Flipping the Bush Hog Onto The Tractor Seat

[Bill VA]

I bought a set of prongs/forks to fit into my Farmall 350’s fast hitch to use for moving around and using a bush hog and maybe even a disc at the lower link pins. Probably some other uses I haven’t thought of - yet…

Reading a bit about bush hogs setup with a chain or no top link at all and some suggest the bush hog could catch on something and flip over onto the driver.

The F-350 would be handy with a small bush hog on the back of it - now I’m starting to wonder…

Has anyone known of an actual incident where a bush hog with a chain or no top link has flipped over on to a driver’s seat?

Anyone using these fast hitch prongs to pull a 3pt implement? Any issues?

Just curious.

Thanks!

 

[Fritz Maurer]

There is a faction out there that believes that if there is a rigid connection between the top link and the rear of the brush hog, that all sorts of carnage will occur if for some reason there is upward force on the tail wheel, hence the chain. They don’t seem to understand that this will simply lift the 3 point since there is no downward pressure on the lower links…. Further, they may even raise hydraulically if the draft control is set; for that is how they are designed to work, when the top link is under compression force.

 

[DRussell]

There is a faction out there that believes that if there is a rigid connection between the top link and the rear of the brush hog, that all sorts of carnage will occur if for some reason there is upward force on the tail wheel, hence the chain. They don’t seem to understand that this will simply lift the 3 point since there is no downward pressure on the lower links…. Further, they may even raise hydraulically if the draft control is set; for that is how they are designed to work, when the top link is under compression force.

Wouldn't his 350 with fast hitch have down pressure? The one's I've see did, but I'm not an expert on fast hitches.

 

[MJMJ]

I know nothing on Fast hitches, but Fritz is absolutely correct that the idea of a 3pt mower needing a chain to prevent disaster is ridiculous. I have to assume those that believe it have never mowed in hilly terrain.
I have seen a mower flipped up, basically 90 degrees to the ground. That mower had a top link, no chain. The tractor was stuck in a ditch and as I pulled it out, the front of the mower caught on the lip of the ditch and the rear of the mower flipped straight up. It wasn't on so didn't hurt anything. In my mind, for the mower to get flipped clear over onto the driver, the tractor is already upside down.

 

[wore out]

I bought a set of prongs/forks to fit into my Farmall 350’s fast hitch to use for moving around and using a bush hog and maybe even a disc at the lower link pins. Probably some other uses I haven’t thought of - yet…

Reading a bit about bush hogs setup with a chain or no top link at all and some suggest the bush hog could catch on something and flip over onto the driver.

The F-350 would be handy with a small bush hog on the back of it - now I’m starting to wonder…

Has anyone known of an actual incident where a bush hog with a chain or no top link has flipped over on to a driver’s seat?

Anyone using these fast hitch prongs to pull a 3pt implement? Any issues?

Just curious.

Thanks!

The front lower "lip" of a rotary cutter is well below the lower 3-point pins and should it catch an immovable object the potential exists for the back of the cutter to be pitched upwards and forwards.

To what degree is what's in question here.

 

[Fritz Maurer]

You are correct, the Fast Hitch is capable of down pressure. I would still run a rigid top link. I do believe you can pull a pin somewhere on the Fast Hitch to make it float ( possibly the linkage at the bottom of the cylinder) , so you can back up to an incline and the hitch will raise without undue force.


Whether an accident will occur with the absence of a top link is impossible to say; it is not possible to account for every possible hitching/operating technique that people may try

 

[Jim.ME]

A swinging link like this mounted to the implement mast for the top link to connect to, give the tail freedom to move a good bit but allowing the top link to limit how high the back of the deck will come up if the front catches. Several manufacturers offer these on their rotary cutter/mowers, and one could build similar for a mower that doesn't have one.

 

[MARK ROBKE]

Wouldn't his 350 with fast hitch have down pressure? The one's I've see did, but I'm not an expert on fast hitches.

350s and 340s and 300u-s, (and I think 560s) have down pressure on the fast hitch-IF- the down pressure pin is installed. It is a great feature, but that pin is only needed for maybe using a scraper blade or maybe a subsoiler. You can put the pin in and lower the fast hitch drawbar onto a block and raise the rear wheels off the ground. Plows, discs, mowers, even the fast hitch drawbar, do not and should not ever have the down pressure pin installed-they are designed to float, and plows pull themselves into the ground anyway. On a 300u the pin is at the left side of the rockshaft. On a 340, and a 350, the pin is below the hydraulic cylinder.
As far as the chain for a top link-most bush hog/ rotary mowers have some linkage built in that allows the mower to tilt forward and backward to follow the ground contour. All I ever used was a top link. If you want to use a chain, slip it thru a pipe, but I agree with the others, it will never allow the bush hog to flip up on the operator. I farm/mow some steep ground -places that are hard to walk-and never have been even close to something like that happening. The main thing is: know your ground. PERIOD. If you can't see or don't know what you are driving over get off and walk thru it. Be safe, Mark.

 

[300jk]

I bought a set of prongs/forks to fit into my Farmall 350’s fast hitch to use for moving around and using a bush hog and maybe even a disc at the lower link pins. Probably some other uses I haven’t thought of - yet…

Reading a bit about bush hogs setup with a chain or no top link at all and some suggest the bush hog could catch on something and flip over onto the driver.

The F-350 would be handy with a small bush hog on the back of it - now I’m starting to wonder…

Has anyone known of an actual incident where a bush hog with a chain or no top link has flipped over on to a driver’s seat?

Anyone using these fast hitch prongs to pull a 3pt implement? Any issues?

Just curious.

Thanks!

