This is a trick I was taught by an older fellow when I moved into hilly terrain area lots of years ago. When the implement (rotary cutter) is raised the chain is pull taunt and lifts the cutter. When mowing, it is free to collapse and prevent damage.
Ensure the PTO shaft will telescope enough to not punch the back out of the gearbox. You can also install castering wheels at the deck font corners to ride the wheels instead of the drag shoes.
@@aaronspicer949 +1..........I watched this whole thing in pain, two thick flat plates with one end on each with a radius and hole bored for pin size on both tractor and mower, piece of thick chain welded one, other end had the chain bolted to its plate change length to your needs, to keep the chain from bouncing around split a piece of flexible hose down the center and zip strip it over the chain every few inches. You have the mower flex you need. Must be the younger generation, but that is how EVERYONE around me had 3pt mowers on 9,2, and 8N Fords.
A hydraulic top link is one of the greatest tools for a tractor. Makes life so much easier when attaching something that isn’t on level ground and you can adjust implement from the seat!
We’ve used a chain for years....cheap fix that works great. You can still lift the mower and it always floats when lowered while mowing....haven’t used an actual top link for decades on a brush hog
We use a heavy chain in place of the top link when running a rotary cutter. Using an expensive hydraulic top link is asking for pain and suffering when you bend that on some nasty terrain.
Thanks for the video. My Kubota factory manual ( L3200 ) is quite specific about having the 3 point chains adjusted tight ( no flexing ) while rotary mowing. So this video raises a interesting issue. My Land Pride RCR1260" does have a pivot at the top link. I have noticed the mower being rigid in certain changes of gradient which I do try to avoid. Every year I brush mow 30+ hrs on food plots and trails and other projects such as shooting lanes. My favorite chore on my property.
Ditto that old comment about a hydraulic top link. I added one this year, it makes things so much easier. Especially for a box blade. You get fine control of the link without any effort.
Good fixes you had Neil. I live in the Mountain state of W.V. I work for a Gas Company and on our pipeline Right of Ways we contract out the ROW mowing. I've seen their tractors top link removed and a piece of log chain was used for the top link. These were large 4x4 tractors pulling 7' rotory cutters.
We use a hydraulic top link but with the normal hoses disconnected. The ends of the cylinder are connected together with a valve in the middle of the hoses. the valve is positioned beside the seat. With the valve open the cylinder is free to travel in any direction of the length of stroke. With the valve closed the top link becomes ridged to allow normal lifting.
Seems that a chain to replace the top link is the overwhelming favorite option in the comments here, just wanted to suggest that if you were interested in using a hydraulic top link and do not either have rear remotes or a rear remote with "float", you can get longer hoses to connect to you loaders quick connects and use the boom's "float" position when you want "float" and easily pull it out of that to adjust for travel. (Did not see this was a year old till right after I hit reply 😂)
this is my set up. landpride 7 ft cutter on my mx5000, the cutter has two rear wheel's. i do not hook up the top link. i can raise and lower the cutter for a cutting height. also i can back up a hill and down over a hill to cut with max angle's.
Hills are where a draw bar attached mower does well. Our state guys mow some pretty insane hills with them. A buddy at the airport uaed them also and some of the places he goes are... well we will say way beyond factory recommendations. Their Ventracks have the angle sensors bypassed for use in the "pretty" areas.
It’s also overlooked that if you have too much range of motion you can bend driveshafts by hitting the deck, or pushing it together beyond its fully collapsed length can bend them or break U-Joints, so always make sure you set upper and lower travel limits. Pto shaft failure is one of the things that doesn’t happen often but if it does you’ll remember it.
A John Deere 503 grass cutter( light duty brush hog) has basically the same brackets as the Land Pride quick hitch. It does give a fair amount of travel.
When I ordered my L4060 the dealer recommended the 1st position to be a float because of the many options it presents. I added all three later on, so the first will still be float, the other two detent.
