"Pull" bush hog, or lift it when travelling?

[beppington]

Would you all suggest I lift my rotary cutter/ bush hog fully with the 3PH when travelling the 4-mile route from my tractor's home to my new property I'm working on ... or raise it a little and let the cutter's single wheel carry it?

There's a pretty noitceable difference in hydro whine when travelling with the cutter lifted off the ground; Doesn't seem like a big problem, just curious.

2 miles of the trip is pavement. The other 2 is packed/ graded limerock.

The cutter's tire is one of those solid-ish rubber tires like this (called laminated, I think):

 

[tornadowatchranch]

I seem to remember a thread about traveling across a field with a hog on the 3point and hitting a big bump. Broke major parts inside. I would rather wear down and replace a $40 wheel than something big. If your gravel roads are in need of grading you will surely find some potholes.

 

[JoeinTX]

I always lift completely for any extended period of travel.

I can't imagine the weight of a 5'/6' shredder for that amount of time to be a problem for your tractor......that's pretty much what it's designed to do.

 

[sweettractors]

If your cutter wheel bearing setup is like the lower one in the pictures, I would not run it on the ground no more than necessary. Those are just bushings and will wear out soon enough? Roller bearing setup lots better. Ken Sweet

 

[beppington]

I'll have to check & see what it's got for bearings; It's actually my dad's ... the beast in question (why I didn't think to post this pic instead of the one above, I do not know :laughing:

 

[sweettractors]

Is that snow or beach sand in that picture? Nice looking outfit. Ken Sweet

 

[beppington]

Huh, I didn't even notice that - It can only be ... limerock dust! From the 2-mile limerock road stretch back from my property.

Tks for the compliment!

I no longer use that chain around the wheel, by the way. Now that I know how easy it is to simply shorten the upper link to raise the cutter's rear way up. Learnin' ...

 

[TripleR]

I always raise my cutters when transporting and one is a ten foot Woods 121, never had any problems breaking things and the wheel hitting a pot hole can affect handling or damage stuff too. I have a pull behind, but it has airplane tires so they wear well.

 

[MMagis]

They are made to be lifted.

 

[MarkV]

Looks like a pretty beefy cutter to me. I don't think I would want all that weight bouncing around on the 3pt system for 4 miles. Me I would let the tail wheel carry some of the weight.

MarkV

 

[beppington]

OK, looks like 4 for "lift it" and 2 for "pull it" so far ...

Maybe I shoulda posted this as a poll?!

 

[CharlieS]

my thoughts are lifting does no harm. If roads are fairly smooth theres not going to be alot of shock load damage from bouncing around, if roads are rough common sense and controlability of the tractor dictate slowing down. If the 3 point cant absorb the load of roading an implement a few miles, it darn sure cant take the normal shock abuse from actually working in the field.

 

[Dead Horse]

Tow it, don't carry it, that whole implement ain't worth risking ANY damage to your tractor........ period.

 

[beppington]

5 for "lift it"
3 for "pull it"



(Edited (Dead Horse squeezed his in while I was typing!))

 

[beppington]

I'm sorta thinking the laminated tire and/ or any bushings bearings needing replacement will be a lot cheaper than any Kubota replacement parts/ repairs. But, heck, I dunno ...

 

[sweettractors]

I had a fellow that bought a New 10 ft 3 point hitch brush hog (1500 lbs) from me about 20 years ago. He sent his tenant with a 245 MF to pick it up and drive it home. About a mile from the farm, he hit a bump, the front end got light and he lost control and wound up the the road ditch. I knew he did not have big enough tractor to go the highway, however, he argued that it would be no problem. Because he was my Algebra teacher in high school, I figured he knew about the equations of weight distribution. I guess he did not. They kept it for over 10 years and always let the wheels run on the ground. Ken Sweet

 

[jdfire]

Buy another rotary cutter and leave one at each place!

 

[beppington]

Just realized, another "pro" for pulling it: I can easily drop it down & mow as I ride along the roadside, when I see a stretch needing to be mowed (i.e. in my parents' neighborhood, which is the limerock road stretch).

With the wheel high in the air for travelling lifted, I'd have to stop, get off, adjust the top link, then mow.

 

[beppington]

Buy another rotary cutter and leave one at each place!

Send $

:laughing:

 

[DanD78]

I always transport with it off the ground. If it gets bouching SLOW DOWN.

Dan