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Harry Ferguson Tractors Discussion Forum
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TO-20 Bogs down with bush hog in heavy cutting!!!

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Gene in La.

01-15-2006 21:57:17




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Hello all! Got the fergy running great now with all the help from you all! But I think I still have a problem when bush hogging in tall grass: it idles great; runs great till I get into heavy cover. The governor is kicking in(I have checked and it is comeing into play) but I have misplaced my manual so not sure if I got it set up correctly. Carburator has been rebuilt couple mounths back! My thinking is it maybe the timeing or distributor advance; compression is 100-115 points&plugs are ok and the cutter is set up correctly as recommended by the site! So has anyone got any advice! I'm compairing it to a 8n ford that I used to use at my grandfathers when I was growing up; I,m told the to20 tractor is really more powerful. Any help sure would be appreciated! I'm likeing the tractor more&more; the more I tinker with it; I guess its grows on you!!! Thanks in advance for all your help!!!
Gene in Louisiana USA

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Jerry/MT

01-16-2006 19:34:42




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 Re: TO-20 Bogs down with bush hog in heavy cutting in reply to Gene in La., 01-15-2006 21:57:17  
Your compression is really good so as long as the ignition is good you should be developing the rated power from the engine. Make sure you air cleaner isn't restricted, your timing AND advance are correct. Make sure that you have full fuel flow to the carburetor. What gear are you attempting to cut with and how big is your mower?? You shouldn't have ay more than a 5 ft mower and it wouldn't surprise me if in thick coarse grass, you have to use 2nd gear. As gshadel said, make sure that front of your cutter is lower than the back. You might consider taking a partial swath in stead if the full cut and even raisng up a little and then making a second pass with the mower set to a lower height.

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Jerry/MT

01-16-2006 19:21:16




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 Re: TO-20 Bogs down with bush hog in heavy cutting in reply to Gene in La., 01-15-2006 21:57:17  
Your compression is really good so as long as the ignition is good you should be developing the rated power from the engine. Make sure you air cleaner isn't restricted, your timing AND advance are correct. Make sure that you have full fuel flow to the carburetor. What gear are you attempting to cut with and how big is your mower?? You shouldn't have ay more than a 5 ft mower and it wouldn't surprise me if in thick coarse grass, you have to use 2nd gear. As gshadel said, make sure that front of your cutter is lower than the back. You might consider taking a partial swath in stead if the full cut and even raisng up a little and then making a second pass with the mower set to a lower height.

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gshadel

01-16-2006 08:13:26




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 Re: TO-20 Bogs down with bush hog in heavy cutting in reply to Gene in La., 01-15-2006 21:57:17  
Gene, the TO-20 doesn't have any more power than a 8N, if anything it has a few less HP than the 8N.
You may be cutting too low as the others have said. I have on occasion needed to make 2 passes on really tall thick grass that has not been cut for a couple years.
Angle you chopper deck slightly lower in the front. That will help prevent throwing trash in your direction, help reduce the drag on the blades (cutting once instead of twice), and help the cuttings throw clear behind you.
You might want to cut in 1st gear for the tall stuff also if your not already doing that.

Your full advanced timing should be 29-33 degrees at full speed (~1500 RPMS or more). That can be easily checked with a timing light hooked up to a 12V battery and looking into the plugged hole in the bell housing near your starter.

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John (UK)

01-16-2006 03:54:24




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 Re: TO-20 Bogs down with bush hog in heavy cutting in reply to Gene in La., 01-15-2006 21:57:17  
Is it a case of you trying to cut too much at one pass, are the blades sharp, they need to be, can the cut crop escape from the Hog easily and not being trapped under the cover, as that saps the power. Once you start cutting very low in grass and scrub it takes a lot of power. You could try not cutting quite as low or maybe even only take a narrower cut this first time. If you need the info on resetting the governor I do have it, email me at:-
fergusontractors(at)tiscali.co.uk

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Gene in La.

01-16-2006 18:07:48




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 Re: TO-20 Bogs down with bush hog in heavy cutting in reply to John (UK), 01-16-2006 03:54:24  
Yes John I would appreciate the info on setting up the governor. Thanks Gene



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John (UK)

01-18-2006 13:16:09




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 Re: TO-20 Bogs down with bush hog in heavy cutting in reply to Gene in La., 01-16-2006 18:07:48  
Gene I just noticed I got my email address wrong it should have been:-
fergusontractors (at) tiscali.co.uk
mail me about the governor settings and I will send them to you. Change the (at) for @ as normal.



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John (UK)

01-17-2006 09:05:57




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 Re: TO-20 Bogs down with bush hog in heavy cutting in reply to Gene in La., 01-16-2006 18:07:48  
Sorry Gene you will have to email me at :-
fergusontractors (at) tiscal.co.uk and ask me for it as I cant send it to you unless you do that as I don't have your email address to send it to. Just email and I will send it by return attached to your mail to me.



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curtiebird

01-16-2006 03:16:57




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 Re: TO-20 Bogs down with bush hog in heavy cutting in reply to Gene in La., 01-15-2006 21:57:17  
does the tractor run alright doing other task(plowing,grading,ete.) does it run ok when first start mowing if so look at the mower pto shaft to see if the tall grass is getting wraped around the pto shaft between tractor & mower thats what happens with our ford 8N bogs down & stalls out when mowing in tall heavy grass from all the grass getting wraped around mower pto shaft



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Gene in La.

01-16-2006 18:31:15




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 Re: TO-20 Bogs down with bush hog in heavy cutting in reply to curtiebird, 01-16-2006 03:16:57  
Well to tell the truth this is the only load I have tried on the tractor! So I'm not sure how it will act to other loads. And thanks for advice about grass around pto shaft, but thats not the case; grass is dead and not getting onto shaft at this time of year. My brother-in-laws that had it before me said it is just worn out! Maybe so and I'm expecting to much out of the tractor, but it is fun to have around and tinker with. Thanks Gene

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John (UK)

01-17-2006 12:55:18




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 Re: TO-20 Bogs down with bush hog in heavy cutting in reply to Gene in La., 01-16-2006 18:31:15  
If as you say the grass is dead it will be very hard to cut, make sure that the blades are sharp as that will sap power like mad if they are blunt at all. Did you read my earlier mail about me needing your email address so I could send the information for the governor to you, please ask me for it on :-
fergusontractors (at)tiscali.co.uk and I will send it straight away. I have no idea where to send it to right now.

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steveormary

01-16-2006 19:31:43




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 Re: TO-20 Bogs down with bush hog in heavy cutting in reply to Gene in La., 01-16-2006 18:31:15  
Gene,

You are not cutting too close to the ground. You can always pull out some and not take a full cut. If you are in heavy stuff 1st.gear might be best. And your 540 pto speed is at just over 1/2 throttle setting.

steveormary



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