Not to Brag, but...

[tassmannn]

Wow I never would have guessed this thread about hooking up a bush hog would grow to 10 or more pages !!!

Seems to have hit a sore subject, and I thought I was the only one who had issues hooking up and unhooking up a bush hog

 

[mjonesnh]

Bush hogged the farm Tues. Arrived at around 5:45 as they were calling for rain before noon. Sprayed the PTO stub and inside PTO coupling with WD40, slid PTO on stub till it locked, hooked lift arms using telescoping feature, and pinned top link. No more than 5 minutes at most. Years ago thought there had to be better way as was taking at least 30 minutes. Got better as time went by and refined my method.

 

[deezler]

Now that I have my quick hitch, hooking up my hog should be pretty rapid. My meadow is getting pretty thick!

Of course, I currently have my backhoe on, which means spending at least 30-40 minutes to prepare a good spot to drop it first. And often it is stuck tight into the subframe mounts which means I have to strap it to a tree and jerk away in low range until it breaks loose. But hopefully doesn't fall out into the dirt and require re-mounting. Then get it unhooked, find my hydraulic top link and put that on, then the quick hitch, and only THEN start on the brush hog hookup. oof.

 

[TractorGunn]

I DESPISE hooking up my RCR1260 60” “bush hog”. Have Quik Hitch. My cutter has the telescoping drive shaft, and the push button on the female part that slides onto the tractor’s PTO male shaft. And it’s getting even harder. I’m 70 now, and have had several surgeries, but can still do a few hours of hard work, and carry a 50lb bag. Pretty good grip per my Dr. — MY PROBLEM is that it’s extremely difficult pressing the x!!x&”!x button in and trying to line up and push the x!&xx!!x hog’s coupler onto the tractor’s splined shaft,,,, as if it’s tolerances are too close. (Yep, it’s greased). Occasionally it slides right on smoothly, like butter. WTH ? But it’s usually a sweating, cussing horrible frustrating 15 minute session. It’s so bad that for the last 2 years I’ve been paying a guy $200 to mow my 2 acre field w his big 25 hp zero turn.

One would think 'they' could extend the length of that push button so those with a man-sized finger wouldn't have to push it through a hole the size of a toothpick 4 inches deep, all the while holding up the drive shaft, trying to turn it to the exact mm while the earth is spinning against us at the same time, with sweat dripping into our eyeballs, flies all over our face, and trying to see if that's the MIL pulling up the driveway.

 

[TractorGunn]

Wow I never would have guessed this thread about hooking up a bush hog would grow to 10 or more pages !!!

I figured that most of the experienced guys on here never had a lick of trouble hooking up, LOL!!!!!!!

Bad thing is after I get done with the bush mower, I have to hook up the boxblade again, then hook up the bush mower again.

My next thread on that topic may not be celebratory.

 

[TractorGunn]

I have a Kubota L4600 and a Land Pride 6' bushhog. It used to take me 10-20 minutes to put it on and at least 10 to get it off. This involved an entire swearword Thesaurus plus a sledgehammer and a couple 2x4s.

The process is exacerbated by the fact the the garage I had built was 1.5' shorter in each dimension than I ordered, so the tractor has to back in at a 45 degree angle, which makes lining up a ***** (since the garage is fully Tetrised with other stuff and turning takes some planning).

The hitch arms are only just able to go wider than the pins on the BH - no slack at all. So I removed the pins from the bushhog and welded a couple of steel arms to the deck (and some reinforcements) and now the arms go BETWEEN 2 sets of holes and I slide a pin in once they are aligned. Now I can hook it up in as little as 5 minutes. And disconnecting only takes 2!

Sprained my shoulder patting myself on the back.

"Entire swearword Thesaurus"

 

[LouNY]

One would think 'they' could extend the length of that push button so those with a man-sized finger wouldn't have to push it through a hole the size of a toothpick 4 inches deep, all the while holding up the drive shaft, trying to turn it to the exact mm while the earth is spinning against us at the same time, with sweat dripping into our eyeballs, flies all over our face, and trying to see if that's the MIL pulling up the driveway.

