Tires Solid, no flat tires for brush hog casters

[RegL]

I know someone replaced the caster wheels on their brush hog with solids, but I can't seem to find it. Just wondering where to get them as I just keep demolishing anything I can get locally. I might check with my Exmark mower dealer to see if any of theirs are the right size.

As a side note, I see that most of the brush hogs designed for skid-steers don't have wheels. With draft control on the 1430 keeping the weight of the mower off the ground, I wonder if you could weld some kind of skids to the sides and forgo the wheels all together.

 

[KentT]

Here's Sedgewood's mod....

PT-1845 Rough cut mower

 

[MossRoad]

I know someone replaced the caster wheels on their brush hog with solids, but I can't seem to find it. Just wondering where to get them as I just keep demolishing anything I can get locally. I might check with my Exmark mower dealer to see if any of theirs are the right size.

As a side note, I see that most of the brush hogs designed for skid-steers don't have wheels. With draft control on the 1430 keeping the weight of the mower off the ground, I wonder if you could weld some kind of skids to the sides and forgo the wheels all together.

Look for a local business that specializes in caster wheels for industrial material handling carts, baskets and hand trucks. Almost all towns have such a business close by. Take in one of your existing wheels and they can match the diameter and width, as well as the axle size. They may have to use bushings to get it to fit correctly.

Anyhow, that's what I did nor my 48" brush hog on the PT425.

 

[RegL]

Look for a local business that specializes in caster wheels for industrial material handling carts, baskets and hand trucks. Almost all towns have such a business close by. Take in one of your existing wheels and they can match the diameter and width, as well as the axle size. They may have to use bushings to get it to fit correctly.

Anyhow, that's what I did nor my 48" brush hog on the PT425.

Thanks Moss. I will look for one of those shops. I did find some sources on the web but it looks a little tricky to get all the sizes right. Like you said, it's probable better to work with someone face to face on this one. Have you ever seen any of the skid-steer mowers in person? Most I see on the web don't use wheels. Looks like their designed to glide. Maybe the PT brush hog could be modified to do the same.

 

[KentT]

Have you ever seen any of the skid-steer mowers in person? Most I see on the web don't use wheels. Looks like their designed to glide. Maybe the PT brush hog could be modified to do the same.

IMO, with the way the PT articulates, you risk tearing up a lot of ground with the skids... that's why the front wheels are casters, and IMO, the rear ones should be also...

 

[RegL]

IMO, with the way the PT articulates, you risk tearing up a lot of ground with the skids... that's why the front wheels are casters, and IMO, the rear ones should be also...

I hear what your saying, but isn't turning with a skid-steer even more radical? I have never driven one so not talking from experience. Also the red PT's have draft control that transfers some of the weight of mower to tractor's front wheels, so all the weight of the mower would not be dragging on the ground.

 

[KentT]

Reg,

They're probably lifting the mower deck every time they turn sharply, then sit it back down... If you wanted to do that, you'd probably be OK with just skids.

I bought a pair of 10" utility wheels off eBay a while back. The tread is a bit narrower (only 2 to 2.5") but they're steel with roller bearings and semi-pneumatic tires. I'm going to try them and see how they'll hold up....

 

[MossRoad]

Thanks Moss. I will look for one of those shops. I did find some sources on the web but it looks a little tricky to get all the sizes right. Like you said, it's probable better to work with someone face to face on this one. Have you ever seen any of the skid-steer mowers in person? Most I see on the web don't use wheels. Looks like their designed to glide. Maybe the PT brush hog could be modified to do the same.

As KentT said, I wouldn't want skids on my brush hog. In my terrain, which is very uneven, soft, sand, it would gouge too often just going straight, let alone any turns.

Skid steers are awfull on terrain because, well, they skid! They tear up everything under the tires. They are fine for construction sites and rough-in work, but terrible if you are trying to do finish work or not cause errision channels in the soil. The articulated design of the Power Trac is about as perfect a design you can have in regards to not tearing up the ground underneath it.

The Power Trac implements with four wheels, however, really would bennefit from casters on the rear instead of the fixed wheels. Those will tear up the turf and cause errosion channels if you swing the implement too sharply.

I went with a set of sollid rubber tires for the front of my brush hog. In the winter, I take them off and put them on my snowplow. I kept the pneumatic tires on my finish mower, as they do give a bit on bumps and are more gental than the solids. But a few times a year, I lose the bead when the tire hits an immovable object like a landscape timber and the wheel tries to caster and I step on the forward pedal instead of reversing it. I could solve that quickly with some tubes, but have been too lazy to do it!

