Should I use stabalizer bars

[asphelt]

I use my 8N for brush hogging and disking.

Both implements swing a lot against the chains when turning at the end of the round or traveling to the field. If I install stabilizer bars (from the axle to the implement) would the lift still work properly?

 

[HCooke]

I use sway bars with my brush hog but not with my
disc.

 

[mbramble]

I wouldn't run my bush hog without the bars anymore. They make all the difference in the world and have no affect on the use of the lift. If you already have the mounts under the fenders then you can pick up the bars pretty cheap from New Holland. I think they are $10-12 each at my local NH dealer. If you don't have the mounting brackets you can order them from this site or external_link.

Not sure about the disc yet. I have only acquired mine recently and only used it a little since all the gardens were already tilled when I got it.

 

[Tracy Brown]

Yes

 

[Dave8N in Pa]

Not on the disc. If you hit a rock or stump you can break the disc.

 

[souNdguy]

hogging? fer sure..

plowing.. Nope.

discing and harrowing.. usually not... just depends on the specific TYPE of harrow i'm using...

just imho..

soundguy

 

[8N-Bob]

(quoted from post at 10:23:33 05/10/12)
hogging? fer sure..

plowing.. Nope.

discing and harrowing.. usually not... just depends on the specific TYPE of harrow i'm using...

just imho..

soundguy

I will add to that

cultivating Yep.

 

[Bruce (VA)]

If you get the correct stabilizer bars & brackets for an N, they will not effect the lift.

Use stabilizer bars when you want the implement to have no lateral movement that will take out your fence posts or 3 feet of corn in the row.

That means stabilizer bars on your bush hog, finishing mower & cultivator............and usually nothing else.
50 Tips

 

[Caryc]

Before I had stabilizer bars on my brush hog I had one chain break and the opposite side lift arm swung into the tire treads. I was lucky, I was going slow and turning. All of a sudden there was this thunk, thunk, thunk. It was the lift arm catching on the tire tread.

Did a little damage but since I was going slow I caught it right away. So, yes, use stabilizer bars. Keeping the lateral swing out of the brush hog is also better for your drive shaft. Your BH should run smoother with them.

 

[G6 at Snook, TX]

I would add post hole augers to the list of implements to use stabilizer bars. I have and it cuts down on the bucking and pitching.

 

[douglloyd]

Mine are on for pretty much everything, since we have really hilly ground. They will keep a heavy load from swinging as much when suspended from a boom pole. And as mentioned earlier, depending upon how wide your rear tires are set at, sway bars will keep the implement off the sidewalls.

Doug

 

[Tom N MS]

Yes, use em on everything..

 

[Ultradog MN]

I have never owned a set of stab bars. Thought about them several times just never did buy a set.
The only place I could see myself using them would be with the brush mower as I have broken a check chain bracket before from it swinging back and forth. On the other hand, I do like to be able to give the steering wheel a quick jerk and sashay the mower out a couple more inches. Same thing with the finish mower. I do that quite a bit when trying to mow a little closer to a tree or shrub that has a lot of low branches.

 

[Tom N MS]

Try them-I bet you will never be without them again and takes lots of stress and pressure off of other points...With them, you have even more control to sachet in and out around and close to trees, ditches and such...

 

[Caryc]

(quoted from post at 18:29:37 05/10/12) Try them-I bet you will never be without them again and takes lots of stress and pressure off of other points...With them, you have even more control to sachet in and out around and close to trees, ditches and such...

My brush hog ran a lot smoother with a heck of a lot less vibration as soon as I put them on. I think like I said, they keep that drive shaft in a straighter position behind the tractor.

I think without them when the rotary blades hit heavy stuff, they tend to push the whole mower side to side. The stabilizer bars just do what they are intended to do.

 

[Tom N MS]

Yes, you are exactly right..They should be used all the time..no reason not to. Lots of reasons to use em..

 

[NoNewParts]

Yes, your lift will be fine.
align the stabilizer front pin with the lift arm pin
if your bracket has multiple holes.

I use them on everything except a bottom plow or disk.
I used to use them on the disk, but
in tough ground, the disk will steer the tractor if it can't
move side to side.
reverse moves like winter plowing or a slip scoop, the bars take some of the hit off your lift pins.
(check out an old tractor with original sway bars. The bar pins are usually
worn a lot. Better them than the lift pins)
For winter plowing, I'm considering heavily reinforcing some
swaybars, so they can't flex at all, for those hidden stumps and such.
If you have a weird size implement, putting just one side on works.

 

[Caryc]

If you have a weird size implement, putting just one side on works.

Concerning the above, If you are going to buy stabilizer bars I would suggest buying one flat one and one adjustable one. It is a lot easier to install the flat one first and then adjust the adjustable one to fit the other side.

As NoNewParts implied, on some implements getting that second one on can be a real PIA. The adjustable one just prevents all those problems.

 

[G6 at Snook, TX]

I bought one of those adjustable types from TSC and it did not fit the 8n.

Anyhow, to work around the tightness issue of an original style stabilizer bar, I took the cutting torch and elongated the hole a bit and achieved the same end.

 

[Caryc]

(quoted from post at 09:51:11 05/11/12) I bought one of those adjustable types from TSC and it did not fit the 8n.

Anyhow, to work around the tightness issue of an original style stabilizer bar, I took the cutting torch and elongated the hole a bit and achieved the same end.

I purchased my adjustable one from TSC also I think. It had a problem with one of the ends not fitting onto the pin on the mower because the eye hole was at such an angle that it would not slip onto the pin. This was also on my 8N.

I just heated the end of the bar and straightened out the eye and it slipped right on, no problem. I don't know why they put those ends at such an angle like that. When I stand in back of my tractor and look at the bars, they come pretty much straight back from the tractor pins to the implement pins.

It is also good to have that adjustable bar to center the mower in back of the tractor so that the drive shaft runs straight back. Easier on the U-joints.