24hourcampfire.com
24hourcampfire.com
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Hop To
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 2,129
3
Campfire Regular
OP Offline
Campfire Regular
3
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 2,129
Just bought a well used one. Interested in experiences from others who've used one. Anything I should know? Will be used to clear sagebrush from an abandoned highway.

GB2

Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 69,484
Campfire Kahuna
Offline
Campfire Kahuna
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 69,484
Check the gear box for gear oil before using.

Sometimes those seals can give out with age, and the oil can drain out. If that happens, the gears inside will get hot, and you'll end up getting a new gear box. They aren't cheap.

Should be a plug nut at the top of the gear box for adding/checking oil level.


Molɔ̀ːn Labé Skýla!
Joined: Dec 2020
Posts: 297
D
Campfire Member
Offline
Campfire Member
D
Joined: Dec 2020
Posts: 297


If it doesn't have a slip clutch, it should have a shear bolt (protection when hitting rocks or stumps) ... ... don't trust the existing shear bolt to be correct type ... ... just replace it with a new one (per manufacturers specification).

I was given a brush hog that had a twisted drive shaft. Previous owner had let a relative borrow it, he hit something hard that cut through the shear bolt (as it should have) ... the relative installed a grade 5 bolt as a replacement. Then he hit something hard again, but the grade 5 bolt didn't shear, and the drive shaft twisted up.

Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 13,747
J
Campfire Outfitter
Offline
Campfire Outfitter
J
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 13,747
Originally Posted by rockinbbar
Check the gear box for gear oil before using.

Sometimes those seals can give out with age, and the oil can drain out. If that happens, the gears inside will get hot, and you'll end up getting a new gear box. They aren't cheap.

Should be a plug nut at the top of the gear box for adding/checking oil level.



This! Though some smaller ones have a plug on the side to check the level and plug at the top to add.

I'm pretty good at checking but I was in a rush a couple of weeks ago and didn't. It had never been low or changed level before. This was the first time I'd used it this spring. Not sure I would have caught it checking at the start, there was no evidence of gear oil on the gravel under where it was stored all winter so I'm guessing it happened either the last time I used it or during this time. ....sigh.....either way, my fault...

Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 2,129
3
Campfire Regular
OP Offline
Campfire Regular
3
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 2,129
Thanks. Used to square bale and know the importance of the proper shear bolt. Looked, and mine uses a shear bolt and doesn't appear to have a clutch. I'll hit the local JD dealer and pick some up, replace what's there. Gear box has oil, I'm assuming full enough cold to cover tbe gears is just right?

Last edited by 300_savage; 05/26/21.
IC B2

Joined: Dec 2020
Posts: 297
D
Campfire Member
Offline
Campfire Member
D
Joined: Dec 2020
Posts: 297
Also, check out the range of travel of the pto driveline when mounted on your tractor.

If the driveline was properly fitted for the bush hog for use on a tractor noticeably larger or smaller than your tractor, you might damage your tractor or the bush hog, or the inner pto shaft might slip out of the outer sleeeve and go banging around!

The are multiple sources on the internet showing how to properly shorten or lengthen a pto shaft.

Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 2,129
3
Campfire Regular
OP Offline
Campfire Regular
3
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 2,129
Thanks, I will check that out.

Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 69,484
Campfire Kahuna
Offline
Campfire Kahuna
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 69,484
Originally Posted by 300_savage
Thanks. Used to square bale and know the importance of the proper shear bolt. Looked, and mine uses a shear bolt and doesn't appear to have a clutch. I'll hit the local JD dealer and pick some up, replace what's there. Gear box has oil, I'm assuming full enough cold to cover tbe gears is just right?



Yessir, just enough gear oil to cover the gears. That leaves it some room when it warms up.


Molɔ̀ːn Labé Skýla!
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 2,129
3
Campfire Regular
OP Offline
Campfire Regular
3
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 2,129
Thanks for confirming

Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 239
A
AEL Offline
Campfire Member
Offline
Campfire Member
A
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 239
A little late to this, but to add to rockinbar, if the gear oil level is high enough, run the cutter for a little bit and check it again. If the gear oil looks milky, change it. Some of them will get a little water in them, if they sit outside. Gear oil is cheap - if in doubt, change it.

IC B3

Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 2,129
3
Campfire Regular
OP Offline
Campfire Regular
3
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 2,129
Good idea, thanks!


Moderated by  RickBin 

Link Copied to Clipboard
YB23

Who's Online Now
757 members (10gaugemag, 1beaver_shooter, 007FJ, 10ring1, 160user, 10gaugeman, 84 invisible), 2,913 guests, and 1,232 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Forum Statistics
Forums81
Topics1,187,704
Posts18,400,075
Members73,820
Most Online11,491
Jul 7th, 2023


 







Fish & Game Departments | Solunar Tables | Mission Statement | Privacy Policy | Contact Us | DMCA
Hunting | Fishing | Camping | Backpacking | Reloading | Campfire Forums | Gear Shop
Copyright © 2000-2024 24hourcampfire.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5
(Release build 20201027)
Responsive Width:

PHP: 7.3.33 Page Time: 0.138s Queries: 14 (0.004s) Memory: 0.8345 MB (Peak: 0.9247 MB) Data Comp: Zlib Server Time: 2024-03-29 00:45:01 UTC
Valid HTML 5 and Valid CSS