Who knows about tractors?

[henry F]

Last month I was asking about buying a tractor for use around my wifes horse paddock.

I bought a Ford Dexta and a 4' topper to go behind it, which although does the job it took me a weekend (and a few evening) to labour round acres of scrubby high grass.

Anyway I at once went out and bought a much bigger tractor with a view to...
A: Working in comfort,

B: Having a road-legal machine to travel between fields and make some pocket money during the summer.

I know a bigger mower is on the cards as the small topper we bought
looks ridiculous behind it,

my question this evening however is.......

The PTO shaft doesn't reach, do they manufacture those in different lengths like top links?

everything else hooks up fine

[stormforce]

Last month I was asking about buying a tractor for use around my wifes horse paddock.

I bought a Ford Dexta and a 4' topper to go behind it, which although does the job it took me a weekend (and a few evening) to labour round acres of scrubby high grass.

Anyway I at once went out and bought a much bigger tractor with a view to...
A: Working in comfort,

B: Having a road-legal machine to travel between fields and make some pocket money during the summer.

I know a bigger mower is on the cards as the small topper we bought
looks ridiculous behind it,

my question this evening however is.......

The PTO shaft doesn't reach, do they manufacture those in different lengths like top links?

everything else hooks up fine

you can get different length pto's but idealy we would need to know what tractor and topper you have bought or if you got some pics of it all.You should be able to get a longer pto shaft from a good farm sale or farm supplies.I wouldn't go for a second hand unit as i have seen first hand a 2nd hand unit break up and that was with a mower attatched to it.Lucky enough it broke up as the speed was being increased and was able to be stopped quick enough

[henry F]

Gotcha'

right I initially bought this..





then bought a small topper new off E-bay which like I say does the job, but the combination of size and power of both tractor and implement


takes an age to get around so.....


with a view to buying instead one like this

[stormforce]

the pto shaft on the mower should fit ok with case tractor.Just remember there is more power etc from this so just make sure the pto has stopped turning and the tractor switched off before doing anything to the mower tho.
Those case tractors are a good tractor and a farmer i used to work for has gone over to them now aswell.

[henry F]

Drum mowers,
I've used on (about Ten years ago) to cut for silage.

I want to use it to just knock grass down for neatness and get right up to the hedge's base,
which a topper won't do, even with it offset fully

[stormforce]

At least you know what your doing as i have heard stories from people who ain't a clue and gone out and bought this this ,that and god knows what and can't even drive the tractor let alone hitch anything to it.
The drum mowers are a good mower as i have used the 3 drum mowers quite a bit in the past.We used them for topping aswell as like you say they do a better job and really cut up the crap

[henry F]

Mowers

But which is the best option,

I mean I'm thinking our own field and tidying it up keeping the weeds controlled etc.
possibly cutting for hay (if not baling myself)

...topping others fields locally, but without a harrow to remove dead grass afterwards, it'll blow away anyhow in time.

wonder which would be best

[stormforce]

definately get the drum mower and that way you will be able to use it like you say for other peoples land aswell to get your money back.
Ive never harrowed after topping as it don't take long for the crap to die off.If the field/paddock is really over grown then it may pay to top it then bale it up and put it to compost somewhere.You will certainly save alot of money in the long run getting your own machinery and hiring it out or hiring it with yourself as operator

[henry F]

One last question while your here.

Flail mower....

I understand they mullah just about everything they pass over,
but would this type be worth the extra money they fetch?

[stormforce]

One last question while your here.

Flail mower....

I understand they mullah just about everything they pass over,
but would this type be worth the extra money they fetch?

yea they are worth it if you got the work for it so i would look into how much work you can get with it before spending the extra dosh on it

[henry F]

fair enough,

maybe stick to drum then afterall

[henry F]

Case controls

Anyone confidently ID these controls please...

[stormforce]

the top pic looks like the lever for the 3 point linkage on the rear for attatching things like the mower.one of the levers may be the draught control lever which will raise/lower just the 1 arm on the rear for such things like ploughing etc
the second looks as if its for a tipper trailer or front loader
and the third looks like the yellow lever is for the pto

[henry F]

What might the lever right at back of group (crossways) be though

when I wiggle it about (engine off, and standing on tow hitch) i can feel it connected, is it to do with opening the hitch up

sorry been some time since I sat in a tractor.

[Raymond]

Top photo, top lever looks like draft, bottom 3 point linkage.

Middle photo is spool valve controls (extra outputs on the rear normally)

Yellow will engage/ disengage your PTO. Crossways one couild well be the hitch.

You sure the pto linkage isnt just stiff, it should extend a fair way.