Brush Hog mods

[charlessenf]

Taking some bigger trees here:

Wow, yet another style of 'bush hog.'

 

[charlessenf]

Well here is a company with a few Canadian dealers, some very nice looking pieces of equipment;
This first one is my favorite in a quick look,

https://www.youtube.com/@TokvamAS

Love they way they attach the chains!

 

[ch1ch2]

We are getting close.
My concern now circles around having no front chain guard

Very valid concern!
I was shredding under a pecan tree. A nut went forward hit the front tire and came back right into my forehead. Almost knocked me out. Hurt my back from my head fling backwards.
I now have front chains.

 

[alpha&omega]

Well here is a company with a few Canadian dealers, some very nice looking pieces of equipment;
This first one is my favorite in a quick look,

https://www.youtube.com/@TokvamAS

This is the way to do it. I’d like to see the “grass cutting chains” they mentioned. I really like the way that arm pivots and how the belt absorbs most of the chain shock.

However, I do wonder how hot a black tractor with no window tint would be in the summer.

And another,

Anyone who has cut this kind of thick razor style swamp grass with regular blades knows how tough that stuff is and how easily it can bog a mower/tractor down even at WOT. Those scrub trees are tough as nails too…quite impressive what the chains can actually do.

 

[2manyrocks]

The commercially built chain mowers seem to follow a similar design of holding the chain captive between two round center plates.

1. How would you DIY something similar?

2. Is the gearbox on these chain mowers beefed up in some way compared to the normal rotary cutter gearbox?

 

[ptsg]

The commercially built chain mowers seem to follow a similar design of holding the chain captive between two round center plates.

1. How would you DIY something similar?

2. Is the gearbox on these chain mowers beefed up in some way compared to the normal rotary cutter gearbox?

The hub to hold the chains is very straight forward. Two discs and a couple of plates to space them apart. Then, a pin holds each chain in plate. A little bit of fabrication and machining would do it. The machining is mostly required to weld the splined sleeve to the hub it self as centered as possible with as little run out as possible.

The gearboxes, for the most part, are just standard brush cutter gearboxes from Comer. They're available in 30/60/90/125 HP. A 30HP gearbox will handle easily a up to 50 HP. Mine uses a Comer LF 205J gearbox.

The forestry versions tend to use bigger/stronger gearboxes and possibly higher output RPM.

I believe I'm going mowing today, if anyone wants some close up picture of any details, let me know.

 

[2manyrocks]

If it is a standard gearbox, is the hub and chain assembly available to buy? That would seem like the best way to modify a cutter if all you had to do was to swap out the hub and cutting assembly?

 

[ptsg]

Th

If it is a standard gearbox, is the hub and chain assembly available to buy? That would seem like the best way to modify a cutter if all you had to do was to swap out the hub and cutting assembly?

Yes. Those are available to buy. Either the gearbox, the hub or both. At least here, they are.

Not too terribly expensive either.

 

[Rustyiron]

I wonder if there's any standard among the various (US) manufacturers when it comes to the 90* gearbox output shafts?
I don't recall ever getting into removal of any "T" bar or integrated stump (US blade type mower) pan but a splined output shaft is something that's in my memory... somewhere and that would take some advanced machining to replicate the "chain hub" shown by ptsg's pictures.
I believe most everyone following this is now convinced that it's probably a simpler and easier to maintain this type of machine than one with blades with the exception of grass cutting or pasture maintenance.

 

[dieselscout80]

Th

Yes. Those are available to buy. Either the gearbox, the hub or both. At least here, they are.

Not too terribly expensive either.

Got a link for one?

 

[ptsg]

I wonder if there's any standard among the various (US) manufacturers when it comes to the 90* gearbox output shafts?
I don't recall ever getting into removal of any "T" bar or integrated stump (US blade type mower) pan but a splined output shaft is something that's in my memory... somewhere and that would take some advanced machining to replicate the "chain hub" shown by ptsg's pictures.
I believe most everyone following this is now convinced that it's probably a simpler and easier to maintain this type of machine than one with blades with the exception of grass cutting or pasture maintenance.

