Using DR PTO trimmer on Cat 2 Tractor?

[TomSeller]

Do you know where the welds in question are? Thanks for the heads up. The unit looks well built.

 

[Coyote machine]

No, we didn't get to that detail.

 

[slimcity9]

... They had none in stock and I was told they were back-ordered and to get one I would need to be on the 'list'. I asked why and was told that ALL the mowers were called back to the factory to replace some welds with brackets. This was a precaution the company took to make the units stronger in the area in question- and this had delayed production, hence the shortage.
I was also informed there is ongoing talk about bringing out a somewhat larger machine, but no specific date or schedule as to when this might happen. ...

I just called the company directly about this. I spoke with Peter in tech support and he denied knowledge of any of it. Now it's true he might not know of plans for a bigger machine even if they were in the works, but it seems pretty unlikely he wouldn't know about a recall. He said he's had a couple calls from people needing replacement keys--no surprise there, but nothing else major going on. And he tried to sell an extended warranty, which I politely declined.

 

[Coyote machine]

I just called the company directly about this. I spoke with Peter in tech support and he denied knowledge of any of it. Now it's true he might not know of plans for a bigger machine even if they were in the works, but it seems pretty unlikely he wouldn't know about a recall. He said he's had a couple calls from people needing replacement keys--no surprise there, but nothing else major going on. And he tried to sell an extended warranty, which I politely declined.

I suspect you called one of their many 800 number phone lines where you select tech support from a menu and eventually someone answers the line after listening to their chirping birds and water muzak.
This is not the same level of knowledge as speaking directly to the store representative in their home base store in Vergennes, VT where the products are designed and tested. I too have spoken to 'tech support' on the 800 # lines many times, and have dealt with those who know things and others who know next to nothing. Ask yourself why a store rep would tell me these things if they were fiction?! It would make no sense to tell a potential buyer of their product that it had a defect which was being dealt with if it weren't true.
Add to that I listed a partial list of the machines I have bought from Dr. over the years and the guy knew about the pitfalls I mentioned for each machine, except one, on which I corrected him about the incompatibility of a handle update which he said would work on my machine. I let him know that it wouldn't work due to mine being before a certain serial number, which precluded the use of the bicycle handle type handle.
So as to a recall- I did NOT say they had one, I said they brought back the machines already in use to do the bracket upgrade. So 'tech support' might not be aware this even happened, since it has little to do with the machine overall - it is just something they, the factory decided to 'fix' during production of this first generation machine. The second generation machine, assuming one comes to fruition is an unknown- the rep did not say it was a definite thing, just something that was getting kicked around in discussion circles.

 

[aczlan]

My FIL just got one in this week. Took a look at it and realized that it has a composite gearbox. Will play with it this weekend and see how it handles our fencelines.

Coyote machine: if you are at the store again, would you mind asking if the pivot lock bolt has to be a bolt, or if a pin would work as well? I forsee losing the bolt and/or the wing nut fairly easily.

Aaron Z

 

[TomSeller]

One thing that surprised me when I saw the unit firsthand is that the black disc above the string cutter head did not spin. For some reason, I thought that disc rotated with the fencepost. I don't know why I thought that, but I did. It does not, it is fixed and rubs itself past each post.

 

[aczlan]

One thing that surprised me when I saw the unit firsthand is that the black disc above the string cutter head did not spin. For some reason, I thought that disc rotated with the fencepost. I don't know why I thought that, but I did. It does not, it is fixed and rubs itself past each post.

Didn't surprise me, but it took me till I read the manual to figure out that the "impact zone" sticker is where you are supposed to hit the post. I thought that it was related to string length...

Aaron Z

 

[Coyote machine]

My FIL just got one in this week. Took a look at it and realized that it has a composite gearbox. Will play with it this weekend and see how it handles our fencelines.

Coyote machine: if you are at the store again, would you mind asking if the pivot lock bolt has to be a bolt, or if a pin would work as well? I forsee losing the bolt and/or the wing nut fairly easily.

Aaron Z

I'll look into it for you. I haven't seen a machine since they were backordered when I stopped in, but for the bolt wingnut, in the meantime, could you drill a small hole below where the wingnut is tight enough and slip a smaller size pin in the hole, with a string attached to keep it from disappearing if it got knocked loose?
Just a thought- I know I hate loosing stuff like that out in the field.

P.S. Send me a PM if for some reason I don't get back in the next few days....

