Brush Hog Question

[ovrszd]

I love learning about dangerous tractor situations without having to stumble upon them firsthand.

As is my usual method.......

 

[ch1ch2]

Wow, I've never heard of that!!!! Sounds very dangerous.

I read about it here on TBN. I had a top link pin on the shredder side of the top link that was too long. It limited the travel. I was thinking about a chain in place of the top link, and I read about the possibility of a flip up.

Maybe a year later I was mowing with a different tractor which has ROPS. I went between two trees I know I had mowed between before. The shredder caught both trees, flipped up, lifted up, and got past the trees. I got off to have a look. I had badly bent a cat 2 pin on the left side, bent the top link to the point it was not useable anymore, and bent a skid shoe into the shape of a donut, shearing off 1 of the 2 mounting bolts.

 

[tman1020]

Top link chain does sound very risky. I have had them kick up before but never had a problem because it was newer equipment that had the proper top links with a little bit of play. I would also worry about a chain top link getting wrapped up in the pto shaft.

 

[TerryR]

My 20-year-old Bush Hog brand cutter has an A-frame that connects to a solid top link and to the two lower arms. There is a chain from the A-frame down to the rear of the mower. Works great, and allows plenty of slack for backing up banks and to go over swales.