Rotary Cutter questions

[davatk]

Hello all. I purchased a used King Kutter 5' rotary cutter this weekend. Was in pretty good shape, just a little surface rust, and blades could use sharpening or possibly replacing. The surface rust doesn't bother me, cause I plan to paint the entire thing Kubota Orange anyway. I mounted it up today, and it seems to cut fairly nicely, and the tractor (B2630) handles it with ease, even without weight on the front (I think having the MMM attached is helping out). Anyhow, I notice when I first engage the rear PTO to start the cutter, it wobbles and causes a momentary shudder that lasts for a few seconds until the blade gets up to speed. Once the blades get up to speed, it smooths out. Is this shudder normal ? Or is it possible the blades are out of balance ?

Thanks !

 

[Rusty4242]

Last week I got around to mounting a 4 foot Howse cutter on my BX23 (after lowering the hitch pins 4 inches to make it work) and it does exactly the same thing; rumbles and shakes for a couple of seconds then runs great. Folks I spoke to locally says it normal. They sure are handy units.

 

[dex3361]

Anyhow, I notice when I first engage the rear PTO to start the cutter, it wobbles and causes a momentary shudder that lasts for a few seconds until the blade gets up to speed. Once the blades get up to speed, it smooths out. Is this shudder normal ? Or is it possible the blades are out of balance ?

Thanks !

This is normal. The blades have to pick up speed to sling out and into balance.

 

[KU Gator]

My experience is pretty limited, ie have only used my 5' Bush Hog brand squeeler mower on my 2920, but it has acted the same from day one. The blades are heavy and it always shakes the tractor initially, then calms down. I alway let the clutch out with the engine at idle, then bring up the RPMs once the mower settles down.

 

[jimbo64]

My experience is pretty limited, ie have only used my 5' Bush Hog brand squeeler mower on my 2920, but it has acted the same from day one. The blades are heavy and it always shakes the tractor initially, then calms down. I alway let the clutch out with the engine at idle, then bring up the RPMs once the mower settles down.

ku gator - u are doing it the correct way= way easier on pto also if rpm's are lower when first engaged and then brought up to operating speed-operating manual will tell you where that is

 

[TripleR]

Agreed; my Case has a slot on the PTO lever half way through the arc. You leave it there for several seconds and it allows the cutter to spool up then you fully engage without the shaking I get on just about everything. As mentioned engaging slowly mitigates the shudder, but some manuals seem to discourage this.

 

[davatk]

One thing I forgot to mention is that my tractor is HST and has no clutch so the only way to engage is with the PTO engagement lever.

 

[rglaser]

Bring engine rpm to a bit above idle (maybe 15-20% throttle) then SLOWLY engage pto. Then bring up to pto rpm slowly. This will reduce the shudder to a minimum but the rotary cutters do shake more than any other impliment I have used at startup. I think it is as dex suggested, the blades are out of balance until spinning fast enough to be pulled straight out.
Congrats on the new impliment.
-Rob

 

[davatk]

Bring engine rpm to a bit above idle (maybe 15-20% throttle) then SLOWLY engage pto. Then bring up to pto rpm slowly. This will reduce the shudder to a minimum but the rotary cutters do shake more than any other impliment I have used at startup. I think it is as dex suggested, the blades are out of balance until spinning fast enough to be pulled straight out.
Congrats on the new impliment.
-Rob

Thanks Rob, that's pretty much the way I had been approaching it by engaging it at alower RPM. BTW, with the MMM attached, I don't seem to have any problem handling the cutter - it must act as a good counterweight, even without the FEL attached.

-d

 

[rglaser]

Thanks Rob, that's pretty much the way I had been approaching it by engaging it at alower RPM. BTW, with the MMM attached, I don't seem to have any problem handling the cutter - it must act as a good counterweight, even without the FEL attached.

-d

How much does your rotary cutter weigh? I haven't tried it but I don't think mine would be very pleasent without FEL on.

-Rob

 

[davatk]

How much does your rotary cutter weigh? I haven't tried it but I don't think mine would be very pleasent without FEL on.

-Rob

Hey Rob. Mine is about 550 lbs. I think your Land Pride is about 599 lbs. My MMM weight comes in at 374 lbs. So it does a good job of helping to offset the bushog. However, if I was in really tough terrain, I'd probably want to take it off.

-dave

 

[rglaser]

Hey Rob. Mine is about 550 lbs. I think your Land Pride is about 599 lbs. My MMM weight comes in at 374 lbs. So it does a good job of helping to offset the bushog. However, if I was in really tough terrain, I'd probably want to take it off.

-dave

I will have to try mine without FEL just to see what it is like. I wouldn't think the lightweight (compared to FEL) MMM between the wheels would provide anywhere near the counter weight effect of the heavier FEL (around 900 lbs. I believe) well ahead of the front wheels.

-Rob

 

[davatk]

I will have to try mine without FEL just to see what it is like. I wouldn't think the lightweight (compared to FEL) MMM between the wheels would provide anywhere near the counter weight effect of the heavier FEL (around 900 lbs. I believe) well ahead of the front wheels.

-Rob

Granted, I didn't get on the side of any very steep hills or banks, but I really didn't notice any lightness in the front end. I used to do a lot of bush hogging in my teen years, and had a tractor/bushhog combo that did like to "rare up", so I do know the feeling. :laughing: