Boomer 50 Issues

[washxc]

Hey All,

I bought a Boomer 50 in June of this year to help maintain a 50 acre property that needs some pretty serious brush hogging. I also purchased a 6 ft brush hog with my tractor.

Now, I'm fairly new to tractors but it seems like every time I run the brush hog for a little while some piece of my tractor falls off. I've lost 3 pins from the stabilizer links, I had the snap ring that holds the stabilizer link fall off (I was extremely fortunate to comb the area and find the link...), and then just today the left side three point hitch arm lost its snap ring.

What gives? I don't think a 6ft brush hog is too much to run for the boomer 50...but seriously, run the brush hog for 20 minutes, and you lose part of your tractor.

Anyone have any thoughts or consolations?

 

[washxc]

I forgot to mention that the drawbar also fell off... Our ground really isn't that rough either...

 

[jdbnh]

that sounds strange. never had that happen on any size tractor personally. i woudl get with the dealer and make sure everything is tight to specs and make sure it had the right size pins as well from the get go.

 

[PoorPlowboy]

Hey All,

I bought a Boomer 50 in June of this year to help maintain a 50 acre property that needs some pretty serious brush hogging. I also purchased a 6 ft brush hog with my tractor.

Now, I'm fairly new to tractors but it seems like every time I run the brush hog for a little while some piece of my tractor falls off. I've lost 3 pins from the stabilizer links, I had the snap ring that holds the stabilizer link fall off (I was extremely fortunate to comb the area and find the link...), and then just today the left side three point hitch arm lost its snap ring.

What gives? I don't think a 6ft brush hog is too much to run for the boomer 50...but seriously, run the brush hog for 20 minutes, and you lose part of your tractor.

Anyone have any thoughts or consolations?

It doesn't sound to me like any of those problems are the fault of the Boomer. Those parts are falling off because of unnecessary vibration. Are your bush hog knives and PTO shaft balanced? Are you sure you're spinning the PTO at 540 and not overspeeding it?

 

[jinman]

Don't buy the cheap lynch pins. There are some really good ones that are black plated steel and very strong. The cheap kind you buy several for a dollar are good on implements you use briefly and take off, but certainly not for a rotary cutter or tiller with lots of vibration. I have lost lots of cheap lynch pins, but never one of the expensive ones. On your drawbar, I'd put it back on and use new lock washers on the bolts. It was probably not tightened properly at the factory.

 

[washxc]

Thanks for the advice fellas. PoorPlowBoy, you may be right about excess vibration. Some of the fields I'm brushhogging haven't seen a mower in the last year or two. Most of the ground is tall goldenrod, but I am cutting through some 1'' diameter brush. The bush hog manual said it was good up to 2 inches in diameter. I am keeping an eye on the PTO speed, but I'm not really sure how to check balance like you mentioned...Is there any way to keep vibration down?

I'll have to look into some better lynch pins, thanks for the advice. It's tough being new to tractors because you have to sort of learn as you go...It's definitely been a process.

 

[bigbull338]

from what ive read of your post it sounds like your dealer just slapped your tractor togather insted of doing things right.id make them pick it up an check it over completely making them do things right.

 

[sweep]

Some of the fields I'm brushhogging haven't seen a mower in the last year or two. .

I would recommend cutting the field at a higher height and then go back a week or two later and cutting it a final height when the grass you cut gets a chance to dry out..

I had a neighbor borrow my tractor and they were cutting through 4-5' tall grass and cutting the grass at 2-3 inches. The front left wheel of my tractor was pure black from diesel exhaust. They were bogging my tractor down to the max.

I was not happy. I will NEVER let my tractor out again for someone else to use it. Ever.

 

[downslope]

Do you have the brush hog top link adjusted correct? The back of the machine should be approx 2" higher than the front as it reaches the ground. When you are mowing, the tail wheel should be lightly touching the ground. It should come off the ground if the tractor front wheels drop in a low spot but support the rear of the deck when the back wheels drop in a hole.

I hope you're not making sharp turns, or any turns at all for that matter, with the cutter lowered to the ground. That can put a lot of strain on the lower links and stabilizers, especially on uneven terrain. You mentioned 1" brush; there will be a lot of stress on the linkages if the back is being swung around and strikes some of the 1" saplings, a mound of dirt, or whatever.

 

[jinman]

I found a photo of pins I took several years ago that I call the good, bad, and ugly. If you look at the pile of lynch pins in the upper left corner, you'll see how the cheap ones bend, especially the smaller cheap ones. The locking ring also expands and won't have good spring tension or won't stay in the holes in the head of the pin. By comparison, you can see the difference in the brass plated lynch pin and the black plated one in the middle. You can also use big hairpins pushed all the way down to the big circle end, but they are a pain to get on/off. Also, for pins, I like the ones with a handle. You can attach a small chain or wire to the handle and keep the pin from dropping to the ground if it comes out due to the lynch pin breaking or falling out. My favorite pins are the black ones with the handle coated in red plastic. All the "good" stuff costs a bit more, but it pays off in being trouble free.