Toplink Toplink vs Chain on bushhog attachment
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OP
Anonymous Poster
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Kent.....thanks for the email and pic.......could you send it here for all to share.......I tried to reply there but for some reason it wouldnt go through.........My arms have two bolts at the bottom.....will look at it tomorrow and see if I take out one and use your fix with chains to the rear.....thanks Bud..........
Paul.......great idea.......am gonna go down to the tractor dealer tomorrow to see what he possibly has in mind......gotta be some way to rig this thing.......thanks..........Dennis
Paul.......great idea.......am gonna go down to the tractor dealer tomorrow to see what he possibly has in mind......gotta be some way to rig this thing.......thanks..........Dennis
trailertrash
Bronze Member
glennmac
Veteran Member
For those of you disinclined to read through the entire article that trailertrash linked for us, here are the author's concerns, credentials, and his money quote:
</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Looking around at my new neighbors, most of whom are city raised and have recently acquired their first mini-farms of five to fifteen acres and also from reading questions ask at various discussion sites on the web it is frighteningly apparent that a great many guys (and a few gals) are learning by trial and error and mostly error how to use a very dangerous piece of farm equipment. It is also very apparent that these folks are getting a lot of very poor and often very dangerous advice from people who are often even more poorly informed than they are but still more than willing to portray themselves as experts.
If I am going to claim to be the expert here, I guess I should give my basic credentials in order to assure you that I am not just into my second year on three or four acres. I was born into farming in 1942 when my dads 9N Ford Ferguson tractor was still just a couple of years old. By 1949 we had three tractors and today I farm with nine tractors. My first experience with a "bush-hog" type mower was about 1956....
Do not ever replace the top link from the tractor to the mower with a chain, If the leading edge of the mower hits a solid obstacle the mower can pivot almost 180 degrees on the lift pins crushing the operator on the seat with the rear of the mower faster than you can say "squish." )</font>
</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Looking around at my new neighbors, most of whom are city raised and have recently acquired their first mini-farms of five to fifteen acres and also from reading questions ask at various discussion sites on the web it is frighteningly apparent that a great many guys (and a few gals) are learning by trial and error and mostly error how to use a very dangerous piece of farm equipment. It is also very apparent that these folks are getting a lot of very poor and often very dangerous advice from people who are often even more poorly informed than they are but still more than willing to portray themselves as experts.
If I am going to claim to be the expert here, I guess I should give my basic credentials in order to assure you that I am not just into my second year on three or four acres. I was born into farming in 1942 when my dads 9N Ford Ferguson tractor was still just a couple of years old. By 1949 we had three tractors and today I farm with nine tractors. My first experience with a "bush-hog" type mower was about 1956....
Do not ever replace the top link from the tractor to the mower with a chain, If the leading edge of the mower hits a solid obstacle the mower can pivot almost 180 degrees on the lift pins crushing the operator on the seat with the rear of the mower faster than you can say "squish." )</font>
OP
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Glennmac provided the money quote from the article.
Now for my stupid question: In the one paragraph the author talks about using heavy chains that attach at the tractor top link mount and form an inverted "v". In the next paragraph he says to not ever "replace" the top link from the tractor to the mower.
I guess I would like to see a picture diagramming exactly what is meant here. I have an idea, but I am not sure if it is correct.
Thanks for the information
Shari
JD4310 MFWD eHydro, 430 FEL, 47 Backhoe, LX5 Cutter, 550 Tiller, iMatch
Now for my stupid question: In the one paragraph the author talks about using heavy chains that attach at the tractor top link mount and form an inverted "v". In the next paragraph he says to not ever "replace" the top link from the tractor to the mower.
I guess I would like to see a picture diagramming exactly what is meant here. I have an idea, but I am not sure if it is correct.
Thanks for the information
Shari
JD4310 MFWD eHydro, 430 FEL, 47 Backhoe, LX5 Cutter, 550 Tiller, iMatch
Slamfire
Veteran Member
Here is a more expensive solution. I bought a double acting hydraulic cylinder that matched my top link, both short and long, then ran some tubing between the holes for the hydraulic fluid. A tee section and a ball cock valve are included in the tubing. I filled it with fluid and am able to adjust from the seat to get the length I want. There is some play in the system depending on the weight of the implement, it also acts as a kickback device when I hit a rock with my plow, or bush hog. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif The cylinder cost close to $60 all included. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif
Gary_in_Indiana
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Slam,
How about sharing some pics and where and exactly what you bought and how you hooked it all up? Thanks. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
How about sharing some pics and where and exactly what you bought and how you hooked it all up? Thanks. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
JerryG
Super Member
I have ask this before when we have discussed the chain replacing the third arm. I have never gotten a answer. Has anyone ever know anyone that was injured by using a chain? I don't mean someones third cousins, fourth niece heard tell of someone. But has anyone here ever actually know of anyone being hurt doing this?
BillyP
Veteran Member
Not me Jerry, not one soul. I do know a few people you have got hurt by falling out of bed /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif
I've never heard of anyone being hurt by the bushhog flipping up and hitting them from behind because they use a chain instead of a top link. I must admist that I am biased, because for the most part, I use a chain instead of a top link. It seems that my bushhogs are fairly heavy pieces of equipment, and even though they carry alot of power, they are really going to have to hit something really hard, really strangely to make them bounce up more than 90 degrees. I would also think that the PTO shaft, even with it's U-joints, would also discourage the bushhog from trying to sit in my lap.
On a related note, both of my Howse bushhogs have fairly long slots on them where the top link fits in. I had an older economy cutter (can't remember the name) on another Yanmar tractor that had an A-frame on the front that flexed at the bottom pins and there was a bar with about 12-18" of chain on the end of it that ran from the top link hole to the tail wheel of the bushhog, giving quite a bit of flexibility.
Take it Easy
Tim Gray
On a related note, both of my Howse bushhogs have fairly long slots on them where the top link fits in. I had an older economy cutter (can't remember the name) on another Yanmar tractor that had an A-frame on the front that flexed at the bottom pins and there was a bar with about 12-18" of chain on the end of it that ran from the top link hole to the tail wheel of the bushhog, giving quite a bit of flexibility.
Take it Easy
Tim Gray
