rotary mower

[SteveS]

Spring might come here to Michigan today. I am feverish to hook up the brush hog to my 8. What is the proper way? I will be clearing rough ground. Should I use a chain top link? Should I use stabilizer bars? Any other suggestions?

 

[souNdguy]

I like the sway bars to keep the mower from swinging side to side.. some like the chain toplink if you have real hilly terrain.. I personally prefer a rigid toplink.. but then I live in a pancake flat state too..

soundguy

 

[Bruce (VA)]

First off, you need an ORC on the tractor. Do not even think about operating a bush hog w/o one. Next, you will find it a lot easier to hook it up if it is on concrete blocks & on level ground. Back up straight to it. Then, lower the lift arms, turn the PTO off & turn the tractor off. Hook up the left arm first, followed by the right arm w/ the leveling box. That way, if it is out of level by a inch or two, you can use the leveling box to move the arm to the bush hog....and not vice-versa unless you are a 500lb gorilla! Then, hook up the top link. Do not hook up the PTO.

Stabilizer bars w/ a bush hog are important. I use them. What I do, is start the tractor, lift the bush hog off the blocks & move forward a couple of feet. W/ the tractor in neutral & the bush hog off of the ground, I remove the link pin & install one sway bar, then the other. It is very difficult to get both the lift arms & sway bars attached w/ the bush hog on the ground. Finally, I hook up the PTO.
50 Tips

 

[AM-Seb]

SteveS, it may not be guaranteed that a rigid toplink can prevent a backflip, but it IS guaranteed that a chain toplink WON'T. Angelo

 

[MikeT]

What the others said plus I use two adjustable chains one from each side of the top link and down to the hyd arm pins. This way I can drop the hyd control arm all the way down and the chains will catch the brush hog at a constant depth. I figure less wear and tear on the hyd pump that way plus the constant height. I use sway bars too and an over-riding clutch. Plus an adjustable top link bar to get the proper angle on the blade. I run the back of my hog about 1" higher than the front. That way it better tends to throw stuff out the back.