New Bush Hog

[Peanut]

Been trying to decide whether to buy a new 3-point hitch bush hog. The little 4ft is on it’s last legs, worried its about to come apart. Few years ago I had a 10ft hay mower turn itself into pieces of shrapnel while I was running it. That’ll wake you up in the morning!

A new 6ft is just a little big for our use. 90% of the mowing is around pens, corrals, barns etc and lot is cut while backing up in narrow areas. A 5ft would work better.

I went over and got this 5ft pull type from underneath the old barn. I think dad bought it in the 60’s but is still in fair shape, always kept under a shed. All it needs is a couple pieces of flat stock welded on a rusty seam and a new set of blades. I greased it up and ran it almost an hour monday afternoon, ran fine. The gear box didn't even get hot.

But I despise a pull type. Luckily this one is already built to convert to 3pt hitch. Just unbolt the hitch, reattach it standing up then torch out a top hitch point. They make a single rear wheel assembly that can be bolted or welded on. I have a welder and a torch.

But dad thinks we need to just buy a new 5ft. He has doubts about the old one. To be continued.

 

[Camalot]

Your pull type brush hog is nice. But, they are not very maneuverable. Yours however is pretty heavy duty looking. New brush hog. I'm with your dad on this one. You might even trade that one for one.

 

[Bacpacker]

Pull types are nice for open fields, but suck everywhere else. Dad got him a new 5ft mower a few year back that he loves. Built in Tennessee IIRC. Ill try to get the brand name. He did get a good deal on it.

 

[Peanut]

This one is heavy duty. It was made to be a hybrid hay mower/bush hog. If you look at the top pic the vertical side plate is made to be taken off. This allows grass to be cut once then thrown out the side. It doesn't cut as clean as a sickle or disk mower but it's better than not having one at all. I've cut hay with it a few times long ago.

Most bush hogs use the vertical side plates as part of it's frame providing rigidity. Since this side plate can be removed the rest of the bush hog had to be made from thicker steel.

I've despised this pull type since I was a kid. It's a royal PIA around tight places which is 90% of use here. On open ground it runs great.

The reason dad got a pull type is we had on old Allis-Chalmers at that time that did not have 3point hitch, just a draw bar and a PTO.

The old Ford tractor will pull this one fine. But measuring from the center point of the PTO shaft to the ground, it stands higher than the Massy F. The hitch is also a couple inches higher.

I found that out the other night pulling it with the Massy. The leading edge of the side plates just dragged on the ground. The wheel height adjustment only raises the rear edge of the bush hog. The front edge height it determined by the height of the hitch from the ground (apx).

@Bacpacker please post the link. Bush hog prices are through the roof, need to find a deal. It I could find a frame thats not rusted out I'd buy. A new gear box and blades are about $250. I don't mind rebuilding one.

 

[Aklogcabin]

Hey I like it. Yeah it's old but still doing what it was intended to do also. Keep er greased n go

 

[Bacpacker]

This one is heavy duty. It was made to be a hybrid hay mower/bush hog. If you look at the top pic the vertical side plate is made to be taken off. This allows grass to be cut once then thrown out the side. It doesn't cut as clean as a sickle or disk mower but it's better than not having one at all. I've cut hay with it a few times long ago.

Most bush hogs use the vertical side plates as part of it's frame providing rigidity. Since this side plate can be removed the rest of the bush hog had to be made from thicker steel.

I've despised this pull type since I was a kid. It's a royal PIA around tight places which is 90% of use here. On open ground it runs great.

The reason dad got a pull type is we had on old Allis-Chalmers at that time that did not have 3point hitch, just a draw bar and a PTO.

The old Ford tractor will pull this one fine. But measuring from the center point of the PTO shaft to the ground, it stands higher than the Massy F. The hitch is also a couple inches higher.

I found that out the other night pulling it with the Massy. The leading edge of the side plates just dragged on the ground. The wheel height adjustment only raises the rear edge of the bush hog. The front edge height it determined by the height of the hitch from the ground (apx).

@Bacpacker please post the link. Bush hog prices are through the roof, need to find a deal. It I could find a frame thats not rusted out I'd buy. A new gear box and blades are about $250. I don't mind rebuilding one.

Will do Peanut. I'll see him Saturday. He's hard of hearing and hard to get the point across on the phone sometimes

 

[Bacpacker]

The company name is Tennessee River Implement Manufacturing Co.



Dad bought his in 2013. Hasn't had any issues with it. You can order the paint color you want, I think there are 5 to choose from. I think he got either a 5 or 6' medium duty model. Looks like you can order one from them if you have no dealers in your area
Let me know what you think

 

[Supervisor42]

They still make the original right in Selma Alabama:
https://bushhog.com/about/

@Peanut could probably save a bunch on shipping by getting one of these from a local dealer.

 

[Bacpacker]

Well that was the wrong link Peanut. Just noticed that. Ill fix it soon as I can

 

[Tirediron]

We had a Johndeere pull type that had a linkage to the front hitch so that it lifted level, but for tight spaces a 3 pth is a lot nicer,

 

[joel]

View attachment 73228

 

[joel]

This is the one I have.

