Traction Brush Hog on GC series tractor

[cglaser104]

Good Morning folks!

Has anyone been using a 5' brush hog on a GC series tractor routinely? I would typically go for a 48" or even a 54" if buying new but I have a 5' that is available to me via a family member that acquired a newer, larger more industrial cutter for his 2 farm tractors and isn't in need of his 5' he has sitting/rotting in the weeds any more.

It's a John Deere 205 Gyramor, a real antique, but is in fair working order. I could probably go hook up and test it on his farm but wanted to see what other people are experiencing before packing up my GC1710 and taking the 45 minute ride for such a test. Any real world input would be much appreciated! Thank you.

 

[cglaser104]

Come on! Someone has had to try a 5' on a GC series machine!? Anyone?!

 

[MF RED in MT]

Come on! Someone has had to try a 5' on a GC series machine!? Anyone?!

Sorry, not a 5' brush hog, but I use a Woods H54 brush hog / rotary cutter (4'-6") that works just fine for the last 10 years.

When you engage it, the whole tractor knows about it until it gets it's RPM's going.

Maybe you can get a John Deere dealer to look up the specifications regarding the tractors HP rating that's required.

KC

 

[LD48750]

Your GC is about the same power as my 2N & 1510.

I run a 5' Howse brush hog through most anything the tractors can drive over.

I wouldn't hesitate to get & use it if I was you.

 

[Nacademus]

I'm in the exact same boat. A friend of mine and I went halfsies on an older Hardee 52LT Rotary Cutter. It's from 1978 but is in great shape and very heavy duty. We both have GC1720s.

We drained and filled the oil and tried it out on his Ford 2600 as a safer test. Everything seemed perfectly fine. I think I need to relocate the pins lower and inward on the brackets before I could safely use it with my GC1720. I also need a different Pto shaft and clutch before I'm really ready to use it.

Its a really heavy unit but we were able to pick it up out of the trailer with the bucket. I'm sure the 3PT can handle it.

You would probably be OK. You may need to relocate the pins same as I'll have to. I may set the top link with a chain instead of trying to use the top link mount on the cutter. It just looks too big. I haven't sized it up yet, though. Been crappy weather.

 

[JWR]

I do not have an apples and apples report for you but maybe some relevant info:

I have 2 Kubota B2150s that are about 400 to 500 lbs and a couple of hp more than your GC1710. I use a JD 413 four foot hog on one and a Bush Hog 5ft hog on the other. Both cases are just fine but then I am NOT mowing heavy brush or anything like that with either one. A few comments:

-- I have broken shear pins on both the 4 and 5 ft units always due to ground contact and not heavy tree trunks. These smaller hogs tend to suffer from lack of a slip clutch. My son-in-law runs an accessory slip clutch on his pto shaft for that reason. Seems to work but I do not like the extra side angle stress on the tractor pto bearings.
-- The OLD hogs tend to have many diseases which you may already know or will soon discover. Be sure to check the gearbox lube level and free motion of everything that needs to move -- like not just the drive train but also the cutter blades being free to swing on the stump jumper or blade carrier. And of course, loose bolts !!!
-- Rednecks in the South have been good for many things, one of them is "double zero grease." They pioneered use of heavier lube in old over the hill bush hogs. If your main seals on the output shaft of the hog leak or have gone dry use "00 Grease" in the gearbox. It is much thicker than normal 90wt gear oil and not nearly as thick as grease gun grease. Comes in a plastic quart size squeeze jug and available at Tractor Supply stores and other places. Replacing main seals for the gearbox on an old small hog(if done at a shop) may cost more than the hog is worth due to labor.
-- I think your GC may be a little light in the loafers for a 5ft hog BUT it depends a lot on what you will be cutting. heavy grass and a few briers and you will probably be OK. Thicker woody stuff, not so much.
-- Be sure to get yourself a stock of a few shear pins. If the Deere hog is old enough that is good because it will use English bolt sizes for shear pins, not metric. Mine uses metric and ones that "seem to fit" are NOT right ones to use. Shear pins need to be darn near interference fit such that there is no slop at all. If it takes a light hammer tap to drive the shear pin into place that is a good thing. If there is slop and movement of the pin it will shear off very soon and cause you nothing but grief.

