Revising a brush cutting mower

   / Revising a brush cutting mower #1  

Qapla

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Joined
Sep 25, 2008
Messages
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Location
Gator Country
Tractor
New Holland TC40D HST 4WD FEL/BH
A 3PH mower runs from the PTO. Here is the idea ...

Would it be possible to mount a gas or diesel engine on the mower to drive the mower. Then, build a "skid steer" type mount onto the mower so that it could be mounted onto the front of the tractor? If so mounted, should the mount be on the back of the mower so that it is still being driven into the area to be cut in the same direction as it was when mounted on the back of the tractor? What type of HP would be needed in the motor?

Any thoughts or ideas welcome.
 
   / Revising a brush cutting mower #2  
A 3PH mower runs from the PTO. Here is the idea ...

Would it be possible to mount a gas or diesel engine on the mower to drive the mower. Then, build a "skid steer" type mount onto the mower so that it could be mounted onto the front of the tractor? If so mounted, should the mount be on the back of the mower so that it is still being driven into the area to be cut in the same direction as it was when mounted on the back of the tractor? What type of HP would be needed in the motor?

Any thoughts or ideas welcome.




It has been done before with flail mowers mounted integrally
and it is nothing new in the scheme of things.

The Mott folks did this with a few models of their three point hitch
flailmowers on some models using a 4 cylinder Wisconsin.

It worked well for them because it allowed them to mount
the Wiscoinsin directly on the right side over the driven pulley
with a manual power take off; I believe it was small Rockford
to power it and the throttle controll was right where you could
reach it as well.


The Alamo Industrial folks did not bother to include this power saving feature
on thier flailmowers as they were destroying a competitor when they bought the Mott
Mower company after the younger Mott who was going to run the company died in a
crash of his experimental aircraft.


It would be very hard to manage this on a rotary cutter for several reasons;
the least of which would be using a quick attach mounting system that would not
be capable of supporting the weight in any case.

You would have to be able to have instantaneous control over the rotary mower
requiring a remote camera and a hydrostatic control system for the mower.



1. cost for the power needed to run it and use a Rockford power take off.
2. much more bracing and welding adding more weight.
3. difficult to manouver and balance with machines center of gravity.
4. easier to tip over if turned to fast as the tail will be wagging the tractor.
5 two gearboxes needed to transmit power to the mower OR a massive number of belts to deliver power through multiple pulleys that would require belt guard covers.
 
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   / Revising a brush cutting mower #3  
That's the way that skid steers do it. Google "skid steer brush mower" and look at a few pictures and videos. They use hydraulic power, if your tractor has the hydraulic capacity that would be the simplest way. You can get a hydraulic motor with a splined pto-style shaft.
 
   / Revising a brush cutting mower #4  
Qapla said:
A 3PH mower runs from the PTO. Here is the idea ...

Would it be possible to mount a gas or diesel engine on the mower to drive the mower. Then, build a "skid steer" type mount onto the mower so that it could be mounted onto the front of the tractor? If so mounted, should the mount be on the back of the mower so that it is still being driven into the area to be cut in the same direction as it was when mounted on the back of the tractor? What type of HP would be needed in the motor?

Any thoughts or ideas welcome.

What size mower, what size tractor?
 
   / Revising a brush cutting mower #5  
For a smaller setup you might want to consider something like a Swisher mower with its integral engine setup and add the needed parts to attach it.

For a large or heavy duty mower you get into the issues that Leonz alludes to. When you look at front mount mowers closely it is easy to see that you have to distribute the weight to balance out the machine. Steering tires are opposite the mower deck with engine over them, drive wheels with the highest % of the load bearing weight in the middle.

A skidsteer is a very handy machine but is one of the worst that I can think of to use as a platform for mowing especially if you are not planning to use a hydraulic version. By the time you get a skidsteer large enough to handle the weight of this self powered mower out front it would have enough hydraulic power built in to negate the need for all of this.
 
   / Revising a brush cutting mower
  • Thread Starter
#6  
As my sig shows, we have a New Holland TC40D HST 4WD with a NewHolland 16LA FEL and Woods BH 70-X Sub-frame Backhoe.

I was thinking of either a 4' or a 5' mower. I would rather the 5' since most 4' that I have seen tend to be a bit light weight and break shear pins in thick grass and light brush where the 5' mows what we would have.

Since I live in Florida, steep inclines/declines is not a problem as we have mostly flat ground.

Somehow I don't think that our tractor has the hydraulic capacity to run a mower. However, another thought would be to figure a way to put a hydraulic pump on the PTO that could be used to drive the mower.

The main idea is that I was trying to figure a way to have the mower in front where I could see and control the mower for some specific area we mow.
 
   / Revising a brush cutting mower #7  
Rereading your post again I completely missed the boat on this, guess the skidsteer comments led me astray. I think the problems are still the same for the most part. I agree with you that the tractor hydraulics would fall way short of what you would need too. By the time it is all said and done you would be better off with a nice used front mower instead. A front mower is made for this setup, better to start with it and beef it up for your intended uses I think.
 
   / Revising a brush cutting mower #8  
As my sig shows, we have a New Holland TC40D HST 4WD with a NewHolland 16LA FEL and Woods BH 70-X Sub-frame Backhoe.

I was thinking of either a 4' or a 5' mower. I would rather the 5' since most 4' that I have seen tend to be a bit light weight and break shear pins in thick grass and light brush where the 5' mows what we would have.

Since I live in Florida, steep inclines/declines is not a problem as we have mostly flat ground.

Somehow I don't think that our tractor has the hydraulic capacity to run a mower. However, another thought would be to figure a way to put a hydraulic pump on the PTO that could be used to drive the mower.

The main idea is that I was trying to figure a way to have the mower in front where I could see and control the mower for some specific area we mow.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________


Do you have ditches you are worried about backing into and having
a roll over? Is this the issue? You would better off using a weed dragon
and burning dow this brush for far less money

If you still have your mind set on this,
you can have the mid mount Power Take Off
installed on your tractor as it is listed as an option.

You would have to purchase a front three point hitch
mounting kit from Erskine or Pronovost and it would
have reversing gearbox that would allow you to mount
a three point hitch integral implement/mower on the front.

The Pronovost thre point hitch kit would be easier and less expensive
because they are specifically building them for the smaller compact
utility tractors in your frame size and horse power range.



EDIT: you could purchase a rear mounted PTO hydraulic pump and reservoir kit for a use like this BUT it would cost you more than $10,000 with shipping even befor you get a rotary cutter or buy the two one-inch hydraulic hoses 40 feet of them and the one inch quick disconnects.
 
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