Tar River drum mower?

[PJH]

I've been wondering - how well do the drum mowers do in heavy hay? I have a lot of johnson grass. It makes good hay if I can get it cut early, but this year has been a struggle. I fertilize well. I'm looking at 6' tall growth in one field, second cutting. Is that too much to expect a drum mower to handle? Also - I found threads from 2023 that discussed the Tar River drum mowers. Two years have passed. Have any maintenance issues popped up?

Thanks for any comments.

 

[Jim in NC]

This is my second year using one. I have had heavy wind-blown, tangled hay this year. I just finished cutting it on Saturday and baling on Monday. I also have a neighgor who has used one for several years. He told me that he had never plugged his. I have yet to plug mine.

I cut about 17 acres twice a year. I sharpened my blades this spring before using it, and have not sharpened them since. If you get one make sure to get the spacer kit that enables it to cut a bit higher. Also the cylinder lift kit is worth it.

 

[Texasmark]

I've been wondering - how well do the drum mowers do in heavy hay? I have a lot of johnson grass. It makes good hay if I can get it cut early, but this year has been a struggle. I fertilize well. I'm looking at 6' tall growth in one field, second cutting. Is that too much to expect a drum mower to handle? Also - I found threads from 2023 that discussed the Tar River drum mowers. Two years have passed. Have any maintenance issues popped up?

Thanks for any comments.

I recently cut a heavy field of Coastal Bermuda and weeds with my Tar River 185 with new blades installed. Half way through, about 5 acres, pulling below PTO rated RPMS, and running my Ford 3910 at about 1600 RPM (PTO max is 1800) in 3rd gear I started smelling something burning.

Drums are driven by 4 ea. 85" metric V belts and I had the tension set per the manual. Stopping and pulling the belt cover off I found the rear two belts burned up. This is the second time this has happened and you have to replace all 4 as a set...about $100 with shipping.

Going to the TR site they direct you to a dealer.....what dealer????? I surfed and found a farm equipment supplier that had them in stock....but down the road I found out that they are in N. Ireland. Well, after some confusion and been a couple of weeks, yesterday I get an email to the fact that they were in US customs.

So I sent an email to the TR home office and told them I contacted them as I thought they would have the best information concerning malfunctions......to wit, is the deflection measurement on belt tensioning, the right answer or should it be more or less.....currently awaiting their reply.

No telling how much longer I am going to be down.

 

[DRussell]

I recently cut a heavy field of Coastal Bermuda and weeds with my Tar River 185 with new blades installed. Half way through, about 5 acres, pulling below PTO rated RPMS, and running my Ford 3910 at about 1600 RPM (PTO max is 1800) in 3rd gear I started smelling something burning.

Drums are driven by 4 ea. 85" metric V belts and I had the tension set per the manual. Stopping and pulling the belt cover off I found the rear two belts burned up. This is the second time this has happened and you have to replace all 4 as a set...about $100 with shipping.

Going to the TR site they direct you to a dealer.....what dealer????? I surfed and found a farm equipment supplier that had them in stock....but down the road I found out that they are in N. Ireland. Well, after some confusion and been a couple of weeks, yesterday I get an email to the fact that they were in US customs.

So I sent an email to the TR home office and told them I contacted them as I thought they would have the best information concerning malfunctions......to wit, is the deflection measurement on belt tensioning, the right answer or should it be more or less.....currently awaiting their reply.

No telling how much longer I am going to be down.

What's the latest on the customs and having to pay a tariff? Will you have to pay it?

 

[Texasmark]

What's the latest on the customs and having to pay a tariff? Will you have to pay it?

Don't know yet. Don't expect it to be much if one is required. Being farm parts from a farm parts dealer, clearly indicated on the shipping voucher, I doubt there will be any. The US entrance is Jamaica NY and is said to be the largest and most advanced USPS facility in the US. For fast transit times I read that 3 to 10 days is the norm. For questionable shipments it can get into years so the information states.

I understand that you will be contacted by the USPS to pay via the www the duty so that your item can continue shipping. The belts arrived yesterday so its too early for any correspondence from them.

One thing I didn't do and it just didn't happen ????? was to find and contact a US TR dealer and check with them on stocking the belts. I don't know why it didn't occur to me. I normally get parts from non dealer suppliers for several reasons and just didn't.....maybe had I done that I would have the new belts installed and mowing.

