60” 3-pt Finish Mower Mulch or no

["Manic-Mechanic" 1,266]

I have been running this unit as a mulching mower as it has mulching blades.

However, it keeps trying to discharge under the left side?

Plus, seems the spindles are sitting lower than I like.

The skids are barely above ground by an inch and height wheels are maxed out?

See the clumps I must deal with now.

 

However, after checking this out, I no longer think this is a mulching mower and will remove the left side cover?

 

 

Edited June 30 by "Manic-Mechanic"

[Pullstart 66,609]

Is it level?  It looks like maybe one side is scalping and the other is not.  *I am not a mower expert by any means*

["Manic-Mechanic" 1,266]

1 hour ago, Pullstart said:

Is it level?  It looks like maybe one side is scalping and the other is not.  *I am not a mower expert by any means*

Yes, it is level. I just tweaked it thoroughly. Gonna pull that left shield off here today. 

[Pullstart 66,609]

19 minutes ago, "Manic-Mechanic" said:

Yes, it is level. I just tweaked it thoroughly. Gonna pull that left shield off here today. 

ok, I see the windrows looked like scalping to me.  Doh!  

["Manic-Mechanic" 1,266]

42 minutes ago, Pullstart said:

ok, I see the windrows looked like scalping to me.  Doh!  

I lost whenever it comes to actually “mowing”!

After a lifetime of running tractors think I’d be a bit more knowledgeable 

["Manic-Mechanic" 1,266]

I opened up the left side and made second pass, huge difference! Not mulching set up!

[Handy Don 13,977]

I’m really puzzled by the gauge wheel height adjusters. It seems like that mower would be cutting very, very low at a lower settings?

Also, to my eye, the front is much lower than the back, On a hard, smooth, level surface you can use a blade height gauge to check. 

[Stepney 2,354]

I have a fairly similar 74" mower built by Douglas and that thing also cuts almost unusably low. Maxed out I can get about 3 1/4" at the blades. I'm not sure if all trailing mowers are like that or what .. I usually just level it the best I can with the 3pt arms, chain the arms up to something solid on my Ford, and let it go. The wheels act more like scalp wheels. It also had a cover and was miserable with it in place. Even with the cover removed it still spits a lot of grass out the center. I've never got it to work 'quite right'. Only want about 1/4" or so of forward lean on the blades, hard to get a 3pt mower really lined up right, especially with only two wheels like that one.  

["Manic-Mechanic" 1,266]

1 hour ago, Handy Don said:

I’m really puzzled by the gauge wheel height adjusters. It seems like that mower would be cutting very, very low at a lower settings?

Also, to my eye, the front is much lower than the back, On a hard, smooth, level surface you can use a blade height gauge to check. 

Yeah, this is a cat 0 tractor but this set up isn't working out, I even changed the arms on the 3-pt over to that of 18 Auto. Also, there is no more height adjustments on the gauge wheels, can only go lower, which make no sense! I wrestled with the height control and support chains cannot get this sit as it should. I removed the mower from the tractor and returned the factory 3-pt arms back onto the unit.

["Manic-Mechanic" 1,266]

24 minutes ago, Stepney said:

I have a fairly similar 74" mower built by Douglas and that thing also cuts almost unusably low. Maxed out I can get about 3 1/4" at the blades. I'm not sure if all trailing mowers are like that or what .. I usually just level it the best I can with the 3pt arms, chain the arms up to something solid on my Ford, and let it go. The wheels act more like scalp wheels. It also had a cover and was miserable with it in place. Even with the cover removed it still spits a lot of grass out the center. I've never got it to work 'quite right'. Only want about 1/4" or so of forward lean on the blades, hard to get a 3pt mower really lined up right, especially with only two wheels like that one.  

As I said to Don, I removed the mower, it is beyond my comprehension. Nothing in the manuals has addressed this issue. The other members that run them have yet to share their secrets. This was second attempt on the 1650, best keep it to the 18 Auto in the future. I wanted to make use of it, cost me a fortune and it just sits in my shop!