Blame OHSA and the entire nanny state of mind. They used to be easier and there were several designs that were more operator handy. They got mandated out of existence by the safety police, the size of the push button and the shrouding around them as well as the huge guards are all governmental safety mandates.

 

[Cycledude]

The push button PTO shafts seldom cause me any trouble but the sliding collar types are almost always trouble for me when hooking up
Fortunately my tractor has
Extendable arms
Euro hooks
Very easy to operate lever on rear of tractor for raising and lowering arms, after having a tractor with that feature I wouldn’t buy a new tractor without it.
Hydraulic top link.

 

[TractorGunn]

Blame OHSA and the entire nanny state of mind. They used to be easier and there were several designs that were more operator handy. They got mandated out of existence by the safety police, the size of the push button and the shrouding around them as well as the huge guards are all governmental safety mandates.

They haven't learned 'If it ain't broke...'

 

[TractorGunn]

Seems to have hit a sore subject, and I thought I was the only one who had issues hooking up and unhooking up a bush hog

I was thinking that you all hooked them up in record time like nothing, guess not, lol!!!

 

[wander2039]

There is something worse than hooking up a PTO… when there’s ants in it.. And I raised up and hit my head on the fender, stars lots of stars.

 

[TractorGunn]

There is something worse than hooking up a PTO… when there’s ants in it.. And I raised up and hit my head on the fender, stars lots of stars.

 

[airbiscuit]

I really don't have a problem hooking up 3pt implements. The only thing I notice is that it is harder to attach the PTO on my rear pull snowblower than my rough cut mower. I think the 3pt architecture on the snow bower makes me have to contort more to get in there with the PTO.

 

[Bill601]

No dolly for mine. Can you post a picture?

Sorry I didn't see your post until now. This is the dolly I built. Design was heavily influenced by what I had on hand, plus a good deal on the casters. Works great!

View attachment IMG_6327.jpg

 

[tassmannn]

Sorry I didn't see your post until now. This is the dolly I built. Design was heavily influenced by what I had on hand, plus a good deal on the casters. Works great!

View attachment 3854704

Very nice!

 

[Cycledude]

Been considering building one myself but your idea is much simpler and easier to build than mine was ! Thanks for the picture !

 

[TractorGunn]

Sorry I didn't see your post until now. This is the dolly I built. Design was heavily influenced by what I had on hand, plus a good deal on the casters. Works great!

View attachment 3854704

Great idea, looks good!

 

[Avenger]

I wish I had a concrete floor to put all the implements on. I'd make those little dollys for everything!

Growing up we had the "pad." It was an old shop or storage shed, without the shed. But did have two opposing 4ft (or so) concrete walls with dirt berms, the other two sides were open, and a large concrete floor. No shed, the metal walls and roof were long gone before I was born. But it did make for a great parking lot!

Old farm shop area showing pad

Now I have dirt area where I park my implements a long a fence. Sometimes, the dang pocket gophers bore their tunnels under something, and when their tunnel collapses, the implement falls awkwardly. That and normal settling. The "euro-style hooks and balls" I made on my tractor certainly helps a bunch! The thing that really sucks about where they are parked now is the weeds. They grow so tall around the implements, and mowing that area is near impossible. Perhaps one day I'll spend the money and lay gravel down in that area. Until then, the struggle is real.

Implements along fence in the weeds

 

[NoTrespassing]

There is something worse than hooking up a PTO… when there’s ants in it.. And I raised up and hit my head on the fender, stars lots of stars.

I'll take the ants over a wasp's nest. Ask me how I know...

 

[Eagle1]

I'll take the ants over a wasp's nest. Ask me how I know...

Fireants vs Yellow Jackets........ is a no win.