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size of bushhog mower for 8N and 2N

E

ejensen

Well-known Member
I use a 4 foot john Deere rotary mower behind my 8N ford. Tractor has no problem running the 4 foot in heavy grass.
Question: I've never put the mower on my 1946 2N. The engine has been totally rebuilt and tractor has been restored. I imagine it would run the 4 foot mower. Will the 8N and 2N fords run a 5 foot mower without problems?
 
The 9N/2n and 8N are so close as in HP that is pretty much does not matter so your pretty much talking the same machines so yes a 2N will handle what an 8N will. That said the most common size that people say should be used behind these tractor is a 5 footer
 
Old,

Good to hear from You. I've been using the winch You and I discussed at one point. The one that connects to the trailer ball, 3000 lb. model. I've been using it to pull out a concrete curb in the back of my yard. It is a good winch and the ability to use it on either end of the truck is great.
I'm working on my friends Ford Jubilee. He uses a 5 foot mower. While working on his tractor I was thinking of using my 2N or 8N to connect to his tractor to cut his field while I am working on his tractor. Looks like this will work fine from what You told Me.
 
Old,

Good to hear from You. I've been using the winch You and I discussed at one point. The one that connects to the trailer ball, 3000 lb. model. I've been using it to pull out a concrete curb in the back of my yard. It is a good winch and the ability to use it on either end of the truck is great.
I'm working on my friends Ford Jubilee. He uses a 5 foot mower. While working on his tractor I was thinking of using my 2N or 8N to connect to his tractor to cut his field while I am working on his tractor. Looks like this will work fine from what You told Me.
 
Dean,

As I was telling Old, I'm working on my friends Ford Jubilee. He uses a 5 foot rotary mower. Thought I would hook one of my N's to his mower. Looks like it will work.
 
I have my neighbors 8n and his 5' bush hog. It was such a load for his tractor, we put it behind my D17
 
What are you trying to mow and is the front of the mower blade lower than the back as the blades should be lower in the front as thats where the cutting happens and how close to the fround and above all how sharp.
 
Just wondering why are you bush hogging now? This time of year until mid summer most wee creatures make thier nests, bedding areas and give birth to thier vulnerable young. As if the there isn"t enough pressure from general loss of habitat, domestic cats and coyotes.
 

To answer your question
Here in the state of Washington NW part of state fields do not need to be cut now.I am helping a friend of mine who is 88 years old do repair work to his ford jubilee.He uses a 5 foot mower.Since I have two N series ford tractors, 2n @8n I just wanted to know if one of my fords would run his 5 foot mower.Yes, too early and ground is too wet for mowing now.Coyotes, none here,cats yes
 
(quoted from post at 12:04:02 04/16/12) Just wondering why are you bush hogging now? This time of year until mid summer most wee creatures make thier nests, bedding areas and give birth to thier vulnerable young. As if the there isn"t enough pressure from general loss of habitat, domestic cats and coyotes.
Click to expand...
While I have to agree with buick I use a 5 footer behind my 8N with no problems....the 6 fotter is a little too much for it in heavy stuff.

Rick
 
you could have the early version of the pto shaft and will need a converter or over running clutch to convert to standard pto.. either way a orc will provide additional safety you need so you can stop the tractor quickly so you dont run over buckanddeere's baby rabbits.
 

Just as important is the addition of a Slip-Clutch, to take the shock out of the driveline when the mower strikes something..
Over-running clutches are very good for the average, not too experienced driver..
On my tractors, I do not feel I have total control of Stopping the Bush Hog..In an Emergency, with an ORC..
I know some will have a fit and fall in it, but that is how we DO it and that is without "Live Power take off..".
Just have your brakes working well and pay attention to what you are doing..
(and NO ear-phones or radio)...

Ron..
 

Actually, except for the opening round, you (if you want to do a good job), be only cutting 4 ft with a 5ft Bush Hog, so you get a clean cut where the rear tire ran, the last round..
If you only had a 4 footer, you might only be cutting 3 feet..!!!
Myself, I like a good Flail mower better, but they require Double the Horse Power (but you can take a full width cut)..
If you are only mowing grasses and weeds, keep the blades Sharp..
For saplings, they should be pretty dull, to shatter the woody stems..

Ron.
 

My personal opinion is that 4 feet is enough for an 8n unless all you do is grass clipping. That's an opinion only since I've never owned an 8n.

HOWEVER, the 8n has 4 forward gears as opposed to 3 for the 9n, not sure about the 2n. Better chance of being able to run in a gear best suited for the job.

Now if someone really wants to start a discussion, argue about the suitability of a gray market Japanese tractor for pullling a 5 foot bush hog. Never owned one of them either, so I'll duck out that discussion.

KEH
 

My personal opinion is that 4 feet is enough for an 8n unless all you do is grass clipping. That's an opinion only since I've never owned an 8n.

HOWEVER, the 8n has 4 forward gears as opposed to 3 for the 9n, not sure about the 2n. Better chance of being able to run in a gear best suited for the job.