Ive see some mowers where instead of the rear tie bars they have replaced the with of chain from the back of the deck to where the 3point mount meats the top link that could work without needing to keep track of extra 3pt hardware
We found out many years ago that the two brace arms on the cutter will always end up getting bent all to hell, so on every new cutter we purchase, we remove the arms and install light weight log chains to the link arm A Frame, using the same bolt holes as the two long brace arms . These let the cutter float up all it wants without bending anything. Ford and some others used to offer these chains on new cutters.
Hi there I've got a l4240 and looking at getting a offset verge mower which requires 2 twin.acting aux remotes , 1 for the offset and 1 for the tilt of the mower rotor , I need to fit a another twin acting remote .my question is would I need a valve with float . Many thanks in advance
I have a problem staying somewhat level in soft sand with my landscape rake. I even bought the gage wheels. Flexible top link and chain have both been suggested. I want to get a set of links you showed.
Love your videos - very informative. Can you please do one on how to remove and then reattach backhoe on M62? It’s a great machine but I need to take the backhoe off this summer and written directions are not great. Thank you.
check chains go from the upper link pin to the top of the mower deck. So when you drop the mower down it will stop at the chain. You set it at the height you want. Then you don't have to worry about dropping it too far. My finish mower has them. my brush hog does not.
The issue I think you would have is that if you use something like a chain then it seems like it does not pick the deck up high enough when done mowing. Many times I leave the mower on for ballast (and laziness) and do loader work but the deck hits the ground all the time because it does raise it up enough. Maybe it is too small of a tractor. It is a JD 1025R with a Frontier RC2048. My dad bought it 2 years ago and severely under bought. He has passed away now and I'm taking care of the property. I'm about to sell it to buy an Orange L4701. 6 foot cutter here we come!
Also lowering your 2 lower rear arms will help contour on the ground, using hydraulic top link can help but be careful when pushing outward towards the back of tractor you don’t bend those thin long arms that control the upper top link swivel
What would happen if you just replace the top link with a chain and put a couple hitch pins through the ends? That would allow it to lift from the back if it went over a hill but would still lift it I would think so?
Instead of the flex link, European manufacturers simply fit either two chains or webbing straps where the flex link is attached. webbing straps have the added advantage that when traveling in transport the webbing cushions out the shock loads.
Great video. A lot of comments correct using a chain. But you can also use a cheap swivel like Neal said. That is what ours uses. Just a simple 6 inch piece of metal bent in a U will work
He could use a flail mower since it's closer to the tractor. He could also put chains on the back bars going from the 3 point hitch to the back of the brush hog so it can flex more.
So Neal with this crazy Covid year I want to know if Messicks is also suffering a shortage of attachments or implements. I am not able to replace my pin attached bucket with the skid steer quick attach on my 2020 BX 1880. Is this item also impossible to get at a larger dealership like. Messicks
The chain idea probably works, but you can bet the video isn't going to recommend anything other than factory authorized accessories. Can you imagine an ambulance chaser getting ahold of a video telling folks to replace a critical machine piece with a length of chain?
Change the Rotary cutter for a flail mower. It is way shorter due to the horizontal axle. We have one and it works great. Since you are not clearing land but mowing it this would be a good change. Follows tractor and landscape easily
From top link to mower deck swap steel bars fer chain...problem solved ... my 6ft I have 2 pieces of 3/8" chain.....haven't bent or broke anything sice....good luck
Neil I have a question regarding the older zd221 what do I need to look out for when buying one of these used? It’s $5500 322 hours. Are there any common failures?
@@MessicksEquip Do you know what year kubota changed the input shaft on the transaxle from a bushing to a bearing so they didn't have the warranty issues?
@@MessicksEquip I knew about the zd21 series that had that issue I just wasn't sure if these also had that issue. Also are you able to find out what month/year this mower was made? Its model ZD221-54 S/N 10504
great video! you can also use chain on the brush hog where the "A" frame attaches to the rear of the hog. remove those solid metal pieces and use chain there. just dont go to crazy or the hog can bend down making the PTO shaft hit the mower deck just under the "A" frame. you can place the chains as I did in this video where I convert my finish mower to quick hitch ready. ruclips.net/video/L8ZHfhS__bU/видео.html
World’s most drawn out question finally ends @4:15 I just disconnect the top link to mow and then pay attention to what the deck is doing while I mow. Never have a problem.
