Rotary Cutter ? on landpride rcr rotary cutter

[HEC]

Is there anyway to get the shield off in front of the gear box of the land pride rcr 1860 rotary cutter ? I know there is an inspection door etc. but it is still hard to work on the slip clutch to see what you are doing etc. .
Thanks,
HEC

 

[Poopdeck Pappy]

I think my Rhino 172 mower has the same plastic shield on the gearbox as your Land Pride mower. In fact, I think a lot of mowers these days use the exact same thing. Oh, how I long for the days of a gearbox with a metal shield mounted to it, which could be completely removed or flipped up out of the way to work on the slip clutch.

Some day, I'm going to get frustrated enough to just remove that plastic piece of junk and throw it away, and build a metal shield to replace it.

In the meantime, I'll be watching this thread to see how others have dealt with this challenge.

 

[CowboyRon]

I believe a ratchet with a long extension will do the trick. It is a pita so I just took mine off. I got tired of trying to work around it when I changed my shear bolt.

 

[GreenWannabe]

I spent two frustrating days with sore knees and back trying to get mine adjusted properly for the first time. Next time, I'm going to loosen a single bolt, pull the shaft, and take it to the bench. I will then be able to see what I am doing, stand erect, and get it done much faster.

 

[HEC]

Glad I am not the only one who hates that shield . Mine is going to come off one way or another . I have the metal shield which will flip up on my bush hog brand , land pride should take notice and do the same .My 12 yr. old bush hog squeeler with old blades that have been sharpened a dozen times or so out cuts this new land pride by far on my fields , it gives a much cleaner cut . Maybe because it is well broken in, I just don't know . The land pride blades are new , turn freely , and unit is set up like I do the bush hog and still leaves alot of uncut grass in the same exact conditions .

 

[boggen]

Glad I am not the only one who hates that shield . Mine is going to come off one way or another . I have the metal shield which will flip up on my bush hog brand , land pride should take notice and do the same .My 12 yr. old bush hog squeeler with old blades that have been sharpened a dozen times or so out cuts this new land pride by far on my fields , it gives a much cleaner cut . Maybe because it is well broken in, I just don't know . The land pride blades are new , turn freely , and unit is set up like I do the bush hog and still leaves alot of uncut grass in the same exact conditions .

if you look at different "finishing mower blades" some blades really twist a lot at there ends, while other blades are simply a flat bar with cut edges.

the twisting of the blades. creates a certain amount of "suction" or vacuum effect to pull stuff up into the blades.

the bottom side of the deck has a critical roll as well as in how much suction / vacuum effect happens as well to pull stuff up into the blades, and were stuff is discharged (sides or rear, or where ever) if you look at some decks make it a finishing mower to bush hog (roatory cutter), they deck might be square or an odd shape, but under the deck, they have curved pieces that follow the blades as portion of the deck, to help maintain / create a better suction / vacuum effect.

different bush hogs (rotatory cutters) i see many with completely open backs or open sides, (shields have been removed, or chains put in place of shields. can also effect the suction or vacuum effect.

blade tip speed, if you are lowing your RPM's while cutting like many do, perhaps you need to pickup the RPM's on the engine for higher blade tip speed, to get a better suction / vacuum effect.

some rottery cutters i see single large blade, or perhaps 2 blades, that bolt onto right next to the main shaft but are allowed to pivot some, other blades bolt directly near shaft, but half way out to the tip, they blades are split up into 2 sections. and the outer section is allowed to spin freely. these different types of blades may have a certain twist some place in there over all blade.

some folks accidentally put sharp edge on blades wrong side up on blades, or try to make blade way to sharp, when sharpening them.

some improperly set the 3pt hitch and tail wheel/s up. so one corner is higher than others and messes up the suction / vacuum effect.

 

[HEC]

I compared them side by side yesterday Ryan and you are right about how they are set up . The BH is open front and back while the LP has a shield on front and back . While cutting hay fields 3 ft or more tall the BH will will cut and lay the hay flat while the LP will mulch it up more . I think the shield on front of the LP is laying the tall hay down so close to the ground it doesn't have time to right itself before going over it with the blades . I have one section where I don't let the grass get over a foot tall and it cuts that fine . I am going to remove the front and rear shields as I don't cut anything other than grass with it .

 

[boggen]

i am "twitching some" with you removing the front shield. while it is less likely to send a weed bullet up at you vs the rear due to uncut weeds coming into the front. there is still that chance. and also chance of sending weed bullets out the rear more likely as well. its just how rotatory cutters are, and just like finishing mowers, if they pick up a rock or stick or other just right, the come flying out from under the deck breaking car windows to house windows to other. and would encourage you to swap out the metal shielding at bar min with a chain shield or like. how many times have you gotten off the tractor and your back was covered with crud from all the stuff you were mowing down?

fail mowers tend to be more safer in respects of sending projectiles out from them. but they also cost more.

*then i remember you said "hay"* are you just cutting and not doing anything with it. or are you bailing the hay? if bailing the hay, there are better implements out there. tractorhouse is a good website (link) www.tractorhouse.com look through there section of implements

 

[HEC]

I am just keeping the fields from going bad now as no one wants the hay in my area . I was brought up on a small farm so I know about haying implements etc.. In the 25 years of using the bush hog I have never had crap thrown at me or on my shirt while in the fields . While cutting some small bushes a different story there .

 

[BlueBerryFarmer]

It's a poor design (similar to my 0542 cutter) and a PITA to replace shear bolts thru that plastic access door on top........shame on Land Pride for "designing stoopid"