I think my tail wheel is too big

[Ford tractor]

No, I haven't proven anything...that's a picture of a Land Pride cutter. We have no idea who built the OP's cutter and the design might be different.
You're assuming all cutters are the same...they're not...but every one I've seen had some cant to the tailwheel.

You sure do cling tight to your positions.

Tail wheel cant -- sure.

BENT pivot rod -- no.


Again, look closely at the OP's picture. The bushing the rod rides in should be on the flat of the wheel housing. BUT -- the bend of the rod is what in the way from that happening. Imagine that rod straight. There will still be a cant allowing the wheel to track, but it wouldn't hit the housing.

Here's a smaller part of the OP's picture. Click on it and LOOK AT IT> I'm talking about the obvious GAP between the bushing and the pivot washer. See it? See how it's larger in the back? That's not where the factory put the angle for the cant. That's the typical damage done by backing into objects with the wheel. Any guess as to what that does to the clearance between the wheel and deck?

And for the record, I've not made any assumptions. I looked closely at the OP's picture and could see the damage.

 

[SPYDERLK]

You sure do cling tight to your positions.

Tail wheel cant -- sure.

BENT pivot rod -- no.


Again, look closely at the OP's picture. [[The bushing the rod rides in should be on the flat of the wheel housing.]] BUT -- the bend of the rod is what in the way from that happening. Imagine that rod straight. There will still be a cant allowing the wheel to track, but it wouldn't hit the housing.

Here's a smaller part of the OP's picture. Click on it and LOOK AT IT> I'm talking about the obvious GAP between the bushing and the pivot washer. See it? See how it's larger in the back? That's not where the factory put the angle for the cant. That's the typical damage done by backing into objects with the wheel. Any guess as to what that does to the clearance between the wheel and deck?

And for the record, I've not made any assumptions. I looked closely at the OP's picture and could see the damage.

Take a harder look. Those forks use a cheaper fab method relying on some bend in the neck above the top of the [straight] forks to give the caster angle. He just needs to unbend the neck a little. A couple weld beads on the back side while stressing it in that direction oughta do it ... and leave it stronger.
larry

Pivot section of the rod is bent slightly. Doesnt take much.
larry

 

[ruffdog]

I looked at many pics of different cutters to find similar fork designs. I could not find an exact copy but 3 were close. They were Befco, Frontier, and Farm Force. Those had the bent rod design to creat the caster and the fork tops were not parallel to the ground. Here is a pic of a Frontier wheel. Notice the top of the fork is NOT parallel to the ground.

 

[RoyJackson]

You sure do cling tight to your positions.

Yes I do, when I'm confident in my response...

Not always the case...and if I'm wrong, I acknowledge it...but I don't think I'm wrong in this thread.

 

[malwayne55]

I shot these photos at TSC today.

 

[SPYDERLK]

I shot these photos at TSC today.

No consistency there. ...

 

[Sutol]

We have one of these (American built) and the rear wheel is adjustable and the top link is not solid so as the machine is like a sled and the tractor going up and down does not alter the position of the machine on the ground.
Trouble is when you lift it to reverse the rear wheel stays on the ground and it is posible to bend the propshaft if you lift too high.
You may see what I mean in the picture as my brother is lifteing the hydrualics before reversing.

Does that all make any sense

 

[malwayne55]

No consistency there. ...

I think the set-up looks different based on the rotation of the wheel. Picture the wheel being turned one revolution.

 

[k0ua]

We have one of these (American built) and the rear wheel is adjustable and the top link is not solid so as the machine is like a sled and the tractor going up and down does not alter the position of the machine on the ground.
Trouble is when you lift it to reverse the rear wheel stays on the ground and it is posible to bend the propshaft if you lift too high.
You may see what I mean in the picture as my brother is lifteing the hydrualics before reversing.

Does that all make any sense

It looks to me that you need to shorten the toplink considerably. You have the front of the mower higher than the rear. It should be the other way around, when the mower is at mowing height the rear of the mower should be slightly higher than the front.

James K0UA

 

[Sutol]

It looks to me that you need to shorten the toplink considerably. You have the front of the mower higher than the rear. It should be the other way around, when the mower is at mowing height the rear of the mower should be slightly higher than the front.

James K0UA

When the hydraulics are lowered the mower is as you say but the top link is flexible via an articulating mout on the mower so as the mower stays flat no matter if the tractor is undulating.
Otherwise if the front wheels of the tractor went over a mound the mower would dig in and then raise off the ground as the tractor front wheels went down.

Its a nuisiance and we are loking at ways to lock it in position when raising the hydraulics to prevent the propshaft fouling on the front edge of the machine and bending.
I did that the first day we got it and had to have the prop straightened.