Welcome to the town of Amateurville where everyone with a camera competes to be a star only there is no Simon Cowell to set 'em straight....there's no Chuck Barris to bang the GONG. But just in case we ever get a good one, we'll have Ed Sullivan standing by to say: "REEELY GOOD SHOOOW"
Neil, I kept waiting for you to cut in to the video with your GONG....You needed to view this yourself and then repeat the question or at least edit this amateur video down to something worth watching. For you to present this to your audience is very disrespectful on your part. You want to please that one guy who may or may not EVER be a customer of Messicks. Yet you're willing to sacrifice the time and patience of thousands of other potential customers. That is just plain RUDE on your part. If this is what you really want to do, then I suggest you change the name of the program to Neil's AMATEUR Tractor Videos and the rest of us can just ignore it.
Replace the top link with a length of chain the same length as the original top link. Fixed
This is a trick I was taught by an older fellow when I moved into hilly terrain area lots of years ago. When the implement (rotary cutter) is raised the chain is pull taunt and lifts the cutter. When mowing, it is free to collapse and prevent damage.
Ensure the PTO shaft will telescope enough to not punch the back out of the gearbox.
You can also install castering wheels at the deck font corners to ride the wheels instead of the drag shoes.
Replace top link with a chain, floats when down but you can pick it up.
LOVE your username!
Thats a great idea but keep in mind there’s a pto shaft running right below it.
@@strangefruit8776 the length of chain wouldn't be long enough to hit the PTO. We did it for decades
I popped down here to say exactly this. Chain or other flexible material. Probably not a rope given how heavy that mower would be
@@aaronspicer949 +1..........I watched this whole thing in pain, two thick flat plates with one end on each with a radius and hole bored for pin size on both tractor and mower, piece of thick chain welded one, other end had the chain bolted to its plate change length to your needs, to keep the chain from bouncing around split a piece of flexible hose down the center and zip strip it over the chain every few inches. You have the mower flex you need. Must be the younger generation, but that is how EVERYONE around me had 3pt mowers on 9,2, and 8N Fords.
Wow that question was brutal.
A hydraulic top link is one of the greatest tools for a tractor. Makes life so much easier when attaching something that isn’t on level ground and you can adjust implement from the seat!
Absolutely a hydraulic top link.
We’ve used a chain for years....cheap fix that works great. You can still lift the mower and it always floats when lowered while mowing....haven’t used an actual top link for decades on a brush hog
Thats amazingly simple! Oh, how I rack my brain when the answer is so simple.
💥 Nice job answering the question!
*Keep on tractoring!* 👍
We use a heavy chain in place of the top link when running a rotary cutter. Using an expensive hydraulic top link is asking for pain and suffering when you bend that on some nasty terrain.
Love the new format! Thanks for the intel
Big piece of chain works like a charm....maybe keep some hardened chain in parts!!!! Works great on my old Ford...same age as me...1957 model!!!!
I had a #5 Bush-hog with chain from factory. I never had problems with binding.
Excellent video as always Neil! Your so well spoken 👍🏻
@@Chugwater_Cowboy Cuz I care about my grammar in the comments section of RUclips.. sorry “BECAUSE”
Bush Hog Rebel used a chain between the top link and the mower deck rather than strap iron.
I have a 2022 L4701 with a 72” land pride mower. I got a quick hitch and 2 remotes. really makes mowing places I could not mow before easy.
Thanks for the video. My Kubota factory manual ( L3200 ) is quite specific about having the 3 point chains adjusted tight ( no flexing ) while rotary mowing. So this video raises a interesting issue. My Land Pride RCR1260" does have a pivot at the top link. I have noticed the mower being rigid in certain changes of gradient which I do try to avoid. Every year I brush mow 30+ hrs on food plots and trails and other projects such as shooting lanes. My favorite chore on my property.
