bush hog help

MitchellB · Mar 16, 2013

Well, I finally got the 105 Bush Hog project finished and attached to my little Red Belly today. I got everything adjusted up like I thought it should be. I used the 8” Harbor Freight caster for a tail-wheel; my daddy-in-law turned down an old car axle shaft as the wheel stud; I filled the gearbox with grease and welded rings by the 3 point hitch pins to fasten my limiter chains to the mower; and attached sway bars to the pins under the axle like I’m supposed to. It is about the limit of my tractors power though, but she cut like a champ taking down about anything I could run over with the tractor. Only problems I had was the ground was soft in some places causing the mower to dig down into the ground as the tractor wheels began bogging down in the mud. Over all, I got a serviceable rotary mower for about $200, but that includes the over-run clutch for my 8N, tail-wheel and some chain connectors to fasten my limiter chains. I learned my lesson about wearing shorts when I mow with that thing though. Da
ng briars I ran over cut my legs up pretty good and left a few thorns embedded in them that had to be pulled out when I got back home.

wolftree · Mar 16, 2013

Good job. Yep, dress accordingly.

kebo · Mar 16, 2013

MitchellB said:
I learned my lesson about wearing shorts when I mow with that thing though. Da
ng briars I ran over cut my legs up pretty good and left a few thorns embedded in them that had to be pulled out when I got back home.

You learn quickly grasshopper lol!!! Glad it's gonna work out for you.

MitchellB · Mar 19, 2013

firemanpat2910 · Mar 19, 2013

I think you would do better with a MUCH bigger tail wheel

DT86 · Mar 19, 2013

firemanpat2910 said:
I think you would do better with a MUCH bigger tail wheel

X2.

I would imagine the wheel would "dig in" if moving backwards.

MitchellB · Mar 26, 2015

Just to update this thread, I have since sold the Bush Hog rotary cutter. I made money on it, if you don't consider my time rebuilding it. Once I had the field bush hogged, I was able to keep it trimmed with weekly/bi-weekly mowing with my small riding mower and had no real use for the heavy rotary cutter anymore.

However, summer of 2014 I did find an older King Kutter finish mower that I can use to keep the field mowed. All the tire tubes had to be replaced, new blades and lots of grease and oil were required before it would work, but it does good now.