Thanks,

CM out

 

[aczlan]

I'll look into it for you. I haven't seen a machine since they were backordered when I stopped in, but for the bolt wingnut, in the meantime, could you drill a small hole below where the wingnut is tight enough and slip a smaller size pin in the hole, with a string attached to keep it from disappearing if it got knocked loose?
Just a thought- I know I hate loosing stuff like that out in the field.

I've thought of drilling the bolt and putting in a pin so that the wings on the wingnut can be like a castle nut, but I just got to look at it tonight, so I dont know how it will perform in real life.
Its sitting on the back of the L3830 right now is it was close at hand when it came off the trailer. Will be hitting the fenceline before work in the AM if I get up soon enough.

Aaron Z

 

[slimcity9]

So as to a recall- I did NOT say they had one, I said they brought back the machines already in use to do the bracket upgrade.

Previously you said "ALL the mowers were called back to the factory to replace some welds with brackets." If that's not a recall then what is? Even your current phrasing would seem to include my machine, as it is "already in use." Perhaps your information is too new to have been transformed into any official company policy?

 

[Coyote machine]

You can argue semantics with me all day and it doesn't change a thing. IF I had wanted to say RECALL I would have said exactly that. A recall implies there is something drastically wrong or unsafe about a machine- the rep said the factory decided to install some brackets where there were originally welds and did not say anything else about where on the machines, etc. Your machine may already be in use but consider that once they started installing the brackets your machine could have left the factory with them already installed.
I will see if I can find out more. And YES, the information I supplied could be too new for the sales end/tech guys to know about it; if they ever end up being informed would surprise me from my past experience with the company.

 

[TomSeller]

Well I had some time and got around to mounting the DR mower to a tractor today and giving it a short try out. Seems to do the job well. I will give it more of a work out this weekend. The PTO shaft does not hit the triage mount no matter how high or low I raise it, so that is good.

 

[aczlan]

Tried the mower on the B7500 this week and it is a MUCH better platform for this than the L3830.
Why? Hydro, 1000RPM PTO, smaller.
I put the PTO in 1000RPM mode, brought it up to just about half of PTO RPM (PTO RPM is ~2200 engine RPM, so I put it at 1000ish) and went down the fenceline.
The hydro and smaller size made it more maneuverable for working around stuff, the trimmer sticks out to the side a little more, so there is less risk of hitting a fencepost with the tractor.
Unlike when I used the L3830, I didn't take out any fenceposts (then, I caught 2 rotten fenceposts wrong with the trimmer and snapped them off)
Need to drop the bucket for the next round, but it went well.

Aaron Z

 

[TomSeller]

I hooked mine up but had little time to try it out. It will probably be next spring before I get a chance to try it again. It did not seem to want to cut into heavy grass, but I need to work with it some more.

 

[lostcreekranch]

I am back looking at the DR PTO trimmers again. Any updates from those of you who now own one?

Thanks!

Sent from my iPad using TractorByNet

 

[aczlan]

Some examples of how it looks when you trim on one side of the fence:






You never want the line to touch the ground. In this picture, there is a small ditch that the wheel kept dropping into and running the line into the ground. One set of lines lasted from the tree in the background to where the tractor is in the picture:


One of the downsides is that if the tractor hits a bump and goes up while the arm is back (as seen below) it will angle the cutterhead down drastically and scalp around that post. This is greatly reduced if you ignore DR's recommendation and leave it locked in "transport" mode rather than putting it into "float" mode:




Here is how the line attaches:






I have it on the B7500 and can take more pictures if anyone wants to see a particular part.

Aaron Z

 

[nc redneck]

I am seriously looking at buying one of these. Aaron Z has supplied a lot of great info, thanks. DR has remanufactured units on there web site for $100 cheaper. Being a tightwad I am naturally drawn to reman unit. Anyone know if there has been any upgrades on new units ? Any new updates or info from owners ?
Thanks
Scott

 

[lostcreekranch]

Some examples of how it looks when you trim on one side of the fence: Aaron Z

Aaron;

Thanks for the update and pics. We would use it on a B2710 so seems to be similar to your application. Our primary use would be trimming two stock tanks.

Think I remember reading that one member had changed to smaller line with improved line life.

Sent from my iPad using TractorByNet

 

[schmism]

I think i would be upgradeing to small aircraft cable with welded ends.

 

[aczlan]

I think i would be upgradeing to small aircraft cable with welded ends.

Hmmm, anything special that would need to be done to weld the ends?

Aaron Z