Mounting a side rotary deck

[Mickwhitt 5,028]

Hi gents, and ladies.

What are your thoughts on mounting a standard push along rotary mower on the side of a C125 to make a path side trimming rig?

I'm thinking about making a carrier frame with a hinge so it can be lifted for travelling and lowered to work. 

I think such a gizmo will allow me to mow the rough edges of our paths while driving Fred on the paved bit.

I've just bought a Honda powered mower that was shown as spares only but then the owner got it running but didnt want any more cash for it. 

It will run from it's own engine and should not be a huge job to complete.

Tell me I'm daft....

Mick 

[Dan.gerous 2,696]

14 minutes ago, Mickwhitt said:

Hi gents, and ladies.

What are your thoughts on mounting a standard push along rotary mower on the side of a C125 to make a path side trimming rig?

I'm thinking about making a carrier frame with a hinge so it can be lifted for travelling and lowered to work. 

I think such a gizmo will allow me to mow the rough edges of our paths while driving Fred on the paved bit.

I've just bought a Honda powered mower that was shown as spares only but then the owner got it running but didnt want any more cash for it. 

It will run from it's own engine and should not be a huge job to complete.

Tell me I'm daft....

Mick 

I like this idea, a bit like a hedge trimmer on the side of a tractor. That would be so useful as we have the same problem and you end up having to use a strimmer for hundreds of meters of the driveway.

 

One of the finger bar type would be good for that 😁

[ebinmaine 70,815]

15 minutes ago, Mickwhitt said:

Tell me I'm daft

You might very well be daft Mick but I think you've got a great idea with the mower on a hinge.

 

Seems as though I've seen a picture where somebody did that to use as a ditch trimmer. May have been on a scissor arm with a counterweight?

Your idea should be much more simple to accomplish.

[Mickwhitt 5,028]

I've been looking for a finger bar but then its driving it. 

Rotary looks the easiest way to do it without too much hassle.

Mounted on the left side it would do a 17 inch cut as I trundle along the path.

I might end up making a hydraulic arm and building a proper trimmer lol.

[Dan.gerous 2,696]

1 minute ago, Mickwhitt said:

I've been looking for a finger bar but then its driving it. 

Rotary looks the easiest way to do it without too much hassle.

Mounted on the left side it would do a 17 inch cut as I trundle along the path.

I might end up making a hydraulic arm and building a proper trimmer lol.

I was just searching for wheelhorse mounted hedge trimmer prior to checking on here for me posts - funny how ideas seem to be contagious!

 

With hydraulics in the horse it would be so much easier to adapt stuff.

[Tractorhead 9,099]

Maybe an idea for a possible solution 

 

 

Edited June 26, 2020 by Tractorhead

[1995 520H+96+97 937]

 

[Mickwhitt 5,028]

Some great input here guys.

I'm off to collect the little critter now. 

The old creative juices will get going when I have something to work on. 

I love the three gang idea towed along behind the horse.  That's some serious width of cut.

Mick 

[ebinmaine 70,815]

32 minutes ago, 1995 520H+96+97 said:

 

 

 

My father did that back in the late seventies. We had an Ariens rear engine rider with a tiller steer that I used to cruise around on from the age of about 6 to 9.

I guess it must have had about a 30 inch cutting width?

At one point he picked up three push mowers from a local junk dealer. Using only angle iron and bolts he made a trailer that had one push mower hanging off of one side and two push mowers hanging off of the other side and angles to all of each other. Went from a width of the tractor alone to something around 100" wide.

[Lee1977 7,044]

I would use the deck mounting hardware off a rotten deck build a tubing or angle iron frame to mount that. Youu could lift it like a regular deck and hinge the mowerto ride up or down with the grade. Might need a counter balance on the obbside.  

[lynnmor 7,577]

May not be exactly what you need, but here is one from a few years ago.

[Mickwhitt 5,028]

Got the donor mower, it's in good shape.

Just been stood for 18 months so a change of fuel and oil should see something positive.

I will give it a proper look over in the morning.

Mick 

[ebinmaine 70,815]

47 minutes ago, lynnmor said:

May not be exactly what you need, but here is one from a few years ago.

That's one of the ones I was thinking of

[8ntruck 7,396]

7 hours ago, ebinmaine said:

That's one of the ones I was thinking of

Notice the key words in the description - "an old Lawn Boy".  That means it is a 2 cycle, so there is no worry about oiling the engine when operated on extreme angles.

[Mickwhitt 5,028]

That's a good point about oiling and angles.

This is a four stroke so has a sump etc. But not a pressurised oil system.

I wont be doing anything like the mowing if that ditch but for anyone thinking about doing similar it's worth bearing in mind.

Mick

[Stormin 9,983]

 Mick! How about mounting it on a frame like a plough/dozer blade.

 

 

 Instead of the blade, mower mounted to one side on a frame that will swivel. Raise and swing in in front of tractor for travel to and fro. Swing out and lower for mowing.

[Mickwhitt 5,028]

I flushed the tank and carb, checked the oil (clean as when put in) and it started after a few pulls.

Runs great cuts good.

Not sure if I will butcher it to do the path trimmer or if I will use the free one as my donor.

Decisions decisions...

[Mickwhitt 5,028]

 

[Dan.gerous 2,696]

What about something like this?

 

It's on Facebook market place....

[ebinmaine 70,815]

Mad Max mower

[Lee1977 7,044]

2 hours ago, ebinmaine said:

Mad Max mower

Commercial Goff  Course Mower.

[Mickwhitt 5,028]

I've decided on the older Briggs and Stratton mower as my donor.

I've stripped off all the wheels etc and looked at how I'm going to attach it. 

Got a few ideas but will need to think them through before I start cutting metal.

[Lee1977 7,044]

12 hours ago, Mickwhitt said:

I've decided on the older Briggs and Stratton mower as my donor.

I've stripped off all the wheels etc and looked at how I'm going to attach it. 

Got a few ideas but will need to think them through before I start cutting metal.

I would close the hole and make one on the side to throw the grass away from the tractor. You will still need some gauge wheels, but the rear one could be moved behind the deck.

[Mickwhitt 5,028]

I've started on a lifting frame for the side deck. Using the tach o matic mounting to hinge the frame the lift arm can move it through a 4 inch range of movement.

The lift arm works on one leg of the frame and I will put a bronze bearing on the pin to reduce wear.

Now I will make a mounting bracket for the deck which will marry up to the lifting bracket.

I'm hoping to create a linkage that will allow the mower deck to be raised parallel to the ground, but as long as it goes up and down I'll be happy.

I'm going to modify the deck itself, making it side discharge and maybe opening the front of the skirt to allow it to cut the tall grass I'm aiming to deal with. 

[Mickwhitt 5,028]

The principle seems to work ok. I've tacked a few bits together and it lifts and lowers well.

May have to make a front adjuster as it only pivots about the front support so there is no vertical movement. 

It's only a development model at the moment and will need beefing up a little but I will but the necessary metal when I know what I need.