curious about brush hog attachment

ning · Jun 8, 2021

I see this brush hog on CL (in Coloma, CA area if you're interested - I've already got a 5' one and was just curious) and I don't recognize the linkage at the top:

Is that typical or at least "one of the normal ways" they're set up? It's quite a bit different than mine, and I was wondering if someone just set it up different or what.

Aquamoose · Jun 8, 2021

It’s designed to float. Lift it up and the links straightens out for transport, drop it to cut and the rear floats on the rear wheel.

CoyPatton · Jun 8, 2021

If you have ever seen your tail wheel off the ground or experienced your cutter pushing up on the top link, this is one design to provide some float for the tail wheel.
Many approaches have been developed/ used to accomplish this same effect. One of the more common is to either disconnect the top link if raising and lowering is not needed while mowing and reconnecting for transport.
A spin off on the top link removal is to use a length of chain for the top link. Once in mowing height, the chain becomes lose allowing some rear drop freedom and eliminating the pushing up complete.
For single rear strap cutters, cutting out a section of metal and replacing with chain has also been done.
Transport with chain works once the cutter is lifted to remove the chain slack.

RalphVa · Jun 8, 2021

That top link would have to rotate towards the tractor. Otherwise, the top link will be much longer than the bottom lift arms. Raise the lift arms, and the top link would drive the tail wheel into the ground. Had this happen when JD delivered my LX-4 in 2004 with the lift arms in the wrong location.

ning · Jun 8, 2021

Yeah I can see the float inherent to the system (in the pic it looks like it's somewhat folded down, in the same position it would be in if you backed it up a bank or something).

My curiosity is that I've seen the u-shaped link and the chains method but I haven't seen this multi-link setup before (but then I'm also quite new to hogs so...)

ericm979 · Jun 8, 2021

My rotary works like that though it's a different make. I specifically wanted one that could handle a lot of angle change, so I could back up to banks to mow them.