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Incomplete cut on rotary mower

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Redmessage
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2002-06-02          39251

I just purchased a 6' Befco rotary cutter for my JD4300 to cut my 25+ acres of horse pasture. It gives a good clean cut everywhere but on the right side. The far right 6 inches cut fine, but the next 6-8 inches in are just shredded, not cut, and show up on the next round the pasture. Then I have to overlay the cutter to get this uncut portion and lose at least 1' of my cut area. This then adds to my cut time by 20%. I have tried different heights on the cut, made sure the deck is level, but still a problem. The grass is fairly deep and thick, but this uncut section shows up even in the thinner grass sections. It does appear to be where the tires track (R4's). Any ideas on how to fix? Thanks in advance.

Redman


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Incomplete cut on rotary mower

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TomG
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 5406 Upper Ottawa Valley
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2002-06-03          39262

I don't have a cutter so there's no expertise here. I am aware that cutter often are adjusted so they angle down toward the front. My understanding is that they require less power when adjusted this way. It also might help the uneven cutting problem. ....

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Incomplete cut on rotary mower

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Peters
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 3034 Northern AL
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2002-06-03          39267

If it is the tires and the laydown of the grass then normally it is the side that gets run over twice before cutting.
Options are:
Checking deck allignment - is one control arm or mount on the deck higher or lower than the other.
Blade speed - the vacuum action on a rotary cutter is low therefore the speed needs to be higher than normal. You may need to increase the tractors RPM to the PTO speed. Fortunately I have a 2 speed PTO on my tractor and can idle around the field and still cut fine.
Blade sharpness - rotary cutters are designed to cut large brush and weeds. They are not really intended to give a fine cut. Blades are shipped with dull blades designed to cut and shatter the larger trees. If you are cutting mostly fields you may need to sharpen the blades. I would suggest a dual edge approach with the original factory bevel and then a sharper angle on the tip to provide a sharp lower edge. ....

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DavidJ
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 62 Alabama
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2002-06-03          39272

I also think it may be the sharpening of the blades or the speed that's causing your problem. If I'm correct the rotation of the blades is clockwise therefore at that point cutting tip is moving the same direction the grass is laying and since the lift of those blades is not great, you're not lifting the grass enough to be cleanly cut. The reason that the outside is being cut correctly is that you have a few more seconds for the grass to right before passing the blade tips. ....

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Incomplete cut on rotary mower

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treebone
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2002-06-04          39301

I had the same problem with my first tractor, a 21 HP CaseIH255 and a JD503 cutter. My second tractor and cutter does not have that problem. The difference is more HP and the new cutter, a Landpride 2572, has a cutout at the rear of the cutter housing. I would say that is probobly the reason it cuts better. The JD503 (new version is the JD513) always dumped the cuttings on one side, so it must have been clogged with clippings on that side, the rear discharge housing on the new cutter allows a cleaner cut. I suppose I could have cut out the back of the JD housing (it was light guage steel and crumpled up pretty bad anyway) and had the improved discharge. ....

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Murf
Join Date: Dec 1999
Posts: 7249 Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada
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2002-06-04          39310

I believe that in most cases this is caused by a combination of factors, 1) the grass is getting too long between cuts, 2) it is being driven over before cutting, packing it down, and 3) it is being cut at too high a speed, most cutters work far better at slow speed, slower than most people are will to cut. On golf courses the 'roughs' are usually cut with a bat-wing type rotary mower and at a speed that is less than that at which you would take at a leisurely stroll, on an 8 speed gear box usually 3rd gear is used. Best of luck. ....

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Art White
Join Date: Jan 2000
Posts: 6898 Waterville New York
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2002-06-04          39312

Good call Murf. ....

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schwiers@schwier.inf
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2002-06-04          39315

Did you purchase the BEFCO deck with the mulching kit and High Lift Blades? These two items help pick up the grass after it's been run over by the tires. My setup works great a Kubota B2710 Medium Range full speed with a BEFCO 72" C30 and sharp blades.

Look here http://befco.com/products/cyclone/c30optionals.html

High Lift Blades
The high suction flaps on these blades lift grass that has been bent by the tractor tires before cutting it. Sold singularly.
....

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redmessage
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2002-06-04          39317

The high lift blades are available for the finishing mower (C30), but are they available for a rotary cutter? ....

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Alan L
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 9 Texas
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2002-06-04          39323

I have a Rhino 5' cutter and it does a great job. The only time there is any poorly cut grass it is right where you indicate. Seems like it is only particular species of grass - volunteer oats seems to be the biggest culprit. The only solution I have found is to slow down or overlap the way you are doing. Fortunately its seems I don't have this problem on most species of grass in my field, so I don't have to slow down or overlap that much. This is where the Hydro comes in real handy. ....

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TomG
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 5406 Upper Ottawa Valley
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2002-06-05          39329

I think I should refer my wife to Murf and Art. I've never convinced her that high throttle and low gear on our riding mower is the way to cut. Of course, she objects to the noise. Probably the most knowledgeable consultants in the world wouldn't convince her to do anything but chug around the yard at low rpm. She'd agree with them though. ....

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Art White
Join Date: Jan 2000
Posts: 6898 Waterville New York
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2002-06-05          39330

A few years back someone came out with head phones with stereo. They work just fine to overcome some rpm noise. ....

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Murf
Join Date: Dec 1999
Posts: 7249 Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada
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2002-06-05          39335

A number of years back I came a cross a rather clever idea on one of the courses, the turf manager had mounted a very robust 2:1 gear box on the rough mower, since the mower was being over-driven to start with (getting far more hp than required) he figured this would allow the tractor to run at half speed while the mower still got full rpm's. While I have seen many people with two-speed pto's running low power implements (sprayers, blowers, etc.) using the 1000rpm speed and half throttle I cannot recommend this for any such load as cutting since it puts tremendous loads on the pto clutch and driveline in general, just like lugging any other drive system. Best of luck. ....

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Peters
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 3034 Northern AL
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2002-06-05          39340

Murf;
I would not recommend this for any other set up eithor. I am not running this on my small tractor. I have a Bush Hog 287 with a slip clutch on a MF 65 diesel tractor. I am cutting Bahai and weed which is not like Fescue or other normal grasses. Normally it is light cutting. The tractor does not load up.
Peters
....

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Peters
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 3034 Northern AL
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2002-06-05          39344

Murf;
I don't know if the PTO is 540 and 1000. The only reference I can find is the 540, but there are 2 speeds.
Peters
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Todd Wilson
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2002-07-01          39969

I have this problem with my JD950 and 5 foot sometimes. Depends on the grass. Seems like fine thick grass/weeds will do this. After experimenting If I have a big field to mow I drive clockwise and it doesnt miss a thing. Go counter clock wise and it seems like it leaves a thin line of weeds standing. I guess the direction of the blade spinning gives a better cut going one way or the other. All uncut grass will be to my right as I mow and it always does a good job then?!?!


Todd
....

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