Brush hogging tall grass and plants with a smaller tract

[AlyM]

Hello yall. Here for some advice. I'm getting my tractor soon, a 53 ford naa (jubilee). It's a bit smaller than the mm I'm used to and with the mm being broken for all season, the grass is above my head in areas. The last thing I wanna do is damage the tractor the day I get it, so I want to ask your advice on what way is safest to approach mowing this jungle? I'm afraid the grass will shed its seeds into the engine or something dumb like that, clogging stuff... I don't know, I'm just afraid. So what advice do you have for me (other than the obvious drive slow as a snail with the brush hog on highest height)?

 

[Janicholson]

Only use low gear (which is not low enough keep the engine wide open, (no throttling down to go slower) back into an easy access
spot and make several backed in runs to knock down the easiest grass first in a spot 20 ft X 30 Ft or so. now use only 1/2 or less
of the mower width each backup to enlarge the mowed area. Once it is some what large enough to turn in, go forward using the left
side of the mower on 1/2 or less coverage each pass. This will be clumsy and take more time, but will work. you will spend some
time going over already mowed areas. If the mower has sharp blades, this should make it work well enough. Jim

 

[super99]

Cover the outer radiator with window screen and clean Often. As suggested, take 1/2 of the width of the mowers cut, and clean the screen off often.

 

[Steve@Advance]

Is this a new to you tractor?

Taking possession of a nearly 70 year old tractor and putting it to work is
very likely to reveal some problems!

Unless you know some history on this tractor, proceed with caution the first
time out.

Be sure to check all the fluids for contamination and proper level, be sure
the oil pressure and temperature gauge work, and watch them closely! Be aware
of the brake function, or lack of. You really need an overrunning clutch on
the PTO so the mower won't continue to push the tractor when trying to stop.

I would recommend a shake down run close by to put the tractor and mower
through its paces before heading out for serious work!

 

[MF#1]

A pic of your hog would be nice. That patch of weeds and grass doesn't look too bad ;-) I would hit it like any other field, mow around the perimeter in the direction where the cut grass is thrown to the outer edge by your hog. First pass would be with the level of cut about 10 inches off the ground. Second pass would be with the hog dropped a few inches and half the width of cut as before, as mentioned by Janicholson. Successive cuts would depend on how hard the tractor worked the previous pass. Depending on how thick it is you may be able to mow to your normal level with full width but lessening the width in the thick spots. The last pass would be where you started, knocking the 10 inch stuff down to match the rest. Multiple passes may be needed in some areas. If the tractor starts to really bog down in real thick areas you have to either raise the hog or lessen the width of cut ...quickly, while hitting the clutch to stop forward motion. As you said, slow wins the race. Since you've mowed it before there shouldn't be any surprises like steel fence posts, large rocks, etc. The window screen idea will be helpful. Good Luck with it!

 

[Tom in TN]

Alyn,

I don't know anything about a Jubilee, but I do have a 1972 vintage Ford 2000. My 2000 does NOT have live PTO. So, when I use it to mow with my
rotary mower (bushhog) I absolutely must put an overrunning clutch on the PTO shaft before I attach the mower. If I don't, the inertia from the
mower will continue to turn the PTO shaft when I depress the clutch pedal, and the tractor will just keep on going straight ahead until the mower
depletes the inertia that is in it.

You might know all of that. I didn't when I first got the 2000 and it scared the poo out of me the first time I used it and tried to stop but the
tractor kept on going.

