Rotary Cutter Let's get to bottom of this! Brush hogging in reverse..

[Piston]

I've read all about the advice on backing up when brush hogging. I know that I should never drive forward into saplings and such while mowing, and then stop, reverse my direction, and keep mowing in reverse.
Some reasons for this as I understand, are saplings that you just pushed over could then spring back up and puncture unprotected hoses/radiators, get jammed up in engine compartments and things like that. Also if you just shredded some large saplings, then backing over them could potentially puncture a tire.
If mowing forward, you have the advantage of keeping a FEL low, to feel for rocks, stumps, old car tires, and all sorts of strange things we find in the woods.

If your reasonably sure you don't have such things, or if whatever your mowing isn't so thick that you can't plainly see what your mowing, is there any reason you can't/shouldn't brush hog in reverse?
Assuming the saplings aren't big enough to puncture your tire and your just mowing say, 1/2" saplings that are spaced apart, is there any reason you can't go in reverse?

I will be doing a LOT of brush hogging later this fall and am trying to learn from other peoples mistakes. As of now, I don't have any experience brush hogging actual brush, its just high weeds so far.

 

[Ken]

Yesterday bush hogging a field had just driven over some brush. and backed up to get some that had missed. A large chunk of small tree came out of front of guard flew up into the steering wheel area and then struck me in the face. Using a open cab tractor.
The sting and blood made me think could of saved time by driving around and cutting again.
I avoid the practice now .
ken

 

[leonz]

Hello Ken,

I am glad you are OK and are able to write about
your experience.


Your situation makes a good point for a front
mounted three point hitch with a front P.T.O.,
to mount a rotary cutter and make it a bit safer
to use as it is out in front of the operator.


Having the engine and hitch out in front adds more
space between the implememt and the operator and
a larger margin of safety in the case of impacting
objects and throwing them.



The Pronovost/Hardee implement company as well as Erskine
offer a front mounted three point hitch with a P.T.O. unit and gearbox.



_________________________________________________________________
Once you go flail you never go back:thumbsup::licking::drool:

 

[jake98]

I bent the heck out of my shroud backing into bushes, but I think that's still better than wrecking the tractor trying to go over them forward.

 

[nybirdman]

I have done about 40hrs.in the last week brush-hogging,about 700hrs total on two tractors(over the years).I prefer to go forward with the FEL down,but to get under the trees I have to back in.It tends to lift up the bush-hog ,but it does work.I have had a couple flats over the years(fronts) but it comes with the job.

 

[RoyJackson]

I did a fair amount of brush mowing in reverse. These were areas that had low hanging branches or were thick thickets.
Main thing is to go slow (very slow!!) and watch the cutter. If the tail wheel starts to rise, it's either rolling up an uneven area or a rock, stump, tire, what have you. Then you can make a decision to get off the tractor (after disengaging the PTO, of course) and investigating or continuing in reverse.
If it hits something, be prepared to move forward quickly.

I wear goggles when I brushcut (along with a filtration mask due to the dust and pollen). A full face shield/hardhat (like loggers wear) wouldn't be a bad idea.

 

[Piston]

Has anyone that you guys have seen, fabricated some sort of 'bumper' for the back of a brush hog?

I know they aren't designed to be pushing things over in reverse, but that doesn't mean people don't try

 

[wedge40]

Maybe I've always done things wrong, but if I can get to it going forward I back up. Sometimes the only way to get to certain areas is to back into them. I just got done doing a small area (Getting ready for the pole barn build) and backed up to get close to batter boards.

Wedge

 

[Bird]

Naturally, I preferred driving forward, but I've backed into corners that I couldn't get to any other way. I had a borrow ditch across the road from my place that I did not want to get stuck in, so I'd back the rotary cutter into at an angle, pull forward and to the right a bit, then back into it again. And with some brush I knew I couldn't drive over forward, I raised the mower with the 3-point, backed over the brush, and slowly lowered the mower into the brush. I don't necessarily recommend that last method, but I went slow and careful and got away with it.

 

[kebo]

Has anyone that you guys have seen, fabricated some sort of 'bumper' for the back of a brush hog?

I know they aren't designed to be pushing things over in reverse, but that doesn't mean people don't try

The closest I have seen to a "bumper" on a bush hog is the MX series of bush hogs from JD. I wish more of the BH manufacturers would start doing that, or at least make it an option. Obviously that's going to add to the cost though.