Rotary Cutter saw rotary cutter used back higher than front

KennedyDiesel · May 18, 2005

Just like any mower deck, you cut with the front. Think about it, if level, you will cut at the front and ride on as well as recut some of the material. If you run front high you will cut it twice...

How much variation is up to you and the mfr recommendation.

Bob_Skurka · May 18, 2005

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

Thanks for posting from the manual, I should have done that.

So let's look at the math, 1" lower in front is going to have the rise to run a 1/5" of an inch per foot for a 5' rotary cutter! (or a 1/4" inch per foot on a 48" cutter) While I would call that basically level, I am technically somewhat imprecise. It would basically take a bubble level to tell that the rise from the front to the back was 1/5 of an inch per foot. I stand by what I wrote about the dangers of running a cutter with the back noticably "much" higher than the front.

rcrcomputing · May 18, 2005

Let me clarify what "much higner" means.
I saw, from the highway, while driving by, he had it about at LEAST 6 inches higher.

Bob_Skurka · May 18, 2005

I saw, from the highway, while driving by, he had it about at LEAST 6 inches higher. 

If you could see it that well, then he was probably close enough that he could have easily launched a pipe, rock, or chunk of lumber with enough force to punch through the laminated safety glass of your windshield. Heck I've read reports of things being throw through the siding of houses, barns and sheds.

Soundguy · May 18, 2005

( John, he clearly posted that the cutter was run with the rear much higher than the front. "his back end was much higher than his front end" I was posting to that point )

The original poster needs to post a measurement. Words like "much" and "very" mean something different to different people. A gumdrop that costs 'much' more than another gumdrop might be a nickle difference.. a house that costs 'much' more than another house could be hundreds of thousands of dollars difference.

We needs a measurement.. like XXinches.. etc.

Soundguy

Soundguy · May 18, 2005

Ok.. good.. measurement.

6".. way too much.

I would have guessed 3" and even that would be pushing it.

Soundguy

1bush2hog · May 18, 2005

My rc manual also states to lower the front 1-3" more than the rear. I guess it would be considered dangerous if bystanders were a concern and one had no chains or deflectors on the rear of the cutter.

It is a dangerous piece of machinery no matter how it is adjusted, but I would think having the rear higher would keep most of the cuttings from being thrown out the front of the unit and into the back of the tractor driver.

Even with my front lowered, and chain guards on, I still occassionally get hit in the back with flying debris - though nothing too big, thankfully.

JerryG · May 18, 2005

Everything Bob said is right, but I would guess that the guy just flat didn't know what he was doing.

JoeinTX · May 19, 2005

Well, I've always used mine adjusted lower in front/higher in back....but never quite 6 inches.

Three inches? Over a 6-foot length thats not too bad.

May be a personal taste, but I've always preferred a "nose down, tail up" adjustment on my shredders...

KiotiJohn · May 19, 2005

( 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.)
Bob, what part of my earlier post disputes what you said about it being dangerous to run the rear too high? Your reponse seems to indicate that I was disagreeing with that, and nothing in my post did. The only thing I was disagreeing with was your statement that it should be run LEVEL.
Please do stand by your statement that it's dangerous to run the rear too high. You were right, and I didn't dispute it.
John