Good luck,

Tom in TN

 

[gene bender]

kick the PTO out of gear like we used to do or put the tranny in neutral letting the machine run thats how we did it beforeLIVE PTO how did you think we farmed without all the fancy stuff we now have

 

[wingnuttx]

AlyM. As others have mentioned be very watchful of the mechanics of this tractor. Youll be putting it through a fairly harsh test. Be very mindful of
keeping the rpms up to but not over exceeding the red mark. Also be mindful of the temp gauge if you have a working one. Actually thats a little
project you can take on. To install a working temp gauge if applicable. Again as mentioned before in other postings. Slow wins the race- and cutting
height. Wingnut

 

[37 chief]

Start out with sharp blades. Just don't get in a hurry, There is a field of bottom land I mow. The grass looks something like in your picture. It will
give your tractor a work out. The leafy weeds in your picture will cut easier than the grass. Put a piece of window screen over your grill to keep some
of the seeds you mentioned out of the radiator. You can incase your complete tractor in screen, somehow the radiator will still get plugged. One time
my tractor started running bad. After a carb, and magneto change, the problem was a plugged air filter. Stan

 

[Geo-TH,In]

I find that when cutting tall grass it works better to angle the
mower deck and cutting grass 2x. First time higher.
Instead of a level deck, raising the front to the deck, the
blade chops the grass many times into small pieces.
Only cut as wide as the tractor can handle.

 

[gtractorfan]

My thought is use a sickle bar mower.

 

[RobCons]

Watch the engine temp. Radiator will probably get clogged and cause temp to go up. Just stop and brush off the debris, temp should come back down. Dont get in a hurry. Just because you have a 5 or 6 foot wide cutter doesnt mean you have to cut that wide. Listen to the tractor and let it tell you how to proceed.

 

[Mike(NEOhio)]

All good suggestions. I've mowed for years with a 72 2000 and 5 foot Woods with non-live PTO. You just have to get used to hitting the clutch before
you have to stop and letting the mower slow down. Tilt the deck 2 to 4 inches higher at the front and mow counter-clockwise to throw the clippings
away from the uncut side. Raising the front will let it cut twice to shred better and you'll see clippings thrown forward from the right side of the
deck. It doesn't look like there's any real woody stuff to cut. Just take your time and keep the mower RPM up to PTO speed.

 

[Mike(NEOhio)]

If you decide to cut once high then again let it dry a few days before the second pass.

 

[Leroy]

Backing in is the only possible way to do it as tallas things look. Definatly have that over run clutch. Keep mower raised as much as possible due to pto shaft location, be sure to use the position control setting. Back in about 10 foot and quickly shift to netrual. You will have to let mower stop before you can shift to forward to pull out os grass then repeat untill you get a small area mowed. Never farter in than length of tractor or to the exaust pipe if the underneetg exaust pipe, if a vertcal pipe has been instaled you can go a bit farther. Then then let mower down and repeat untill you get the stuff down to where you can rake it out to let dry to a burn pile. Never try to drive over that mess as if you do you are likely to burn up the tractor. I had a tractor of same model. You never want to get into anything that will hit the exaust. A tractor with the exaust comming out top of engine and live pto you could get by going forward into it to mow but not your tractor if you still want to have the tractor.

 

[JK-NY]

I have brush hogged many hours with a Ford NAA . Most of what I say has been mentioned. I would highly reccomend an overrunning
clutch on your pto. I would run with your brush hog set slightly tilted to the front as the blades will only cut on the front of
the rotation and run easier. I would see if your temperature gauge works and if so watch it closely . I would plan on blowing the
chaff out of the radiator often . Lastly I would start in low gear and keep rpms up and if needed take less than a full width cut
.Wear eye protection and watch out for hornets . If you are not near home bring oil, coolant and a few tools. You will soon know
the condition of your tractor after a bit of this type of work.

 

[Richard G.]

I cleaned up a big pasture that my uncle let get much worse than that.
Had a 52 8N Ford and a 5 foot hog and pushed down stuff much bigger than that.
That was when I was about 16.
I am almost 70 and still use that 8N all the time.
Been in the family since new.

 

[Texasmark]

Or a drum or disc......something that puts the tractor to the side of the cut swath and doesn't care how tall the medium is. On that tractor, considering side weight, a sickle of 6' would work or if you go to the other types you may need to drop down tto 4' due to the cutter wanting to raise the left front tire when in the stow position. I run a 6' drum on a Ford 3910 with front end weights and it is all that tractor wants when in the transport position......to the side, not disengaged and pointing to the rear.

