Terrible Bush Hog Performance

[cutman]

I bush hogged a fallow field last Wednesdsy, and when I checked it out yesterday you could barely tell that I had mowed.



The bush hog was level when I mowed and I went slow at the appropriate RPM. While I was mowing I could tell that the right side was not cutting as well as the left side. In hindsight, the right side might not have been cutting at all - maybe it was just laying the grass down.

What should I check out first? Do the blades need to be sharpened possibly, or is there something obvious that can cause what I did?

 

[Podad]

I think as you do the blades are probably dull. Some time spent under there with a hand held grinder should make a big difference.

Another thing I do sometimes is reverse direction after each round or swath. Basically go one way one one round then switch on the next. I get smoother cutting that way.

 

[OkieKubota]

What type of brushhog do you have? If your brushhog is a single spindle it is pretty much impossible to not have a blade cutting but if it is dual spindle you may have a key sheared... I brushhog commercially with 6 foot equipment and I look the areas over before I commit to the work. I have 2 different brushhogs I use...If it's a rocky stumpy mess I use my old "Beater" cimmaron brushhog since it's pretty well used up. I haven't sharpened the blades in a long time because it's going to see rocks the very next time I have it our every time. The thing is when I am brushhogging the clean spots in the rough it actually does a really good job even with dull blades.

BTW - grass grows really fast with adequate moisture and sunshine so your grass might have just taken off after you knocked down the competition. We finally got a rain on Saturday which is the first one we have had in a month and our Bermuda in our yard went from brown looking dead to growing nearly 3" by this morning...

 

[Lowcountry Bowhunter]

Looks like you need some quality time on a grinder to do some sharpening. Or buy a new set and bolt them on.

 

[cutman]

It's a Woods BB72x. We are really dry here, so grass isn't growing great. The mower definitely didn't cut.

http://www.woodsequipment.com/productDetails.aspx?id=60

 

[Brokenbear]

A single spindle cutting on one side and not the other:
1.sharpen blade
2.make sure the shear pin or inline clutch are not broken or slipping
3.insure that your PTO is running at the required 540 RPM
4.is your tractor at or above 30 HP
sometimes mowing too low in high or really tuff vegitation ..will not allow the mower to discharge ..the resulting blade imparement by surplus vegitation will drop RPMs which can show itself as a dull blade

 

[cutman]

A single spindle cutting on one side and not the other:
1.sharpen blade
2.make sure the shear pin or inline clutch are not broken or slipping
3.insure that your PTO is running at the required 540 RPM
4.is your tractor at or above 30 HP
sometimes mowing too low in high or really tuff vegitation ..will not allow the mower to discharge ..the resulting blade imparement by surplus vegitation will drop RPMs which can show itself as a dull blade

Thank you. This is exactly what my farmer friend said. I will check it out Wednesday and report back what I find.

Thanks, y'all.

 

[Buckly]

I learned many years ago that a brush hog is different than a mower. Different machines with different uses and different results.

 

[JohnL48]

Loose belt ? or is it shaft drive ?

 

[j-bird]

Also consider how tall it was to begin with. I often mow stuff that is pretty tall and my loader tends to bend it over and the mower may or may not pick it up enough to cut it and the. A few days later the stuff tries to stand back up! I agree that more than likely it's dull blade or something isn't working properly.

 

[PecanArcher]

A single spindle cutting on one side and not the other:
1.sharpen blade
2.make sure the shear pin or inline clutch are not broken or slipping
3.insure that your PTO is running at the required 540 RPM
4.is your tractor at or above 30 HP
sometimes mowing too low in high or really tuff vegitation ..will not allow the mower to discharge ..the resulting blade imparement by surplus vegitation will drop RPMs which can show itself as a dull blade

^^^ What he said. What are you using to pull it? I'd bet the blades are dull but if not, check the slip clutch.

 

[cutman]

I'm using a 75 hp John Deere tractor (5075E) to pull. I've got plenty of power, so will check all the previous suggestions tomorrow. Thanks again.

 

[cutman]

As a follow up: I think that the grass was simply too high and I was going too fast. I had a guy out to service the tractor and asked him to take a look at the bush hog while he was there, and he couldn't find anything wrong.

 

[Podad]

As a follow up: I think that the grass was simply too high and I was going too fast. I had a guy out to service the tractor and asked him to take a look at the bush hog while he was there, and he couldn't find anything wrong.

I looked at your profile and see you are still a young man. In about 20 years or so you will slow down and use a lower gears without having any particular reason to do so.
I have been using the same tractor for 44 years. I am amazed at how much I use the lower gears now compared to back then.
Glad you figured out nothing is wrong equipment wise.

 

[ncnat]

I looked at your profile and see you are still a young man. In about 20 years or so you will slow down and use a lower gears without having any particular reason to do so.
I have been using the same tractor for 44 years. I am amazed at how much I use the lower gears now compared to back then.
Glad you figured out nothing is wrong equipment wise.

You had to slow down, you wore the high gears long ago.
By the time I got a tractor I was already at low gear stage.

 

[E_308]

On the JD tractor I use (7410) in taller stuff I am usually in B 2 or 3 with the RPM around 2000 (I think were ever the "good" zone is on the gauge). It is fairly easy to pull a brush hog too fast on good ground.

 

[cutman]

Yesterday I bush hogged in B1 at 2500 RPM (where the RPM gauge has the little PTO icon). It did much better.

 

[Drycreek]

Hi guys, I'm new to the forum but would like to pass on the easiest way I've found to sharpen your blades. Disconnect your top link and pull your mower up with a come-along or chain hoist. Make sure it can't fall and hurt you ! The mower will still be hooked up to the arms and will only raise up in the back. You can sharpen your blades without taking them off.

 

[Otghuntingclub]

Hi guys, I'm new to the forum but would like to pass on the easiest way I've found to sharpen your blades. Disconnect your top link and pull your mower up with a come-along or chain hoist. Make sure it can't fall and hurt you ! The mower will still be hooked up to the arms and will only raise up in the back. You can sharpen your blades without taking them off.

Great idea. I wish I would have thought of that.

 

[PecanArcher]

Yesterday I bush hogged in B1 at 2500 RPM (where the RPM gauge has the little PTO icon). It did much better.

I bet it did! Those implements are designed for a certain rpm. Glad you are getting it figured out. I've learned to slow her down lately too while mowing my orchard. If it's thick, the slower the better. Easier on all equipment


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