Questions about mowing brush

[carpetfarmer]

Whats the biggest tree you would want to *safely* mow over with a rotary mower? I've taken out some that are about 3/4" with my 2N, but I've got a friend who wants me to mow his pasture for him and he said there are some "small trees" out there but I don't know how big they are. I've taken out some 4" trees with an 85 hp JD 6415 and batwing going super slow but I'm not sure what my 2N can handle without shelling gearboxes, ptos or causing any other harm to anything or anyone.

 

[Jimmyjack]

If you had guts enough to mow a 4 inch tree I wouldnt want to advise you. Myself, I wouldnt mow only the occasional 3/4 inch piece of brush. More than that in my estimation is abuse of equipment.

 

[dogobat]

i've got a "squealer" rotary, and the manual says no more than 1" (its a light duty)

 

[carpetfarmer]

Sorry, I spose I should explain that the 4" tree was at work about the 3rd time I had ever run the rotary mower and they told me to do it, that they had done it many times before. I was in A1Reverse hovering over the clutch and PTO shutoff.

 

[souNdguy]

generally speaking, green brush and saplings that the front axle pushes over can be mowed. I've mowed 2" GREEN and flexible, and 1.5" woody before.. I don't like to make a steady diet of them. hard on the mower.

soundguy

 

[Ultradog MN]

Put a front grill guard on so you don't damage the nose. Then if the tree you run over is so big that it lifts the front end off the ground when you try to run over it it's too big

 

[Dean]

It depends upon how long you wish your equipment to last, the type of wood and how often you do it.

A decent 9/2/8N with a good 4' or 5' cutter should cut 2" willow saplings but do not try to cut many 1" osage orange saplings.

Be certain that you have correct shear bolts in place or that your slip clutch is functional and
properly adjusted if you take on the job.

Dean

 

[TomN]

My Father just gave me the M/F hog he used for years.... Thing is sooo heavy duty that it will lift the front on an N if mower is raised and you hit a small hill... almost dangerous.... But, My 9n will mow heavy brush if I ask of it... I just peel away at it.... Don't take the whole 5 ft at once... also, be aware, that most brush clumps have raised crowns... so I raise the PTO a little beofre hitting them... Brush typically mows easier then heavy grass... if you go about it correctly...(grass take more RPM)... just be aware.... I hit a brush clump, (went over it, knocked it over, and lowered mower on top)... the resulting force broke an upper PTO lift arm.. (had been welded one already)... so, now I am face with that task, of changing a PTO upper whaft arm....
Typically, if the front steering arm will push it over, a heavy duty hog will chop it....

 

[souNdguy]

mega ditto on a brush guard. if you are mowing brush.. protect that radiator.

I make heavy guards for all my machines that mow in thicket...

soundguy

 

[Cutty]

I have a good running 8n and a heavy duty 5' bush hog and it will cut anything I can run over and get under it. Two inch stuff no prob.

 

[carpetfarmer]

Thank you guys for the advice.

When he asked me, I told him 1 1/2" was definitely the biggest I would do. I guess I was about right on there, even a little on the conservative side.

As most of you mentioned, I'm not a real big fan of heavy brush work, especially frequent brush work and especially with my own equipment. Most of my mowing at home are weeds in the pasture with one problematic treelike bush about 3/4" that I mentioned before.

I also, like majority of you, believe that one will be OK if they respect the machine, slow down a little, are conciencous with a little common sense about what they are doing and know when to stop.

Thanks again.

 

[ericlb]

for me, i do a lot of mowing , if its more than 1 1/2 inch i cut it with a saw, not because the brush hog wont cut it, but because its hard on the equipment, think of it this way, even if the brush hog will chop it up, everytime it hits that wood its a shock load, and that shock isnt just to the bearings and blades and driveshaft on the brush hog, it also travels up the tractors pto shaft and into the rear end and tranny and pump, do you really want to subject your tractor to that? its your tractor and your money, spend it as you wish