Offsetting Mower

[BobRip]

I was mowing along the road today and only felt comfortable by keeping the wheels on one side on the pavement. It was difficult to mow more than about 2 feet wide. I can drive through the ditch and get most of the rest, but this left a section uncut. I then cut it by driving across the ditch. This was somewhat time consuming. I would like to mow about a mile of our road to reduce the ticks when we walk. Both my wife and I have had lyme disease (treated very early by just dump luck, so no real problems) and are trying not to repeat that. I see PT makes an offset mower for $1900. Has anyone tried this? Is it worth the money?

I am considering making an attachment device to offset my finish mower and maybe other attachments by 18 inches or so. Any thoughts on the pros and cons of this or how to do it.

 

[zzvyb6]

I wish my 72" front mower would offset as much as possible to get grass cut under my evergreens without breaking branches off. I'd have the right edge align with the mower's front drive wheels and the left over as far as it can go. I could live with it offset the other way too, so that the discharged grass would be blown under the trees instead of onto the driveway gravel (where it tends to grow in bunches that is now roundup proof.

Your suggestion gives me some ideas, though. By modifying the extra set of draft arms I have, this probably can be accomplished. The drive shaft will take the new angle.

 

[BobRip]

I wish my 72" front mower would offset as much as possible to get grass cut under my evergreens without breaking branches off. I'd have the right edge align with the mower's front drive wheels and the left over as far as it can go. I could live with it offset the other way too, so that the discharged grass would be blown under the trees instead of onto the driveway gravel (where it tends to grow in bunches that is now roundup proof.

Your suggestion gives me some ideas, though. By modifying the extra set of draft arms I have, this probably can be accomplished. The drive shaft will take the new angle.

Please send pictures if you do anything. I will be doing this on a Power Trac 422.

 

[MossRoad]

Bob,
Many years back one of our members (forgive me, I can't remember which one) had a mowing business. He ran his 60" PT mower out front as usual, and he towed a (I believe 60" also) Kunz AcrEase mower that is self powered offset behind him just a bit overlapped for a total cut of about 110" width.

Don't know if that's what you're interested in, or a boom mower like PT sells. Anyhow, here's a link to Kunz. Also look at swisher.

Kunz, AcrEase Tow-Pull Behind Mowers & Till-Ease ATV UTV Tillage Equipment, Finish and Rough Cut Trailmowers

 

[BobRip]

Bob,
Many years back one of our members (forgive me, I can't remember which one) had a mowing business. He ran his 60" PT mower out front as usual, and he towed a (I believe 60" also) Kunz AcrEase mower that is self powered offset behind him just a bit overlapped for a total cut of about 110" width.

Don't know if that's what you're interested in, or a boom mower like PT sells. Anyhow, here's a link to Kunz. Also look at swisher.

Kunz, AcrEase Tow-Pull Behind Mowers & Till-Ease ATV UTV Tillage Equipment, Finish and Rough Cut Trailmowers

Thanks for the link. That's really cool. I did not see a cost, but this thing has got to be cheap. I think a few hundred dollars at most. Has anybody tried the PT offset mower?

 

[Citydude]

Thanks for the link. That's really cool. I did not see a cost, but this thing has got to be cheap. I think a few hundred dollars at most. Has anybody tried the PT offset mower?

Umm, a few thousand dollars of your taking about the Kunz.

Sent from my iPad using TractorByNet

 

[woodlandfarms]

So offseting the mower..... I have been pulling together parts to make a full on offset, getting the mower and other implements beyond the wheel line.

On my mower (and I do not have pictures of it) you can move the QA plate to either the left or the right as there are addtional holes in the crossmember. If it is just the mower you want to move, I would consider wacking a couple of holes a cheap proposition. As I said I am looking to move a number of implements off center.

 

[BobRip]

So offseting the mower..... I have been pulling together parts to make a full on offset, getting the mower and other implements beyond the wheel line.

