Mowing Tractor problem or shredder issue?

MisterB Tx · Jul 19, 2015

Hey folks, I have a 1988 model ford 1920. It's my first tractor and it has about 850 hours. It starts easily and runs well. So lately when I'm shredding it bogs down in just about any grass. That needs cutting. I've dropped down to lower gears, but it just seems to have no power. It doesnt really smoke maybe the tiniest bit of black smoke occasionally.
The shredder is a 5 foot rotary brush hog. It came with the tractor so I figured they used it with this tractor.
Am I asking too much of my little tractor?

Also, the blades on the shredder don't seem tight. They have a couple of inches of vertical play is that normal?

Thanks for any advice.

kebo · Jul 19, 2015

Welcome to the forum! Hope you enjoy your visits here. When you say "drop it down to a lower gear", what gear were you in to start with?? How tall or thick is the grass or brush that you are mowing?? Both of these make a big difference as to what speed you should be mowing it at. I typically mow in 1st gear when I am bush hogging, but if the land is smooth and the grass not too tall, I can run it in 2nd without bogging down.

A 5ft mower is a good size mower for that 32hp (engine hp) tractor, it would even run a 6ft mower with no trouble under the right conditions.

As for the blades having a lot of play, as long as they are not touching the bottom of the deck, it sounds like it's probably ok for now. Does the deck have a large circle (on the top side of the deck) where the ends of the blades have been contacting it and pushed up the deck some?? That's a fairly common trait you will see when you have loose blades or the pan/stumpjumper is loose. If it's doing that already, then you need to replace the blades and the bolts holding them in place now, not later!

Opti-Mist · Jul 19, 2015

With my 1920 I'd generally cut in 2nd Range, 2nd Gear. In lighter cutting I could use 3rd, in heavier going its 1st. In really tough cutting it was 1st Range, 2nd or 3rd gear.

mddorange · Jul 19, 2015

:welcome:
To TBN Mr.B. As Kebo said, 32hp is plenty for that 5' brush hog. It does not sound right that it bogs down in any grass. With my 32hp tractor and 5' brush hog, I do not have any problems with any grass and even small trees. I normally run in 2nd or 3rd gear and only go down to 1st gear if it is trees or the terrain. It is only when I get over 3" trees that I find that even the slip clutch starts slipping.

MisterB Tx · Jul 19, 2015

Thanks everyone. I did start last summer mowing in 2nd range 2nd gear. Rarely in 3rd gear. Dropping down to 1st because of thick grass. Sometimes this season I've been running in 1st range sometimes in 1st gear.
I changed all my hydraulics last year because of water. Changed my oil so I knew how old it is. Last week changed fuel filter.
This tractor starts so fast, I have a hard time imagining an engine problem

MisterB Tx · Jul 19, 2015

The grass is high. We've had nearly 3 feet of rain this year in Texas. The terrain is slow rolling, no hills.

No indications of blades contacting the deck

MisterB Tx · Jul 19, 2015

Next thought was air.
If there was air in the lines from the fuel,filter change, would it even run? I did the bleed screw on the pump to get bubbles out.
And it starts and runs great

GManBart · Jul 19, 2015

MisterB Tx said:
Next thought was air.
If there was air in the lines from the fuel,filter change, would it even run? I did the bleed screw on the pump to get bubbles out.
And it starts and runs great

If there was air in the lines it might run, but it wouldn't run normally...you'd notice.

I ran a similar 5ft cutter on a Ford 8N with about half the PTO power you have, and it rarely bogged down. I'm not diesel mechanic, but I'm wondering if it could be a governor issue that's preventing it from maintaining normal power when a load is put on it...

DLTTrekkers · Jul 20, 2015

Fuel ! Check filter and liftpump !

redman135 · Jul 20, 2015

What condition is the air filter?
What condition is the suction hose between the air filter and engine? If it is soft it can collapse under load and cause a lack of power then when the load comes off, it will go back to normal shape. Very frustrating.

MisterB Tx · Jul 20, 2015

Air filter seems fine, but I'll just get a new one & check on that suction hose.
Lift pump? What am I looking for? Is this something I can check or is this for pros.
Thanks for the suggestions.

DLTTrekkers · Jul 20, 2015

Air intakehose wil collapes with increase of revs and a blocked airfilter .
Not enough fuel is your problem ! with 850 h on tractor have you replaced your fuelfilter ?

MisterB Tx · Jul 20, 2015

Yes. Fuel filter is new

jim44 · Jul 20, 2015

Are you running your tractor at the correct RPM for the shredder? That's very important--run the engine at rated RPM, and control the speed with gears.

MisterB Tx · Jul 20, 2015

Running at what seems max. My RPMs won't go past the "540" mark on my tach. I think that's like 2000 actual RPMs

showcattle · Jul 21, 2015

Make sure the brush hog is set up so that when you're mowing, the front of the mower is an inch or two lower than the rear. That keeps the blades from continually mowing the same grass. The front cuts it, and it gets thrown out the back.

MisterB Tx · Jul 21, 2015

I will make sure to try that. Thank you. I'll let y'all know if it helps

brown40 · Jul 21, 2015

People have touched on fuel and air delivery, and angling the deck forward to cut once... what kind of shape are the blades in though? They shouldn't be sharp for sure, but if they're rounded right off blunt, cut speed and quality drop off. Are you getting big windrows showing up after cutting? The leading face should be more or less flat and have an edge beveled back along the blade--like a trapezoid ideally, to pinch off the small material against. Not sharp, but not round either. Usually touch-up is flattening the face again, and trying to remove equal material from each.

geneP · Jul 21, 2015

MisterB Tx said:
Running at what seems max. My RPMs won't go past the "540" mark on my tach. I think that's like 2000 actual RPMs

TractorData.com shows the operating RPM of that tractor to be 2500 RPM. If it won't rev to 2500 RPM under light or no load, there is a problem and you can't get to max power of the tractor.

Also, the type grass you are trying to cut has a lot to do with what gear you attack it with. Here we have a lot of Bahaya (sp?) and it is tough when it gets 2' high and thick close to the ground. If your tractor is getting proper fuel and you are overworking (lugging) the engine the exhaust should begin to show black smoke as the engine chokes down.