Ditto that old comment about a hydraulic top link. I added one this year, it makes things so much easier. Especially for a box blade. You get fine control of the link without any effort.
Good fixes you had Neil. I live in the Mountain state of W.V. I work for a Gas Company and on our pipeline Right of Ways we contract out the ROW mowing. I've seen their tractors top link removed and a piece of log chain was used for the top link. These were large 4x4 tractors pulling 7' rotory cutters.
Where my top link connects to my brushhog its slotted to allow it to pivot up when needed only 4-6inches of play but it helps
We use a hydraulic top link but with the normal hoses disconnected. The ends of the cylinder are connected together with a valve in the middle of the hoses. the valve is positioned beside the seat. With the valve open the cylinder is free to travel in any direction of the length of stroke. With the valve closed the top link becomes ridged to allow normal lifting.
I absolutely love 💘 your video's!! Not only entertaining but informative 😎❤
Enjoy your videos I'm a first timer in the world of tractors and equipment, and your videos have helped. Please do more.
Been doing this for 5 years. Search the channel.
Your videos always contain great content but the bloopers at the end really put it over the top! “Keep on Keeping on!” Tim @ Cliffside Acres
All my bushhogs have a heavy piece of chain. Allows it to float through ditches. And it still allows you to raise the hog up!!
Seems that a chain to replace the top link is the overwhelming favorite option in the comments here, just wanted to suggest that if you were interested in using a hydraulic top link and do not either have rear remotes or a rear remote with "float", you can get longer hoses to connect to you loaders quick connects and use the boom's "float" position when you want "float" and easily pull it out of that to adjust for travel. (Did not see this was a year old till right after I hit reply 😂)
Like others have stated, I've always used a chain, but my Landpride has a good swivel type top link bracket that works as good as my old chain trick !
They make a chain top link and I used it on my finish mower. Worked great and saved the top link.
In Australia, we just put a chain in place of the top link if that’s an issue and you can lift it still but flex way more
this is my set up. landpride 7 ft cutter on my mx5000, the cutter has two rear wheel's. i do not hook up the top link. i can raise and lower the cutter for a cutting height. also i can back up a hill and down over a hill to cut with max angle's.
BINGO! You don’t need or want a top link when mowing.
I wonder if a telescopic 3rd length arm would work? not sure if one exists but it wouldn't be too hard to make.
Could also replace those bars with chains
Isn't his top link adjusted to a length that is too long for the application?
Could you do a video on how to remove the stump jumper? I tried to remove the one off my cutter and bent the crap out of my gear puller.
Hills are where a draw bar attached mower does well. Our state guys mow some pretty insane hills with them. A buddy at the airport uaed them also and some of the places he goes are... well we will say way beyond factory recommendations. Their Ventracks have the angle sensors bypassed for use in the "pretty" areas.
It’s also overlooked that if you have too much range of motion you can bend driveshafts by hitting the deck, or pushing it together beyond its fully collapsed length can bend them or break U-Joints, so always make sure you set upper and lower travel limits. Pto shaft failure is one of the things that doesn’t happen often but if it does you’ll remember it.
That was my thought when I watched this video. Damaging a pto shaft is a nightmare. I do not mow perpendicular to.humps and dips.
A John Deere 503 grass cutter( light duty brush hog) has basically the same brackets as the Land Pride quick hitch. It does give a fair amount of travel.
When I ordered my L4060 the dealer recommended the 1st position to be a float because of the many options it presents. I added all three later on, so the first will still be float, the other two detent.
Ive see some mowers where instead of the rear tie bars they have replaced the with of chain from the back of the deck to where the 3point mount meats the top link that could work without needing to keep track of extra 3pt hardware
We found out many years ago that the two brace arms on the cutter will always end up getting bent all to hell, so on every new cutter we purchase, we remove the arms and install light weight log chains to the link arm A Frame, using the same bolt holes as the two long brace arms . These let the cutter float up all it wants without bending anything. Ford and some others used to offer these chains on new cutters.