Now if someone really wants to start a discussion, argue about the suitability of a gray market Japanese tractor for pullling a 5 foot bush hog. Never owned one of them either, so I'll duck out that discussion.

KEH
 
Both the fords:2n @ 8n have overrunning clutches.Main problem with the 2 @ 8 is that the pro and hydraulics are not independent
This is my opinion
Ford solved this problem with the NAA
 

I have a 1984 JD 850. Bought a 5 foot Rhino which was too much for the JD.Had to run in a low gear and use the low gear in the two speed.Didn't have the N's at the time Sold the 5 foot rhino and bought a 4 foot JD mower
Works good with all my tractors
 
I agree about the clean cutting with flail mowers
My tractors do not have enough hp for flail mowers. One thing good about the 5 foot rhino I had
It covered the wheel tracks of my small JD 850
 
Been using an old ford five foot brush hog and five foot m f finish mower on my 52 8n for 20 years with an over running clutch and all works well. Bet the old hog was 20 years old when I bought it, very heavy but the n does well with it. Bought both together from a ford dealer
 
Mark,

Does the 5 foot finish mower have 3 blades? Still a lot of mower. My 52 8N handles the 4 foot JD mower easily. It handles it much better than my 1984 JD 850. Seems the 8N has much more torque and just power than the 850 with its 3 cylinder Yanmar diesel.
 
I've used the 4 foot mower on my 48 TE 20 which is similiar to the 8N. Used it to cut waist high grass. Makes it work but handles it fine. I think the TE 20 would have problems with a 5 foot mower in waist high grass. Would probably have to raise the mower and make several cuttings.
 
soxtbill, Rabbits should be safe as the 8N has the 1 3/8 pto and I installed an overrunning clutch. Someone probably installed the larger pto prior to my ownership of the tractor. The 2N still has the smaller pto but one of the previous owners installed an overrunning clutch. I learned the hard way the importance of the overrunning clutch. Years ago I put a 4 foot woods mower on my Super C. Pushed me right into the fence when I tried to stop the tractor.
 
Responses from members of the forum have convinced me that one of my N tractors will operate my friends 5 foot mower if repair work continues on his Jubilee into the grass cutting season.
 
This is one area that I need to make improvements. Sharpness of the blades is understood. Best way to set the mower for cutting is an area that I need to understand more fully. I generally set the stop on the quandrant so the mower runners stay off the ground. This doesn't always work for me. Many times I'll look behind and see skid marks of the deck runners in the ground.
 
Bevan,

Tractors in the 20 - 30 hp should work ok with mowers in the 5 foot size if I read the chart correctly.
 
When rebuilding the transmisson in my JD 850 I noticed that an overriding clutch system is built into the transmission. Some of the bigger rear mounted mowers in the area where I live do have slip clutches.
 
Ken,

The 2N has a 3 speed transmisison. I think it is lowered geared than my 8N with the 4 speed transmission. Most of the mowing I do with my 8N is in 2nd gear.
I don't know much about the gray market Japanese tractors. Know what they are but have never seen one working.
 

The purpose of the Slip Clutch is to take the SHOCK out of hitting something that may damage the transmission and PTO..(IF properly Adjusted)..

If you are going to be cutting where you are cutting larger saplings, or may hit a stump of rock, the slip clutch is Necessary..

Ron..
 
Ron,

Areas I will be cutting are very smooth and the rocks, boulders, stumps, saplings, were removed a long time ago. One area I cut continues to have alders growings. They are generally less that 1/4 inch in diameter so I think I am ok with the shear bolt set up on the 48 inch woods mower and 48 inch john deere mower. I certainly argee that a slip clutch is an excellent safety to prevent damage to transmisison and pto. The two woods rototillers I have both have slip clutches.
 

As far as the Shear Bolts are concerned, just be sure to use "soft Bolts" and you will be fine..

Even 1inch+ thick saplings will be easy cutting..

It gets a little more "Dicey" when the saplings are over 2" and 5 or 6 Ft above the tractor..!!
That is when NOBODY should be anywhere near the field you are cutting...there will be 4 Ft pieces shooting out 50 yards..!!
Ron..
 
The first bushhog I bought was a 4 foot woods back in 1973. Still have it and it is built extremely heavy. Much heavier built that the newer 4 foot john deere mower I bought several years ago. I don't know if the 8 N I have would be able to power the mower through large saplings such as 1 inch alders.One of my friends uses his 5 foot mower behind his fordson major tractor. He has hit many things : small trees, fence posts covered by grass on the ground and his mower is beat up.
Have accidentally hit pieces of wood with the mowers and they seem to shread the wood and pieces go all over the place. Have safety chains on the mowers which are supposed to provide safety from things being thrown. I'm always careful and stop mowing when people, animals, or cars are in the area where I am mowing. Property area I have is small. One piece is 2 acres the other is 10 acres. About 4 acres of field on the 10 acre piece. A person uses the land for his cattle and feeds the grass he cuts to the cattle. Haven't had to maintain this piece for 3 years. Most of my maintenance is on the 2 acre piece.
 
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