 

[cglaser104]

I do not have an apples and apples report for you but maybe some relevant info:

I have 2 Kubota B2150s that are about 400 to 500 lbs and a couple of hp more than your GC1710. I use a JD 413 four foot hog on one and a Bush Hog 5ft hog on the other. Both cases are just fine but then I am NOT mowing heavy brush or anything like that with either one. A few comments:

-- I have broken shear pins on both the 4 and 5 ft units always due to ground contact and not heavy tree trunks. These smaller hogs tend to suffer from lack of a slip clutch. My son-in-law runs an accessory slip clutch on his pto shaft for that reason. Seems to work but I do not like the extra side angle stress on the tractor pto bearings.
-- The OLD hogs tend to have many diseases which you may already know or will soon discover. Be sure to check the gearbox lube level and free motion of everything that needs to move -- like not just the drive train but also the cutter blades being free to swing on the stump jumper or blade carrier. And of course, loose bolts !!!
-- Rednecks in the South have been good for many things, one of them is "double zero grease." They pioneered use of heavier lube in old over the hill bush hogs. If your main seals on the output shaft of the hog leak or have gone dry use "00 Grease" in the gearbox. It is much thicker than normal 90wt gear oil and not nearly as thick as grease gun grease. Comes in a plastic quart size squeeze jug and available at Tractor Supply stores and other places. Replacing main seals for the gearbox on an old small hog(if done at a shop) may cost more than the hog is worth due to labor.
-- I think your GC may be a little light in the loafers for a 5ft hog BUT it depends a lot on what you will be cutting. heavy grass and a few briers and you will probably be OK. Thicker woody stuff, not so much.
-- Be sure to get yourself a stock of a few shear pins. If the Deere hog is old enough that is good because it will use English bolt sizes for shear pins, not metric. Mine uses metric and ones that "seem to fit" are NOT right ones to use. Shear pins need to be darn near interference fit such that there is no slop at all. If it takes a light hammer tap to drive the shear pin into place that is a good thing. If there is slop and movement of the pin it will shear off very soon and cause you nothing but grief.

Thanks for the info. I'm confident in the care of the brush hog as my uncle is very kind to his equipments service needs. That said, my grandfather (his dad) was adamant to never take anyone's word got granted and always check your equipment personally before using it and before every usage to verify its ready for trouble free operation. I'll keep practicing what ol' grandpa preached until I'm toes to Jesus and 6' under the dirt.

I'm looking at picking this brush hog up more out of opportunity than need. Its first project will likely be full restoration and service should my GC1710 power it adequately. I was able to come to agreement to bring out my machine to his place, hook it up and let 'r rip on some farm land he aimed to mow anyhow. It'll get a nice real world test and I'll decide at that point whether I should take it or not.

 

[JWR]

That's a great opportunity to try it out and make a good decision on whether you want it.

 

[cglaser104]

So I was able to test out the 5' John Deere 205 Gyramor cutter and almost to my surprise it was an absolute success. The cutter doesn't have quite the same footprint that other 5' cutters do. Even without the loader on my machine (which I left home due to limited trailering ability) I was able to steer and lift and handle the cutter like you would expect on a larger machine. I was in grass/brush as tall as me and it hacked it up no problem. Ran over a 1" sapling and the only affect it has was noise...no bogging. Tranny in low, 2WD and 3 hours of very competent mowing and I was sold!

After trying to negotiate a fair price with my uncle he gave me a deal I could not refuse...the good home family discount of free!

She'll now be retired to my garage for a bit where it'll get some parts, routine maintenance and a fresh paint job!

 

[irvingj]

Lookin' good!

Interesting about your "half-way up" ROPs locking bar -- I made some exactly like that! (After nailing my garage door once or twice....:ashamed