Setting Rear Height on Brush Hog

[Slamfire]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Like so? )</font>

That's nice I won't take a picture of the Rube Goldberg arrangement I have. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

 

[slowrev]

My OLD bush Hog brand "Rebel" cutter has an A-frame type of mount on the front that hooks to the 3 point on the tractor and then a chain that hooks from the top of the A-frame to the rear of the hog, allowing full upward flex when going thru dips and such, and some slack to allow for rear downward movement when going over humps. the front of the hog pivots on the lower part of the A-frame. You can still lift the hog up too, Works nice, not sure why all rotary cutters are not made this way.

As to any danger of the hog flying up and hitting me in the back the A-frame and 3 point prevent that. If it wnet vertical (not likely) it would still be 3-4 feet from my back.

As far as adjusting the rear height, if the trailing wheel is not adjustable then some modifications would be necessary to adjust the height.

Ben

btw... the drop-limit chains are still nice to use to keep the front height uniform. No worries about putting the position control in the same place each time, or having to remember where it worked best last year ?? They are cheap and easy to make. Mine were made as an experiment about 20 years ago and are ugly but work great.

 

[djradz]

Thanks for the kind comments. But I can't take all the credit. My Woods deck came with the setup originally, I just modifed it, made it more secure, easier to put on and off and more adjustable. It really does provide a fantastic cut and also makes setting the height easy and always consistent.

For those that say this is unnecessary, all I can add is that I've tried it both ways, and would never do without. Note also that the setup does not result in a completely "rigid" triangle, formed by the lower arms, chain and tractor case, as the chain connects to a point several inches below the pins on the deck. Instead of a triangle, you have more of a scissors arraingement, which allows more flexibility.

Time to get the old erector set out and fab this up, just to completely demonstrate.

 

[heehaw]

sidewinder, or whoever owns them now, sells an adapter to do the same thing, except the chain hooks on a place on the top link, so you can make changes quickly, i'll see if i can scan the pic and add it to this post..
heehaw

 

[heehaw]

i'll try this..hope it works??
heehaw

 

[heehaw]

wow, i'm impressed..but then i'm pretty easy to impress..
the toll free number is 800-343-5825, they call this a chain bridle..
heehaw

 

[thingy]

Well,I'm one of those who say it is unnessacary,,,,,your lift arms hold the front up,,if using lift arms only,,lift arms don't lower,,they just go up when 3 point is set,they don't go down unless you make them or they leak down,,,,so you got them holding the front up and then you got those check chains holding front up,,both doing the exact same thing,,,,nither one will let front of mower lower,both will let mower front raise,,can not for the life of me figure out what good those check chains are doing,, I will tell you this,,,if you like it you ought to get rid of solid top link and go with a chain instead,,,you'll really like it than,,,,thingy

 

[heehaw]

it was really handy when i was using a Ferguson TO20 tractor,
i don't have, or need it on the one i have now..maybe if a person wanted to make sure the brush hog couldn't go all the way down, even if they missed the control stopping point??
heehaw

 

[thingy]

Yeah,,,thats the only thing I could figure out that it would be good for,,,and not real sure about that,,,I mean my jinma has a little stop set screw thingy,,real simple,,,just a bracket with a little bolt that goes around that little rod on 3 point lift/lower control,,you set it at what ever spot on it that you want three point to stop lowering,,,,now if that didn't work,,or if 3 point started leaking down,,,yes,,,those chains would probably be my next move,,,but even than,,I don't think its a major job just to take that apart,,and replace the parts to make it work right again,,,,,,,,,but if your tractor works like its supposed to,,still can't figure what those check chains would do for you,,,,,,probably missing something,,[wouldn't be first time],,but at present can't figure out what it is....thingy

 

[Soundguy]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( ......the rear of brushog comes off ground with rigid top link,,,,so maybe in the steepest part of climb,you went from carrying half of brush hog weight to all of it,,,,now that COULD make front end come up alright,, )</font>

IMHO, a tractor should be setup with sufficient front ballast to completely and safely lift their 3pt load.. especially if they need to run it in transport ( up ) mode... if lifting your bushhog of fthe ground makes your tractor front light.. you don't have sufficient ballast.

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( got some hills,,,places aproaching close to 45 degrees,[no lie],,, )</font>

Your don't want alot of free movement ont he hog, where it pivots with the tractor. Your PTO driveline is actually limited to a certain degree of max angle to run at..

Soundguy

 

[Soundguy]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Well,I'm one of those who say it is unnessacary,,,,,your lift arms hold the front up,,if using lift arms only,,lift arms don't lower,,they just go up when 3 point is set,they don't go down unless you make them or they leak down,,,,so you got them holding the front up and then you got those check chains holding front up,,both doing the exact same thing,,,,nither one will let front of mower lower,both will let mower front raise,,can not for the life of me figure out what good those check chains are doing )</font>

Thingy.. you are only thinking baout tractors with good- non leaky lifts, and position control on their 3pt lift. You are not giving any thought to the hundreds of thousands of tractors made with draft hyds only.. no position control. Ford 9n, and 2N come to mind, as well as fergy TX-20, 30 .. etc..

Soundguy

 

[normde2001]

Why not just keep the pressure+++++wear and tear+++++etc. off the hydraulics and use check chains?++++++Makes sense to me. ++++++What do you think of my hesitation speech?++++++I kind of like it++++++personally,++++++don't you?

