Check Chain Woes

[RMEADOWS]

I'm somewhat new to the tractor scene, but I hiave 20 acres now and about 6 to clear out. I'm useing a bush hog for most of my work and from what I understand, i should have limited swing of the hog and this is adjusted with the check chains. I can adjust the left one nice and tight, but the right one is looser thany my grandfather on exlax!

How much slack should there be in the chains?

 

[djradz]

Check chains on mowers and brush hogs often serve two purposes. One is to keep the deck from swinging side-to-side, if the tractor does not already prevent this with stabilizer bars or turnbuckles on the lower links, the other is to support the front end of the deck when mowing vs trying to keep it up with the lower links. This latter feature allows the deck (if it has a flexible top link swivel, and it should) to float. I think if you make one chain much different from the other, the deck won't sit level.