Modifying a rotary mower

[thefisherman]

I have a MF GC1715 and I just picked up a 60" King Kutter rotary mower. Got it pretty cheap @ $500. In very respectable/serviceable condition. Ran it awhile to cut some overgrown pasture grass and small saplings and it works fine. However, it is quite obviously not made for a tractor this size. I had to open the stabilizers all the way up to get the lift arms attached, and can only get it about 2" off the ground due to lifting range. Further, the flex link won't really work with my tractor. Again, machine not big enough.

I had a hard enough time getting this machine that I don't really want to sell it to buy something smaller unless I have to. I think I can just modify it but want to check.

I'd like to move the A-frame risers to the inside of that bottom mount bracket to make them narrower, drill holes lower on them so I have a lower mount point, and point the lift pins inward instead of out.

Since it would be narrower I'd remove the flexible top link point and trim the spacer sleeve in there with an angle grinder so the top mount point can get closer together. To give it flex I would replace the braces from the top link to the back with chains.

This seem acceptable? I've already got everything on hand.

 

[MESSMAKER]

I think it will work fine. I did something on an older mower a few tears ago. The only problem was that I lost the fine adjustment in the top link but it was not a big deal.

 

[zzvyb6]

Looks to me like it was never set-up correctly in the first place. The rearward verticals ought to be vertical (same side of risers). An impact and the right sockets ought to fix this in just a few minutes. Don't use a solid top link unless it has a swinging tensioner. Also watch out for potential drawbar contact with the PTO shaft.

 

[Cougsfan]

Your plan sounds reasonable. The existing pieces can be modified to make things right. I think zz is right about the top link. You might consider installing a chain for a top link, or maybe just use no top link at all while mowing and just attach one when you need to lift the rear off the ground.

 

[thefisherman]

Looks to me like it was never set-up correctly in the first place. The rearward verticals ought to be vertical (same side of risers). An impact and the right sockets ought to fix this in just a few minutes. Don't use a solid top link unless it has a swinging tensioner. Also watch out for potential drawbar contact with the PTO shaft.

Forgive me since I'm kind of new... But can you elaborate a bit on "the rearward verticals ought to be vertical (same side of risers)". It's not clicking for me.

 

[redman135]

Shfting the pins like you say should work, but make sure the tractor end of the top link does not foul the tractor and get bent with the extra lift height.

 

[cglaser104]

There's a few ways to go about this.

1) shorten the A arms at the bottom where they connect to the mower as well as the trail support arms. This maintains the geometry of the mower design. Sort of a since the tractor isn't tall, make the mower short idea.

2) lower the lift arm pins. What this effectively does is cause your lift to operate in a circular pattern as your widening the gap relative to space from lift arms to toplink. Tractor might be 15" but the cutter would be maybe 20". This means when you lift the mower the tail of the mower will lift higher than the front of the mower due to this new geometry.

3) add a hydraulic toplink to draw in for travel.

For the 5' I rebuilt I did a combination of #1 & #3

 

[thefisherman]

Shfting the pins like you say should work, but make sure the tractor end of the top link does not foul the tractor and get bent with the extra lift height.

Checked that bit, the top link can go to about 15 degrees from vertical without hitting anything. Thanks for the heads up!

There's a few ways to go about this.

1) shorten the A arms at the bottom where they connect to the mower as well as the trail support arms. This maintains the geometry of the mower design. Sort of a since the tractor isn't tall, make the mower short idea.

2) lower the lift arm pins. What this effectively does is cause your lift to operate in a circular pattern as your widening the gap relative to space from lift arms to toplink. Tractor might be 15" but the cutter would be maybe 20". This means when you lift the mower the tail of the mower will lift higher than the front of the mower due to this new geometry.

3) add a hydraulic toplink to draw in for travel.

For the 5' I rebuilt I did a combination of #1 & #3

Won't be adding a hydraulic top link, no remote hydros at this time and it's not in the budget. Sure would be nice though.

 

[zzvyb6]

I have a MF GC1715 and I just picked up a 60" King Kutter rotary mower. Got it pretty cheap @ $500. In very respectable/serviceable condition. Ran it awhile to cut some overgrown pasture grass and small saplings and it works fine. However, it is quite obviously not made for a tractor this size. I had to open the stabilizers all the way up to get the lift arms attached, and can only get it about 2" off the ground due to lifting range. Further, the flex link won't really work with my tractor. Again, machine not big enough.

I had a hard enough time getting this machine that I don't really want to sell it to buy something smaller unless I have to. I think I can just modify it but want to check.

I'd like to move the A-frame risers to the inside of that bottom mount bracket to make them narrower, drill holes lower on them so I have a lower mount point, and point the lift pins inward instead of out.

Since it would be narrower I'd remove the flexible top link point and trim the spacer sleeve in there with an angle grinder so the top mount point can get closer together. To give it flex I would replace the braces from the top link to the back with chains.

This seem acceptable? I've already got everything on hand.

Mover the lower ends of these braces to the inside of the deck fittings.

 

[mwb]

Can you reinstall the lower pins so they point inwards? That combined with relocating the pin holes lower might be the simplest fix (other than messing up the geometry slightly).

I would cut the verticals shorter, drill new holes to mount the verticals to the deck, and then install the lower lift pins pointing inwards. Geometry is kept and the width of your lift arms will be significantly narrower.