This seems like a great idea. Thanks for the share.
King Kutter has a design that allows their rotary mower to flow over rough terrains better than the standard 3 point mount.
My grandfather used a chain in lieu of a top link.
Hi there I've got a l4240 and looking at getting a offset verge mower which requires 2 twin.acting aux remotes , 1 for the offset and 1 for the tilt of the mower rotor , I need to fit a another twin acting remote .my question is would I need a valve with float . Many thanks in advance
I've only ever used hydraulic top link on box blade. Floating top link would work im sure
I have a quick hitch on my 2230 Kubota, is there a way to raise the front of the brush hog and keep it from digging in
I have a problem staying somewhat level in soft sand with my landscape rake. I even bought the gage wheels. Flexible top link and chain have both been suggested. I want to get a set of links you showed.
Love your videos - very informative. Can you please do one on how to remove and then reattach backhoe on M62? It’s a great machine but I need to take the backhoe off this summer and written directions are not great. Thank you.
We need more flub outtakes, LOL
My Land Pride manual says something about using check chains. Does anyone know about them and how they work?
check chains go from the upper link pin to the top of the mower deck. So when you drop the mower down it will stop at the chain. You set it at the height you want. Then you don't have to worry about dropping it too far. My finish mower has them. my brush hog does not.
The issue I think you would have is that if you use something like a chain then it seems like it does not pick the deck up high enough when done mowing. Many times I leave the mower on for ballast (and laziness) and do loader work but the deck hits the ground all the time because it does raise it up enough. Maybe it is too small of a tractor. It is a JD 1025R with a Frontier RC2048. My dad bought it 2 years ago and severely under bought. He has passed away now and I'm taking care of the property. I'm about to sell it to buy an Orange L4701. 6 foot cutter here we come!
after you finish mowing lower your mower all the way to the ground and shorten your toplink it will pick up the mower much higher for travel
Also lowering your 2 lower rear arms will help contour on the ground, using hydraulic top link can help but be careful when pushing outward towards the back of tractor you don’t bend those thin long arms that control the upper top link swivel
What would happen if you just replace the top link with a chain and put a couple hitch pins through the ends? That would allow it to lift from the back if it went over a hill but would still lift it I would think so?
Was that first part of the video Neil as a child?
I mow for the city and we use a big chain for that.
Any metal fab shop should be able to make the plates then all you need is a couple of hitch pins .
HOW MUCH JAZZ CABBAGE DID YOU SMOKE TODAY?
Instead of the flex link, European manufacturers simply fit either two chains or webbing straps where the flex link is attached. webbing straps have the added advantage that when traveling in transport the webbing cushions out the shock loads.
Great video. A lot of comments correct using a chain. But you can also use a cheap swivel like Neal said. That is what ours uses. Just a simple 6 inch piece of metal bent in a U will work
That is what the old Landprides run
Sounds like he is growing some dynamite weed on that farm!
Excellent information and video 👍
He could use a flail mower since it's closer to the tractor. He could also put chains on the back bars going from the 3 point hitch to the back of the brush hog so it can flex more.
Iv never had a problem but the three point free floats so I guess that's enough
That was one of the most painful questions ever
Yeah can we put a time limit on the length of the question 😂
So Neal with this crazy Covid year I want to know if Messicks is also suffering a shortage of attachments or implements. I am not able to replace my pin attached bucket with the skid steer quick attach on my 2020 BX 1880. Is this item also impossible to get at a larger dealership like. Messicks
Tomorrows video
@@MessicksEquip Thanks I will be waiting for the posting
Flex link? That was never part of my LP1872. Must be new.
As always great info!!!
The chain idea probably works, but you can bet the video isn't going to recommend anything other than factory authorized accessories. Can you imagine an ambulance chaser getting ahold of a video telling folks to replace a critical machine piece with a length of chain?
