Mower update pic's with ?

[flaboy?]

Ok, here is the latest update from the weekend. My question is, since this thing is so heavy and each cutter is connected via grade 8 bolts (seems like a lot of strain when lifting) what do you guys think if I made a bracket to connect the cutter bar to the curtain support. The curtain support bar is 1/4 inch 2x4 tubing. Way overkill if you ask me. Seems one could help the other when lifting them to the transport position.

Cutter bar with the disc removed for blade change and some repairs. This is connected directly to the gearbox and when lifted two grade 8 bolts support all the weight.

Curtain support, this is the one I am thinking about tieing to the cutter bar.

Worn out disc plate.

Same plate resurfaced.

Cutter bar reattached.

Cutter bar and curtain support attached.

 

[Canadian_Cowgirl]

Looks good so far!! But get a move on with fixing it! Im gunna change my nail polish and it wont match no more ahaha

But yeah, it looks like your doing a good job!!

Katy

 

[cowsrus]

I have a Lely mower and it has a bracket connected from the curtain cover bracket to the cutter bar. I also have an early model New Holland that also is connected. I have noticed on a lot of the newer mowers that the connecting bracket has been elimated. It makes them easier to work on without the bracket, but I guess on some models because of the weight of the cutter bar or whatever reason the manufacturer feels they are needed. By the way, what brand is the one your working on? Also good luck, I have had mine apart several times and its a pretty good project.

 

[flaboy?]

This is a Bush Hog DM90. It has independent gear boxes for each cutter head. The whole bar assembly is cast iron so it's heavy. I did some Google searching and found several new models designed the same way. Challenger and Case both make units just like this one.

I also found several imports that had a brace from the cutter bar to the curtain support. They call it a tie rod. I have decided I am going to build one and add on to this unit. I don't think it will hurt and it may help.

 

[cowtrek]

If it came that way from the factory (nothing connecting the skirt support to the cutterbar) I wouldn't go changing that now. For one thing, finding a place to connect to the cutterbar and not interfere with the disc's cutting arc may be one problem, and it might add weight or reduce the 'give' engineered into the cutterbar and skirt support enough to break something instead of just 'bouncing off it'. They've built enough of those cutterbars with the bolt together stacked sections that they've figured out the stress and strain on them and the two bolts holding them together are enough, or else that design would have gone out the window a LONG time ago by now! It might look funny but if it didn't work they'd all be in the fencerow by now.

I hope that you balanced those cutting disks after rewelding them and grinding them down. Those things spin AWFULLY fast and even a little more weight on one side or the other is going to cause a LOT of vibration due to centrifugal force when it gets spun up to speed! I'd think you'd want them dynamically balanced and I don't think anybody would have the equipment or facilities to do that. Just spinning them on a lawn mower blade balancer is better than nothing but I sure hope you're careful in those repairs, because if it's out of balance it could throw enough vibration and side-force into those bearings to knock out the spindle bearing and eat the gears up inside. Would be bad to have to tear into the bar and make repairs again trying to save money repairing worn out turtle disks. I know those turtles aren't cheap but there are good reasons for replacing them instead of patching them up.

Otherwise, it looks really good and I hope you have good luck with it! Best wishes! OL JR

 

[flaboy?]

Nope, I didn't balance them. Thought about rigging something up to check the balance on the discs but didn't. The only thing I tried to do is, do to both sides as closely as possible the same thing. Not an exact science I know. I also figured that since this thing had been used for years by a sod cutter guy and the blades didn't match, the turtles were not worn evenly, it would be no worse with my refacing. This cutter bar is built like a tank compared to my other mower. I have refaced a lot of discs over the years.

I do appreciated the warning though.

 

[flaboy?]

Well, I hope to test the unit this weekend. I hope to test it out Sat afternoon. If not then Sunday for sure. I finished building the pulley/belt cover last night. I put my painter to work on it when I got done. She splattered paint in her eye so that slowed me down.

Put all the turtles back on last night and discovered the end unit was out of time so I had remove it from the bar and re-time. I guess I didn't read close enough the first time. At least I caught it before I put it under power.

I bought a canvas tarp that is 10x8 finished and 10oz. Pretty heavy stuff for $30 to make the curtain out of.

The new matched set of belts haven't arrived yet but I can use the old ones to test with. If all goes well and the weather holds I plan to starting cutting hay with it next week. Should be much faster than my old worn out Italian unit.

 

[flaboy]

Just an update on this. I have now have two seasons on this unit. It cuts great and fast. Blades are $1.35 each. Uses 6 left and 8 right hand blades.

You ought to see it mow those fire ant hills. :lol2: