Brush Hogging Hard on Tractor?

[grnmtnboys]

So, I was at a client's house this morning, saw his B series in the driveway (not sure the model, he said it was 25 horse) asked him how he liked it, he said "It's been great, except..."

He then proceeded to tell me a story about how his wife was running a brush hog and managed to destroy the engine due to running way too hot, all she saw was the oil light and then the engine died. He was running a 5' model.

The mechanic he takes it to says he has seen several like that in the past so and so, and the good ol boys on the road tell him you can only run those "weekend warrior" tractors (i'm assuming he's a Deere guy) for about an hour or so with a brush hog and then let it rest a bit.

I was pretty close to picking up a 4' model from Tractor Supply for my BX but now a little nervous about it. I'm thinking it was likely a case of his dear wife not paying any attention to the temp gauge on the tractor more than anything, and then "no honey, I didn't see a thing..", purely based on my own experience with my wife/mechanical issues ("oh, that red light with the oil can thingy on it? it's been on for a couple of days, why? Is that why the engine sounds funny?"... true story)

I figure there are a bunch of variables involved, temp, how high the grass is, how long you run, etc but just want to make sure that running a hog off the back of my bx25 isn't more trouble than it's worth.

Thanks

 

[R_Walter]

Shouldn't be a problem if the bush hog is sized to the tractor.

 

[dusty3030]

I was in on the rebuild of a D8 Caterpillar that overheated - operator error is the same no matter what size.

It's how you run it not what you run behind it.

 

[RedNeckRacin]

I was in on the rebuild of a D8 Caterpillar that overheated - operator error is the same no matter what size.

It's how you run it not what you run behind it.

Still can't pull a tile plow with a bx! I would think that keeping the airflow to those smaller tractors would be critical since they would most likely be sucking in ALOT of chaff and seed from the field being mowed.

 

[grnmtnboys]

Sorry guys, thought I had posted this in Owning/Operating

 

[TripleR]

We run a Land Pride RCR1548 on our BX2200 as well as BX2660 for years with no problems of overheating. We also have a John Deere 2305. The JD easily clogs as it pulls air in from the front while the BX pulls it from the operators platform. We blow the screens off before using ours and since the intake is right in front of you, you can see if it is getting clogged. Our bigger Kubotas pull air from the front so in tough conditions we have to really watch the gauge.

If you are going to bush hog, I recommend an aftermarket HST plate, both Bxpanded and Bro Tek sell them. If you're mechanically inclined, you can make one as have several other members.

 

[ovrszd]

When mowing in late Summer with my JD2210 MMM it will get hot if you don't stop and clean the grass trash off the radiator screen. Same thing applies when running a brush cutter. If the cooling system is operating properly with no restrictions I should be fine. I am very conscious of the heat gauge on any tractor when I'm working it at PTO speed or above.

 

[jeff9366]

When mowing in late Summer with my JD2210 MMM it will get hot if you don't stop and clean the grass trash off the radiator screen. Same thing applies when running a brush cutter. If the cooling system is operating properly with no restrictions I should be fine. I am very conscious of the heat gauge on any tractor when I'm working it at PTO speed or above.

All true. Compressed air is best for blowing out grass and other residue from the inside out.

This assumes there is lubricant in the bush hog gearbox and that the bush hog is correctly adjusted, with rear of 'hog about 1" to 2" HIGHER than the front.

 

[Will_C]

Well I bush hogged 6 acres with my B2620 last weekend. The tractor has 600 hours on it, and I am guessing 100 hours of that has been bush hogging.
You have to watch the temp gauge, and blow out the screen every few hours, as well as the radiator.

Will

 

[namesray]

I bush hogged commercially with my 2 30hp kubota b series tractors for years. I would run 8 hours a day in mid summer temps. B7800 had 1700hrs on it and B3200 had 700 hrs on it. Probably 30 to 40% bushhogging with 5ft bush hog.

Like others said, keep eye on temp guage and keep radiator/grill clear of grass/seed chaff. There was many times I had to stop and shut tractor off and clean radiator screen. Then go again. Depends on type of grass, time of year, and outside temps. I have bushhogged 5ft high timmothy grass before. Really thick, had to go slow, but tractor handled it fine. I never had a problem due to bush hogging.

Bush hogging is probably one of the most demanding tasks on a tractor, both temp and fuel wise, but as said, if bush hog is not too big for tractor and operated accordingly, the tractors are designed for it.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

I used to rotory mow a 12 acre field with my little MF. I just had to watch the temp, as others said, the chaff clogs the screen and radiator. I blew my radiator out this weekend, it's been overheating some while mowing with the finish mower and had a lot of dirt in the radiator.

 

[CalG]

Hard on tractors?

You bought the tractor for it's horse power on wheels.

Use it! But be mindful of all the details.!

 

[daveshoot]

I've had the B2320 for 5 years with a 48" Gearmore hog. I am a weekender, I guess, with only 2.5 wild acres, but it has always risen to that and many other tasks. It is 23 horse with 18 at the PTO, I believe. It does have the removable screen in front of the radiator and that will jam up with foxtails; glad they made it so easy to clean. I have learned to check it often when the weeds are high.

 

[OrangeToys]

My mx5100 pulls a 6ft great but when I start getting into tall grass it tends to clog and start getting hot quick. the other day i did 6ac and i was off every hr trying to cool it back down. but other than that it doesn't struggle any

 

[tcreeley]

My NH TC30 with my 5' bush hog never overheats. Temp needle is always where it should be. 30hp gear tractor, 1200 hr - I don't run it at the rpm needed to get 540rpm at the pto shaft, doesn't need to. I listen to the motor and the bush hog, and watch how it's cutting. Does fine.

 

[DFB]

We run one consistently thru a 50 acre orchard in hot summertime temps...

Clean 'em and cool 'em!


I love the sound of chopping/shredding woody debris...somedays you think something will come right thu that mower deck!

 

[EddieWalker]

He then proceeded to tell me a story about how his wife was running a brush hog and managed to destroy the engine due to running way too hot, all she saw was the oil light and then the engine died. He was running a 5' model.

The mechanic he takes it to says he has seen several like that in the past so and so, and the good ol boys on the road tell him you can only run those "weekend warrior" tractors (i'm assuming he's a Deere guy) for about an hour or so with a brush hog and then let it rest a bit.

Engine would get hot if the radiator isn't kept clean. Not sure how many wives know to stop the tractor and clean off the screen when the temp starts to rise? My guess is that it wouldn't matter what tractor you had, what size, color or HP, if you don't keep the radiator screen clean, it's going to overheat and blow up the engine. Same thing with an oil warning light. In my experience, you have to be pretty low on oil to have the light turn on.

Eddie

 

[MHarryE]

Its not just wives. I've had neighbors call me to say they are overheating - what can they do? Call because of similar tractors. Some of these have had lots of tractor experience. I describe the screens and sure enough they call back and tell me they are plugged. I believe this is more common today because companies are using more fins per inch in their radiators, oil coolers, air conditioner condensers, and inter coolers so trash that would have flowed through in the past is now trapped. In addition there are often 4 cores whereas in the past with a gear transmission, open platform, and no turbo, there was only one. Another way to improve cooling is to stagger the tubes instead of making them inline. Staggered tubes gives a considerable cooling boost but also results in quicker plugging. Manufacturers have compensated by placing the screens in front to make it easier to clean, but in any condition that kicks up pieces of plants plugging is going to be a problem. In combines where the machine is always working in a cloud of chaff, we could not have more than 4.5 fins per inch. I have measured tractors with 8 to 11 fins per inch. Lots more surface area to dissipate heat but very prone to plugging.

 

[flusher]

I overheated my 2005 Kubota B7510HST while mowing 4-ft weeds around my 10 acre place. The screen on the front of the tractor was clogged--no air moving through the radiator. Fortunately I caught it before damaging the engine. After that I made sure to keep that screen cleaned before, during and after mowing tall weeds.

Good luck

 

[Garandman]

all she saw was the oil light

This sounds like the heart of the problem, given the 10's of thousands of tractors running years in this application.