 

[Bacpacker]

Here is the link to Tn River Implements. Sorry I messed the other one up.

Tennessee River Implements

 

[Peanut]

Thanks, I found them sometime yesterday. No prices on the website, have to find a dealer. Hopefully they have one in the Tennessee valley. Was going to make some calls monday.

 

[Bacpacker]

The factory is located in Dayton Tn. Just north up I 75 from Chattanooga

 

[Peanut]

I got a new bush hog last monday. It's made by KingKutter, a professional grade mower. I have about 7hrs run time on it Wednesday and today.

It has several features I like...
1) arch top instead of flat. This allows rain water to run off instead of standing and start rusting. Debris also tend to slide off.

2) It's 3-point hitch isn't ridged. It's made to allow the mower to float to the contour of the ground. It's great on rough ground! It cuts clean without the leading edge digging into soil. If I hit something like a big tree limb hidden in the grass it just floats right over.

Anyway, the new mower, some before and after photos of work I've done this week. Most was in a semi-wooded holler that hasn't been cut in 3 years. It had grown up in weeds and brush. I used to sow clover there in early spring, because of partial shade there'd be sweet clover for the cows into June. Now, even the bahia grass is dead over much of it and needs to be re-sown.

 

[Peanut]

Some afters... I still have about 3 days worth of cutting to do... afterwards it's time for serious cutting with a chainsaw.

Anyway... I highly recommend this bush hog for any who are interested.

 

[Spikedriver]

@Peanut that's a nice rig. I've never seen a red King Kutter before. The ones at the farm stores around here are always yellow...

 

[Bacpacker]

King Cutters brand is really good. I had a finish mower years ago that did a great job. They always had spares for anything that did break.
The rounded deck is a nice feature.

 

[Peanut]

The best part for me, the KingKutter factory is just right up the road, about 50miles. I can stop there and get any parts I need.

 

[joel]

My Lands pride is six feet & five inches. I am wondering if I can get into tight spots. Do you have that problem or have set you timber line so it is not a problem.
Sorry, but at 60 years old this is my first bush hog, Dad let the cows & hog clean up the brush. The house & two small corn/ vegetables patches were all that was not fenced in. The two patches were along the drive way, about 1/4 an acre each.

 

[Peanut]

My Lands pride is six feet & five inches. I am wondering if I can get into tight spots.

Do you have that problem or have set you timber line so it is not a problem.

I'm sorry, don't understand that sentence. Is there an adjustment on your hog called "timber line"?

But your first question. You can go anywhere as long as you have 6ft 6 inches of space.

 

[joel]

No, sorry I mean tree line, were the timber/ trees stop & the field start.
Six wide means faster cutting, less time on the tractor, but a four foot can get into tight places around the tree line of the field or road ways.

 

[Bacpacker]

No, sorry I mean tree line, were the timber/ trees stop & the field start.
Six wide means faster cutting, less time on the tractor, but a four foot can get into tight places around the tree line of the field or road ways.

Thats why I like 5' wide. kind of a good mix. At least for my place. Bigger fields could go 8-10' without problems. But wouldn't cut it for me.

 

[Peanut]

Your situation determines what is best. I have a lot of tight areas so 5 ft works best for me. I spend a good deal of time cutting backwards, in reverse. If cutting backwards is quicker that turning around... backwards I go! Again, a 5ft is a little easier to control while in reverse than a 6ft.

If the places you cut are more open go with a 6ft. It cuts more area in the same time.

 

[joel]

Thanks, I guess I can get the chain saw out if needed.

 

[Bacpacker]

I do a good deal of cutting in reverse as well. Wish the tractor had power steering

 

[Peanut]

My tractor is 2wd. On rough sloped ground with soft spots I prefer to back up hill. Especially when there's a lot of trees, stumps and limbs. It had little ditches 2ft deep, holes where old stumps had rotted out... and some very steep areas. The weeds and small brush were almost 6ft deep and very thick in spots.

Ya'll remember this from August? I'm still cutting the same weeds but with trees, brush and stumps added in.

Lol, it's been a couple years since I did serious bush hogging. August was the refresher course, a warm up to now.

 

[Supervisor42]

I got a new bush hog last monday.
It has several features I like...
1) arch top instead of flat. This allows rain water to run off instead of standing and start rusting. Debris also tend to slide off.

View attachment 74241

This is so long overdue!!!
There is no telling how many I helped scrap from water being puddled up on them, sitting outside for years, and the deck being rusted out.
It should also help with the flexing of the deck that on the flat ones yields cracks radiating out from the gearbox from vibration; think flat drumhead.
I hope they got a patent on that. Far superior!

 

[Peanut]

This is so long overdue!!!
I hope they got a patent on that. Far superior!

I read up on it in detail before I saw one. Yet I still expected the arch top to be much more complex than it was. I mean from a manufacturing point of view. A jig to weld one up wouldn't be complicated at all.

Since it's just up the road I'd like to stop by and see how they set up and weld one together.