lets your mower float,,,,thingy

But, thingy, then the mower would be useless in preventing a rear rollover.

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/safety/97525-tractor-rollover-myths-facts.html

 

[thingy]

Thats right who worrys about roll overs anyways,[thats what they always come up with,your right Tom,,sure we'll hear it],,but seriously folks,,I mow on steeper hills than 95 percent of you I'd bet,,and I ain't rolled over backwards yet,,anyways,,would hate to think the only thing between me and death was that little top link,,plus,,if you keep the rear wheel on the ground,,you are not carrying the full weight of mower up that hill,,[thats all I can think of now],,,anyways,,it cuts better,,,thingy

 

[chrisjbell]

The cut I'm seeing in your pictures stinks, even for a brush cutter. You may have the blades installed incorrectly (although I've never bothered to sharpen them on mine so I don't know that putting them on backwards would make a huge difference ). You might be going too fast. Your blades may not be spinning fast enough.

For a decent cut: sharp blades, properly adjusted cutters, slow travel speed, and fast blade speed.

 

[Soundguy]

I agree with most o fthe others... Check to make sure your blades are installed correctly.

if you have a slip clutch.. make sure it is not slipping.

Check the hub/stump jumper on the bottom o fthe mower to see if it is loose or has stripped it's splines and is freewheeling.

Check the drive shaft to make sure that a shear bolt or woodruff key has not sheared.

Mow at propper engine rpm to give you proper pto rpm ( 540 for most applications ).

Ditto on the instructions to use the mower tailwheel and toplink to set it up so that the front of the mower is slightly lower than the rear, and that the 'skid shoes' are just above the ground level to keep from gouging.

Your pics look almost like you have super low pto speed 9 or one o fthe other listed problems with speed due to slipping parts.. or the wrong side of the blade ).

Post back.

Soundguy

 

[jshbryan]

I am mowing in renage 2 gear 1 with an RPM of 2500. The cutter has a slip clutch on it. I will check the blades.

 

[JoeL4330]

So is there a rotary cutter in between what I have and a finishing mower? To me it just looks bad. When I drive around and see what other people places look like that are cut with rotary cutters there is no comparison.

Don't know your budget or your tractor capacity, but BEFCO - Products - Finishing Mowers - Cyclone C70 is a HD finishing mower, with Free swinging kick back blades and can pretty much jump stumps like a rotary ...if you get interested in one, make sure it has hard tires

 

[thingy]

Well after actually looking at that picture,,it just looks to me like they wasn't much grass,[very tall],cause I don't see a windrow,,,and if your fronts digging in,you need to raise the front with three point so it don't,,my kk brush hog works very good on grass,,don't cut mine till its 4 ft tall sometimes in spring,have never sharpened the baldes in going on 5 years of use,,using a chain instead of toplink will help keep rear wheel,in your case wheels,on the ground,for a more even cut,,,but looks like it did alright,,just raise the front end up,,,get the deck about level,maybe 5-6 inches off ground,,set your tail wheels as close as they can be set to 5-6 inches with deck about level,than do the rest with three point,,you ain't going to get it exact,,like I said a couple of times a chain works better than a top link,,,I use from 1/2 to about 3/4 throttle,I'm sure half is less than recommened speed,but it still cuts good even at 1/2 in light short grass,,I don't use more than 3/4 for 4 ft thick stuff,,I don't go fast but I don't creep,,maybe a fast walk generally,slower in thick stuff generally,,,thingy

 

[Egon]

Why go shorter than 6 inches as that may be an optimum height for grass.

 

[1bush2hog]

I think Soundguy has it - check the slip clutch - it may be too loose causing it to slip too easily

 

[thingy]

Don't know why you guys think it might be slip clutch? Hes plowing the ground with front end he says,a cutter ain't nothing more than a lawnmower deck,,you don't cut your yard with your deck set so low it plows dirt,,thingy

 

[Glowplug]

Do you mow with the 3ph in float position or using position control? And do you have your toplink in the correct hole? Don't know if that's it but it is something to think about and consider.

 

[thingy]

Good point Chuck,,started to say float is where,,but of course no,,postion is where,,front stays same,,rear floats,[or is supposed to anyways,],chain,,thingy

 

[jshbryan]

Here is a pic of the top link connection to the cutter. It swivels all the way around so it is a "float" system.

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b17/OrangeMach/TopLinkConnect001.jpg

 

[thingy]

Yeah,yeah,yeah,[didn't look at picture,so maybe something new but doubt it],,that u shaped piece of metal didn't do it for me,,chain works much better,,,don't know why so many are afraid to try it,,,I heard it one time back when I was first trying and bought it hook line and sinker,,glad I did,has saved me alot,,maybe life,,[when going up a very steep hill,tail wheel stays on ground],,,thingy