 

[rusty6]

Didn't those Fords have the two stage clutch in which the pto would stop when you push the clutch all the way in? If so you have no worries on the mower pushing
the tractor. I was just cutting trails yesterday with the 730 Case and 6 foot rotary Farm King. In the nearly 30 years I've had that mower I think I might have
sharpened the blades once. It cuts fine and its rare to hear the 730 show any signs of working hard. I've run down small poplar trees with it. Biggest advantage
is the 7 foot dozer blade up front which will push down tall weeds and grass and can also be lowered to push aside any hidden rocks and logs. Just happened to
shoot some video of yesterday's cutting. It turned cold and windy and I got soaked in rain on the 5 mile drive home but the job got done with nothing broken.

Case Cutting Trails

 

[Blackhole49]

Zip tie a piece of window screen over the grill and have at it. Keep the screen brushed off.

 

[JK-NY]

Some of the Fords had the 2 stage clutch and some did not. NAA/Jubilees did not . There was a fairly rare aftermarket live pto for them. My 1955 Ford 960 has the 2 stage clutch , 1953 and 1954 NAA do not . I enjoy your videos .

 

[rusty6]

(quoted from post at 08:00:36 08/06/22) Some of the Fords had the 2 stage clutch and some did not. NAA/Jubilees did not . There was a fairly rare aftermarket live pto for them. My 1955 Ford 960 has the 2 stage clutch , 1953 and 1954 NAA do not . I enjoy your videos .

When the pto still worked on my Massey Super 90 it also had the two stage clutch. I found it pretty archaic after years of running the Cockshutts with full "live" pto. Always had to remember not to push the foot clutch too far or else the baler or mower would stop running with the two stage clutch.

 

[MARK ROBKE]

My comment would be to use an over running clutch on the pto(a must actually) and that 1st gear is too fast
on the Ford. For example, one time we had my IH 300u next to a Ford 2000, bush hogging, and first on the 2000
was as fast as 3rd on the 300u. Mark.

 

[sotxbill]

Exactly what he said!!! You can raise the shredder up high for the first pass if needed, shred the whole field high... let the grass dry and shrivil up, before you come back and cut it lower. If you come back too quick it will bog down on the grass you just cut.. once field is cut down, then its much easier to keep it cut down... watch heat gauge, clean chaff or grass out of radiator when you see it get to 3/4s.... Again after field is cut down, the radiator will not get clogged up near as bad or near as fast. DO NOT damage your radiator by blowing too high of a pressure of air or water. DO NOT fold the fins closed by being too close to too much pressure. After your first field experience, you will know how and how much.

 

[gene bender]

make sure the front of the mower is lower than the back

 

[RayP(MI)]

Try cutting half a swath at a time, overlapping previously cut area.

 

[AlyM]

Thank y'all for all the helpful tips. Sorry I have been MIA. I've been nonstop sick. I'm hoping today I can get out there and try out some of the tips. I'll start with the stuff close to the road that is brush hogged by someone else (city? state? friendly neighbor?) and down the drive way where it's naturally shorter, so I can learn the tractor before I start going into the deep. I'll be careful, I don't know much about this tractor but I want to make sure it lasts another lifetime. I'm reading the manual trying to understand some of these things that I don't know about yet.

 

[chuck t]

(quoted from post at 11:22:42 08/13/22) Thank y'all for all the helpful tips. Sorry I have been MIA. I've been nonstop sick. I'm hoping today I can get out there and try out some of the tips. I'll start with the stuff close to the road that is brush hogged by someone else (city? state? friendly neighbor?) and down the drive way where it's naturally shorter, so I can learn the tractor before I start going into the deep. I'll be careful, I don't know much about this tractor but I want to make sure it lasts another lifetime. I'm reading the manual trying to understand some of these things that I don't know about yet.

The chaff still finds its way around the window screen. A furnace filter bunjie corded in front of the radiator works great. Replace when temp goes up