[Handy Don 13,977]

Definitely something odd about the gauge wheel height adjusters. It seems the wheel caster shafts would always be at an angle and never vertical. Hmmm. 

I’m wondering what the inboard mounting point for the arms is like. Are the arms inverted? Maybe there is another (higher up) mounting hole for the inboard end? Are the arms from a different deck?

Edited June 30 by Handy Don

["Manic-Mechanic" 1,266]

1 minute ago, Handy Don said:

Definitely something odd about the gauge wheel height adjusters.

I’m wondering what the inboard mounting point for the arms is like. Are the arms inverted? Maybe there is another (higher up) mounting hole for the inboard end? Are the arms from a different deck?

No other mounting locations and the arms are factory. I just looked at the manual for the 5th time and it is as it was designed. Makes no sense to have all those extra lower settings which would turn this thing into a tiller! Now on the 18 Auto the hitch is up higher, and the mower sits more level but those adjustments are wacky.

[oliver2-44 10,686]

You may have tried this, but it seems if the 3 point arms were lifted up some with the hydraulic cylinder, then the center link shortened to level it you could get more height.

 

 

 

 

 

["Manic-Mechanic" 1,266]

1 hour ago, oliver2-44 said:

You may have tried this, but it seems if the 3 point arms were lifted up some with the hydraulic cylinder, then the center link shortened to level it you could get more height.

 

 

 

 

 

Something about the lift on this tractor, whenever I tried that, then there was no way to raise the mower while not in use.

Just too cumbersome. I even cranked the height adjusters on the 3-pt, tweaked the center link.

[pfrederi 18,634]

I have not used the finish mower on my D200 in several years.  It worked well but it was difficult to get the front height adjustment chains set up correctly.

["Manic-Mechanic" 1,266]

59 minutes ago, pfrederi said:

I have not used the finish mower on my D200 in several years.  It worked well but it was difficult to get the front height adjustment chains set up correctly.

I had tried mounting to a Snapper/Massey 1650 by changing the 3-pt lift arms as the mower is proprietary. However, the front height was near impossible to set. Then wasn't sure if both end guards should be in place, finally removed the left guard.

This worked well, the height wasn't quite right. So, back to the drawing board. My 18 Auto, the pump is worn, there is no way around the need to install my rebuilt unit, "procrastination"

[pfrederi 18,634]

 

https://www.wheelhorseforum.com/files/file/236-mower-rotary-60in-rd-1975-5-0901-d-om-snpdf/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

["Manic-Mechanic" 1,266]

5 hours ago, pfrederi said:

 

https://www.wheelhorseforum.com/files/file/236-mower-rotary-60in-rd-1975-5-0901-d-om-snpdf/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yes, followed that guide, had the check chains set accordingly, still very limited height on the gauge wheels. Odd thing is they go lower, actually too low i fact. Also, the 3-pt hardly can raise high enough to set the check chains, had to use a jack. Ask me this mower is too heavy and not worth all the fuss for the mess it makes.

Edited July 1 by "Manic-Mechanic"

[kpinnc 14,573]

I would drill a single hole an inch lower on the links and see if that doesn't raise the rear of the deck. Bolt them together before drilling so they will all be the same. 

 

Just an opinion. I'm always changing stuff. Your mileage may vary...

 

 

 

[Handy Don 13,977]

28 minutes ago, kpinnc said:

I would drill a single hole an inch lower on the links and see if that doesn't raise the rear of the deck. Bolt them together before drilling so they will all be the same. 

Just an opinion. I'm always changing stuff. Your mileage may vary...

 

 

An excellent suggestion--especially bolting the two links together for the drilling operation.

In fact, if you have a couple of strong C-clamps, you could test this out without drilling. 

["Manic-Mechanic" 1,266]

1 hour ago, Handy Don said:

An excellent suggestion--especially bolting the two links together for the drilling operation.

In fact, if you have a couple of strong C-clamps, you could test this out without drilling. 

The link can be substituted with a shorter one as well. I’ve did this to the 3-pt arms to gain height (had a spare set).

Many mods there, shouldn’t need to do this tho’