Another Brush Hog Question

   / Another Brush Hog Question #1  

Bullzibart

Bronze Member
Joined
Sep 26, 2004
Messages
63
Location
Leyden, Mass.
Tractor
JD 4210
Can you brush hog without the FEL on the tractor or is this a bad idea to do? I have a field that needs to be mowed next week and right now I only have access to a fourteen foot trailer. The tractor with FEL and brush hog is alittle over nineteen feet long. I really don't want to have to drive it on the road for two reasons. First I don't have plates for it and second it will about 45 minutes to get there.
 
   / Another Brush Hog Question #2  
Many tractors that mow don't have FEL -- I don't have one. A FEL is not needed for cutting.
 
   / Another Brush Hog Question #3  
<font color="blue"> Can you brush hog without the FEL on the tractor or is this a bad idea to do? </font>
It depends. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

How light is the front end of your tractor with the mower on and the FEL off? Is it safe? If it is, then you're OK. If not, don't do it. When you're mowing, the Bush Hog is on the ground (or should be) with most of the weight on the wheel. .

Can you make 2 trips, one with the tractor and the FEL and one with the mower?

To answer your question, yes you can mow without the FEL, but only if the tractor is safe to operate
 
   / Another Brush Hog Question
  • Thread Starter
#4  
What are some of the pros and cons on leaving the FEL on??
 
   / Another Brush Hog Question #5  
A FEL provides counterweight. In some cases it's not needed. A FEL out front and a mower out back makes for a long combination which might prevent accessing some areas. It also means you have to be careful when making turns near objects. A FEL makes for a great place to dump the stones and other debris you find while mowing. Keeping a FEL on, means you don't have to take it off and put it on. Obvious, I know, but I've only had the FEL off once, just to see how to do it. Almost every time I use the tractor, I use the FEL, so it's always on.
 
   / Another Brush Hog Question #6  
How tall is the brush you'll be cutting? Is is mostly just taller grasses, or is it more brambly and smaller trees? Is the property level and flat?

Have you ever operated your 4210 and cutter without the loader installed before? How did the front end feel (if you have)?

My tractor, a Deere 790, is pretty close in power. Your 4210 weighs a couple hundred pounds more then my 790 (2400 vs. 2200...both numbers rounded up to the nearest 100 lbs).

I just cut the couple acres of field without the loader installed. This is the first time I've used the cutter without the loader installed. The front end got pretty light on some of the minor slopes I was working on. There's no way I could have raised the cutter in transport position without the loader or front weights. Frankly, the lightness of the front felt a bit uncomfortable.

So, yes, you can operate your tractor sans FEL. Just take your time so that front end doesn't bounce around too much. If you're going to do this on a regular basis, you'll probably want to get the front weight kit.

Now, a caveat...
Before you load your tractor/cutter on the trailer, try raising the cutter in transport. You may find the front of the tractor comes up off the ground. Raise the 3PH slowly, so if the front does come up, there won't be any surprises. Were you planning on driving forward up the trailer ramps, or backing up? Driving forward with the cutter in the raised position may result in your front end coming off the ramps (up, I mean).
So, even though you can operate the tractor/cutter; it might be very difficult to load or unload it on the trailer.
If it turns out you can't safely load (or unload) the tractor/cutter from your trailer, I suggest you install the FEL, drive forward up the ramps and lower the cutter so it overhangs the end of the trailer. My guess is the side skirts of the cutter will bear most of the weight. You could remove the cutter's tail wheel for the trip. Another thing to consider is the tongue weight of the trailer. With the cutter that far aft, I'd be a bit concerned about the weight distribution of the load. It's not that you'd have too much weight on the tongue, but not enough. Hitting a bump on the road could result in the trailer bouncing up off the hitch. Since your trip cannot be more then a few miles (you mentioned 45 minutes if you drove your tractor...that means around 7 or 8 miles) just going slow may be enough. I'm assuming your trailer has brakes and lights?

If you do what I've suggested, make sure you use tie-downs on the tractor and the front of the cutter. Don't depend on the 3PH holding the cutter down!

Of course, I'm not there, so I've got to base these comments on experience and semi-educated guesses. But I think these comments will give you things to consider. However, if the load does not look safe (too much of the cutter length hanging over the end of the trailer), it's probably best you make two trips as a previous post suggested.

"First I don't have plates for it and second it will about 45 minutes to get there"

You really need plates to operate your tractor on the road in MA?
 
   / Another Brush Hog Question #7  
I agree with MikePA, I mowed a couple times without it when I first purchased my tractor but I use it so much that I do everything with it on now. You really have to pay attention around your fence line, real easy to snag some wire when trying to get close /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif
 
   / Another Brush Hog Question #8  
Do it the way you like it best. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif Pros and cons? The FEL provides ballast on the front if your mower is heavy enough to need it, and sometimes mowing with the FEL bucket down close to the ground finds rocks, stumps, etc. before you hit them with the mower. No FEL on the tractor provides better visibility, takes less room to turn in tight places, and a smoother ride. When I had a B7100, the FEL was not a quick attach, so I mowed with it on (one of the things I didn't really like about that tractor), but the B2710 had a quick attach loader, so I always mowed with it off.
 
   / Another Brush Hog Question
  • Thread Starter
#9  
I will be mowing just tall grass and weeds on mostly flat ground. There is some dips and little mounds to mow but mostly flat. I haven't take the FEL off before because I haven't needed to but it is simple to do and I might try putting the mower on tonight without the FEL on and see what happens.

<font color="green">You really need plates to operate your tractor on the road in MA? </font>

The police chief said he didn't have a problem with it if I stayed near home but I have to mow the rifle range and its on the other side of town. I've been there before with the rear blade and it just seemed like forever to get there.

I've found a nice 20 foot trailer for sale that would be perfect for me but don't seem to have the $$ for it right now /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif. Hopefully soon /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Thanks for the help
 
   / Another Brush Hog Question #10  
I think you will find the Deere 4210 FEL is a one or two minute job to take off. The most time consumming part is removing the four hyd hose connections and placing them out of the way. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif
 

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