 

[DRussell]

One thing I didn't do and it just didn't happen ????? was to find and contact a US TR dealer and check with them on stocking the belts. I don't know why it didn't occur to me. I normally get parts from non dealer suppliers for several reasons and just didn't.....maybe had I done that I would have the new belts installed and mowing.

Yes, you'd probably be up and going already. However, it depends on other factors as well.

For example, I have a Galfre disc mower, made in Italy. Depending on what is needed for parts you have to plan ahead. There's a full service dealer/distributor for them near Cincinnati that has a pretty good selection of parts and they will ship anywhere in the US. They told me they get a container or two shipped in from Italy one time every year with the parts they expect to need throughout the year. If you happen to need a part they don't have, they will not even order it until they order their next container of parts.
In my example, belts would be something they would typically stock, and buy several of; however, if they happened to sell more than expected you'd be SOL till they ordered again.

 

[Texasmark]

This is my second year using one. I have had heavy wind-blown, tangled hay this year. I just finished cutting it on Saturday and baling on Monday. I also have a neighgor who has used one for several years. He told me that he had never plugged his. I have yet to plug mine.

I cut about 17 acres twice a year. I sharpened my blades this spring before using it, and have not sharpened them since. If you get one make sure to get the spacer kit that enables it to cut a bit higher. Also the cylinder lift kit is worth it.

This is my 2nd drum. The first one was a different brand and I had installed the 1" spacer that spaced out the lower disc lower, raising the blades from the soil in support of Sudan Sorghum needing a longer stem for decent regrowth in a reasonable time, held in place with 3 socket head screws. Well the diameter of that spacer wasn't enough to keep uneven ground from causing a failure at that junction. Working alone I couldn't do the repair due to the weight of the machine and location...so I sold it and bought the TR. I didn't put any spacer on this one. As others have said, tilting the deck slightly to the rear raises the cutting height and as long as you always go forward, the height works ok.....you are cautioned against going in reverse anyway as there is no breakaway function in reverse like there is forward.

 

[Texasmark]

What's the latest on the customs and having to pay a tariff? Will you have to pay it?

I just pulled up the tracking history and it passed through customs and is at the USPS depot in NYC. So, I guess from the UK, farm repair parts aren't taxed as I haven't heard from Customs and they have passed it on.

 

[PJH]

I recently cut a heavy field of Coastal Bermuda and weeds with my Tar River 185 with new blades installed. Half way through, about 5 acres, pulling below PTO rated RPMS, and running my Ford 3910 at about 1600 RPM (PTO max is 1800) in 3rd gear I started smelling something burning.

Drums are driven by 4 ea. 85" metric V belts and I had the tension set per the manual. Stopping and pulling the belt cover off I found the rear two belts burned up. This is the second time this has happened and you have to replace all 4 as a set...about $100 with shipping.

Going to the TR site they direct you to a dealer.....what dealer????? I surfed and found a farm equipment supplier that had them in stock....but down the road I found out that they are in N. Ireland. Well, after some confusion and been a couple of weeks, yesterday I get an email to the fact that they were in US customs.

So I sent an email to the TR home office and told them I contacted them as I thought they would have the best information concerning malfunctions......to wit, is the deflection measurement on belt tensioning, the right answer or should it be more or less.....currently awaiting their reply.

No telling how much longer I am going to be down.

Mark - I see belts and many other parts listed on the Sweet Farm Equipment website. They are located in Munfordville, Kentucky.

 

[Texasmark]

Mark - I see belts and many other parts listed on the Sweet Farm Equipment website. They are located in Munfordville, Kentucky.

Thank you sir....will bookmark that.

 

[Texasmark]

Received my belts today. Considering the distance and international thing and all that, whomever managed this overseas shipment thing certainly deserves at atta-boy-girl. No customs duties, as I expected farm repair parts are exempt and apparently they are. It arrived in NYC customs on Friday, immediately went to USPS for a USPS delivery system...so you have Saturday and Sunday not expecting anything to happen, and today, Tuesday my parts are on machine and working as I expect...............whatta deal. When everybody gets their act together and make things happen that's better than baseball and apple pie!!!!!!!

 

[DRussell]

Excellent! When things work well, it's always a blessing.