 

[Rivco]

I ended up buying 4 new smaller solid rubber caster wheels for my brush mower modification. Now there is plenty of clearance in all directions, and the new setup is working great. picture #3 shows the new smaller wheels.

This modification worked very well on my 45" 180 brush mower, BUT it may not work for the 422, 425, and larger machines! I had to change the axle bolt bushings and spacer bushings when I put on the smaller wheels. So if anyone might be considering doing a similar upgrade you'll have to research kits that will work for your specific mower deck.

 

[MuncyBob]

MR, I solved the front wheels on the mower with Slime. Took me awhile to get around to it but so far so good! I put more in than the container said to though.

 

[KentT]

I ended up buying 4 new smaller solid rubber caster wheels for my brush mower modification. Now there is plenty of clearance in all directions, and the new setup is working great. picture #3 shows the new smaller wheels.

This modification worked very well on my 45" 180 brush mower, BUT it may not work for the 422, 425, and larger machines! I had to change the axle bolt bushings and spacer bushings when I put on the smaller wheels. So if anyone might be considering doing a similar upgrade you'll have to research kits that will work for your specific mower deck.

Rivco,

Where did you get the framework to put both front and rear casters on your mower? How much did it cost?

 

[Rivco]

Rivco,

Where did you get the framework to put both front and rear casters on your mower? How much did it cost?

Kent, go to page 7 in Barry's thread on members homemade attachments and improvements. I posted the information in my reply to Tim In CT.

 

[BobRip]

FYI, I have been running inner tubes in my brush cutter front tires for 4 years and have not had a flat since then. I was popping the tire off the rim every 5 minutes before that when mowing a ditch.

 

[Rivco]

Rivco,

Where did you get the framework to put both front and rear casters on your mower? How much did it cost?

Kent,
Did you find the info on the Caroni wheel kit at Agri Supply® - Where we have Something for Everyone for your Farm Shop & Home - NC, SC, GA, VA, Tifton, Garner, Florence, Statesboro, Petersburg, Greenville, Lumberton ok?
Do you think it will work on your brush mower? Is the 425 brush mower
48" ? I know the lift arms are longer on the 425 so the wheels that come with the kit might work.

 

[KentT]

Kent,
Did you find the info on the Caroni wheel kit at Agri Supply® - Where we have Something for Everyone for your Farm Shop & Home - NC, SC, GA, VA, Tifton, Garner, Florence, Statesboro, Petersburg, Greenville, Lumberton ok?
Do you think it will work on your brush mower? Is the 425 brush mower
48" ? I know the lift arms are longer on the 425 so the wheels that come with the kit might work.

I could only find one for 60" - 90" mowers, though I didn't spend a lot of time researching it:

ASC # 28803

Yes, the 425 brush mower is 48" and there wouldn't be a lot of room back there for rear swivel casters. I think I'm going to just semi-pnematic wheels/tires on the front for now, and go with that for a while. I also fabbed up a rear deflector to put on it, using 2" angle iron bracket with a double layer of 6" wide flat roller belt. Those two mods, plus rubber snubs on the two extra stump-jumper bolts are all I plan to do for now.

 

[cqaigy2]

FYI, I have been running inner tubes in my brush cutter front tires for 4 years and have not had a flat since then. I was popping the tire off the rim every 5 minutes before that when mowing a ditch.

I did the inner tube thing too with good results.

 

[KMA]

What about one of these across the back of the brush cutter (or 48" finish mower) to replace the rigid plastic wheels?

ASC # 32834

I'm not sure it would be wide enough, and you might actually need the one KentT linked to above. If I can find the time someday, it would be nice to piece together everything needed to completely remove the rear wheels and make them caster wheels. I would like this for my finish mower in particular since it tears up the lawn if you don't lift the deck when turning sharply.

I think two of these ASC # 30887 would be needed, and maybe the rest of the items could be bought at your local TSC??? We might be able to do it for under $250...?

The price is right on this kit, but I doubt it would hold up.

Lawn Mower Attachment - Saves MowingTime - Reduces Labor

Maybe some of the items on this page would work, and be affordable?

HyperParts, LLC(OPE Replacement Parts) > Item Class

More specifically, HyperParts, LLC(OPE Replacement Parts) > Item Inquiry + HyperParts, LLC(OPE Replacement Parts) > Item Inquiry gets you a set for around $120 before buying the wheels etc, but I don't know if it would give you enough height adjustability... maybe though.