On my mower (and I do not have pictures of it) you can move the QA plate to either the left or the right as there are addtional holes in the crossmember. If it is just the mower you want to move, I would consider wacking a couple of holes a cheap proposition. As I said I am looking to move a number of implements off center.

There are no extra holes on mine, but I could cut some welds and make a few other changes and that might work. I gotta think about this. Thanks for the idea.

 

[woodlandfarms]

There is some physics to look at in all of this. the mowers are not floating like a boom mower so I feel the wheels have the potential for hanging the system up

 

[MossRoad]

I think if you have a 60" deck and try to mow half on the road shoulder and half into the ditch in float mode, you're going to scalp if you float the deck. If you offset it so it is, say, 18" to the right, and you keep the FEL out of float so as not to put sideways torque on the thing, you can mow 18" to the right, the deck wheels won't be touching the ground, the grass in the ditch will be at the same height as the grass on the shoulder even though the ground may drop off into the ditch.... is that what you want to do?

Also, you're going to be putting some left/right (roll for you pilots) twisting torque on the FEL arms if the mower deck is not centered. I don't think its going to take much to bend or twist the FEL arms in that direction. Just be aware of that.

 

[bcp]

Some cheap ideas:

Use an old push mower, riding mower, or powered mower deck

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lvhQUWLlsrk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZV9CNJO5z0







Bruce

 

[SpringHollow]

I think counter weight mounting a mower onto an arm with adjustable angle might be the cheapest way to go. An electric mower would be ideal but I do not know if you will get 1 mile from a single charge. The counterweight will help prevent tweaking your loader arms.

Ken

 

[SpringHollow]

Where is PT's offset mower? I am familiar with their boom mowers but I do not see an offset mower.

Ken

 

[MossRoad]

Where is PT's offset mower? I am familiar with their boom mowers but I do not see an offset mower.

Ken

I'm thinking he's talking about the boom mower, too, as it's $1900 on the price sheet.

 

[BobRip]

Yes, the boom mower.

 

[BobRip]

I think if you have a 60" deck and try to mow half on the road shoulder and half into the ditch in float mode, you're going to scalp if you float the deck. If you offset it so it is, say, 18" to the right, and you keep the FEL out of float so as not to put sideways torque on the thing, you can mow 18" to the right, the deck wheels won't be touching the ground, the grass in the ditch will be at the same height as the grass on the shoulder even though the ground may drop off into the ditch.... is that what you want to do?

Also, you're going to be putting some left/right (roll for you pilots) twisting torque on the FEL arms if the mower deck is not centered. I don't think its going to take much to bend or twist the FEL arms in that direction. Just be aware of that.

The mower has a swivel bearing so I think this would not be a problem.

 

[ernemats]

I had a boom mower for my 1845 pt and I sold it after several uses , it did not take a very wide cut and it had a counter weight that was very heavy and there was no height adjustment other than lifting by joy stick and then it would not cut that good. I felt that it was hard on the tractor with all that weight from the mower and the counter weight. I know the one for the 400 series is not the same but I do not think it would be real use full in most instances.

 

[SpringHollow]

I have you beat - sold mine having never even hooked it up. It still had the electrical ties on it restraining the controls for shipping. Realized I had no time to do the ditch mowing etc that I wanted to do.

Mine was set up so that you locked the height of the FEL arms using needle valves and then it had 3 levers to control cylinders for tilt angle, reach, and height. I suspect it would be a fun balancing act to accurately control things. My guess is one would basically set it and mostly live with those settings as you drove along and then take another swipe. It was definitely heavy.

Ken

 

[MossRoad]

The mower has a swivel bearing so I think this would not be a problem.

Yep, so it would be permanently hanging down to the right resting on the stops if you set it out 18" to the right. Interesting....

 

[3238dpw]

Bob this might give you some ideas if you haven't already seen it
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/power-trac/64961-side-mower.html
I think it would be easiest to get a cheap mower deck somewhere and put a pivot on one side. Then attach the other side of the pivot to an attachment plate. After that all you need is a hydraulic motor and hoses