I should've clarified the splined sleeve is supplied with the gearbox in most cases. It would've to be welded on the hub that holds the chains.

Here is a picture for clarification:

Some places sell it like that, others sell it complete with the hub already made and ready to go. Pretty much a bolt on deal.

Also, for pasture mowing, that you know there isn't rocks or weird objects hiding, blades all the way. You can go faster and use less HP/fuel but this is almost the perfect place to mow, which won't happen most of the times.

Over here, if a pasture is that good, then it's cut and turned into bales. Usually small and round bales.

 

[ptsg]

Got a link for one?

Sure. All in Portuguese though.

Caixa Redutora LF-205J

Fornecido sem óleo

www.agropeixoto.com

Caixa Multiplicadora Para Capinadeira / Corta-mato | Peças e acessórios equipamento agrícola, à venda | Braga | 34960494 | CustoJusto.pt

Veja agora Caixa multiplicadora para capinadeira / corta-mato | Peças e acessórios equipamento agrícola, à venda | Esposende, Marinhas e Gandra, Esposende, Braga | 34960494 | CustoJusto.pt

www.custojusto.pt

 

[dieselscout80]

Sure. All in Portuguese though.

Caixa Redutora LF-205J

Fornecido sem óleo

www.agropeixoto.com

Caixa Multiplicadora Para Capinadeira / Corta-mato | Peças e acessórios equipamento agrícola, à venda | Braga | 34960494 | CustoJusto.pt

Veja agora Caixa multiplicadora para capinadeira / corta-mato | Peças e acessórios equipamento agrícola, à venda | Esposende, Marinhas e Gandra, Esposende, Braga | 34960494 | CustoJusto.pt

www.custojusto.pt

Thanks

Anyone know of a US place that sells the adapter for the chains that mates to a rotary cutter gearbox?

 

[scootr]

Thanks

Anyone know of a US place that sells the adapter for the chains that mates to a rotary cutter gearbox?

That has been the million dollar question since this thread started.

 

[ptsg]

I would imagine there is nothing like this in the US, unless it's homemade, but I'm an entire continent away with a big pond in between so I have no idea what's available there.

I've seen at least a video or two, of people using it in Canada though.

Anyway, got some closer pictures of the hub. Picture #1 is one of the pins. Picture #2 is a terrible picture of the pin in place, kinda hard to see. The rest is different views on the hub. Last picture shows how high this cutters can go, which is really helpful on tall brush and mowing against embankments.

 

[K5lwq]

In the 4th picture, it looks like the pin on the right is not engaging the bottom hole very well if at all? Do you need to replace the pins from time to time?

 

[2manyrocks]

If it can be sourced somewhere, you would think you can import it into the USA. I’ve bought forestry gear from Canada. No issues getting it here. A few phone calls to find out.

 

[ptsg]

In the 4th picture, it looks like the pin on the right is not engaging the bottom hole very well if at all? Do you need to replace the pins from time to time?

Good catch. I'll need to check that out ASAP. There is something funny going on there, even though I used it after taking the pictures without any issues.

The pins do need to be replaced eventually. Mine wore out about 1/3 of the diameter of the pin in about 300 to 320 hours of use. Knowing myself, I'll probably fill it with weld and run it some more.

It really shows that with any type of implement, it's important to do a walk around and taking a closer look at stuff like this every once in a while.

I checked a older picture from when the cutter was newer and you can see both pins.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

The pins wear out in a rotary cutter too.

In one of mine, I've had to fill weld the groves in the pins where the blades wear into them. The holes in the blades will elongate too.

SR

 

[ptsg]

The pins wear out in a rotary cutter too.

In one of mine, I've had to fill weld the groves in the pins where the blades wear into them. The holes in the blades will elongate too.

SR

Brush cutters take a lot of beating. This is just regular wear and tear.