How can I buy a Messick’s Kubota hoodie! Looks comfortable in the winter!
messicks.com/apparel
the chain is a cheap and quick fix. the other option is to go to a tow behind (tow bar) mower.
Change the Rotary cutter for a flail mower. It is way shorter due to the horizontal axle. We have one and it works great. Since you are not clearing land but mowing it this would be a good change. Follows tractor and landscape easily
Price difference,
@@Redandranger ah yes, there is that.
I would switch to a flail mower to shorten up the overall length and if your mowing 8 hours a day it will cut better and faster anyways.
From top link to mower deck swap steel bars fer chain...problem solved ... my 6ft I have 2 pieces of 3/8" chain.....haven't bent or broke anything sice....good luck
To to to to TODAY JUNIOR!
Too much flex could damage the pto drive shaft, or the gear box
Not if you’re paying attention to what you’re doing.
Bush hogs are a bit different here. They grunt and root a lot. Real challenge to attach the pto.
Where I live, root means something different. But they probably do that too.
Use a chain fo a top link
Yes a hydraulic 3rd link
Neil I have a question regarding the older zd221 what do I need to look out for when buying one of these used? It’s $5500 322 hours. Are there any common failures?
make sure the transmission is strong. They are great.
@@MessicksEquip Do you know what year kubota changed the input shaft on the transaxle from a bushing to a bearing so they didn't have the warranty issues?
@@FishFind3000 Not aware of that on these?
@@MessicksEquip I knew about the zd21 series that had that issue I just wasn't sure if these also had that issue. Also are you able to find out what month/year this mower was made? Its model ZD221-54 S/N 10504
@@FishFind3000 8/2010
⛓⛓⛓⛓ Did anyone mention using a chain?
CAN YOU READ???
@@Rx_Bluegrass
Can you tell SARCASM?!!!
great video! you can also use chain on the brush hog where the "A" frame attaches to the rear of the hog. remove those solid metal pieces and use chain there. just dont go to crazy or the hog can bend down making the PTO shaft hit the mower deck just under the "A" frame. you can place the chains as I did in this video where I convert my finish mower to quick hitch ready. ruclips.net/video/L8ZHfhS__bU/видео.html
World’s most drawn out question finally ends @4:15
I just disconnect the top link to mow and then pay attention to what the deck is doing while I mow. Never have a problem.
Welcome to the town of Amateurville where everyone with a camera competes to be a star only there is no Simon Cowell to set 'em straight....there's no Chuck Barris to bang the GONG. But just in case we ever get a good one, we'll have Ed Sullivan standing by to say: "REEELY GOOD SHOOOW"
Not helpful to keep swinging the camera. I got dizzy
Your video swinging is nasty.
Add check chains to carry it at a proper level with the tractor. Attach them at the lowest top link point.
here here...in total agreement.....got dizzy like a kid on a teeter totter watching this.
Jesus man get to the point.
😂Right!?!?
Us a chain
A lot of folks here have never been around someone with a speech impediment. News flash, we're not all perfect...
Neil, I kept waiting for you to cut in to the video with your GONG....You needed to view this yourself and then repeat the question or at least edit this amateur video down to something worth watching. For you to present this to your audience is very disrespectful on your part. You want to please that one guy who may or may not EVER be a customer of Messicks. Yet you're willing to sacrifice the time and patience of thousands of other potential customers. That is just plain RUDE on your part. If this is what you really want to do, then I suggest you change the name of the program to Neil's AMATEUR Tractor Videos and the rest of us can just ignore it.
Shorten your top link.
First 4 mins of video are a little nauseating, left right left right .slow the pan down.... usually you have a good video
HERE HERE...A FEW OF US HAVE COMMENTED ON THIS...BUT DON'T KNOW IF MESSICKS EVEN CARES....IN CASE THE GUY MIGHT WANT TO BUY A TRACTOR OR SOMETHING.
Sorry had to click off . That guys voice is annoying as heck !
Yeah the young farmer’s voice isn’t the best either.