I have a Farmall 300 with the same prongs you have and I use a top link when it’s hooked to my woods brush cutter. Where the top link connects to the brush cutter the last 6 or 8 inches swivel so that it isn’t completely rigid like the orange example someone posted. I made my own top link bracket for the tractor and it was fairly simple. Just made from scrap steel and bolts on using the 2 bolt holes over the pto on the rear of the transmission case.

 

[J Hamilton]

Not exactly a chain for the top link, but the same basic principle. And this is a factory design. I have a 6' cutter with this design

 

[Caryc]

I purchased my 8N with a Woods M5 mower on it. This homemade sliding top link was on it. I works very well, I'm now using it on my MF202 with that mower. It will extend to the stop on it so it has 7 1/2" of play in it if the tail wheel needs to run over some object.

 

[used red MN]

The PTO shaft will stop the scenario you are pondering. It will only collapse so far and then the raising/flipping of the rotary mower will stop. At that point it will also be making a tremendous racket and your foot will go to the clutch. Also if you pay attention and slow down when encountering uneven terrain and prepare to stop you should never have this problem anyway. Also don’t put your head phones on and crank Mel Tillis to 10+. About the only thing I could think of that may come close to possibly causing this is an unsuspected gopher den that collapsed under your rear tire.
Just think of the yahoos that get on these tractors that have no business on them in the first place. Then they head into the gosh forsaken backwoods to their gully ridden “deer plot” This is how these types of things come to be reported. Sorry, if I have given a partial description of anyone on here. Having your kid run this thing requires a notch up on due diligence to make sure he is aware of all this and knows what it means to “take it easy”!

 

[Johnnypopper]

I bought a set of prongs/forks to fit into my Farmall 350’s fast hitch to use for moving around and using a bush hog and maybe even a disc at the lower link pins. Probably some other uses I haven’t thought of - yet…

Reading a bit about bush hogs setup with a chain or no top link at all and some suggest the bush hog could catch on something and flip over onto the driver.

The F-350 would be handy with a small bush hog on the back of it - now I’m starting to wonder…

Has anyone known of an actual incident where a bush hog with a chain or no top link has flipped over on to a driver’s seat?

Anyone using these fast hitch prongs to pull a 3pt implement? Any issues?

Just curious.

Thanks!

One of my friends had the mower flip up and hit him. Fortunately he was not badly hurt. He was not using a top link and the
Front of the mower hit a stump and flipped up. The pto shaft was destroyed but it did not stop the mower from flipping up.

 

[ss55]

I bought a set of prongs/forks to fit into my Farmall 350’s fast hitch to use for moving around and using a bush hog and maybe even a disc at the lower link pins. Probably some other uses I haven’t thought of - yet…

Reading a bit about bush hogs setup with a chain or no top link at all and some suggest the bush hog could catch on something and flip over onto the driver.

The F-350 would be handy with a small bush hog on the back of it - now I’m starting to wonder…

Has anyone known of an actual incident where a bush hog with a chain or no top link has flipped over on to a driver’s seat?

Anyone using these fast hitch prongs to pull a 3pt implement? Any issues?

Just curious.

Thanks!

Similar to using a heavy wall pipe over a tow chain to prevent a towed vehicle from hitting the towing vehicle when there is slack in the chain. Maybe use a pipe 6 to 12 inches shorter than the top link chain to allow a reasonable amount of float without enough slack to flip up and hit the tractor. Might require some trial and error to get the chain and pipe lengths right.

 

[MJMJ]

Just use a top link. The chain is a solution to a problem that never existed.

 

[Duner Wi]

"Has anyone known of an actual incident where a bush hog with a chain or no top link has flipped over on to a driver’s seat?"

IH350U with JD506 bush hog. Chain for top link with adapters into 2 point.
Brush hog caught on something and stood right up to near my head. So it can happen but not very often.

 

[Bill VA]

Thanks for the replies everyone - much appreciated!

 

[caterpillar guy]

Some how I have trouble with a mower being much of a problem wile mowing tipping up like described since if it did the pto shaft would be twisted to junk from being bent to a 90 with the yoke being such it would not turn. Either twisting the shaft like a pretzel or killing the tractor engine. all depending on the size of tractor. Could it flip up and hit the driver I'm doubting that with the lift arms connected to the rock shaft at the top being behind the driver and solid.

 

[BarnyardEngineering]

Some how I have trouble with a mower being much of a problem wile mowing tipping up like described since if it did the pto shaft would be twisted to junk from being bent to a 90 with the yoke being such it would not turn. Either twisting the shaft like a pretzel or killing the tractor engine. all depending on the size of tractor. Could it flip up and hit the driver I'm doubting that with the lift arms connected to the rock shaft at the top being behind the driver and solid.

All that means is the PTO shaft isn't going to do anything to stop the mower from flipping up. Others have responded with FIRST HAND accounts where the PTO shaft did nothing to stop the mower from flipping up. It just "twisted to junk" as the mower flipped up on its end.

The best solution is to not tip the mower. Most mower tips are avoidable by not driving too fast for the conditions and watching for obstacles. If you're mowing unknown territory, you tiptoe your way through in low gear so you have time to react. When your neck hurts from your head snapping back and forth as you drive across the field, you might be going too fast.

 

[Caryc]

All that means is the PTO shaft isn't going to do anything to stop the mower from flipping up. Others have responded with FIRST HAND accounts where the PTO shaft did nothing to stop the mower from flipping up. It just "twisted to junk" as the mower flipped up on its end.

The best solution is to not tip the mower. Most mower tips are avoidable by not driving too fast for the conditions and watching for obstacles. If you're mowing unknown territory, you tiptoe your way through in low gear so you have time to react. When your neck hurts from your head snapping back and forth as you drive across the field, you might be going too fast.

My MF202 with mower never goes faster than high first grear.