Properly setting up Brush mower on 3pt

Inno · Jul 28, 2014

I just picked up a 5' Farm King brush mower for behind my MF TO35 tractor. I've never had a brush mower so I'm not sure how it should be set up on the 3pt. It has a tail wheel which can be adjusted for height of cut and I'm guessing I would set the 3pt to match so the mower is riding more or less level?
When I go down in dips or up over things it tends to bottom out. Someone had fashioned some crude wheels for the front of it which I removed because the shafts (two long bolts) had bent. My guess is that they are best suited for mostly level ground.

Vernon in Ks · Jul 28, 2014

OK your new so here are the rules.
#1 NO RIDERS PERIOD
#2 TOP LINK not a chain
#3 OVERRUNNING CLUTCH if tractor pto not independant. (Don't have one GET ONE)
#4 Front of mower should be just slightly lower than rear.
#5 blades shoud be sharp. not razor sharp but sharp enought to cut. (block it up to check dont crawl under it with tractor holding it up.)
#6 Go slow till you learn.
In answer to you question yes if rear wheels of tractor go in a dip the front of mower will go down. The mower should have a conection between the top link of mower to rear of mower that is flexable. This allows you to pick the mower up but also allows rear of mower to come up when going through a ditch or large dip. These are a great piece of equipment when used properly but are deadly when not.

Billy NY · Jul 28, 2014

Level side to side usually, and 1" lower in the front from the back. Check the book on it, if you have one with it or can get it.

Low areas, dips and such, I just raise it up, then reset to the stop on my lift lever, I use a regular top link, the mount frame on the mower flexes, moves, the pto telescopes in/out. So you may have uneven cuts in those areas, its a rough cut mower anyway.

The sidewalls of the deck will act as skids sometimes, just raise it up and you should not be cutting so low that you may run into a dirt mound or something substantial that will quickly impact or stop the mower, that can transfer shock loads, should trip a slip clutch or shear a grade 2 bolt in the driveline, or shear the blade shoulder bolts if so equipped before hand, these are one of the more abusive implements for a tractor if you push it in harsh conditions.

maxwell99 · Jul 28, 2014

Very useful piece of equipment: however probably,
next to a chainsaw, one of the most dangerous pieces
of equipment on the farm.

I use a std top link, but it has a flexible hookup
on the cutter side, so if the rear wheels go off in
a dip or small ditch the top link has some movement.

Be sure the slip clutch works (they must be taken
apart and cleaned from time to time) or if your
cutter has shear bolt, be sure it has soft grade
bolts, and keep a few extra in the tool box.

Some install a grade 9 hard bolt so the pto will not
shear so easy.

Note to file: it's much easier to replace a soft
shear bolt, than to replace a busted tractor pto
shaft or gears.

Good luck and be safe,

Rick Remmert · Jul 28, 2014

You can go to the archives and type in rotary mower. There
was a big discusion on them about a month or so on here. As
everyone said, get an override clutch. They are for sale on this
site. When you set the height, start with the front at about say
6". The back about 4" higher. It will depend on what and how
tall the weeds are your mowing. You want it to look like a
windrow of hay when you mow, nice and smooth on top. If it is
ruffled up, the back is too low and you are cutting it twice. I
mow CRP grass that is sometimes 5 or 6 ft. tall. The back of
the mower is almost 8" off the ground. Sharpen the blade like
you would your lawnmower. Try to get cutting surface as even
as you can. Then go back in at 90 deg. and grind the sharp
edge dull until it is about 1/8" wide.

Inno · Jul 28, 2014

Thanks guys. I have a 2 stage clutch on the 35 so that's not an issue. I did buy an over-running clutch before I got this tractor in preparation for getting a mower (cart before the horse but safety first) I have a regular top link but the mower has a flexible piece. I think I may have to make adjustments because it seems as though if I set it so the front is lower than the rear, it is almost into the ground. I'll have to have a look at the tail wheel and see if I can lower it some more.

paul · Jul 29, 2014

You need it to be able to flex fore and aft, but you also need
some way so that it can't flip up so as the tail wheel pivots up
in the air and towards the driver. So you shouldn't run without
a top link, or just a chain on the top link. While very rare, it is
not good if the thing catches an obstruction and pivots up like
that! Not as rare is it happens bad enough to wreck the pto...

Many hogs have some form of flexible link so the thing can tilt
fore and aft a bit, but not allowed to pivot all the way up and
over. Again, while very rare, its a really bad day if that
happens, and we now in odd places with grass covering
obstacles, it can happen.

I have a quick hitch I use with mine, and I angle the quick hitch
and leave the top pin out of the quick hitch. This allows the
hog to flex up and down over dips, but the quick hitch frame
will stop the mower from rearing up and around. To pick the
mower up just put the pin in. Was a good $69 I spent on the
Harbor Freight quick hitch.....

Paul

Properly setting up Brush mower on 3pt

Inno

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Vernon in Ks

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Billy NY

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maxwell99

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Rick Remmert

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Inno

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paul

Well-known Member

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