rotary cutter question

Rotary cutter operation question?

Should the rotary cutter (Bush hog) deck be level or be lower in the front when cutting heavy weeds and grass?

I have a 5 ft cutter and in heavy weeds/grass it pulls my TO35 hard.

I always sharpen the blades as much as possible before starting to cut my crp land.

I lower the rear wheel so the cutter will cut as high as possible. The only other cutting height I have is raising the lift arm set height.

I only cut the areas with weeds.

I see others cutting all the crp land and cutting it low, but they have much bigger heavier equipment.

Most rotary cutters should be a little lower in front than the rear. Don't sharpen blades very sharp because the sharp edge will fold over.

I believe lower in the front, when I put mine on, I go out to the level or just about level pavement, adjust side to side, level by eye or measure roughly, then adjust the top link so the front is lower than the back by at least an inch, at the desired cutting height, sometimes I will drop it down low in grassy areas I finish mow, but have let grow too long. I don't recall if the book for mine calls for that, but thought it did. Also its not re-cutting if that makes sense, seems to toss the cuttings out better. I do remember when I put new blades on, and made all the adjustments per the booklet, basically one page in that book, and I could cut in a higher gear, it did perform a lot better, noticeably so. Also realize you don't want to drop it down so low that it shudders, long heavy vibrations, which these will do if the front is lower, and you want to cut close.

The current blades on mine could be replaced, I have bnew spares, but keep touching them up with the grinder, still balanced, as you can tell when they are not, but the cutting edge over time gets reduced, sharpening, mostly deformation from the darned round rocks or similar that you forgot about so I've held off until everything is cleared, however I do have to cut areas that get tilled and rocks show up, I usually keep it high for clearance, but I somehow always hit something. I'm not sure of the best method for maintaining blades some suggest going the blacksmith route and hammering them back into shape, not removing metal, I'd prefer to do that but wonder due to hardness and all that, they sure do get deformed, hit the dirt or rocks, wood does not bother them.

What Billy and Tx Jim said, plus you may have to go over it multiple times to cut it all.

We are using a 5 foot bush hog on a MF50 and a Ferguson 20. We tip the nose down - if nothing else to direct anything coming out of the front downward. We mow at the highest rear pivot wheel setting. Power is no problem for the MF50, but the Ferguson needs a little governor work - so sometimes it struggles a bit.

Good luck,
Bill

Was out there this afternoon cutting a little CRP land, lowered the front of the cutter about 2".

Sharpen the blades as best I could without taking them off with my 4 1/2" grinder.

Tractor and cutter ran fine,

I would have thought, as dry as it has been here in west KY, that the bottoms would not be so heavy and rank, but the growth was still heavy.

Will check my blades tomorrow, do not want to grind them away, but sharpe blades seem to make it easier on the old tractor.

Little Fergy's governor's got a good work out today.

Also remember that the blades need not be sharp like a regular mower blade. They are not intended to be. The don't have the lift to pull the grass up and cut it really nicely. The objective is to set the front lower so that you aren't recutting anything and rough cut it down. You should be able to tell that the front is noticeably shaped sharper, but it's a square box with blades - it can't cut the same way a finish mower does. Go look at the new ones they sell. If you drop it on your foot you will have a bruise not a cut. Also, you aren't doing any sort of balancing if you don't ever take them off. That's hard on your machine.

I cut pastures and crp much like you. I shatter the seed down to reseed the land and cut an inch or so off of the leaves to promote growth again. It opens up the area and makes it much more appealing to livestock. I also keeps down irritated eyes and pinkeye IMO. If you hit a sudden dry period and that grass is cut short it will really stress it.

Lower in the front equals easier cutting taking less hp and faster debrie discharge from the rear. Level deck does more shredding of material but takes more hp in doing so. If your in heavy stuff and pulling down the engine then raise the rear a few inches higher which will help greatly.