 

[thingy]

Love it,,,and understood it,,,more people should write that way,,,,,,,,,,,,,airbourne!!!!!!!! no,,sound man,,,,not forgetting that at all,,said if you needed it,,,well,,,,you needed it,,,and its a good thing,if you needed it,,,,its just the guy who posted this thing about these chains,,,showed a picture of a 18,000 dollar new tractor,,,,surely,,,it don't need it,,,,,???????,,,,,,,thingy

 

[have_blue]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Love it,,,and understood it,,,more people should write that way,,,,,,,,,,,,,airbourne!!!!!!!! no,,sound man,,,,not forgetting that at all,,said if you needed it,,,well,,,,you needed it,,,and its a good thing,if you needed it,,,,its just the guy who posted this thing about these chains,,,showed a picture of a 18,000 dollar new tractor,,,,surely,,,it don't need it,,,,,???????,,,,,,,thingy )</font>

Well, no matter the cost or sopistication of a tractor, there should be plenty of nice chains hanging off of them. It dresses them up and makes cool jingling sounds like heavy-duty jewlry. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[thingy]

Well,,that makes sense to me,,,,,love that sort of thing,,,yeah baby,,,,,,,no arguments there,,,,,bang and rattle,,,good stuff,,,10-4,,,over and out,,,roger roger,,,thingy

 

[djradz]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( it,,,,its just the guy who posted this thing about these chains,,,showed a picture of a 18,000 dollar new tractor,,,,surely,,,it don't need it,,,,,???????,,,,,,,thingy )</font>

Well, "the guy" wouldn't do without the chains. For those who choose not to believe, I have no answer, but for anyone else, here's the reasons.
- Yes, if you have old or leaking hydraulics, the setup would be nice to keep the position constant.
- However, it keeps the position, on a new tractor or one with good hydraulics, at the same point every time you lower the 3pt arms. No looking back, no wondering if you've set it exactly the same as the last time.
- Even if your tractor has a little set-screw stop or some other means to make a set 3 pt stop point, this is still easier and eliminates removing the stop point for the lever every time you switch implements.
- The chains allow for precise side to side level setting. This is very handy when you have a 6 foot or larger deck.
- The setup does provide superior "float" function than can be maintained with just the lower arms and a toggle or flexible top link or top link connection. (I recently created a small model of this and found that the connection of the lower chain to the deck front, at a point several inches lower than than the pins, is key to the scissors action.)

I'm not selling this setup. I don't get any benefit, whether you use it or not. When I bought my Woods mower, it was already there and briefly described in the manual. As I said, I wouldn't do without it, but no longer wish to debate it. I posted originally for the benefit of others only.

 

[geneP]

OK guys, lets get past the fact that the check chains only hold up the front of the mower. The chains that Woods sent with the mower and the bridle that Sidewinder has pictured (although I haven't figured this one out) are designed to hold the mower more level on uneven ground. The rear axle is the pivot point of the hitch as the tractor front wheels follow uneven ground. The lift end of the lift arms are about 2 feet beyond the rear axle. If the front end lowers a few inches, the arms raise the front of the mower, leaving longer grass in that area. If the front of the tractor raises, then the mower drops and either scalps or slides on the runners. If the front of the mower is supported on the check chains that are hooked much closer to the pivot point, the up-and-down pitching of the front of the mower is much less. Thingy touched on this briefly. I found a picture of a setup (Ford or Dearborn if I remember right) that uses a chain over a rigid top link to support the front of the mower. I'll try to find the picture and post the link, or maybe some will recognize and repost the picture. I think this would be better in that it would counteract the up and down pitching. I'd try to experiment with the triangular suspension, but would much prefer to buy one that is already thought out. Has anyone seen such an arrangement for sale?

 

[Soundguy]

I've never had a problem with a set of check chains from the toplink connection point to the lift pins, a rigid toplink and a couple from the toplink to the mower that allowed a few inches of play.. Most manufacturers either have a slotted attachement point for this.. or a "U" shaped couple piece that allows for a few inches ov movement.

I set my mower height this way. Decide on mowed height.. st the front at desired height using lift arms and no toplink. then adjust tail wheel to get the rear of the mower 1-2" higher than the front.. .. then install and adjust toplink to be in the middle of the 'play' at the desired cut height... adjust check chains if using them. Out of 5 different style/brand and configuration of mowers.. after a a bit of practice.. the all mow nicely... Only rare odd teraine features will cause deck to ground contact.. like wheels falling into large depressions.. or high areas like ant mounds.. etc.

Soundguy

 

[Bob_Skurka]

Gene, please make sure you adjust it so the rear is not too much higher than the front. As Soundguy wrote, 1" to 2". But bear in mind that 2" on a 4' cutter is a lot steeper angle than 2" on a 6' or 7' cutter because the rise to run angle is 50% to 75% lower (as a %) on the 6' and 7' cutters than it is on a 4' cutter.

Rotary cutters are great at launching debris long distances. Using a 5' Howse, I once launched a partial piece of plywood and it flew 30 yards like a high velocity frizzbee.

Here is a link to a discussion that got hung up a bit, but makes a point. Rear of Rotary cutter "NOTICABLY" higher than Front

 

[djradz]

Gene, I think Jinman posted such a picture, with a hog out behind his old Jubilee, if I understand your post correctly. This works quite well, but results in a VERY flexible top link connection, more than what some folks are comfortable with. I've even seen some variations were the top link was a combination of a solid piece and chain. Both my Woods mower and brush hog, have flexible top link connections however, so such a chain-type top link really isn't needed. My brush hog connection can move about a foot, while my mower can only move a several inches, so I guess it might benefit from such a connection. Bottom line however, if you already have a flexible top link on your hog, you probably won't see a whole lot of improvement.