Rotary Cutter saw rotary cutter used back higher than front

[rcrcomputing]

I saw a guy yesterday mowing with a rotary cutter. This was simply grass he was mowing, but I'm curious as his back end was much higher than his front end of the cutter. why?

 

[Freds]

Maybe he didn't want to adjust it from when he was cutting higher stuff.
Having the back end higher will help throw the cut weeds (whatever) more easily from underneath the deck and doesn't require as much power to achieve PTO speed while in use. Having it lower produces a mulching effect.

 

[KiotiJohn]

In general the front of a rotary cutter is used a little lower 1-3" than the rear. As far as I know it's done to get the best brush cutting without loading up the tractor. If you were to keep it level, you'd have the blades in contact with too much material at once and drag the engine down, and put a lot of stress on the gear box.
An interesting note: If you cut with the rear a little lower than the front, or about level, you can get a passable finish mower effect, but if the grass is high, you'll have a harder time and use more fuel.
I wouldn't try that in really woody/brushy areas though.
John

 

[Bob_Skurka]

<font color="red"> I'm curious as his back end was much higher than his front end of the cutter. why? </font>


IT IS DANGEROUS, DO NOT DO THAT!

It is very possible that he is running too large of a rotary cutter on his tractor. If properly sized to the power of the tractor it can easily be run level, it will make a nice cut (at least a decent cut) and do exactly what it is designed to do.

Understand that properly used, a rotary cutter is designed to clear tall grass, shrubs and saplings and mulch them down moderately well. Running with the rear (or the front) up too high can throw dangerous debris (rocks, chucks of metal fence posts, large pieces of wood) out the back at VERY HIGH SPEEDS. There have been TOO MANY postings of people throwing debris chunks while rotary cutting here on TBN to make me want to use one in any way other than as intended by the manufacturer! People who often use rotary cutters often have safety screens behind their seats to protect them from flying objects. Several TBN members have posted pictures of their screens. I am a strong believer in using properly sized implements for the tractor and its PTO HP, doing this allows you to safely operate the implement as it is intended. A rotary cutter requires plenty of PTO, more than a finish mower. Many people buy one large enough to cover their rear track width and don't have the HP to run it. It is plain folly to do that with a rotary cutter, they are useful, but potentially dangerous and should be treated with great respect and operated with great care.

 

[KiotiJohn]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( If properly sized to the power of the tractor it can easily be run level, it will make a nice cut (at least a decent cut) and do exactly what it is designed to do. )</font>
I agree not to run the rear too high, but rotary cutter manuals state to run the front end a little lower than the rear. Look in yours, mine states that.
John

 

[Bob_Skurka]

John, he clearly posted that the cutter was run with the rear much higher than the front. <font color="red"> "his back end was much higher than his front end" </font> I was posting to that point. My old Howse would throw stuff 30 yards if it was not set correctly. But you are correct that they really should not be completely totally absolutely level. They should be run at a slight angle, but when driving by, walking by, or even standing an watching someone use a rotary cutter, you wouldn't notice it being "much" higher, in fact it would look basically or nearly level. It should not look like it is "much" higher.

 

[Bird]

Back end higher than the front end equals less load on the tractor and discharges the clippings faster, leaving them slightly larger.

Front end higher than the back end equals more mulching of material and little more load on the tractor.

Level equals a compromise. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

I always ran mine higher in the back end, but only an inch or two at most.

 

[rcrcomputing]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( In general the front of a rotary cutter is used a little lower 1-3" than the rear. As far as I know it's done to get the best brush cutting without loading up the tractor. If you were to keep it level, you'd have the blades in contact with too much material at once and drag the engine down, and put a lot of stress on the gear box.
An interesting note: If you cut with the rear a little lower than the front, or about level, you can get a passable finish mower effect, but if the grass is high, you'll have a harder time and use more fuel.
I wouldn't try that in really woody/brushy areas though.
John )</font>

How interesting that you mention this as I'd seen another guy the other day with the rear about 4 inches LOWER than the front. Again, mowing grass.

 

[slowzuki]

Running a 6 footer behind a 52 pto hp ag tractor weighing in at 9000 lbs, it still cut better with the front lower than the back.

Putting it level tended to swish the grass around and pat it down.

 

[normde2001]

A link to a Howse rotary cutter owner's manual was posted which stated that the front should be 1" lower than the rear.