CntryBoy777
Herd Master
If the angle is critical....use a board long enough so both tires can touch it....this way, when both tires hit at the same time...the angle is correct....
Bruce's Journal
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- alpacas. chickens
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Bruce
Herd Master
I'll have to set that up the next time.
Got the 3 point parts put on and the quick hitch. Got the mower on the quick hitch then had to take out one vertical on the shipping crate so I could pull the mower out. Drove it over to a sort of level area and filled the gearbox with oil.
I'm "borrowing" the curl/dump functions of the loader for the side shift feature. All of the hoses for the loader at the "manifold" are male so I put 2 female fittings on the ends of the pair of 7' hoses the dealer had made up and have them in a common "sleeve". 50% chance I got the right one connected to the "lever left, mower left" motion. 100% I got it wrong. Moved the lever right, mower shifted left. And it didn't want to come back to the right. The dealer had given (sold) me 2 adapters to get the thread size on the mower to the size Mahindra uses. One of them is faulty, it leaks. Not bad enough to keep the mower from shifting I don't think but who knows. Disconnected the hydraulic hoses, I'm going to see if they have those adapters at Advance Auto tomorrow. If not I'll have to see if the dealer can get me another one.
Got the PTO shaft connected, kinda hard to see with the guard in the way but eventually I got it connected to the PTO on the tractor. It is the "Push the pin" type connector. The other end is similar but has a special partially threaded headless bolt and a nut. The guard was off on that end so at least I could see when things were lining up.
Lowered the roller and skids for max height cut (4"). They have changed something without changing the pictures in the manual. Apparently the prior model had the roller and skids adjusted separately, now there are 2 bolts and nuts on each side of the mower and the roller is connected to the skids.
I messed around some with the 3 point raise/lower lever and set the "lowering" stop when the mower got to the ground. Didn't have much time but I took a short pass in the field, I think I need to adjust the top link so the mower tilts back just a bit, I managed to dig the skids in a couple of times. I might also need to adjust the right side lift link for side to side "level". It cut pretty well, didn't mulch it all that much but given the vegetation is somewhere north of 3' high, I'm not surprised. It didn't leave any uncut stuff though and the area in front of the barn that had been mowed with the garden tractor cut nicely.
Got the 3 point parts put on and the quick hitch. Got the mower on the quick hitch then had to take out one vertical on the shipping crate so I could pull the mower out. Drove it over to a sort of level area and filled the gearbox with oil.
I'm "borrowing" the curl/dump functions of the loader for the side shift feature. All of the hoses for the loader at the "manifold" are male so I put 2 female fittings on the ends of the pair of 7' hoses the dealer had made up and have them in a common "sleeve". 50% chance I got the right one connected to the "lever left, mower left" motion. 100% I got it wrong. Moved the lever right, mower shifted left. And it didn't want to come back to the right. The dealer had given (sold) me 2 adapters to get the thread size on the mower to the size Mahindra uses. One of them is faulty, it leaks. Not bad enough to keep the mower from shifting I don't think but who knows. Disconnected the hydraulic hoses, I'm going to see if they have those adapters at Advance Auto tomorrow. If not I'll have to see if the dealer can get me another one.
Got the PTO shaft connected, kinda hard to see with the guard in the way but eventually I got it connected to the PTO on the tractor. It is the "Push the pin" type connector. The other end is similar but has a special partially threaded headless bolt and a nut. The guard was off on that end so at least I could see when things were lining up.
Lowered the roller and skids for max height cut (4"). They have changed something without changing the pictures in the manual. Apparently the prior model had the roller and skids adjusted separately, now there are 2 bolts and nuts on each side of the mower and the roller is connected to the skids.
I messed around some with the 3 point raise/lower lever and set the "lowering" stop when the mower got to the ground. Didn't have much time but I took a short pass in the field, I think I need to adjust the top link so the mower tilts back just a bit, I managed to dig the skids in a couple of times. I might also need to adjust the right side lift link for side to side "level". It cut pretty well, didn't mulch it all that much but given the vegetation is somewhere north of 3' high, I'm not surprised. It didn't leave any uncut stuff though and the area in front of the barn that had been mowed with the garden tractor cut nicely.
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Bruce
Herd Master
Angel laid an egg today but she's still hanging with the kids along with Anais. Tonight she was on the back roost with one baby. First time she's been on the roost since she went broody back in May. Anais was in her normal spot all the way left on the north side roost. She had the other 7. Don't know if they prefer her or just went there because it is easy for them to get to from the top of the brooder and they don't have to compete with the other adults, some of whom (especially Penelope) can get kind of nasty with new birds on the roost. Will see what tomorrow night brings.
Baymule
Herd Master
You are enjoying your tractor so much. I like reading about your tractor adventures.
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Bruce
Herd Master
Yesterday I mowed the fenced in area. Big surprise to no one, a compact tractor with loader and flail is NOT a Z turn! Way too many corners and stuff to go around, especially with the addition of the electronet enclosure. I think maybe I'll do only the more open areas with the tractor and use the garden tractor for the "close in" parts. I just need to get on it early before the stuff grows too much and then keep on it. Now way the GT could have mowed what was out there.
Today I mowed most of the outer fields. Nice weather for it, 75°, clouds moving in and out, with a breeze. Kinda slow going since the stuff was anywhere from 3' to 5' high and hiding everything in front of me and even "sorta flat" is not descriptive of the land. I found (and avoided) rocks I knew about and others I didn't. Yep, kept my hand on the 3 PT lever at all times, hopefully didn't dull the knives too much. Some of what is left I KNOW has some exposed ledge and some drop offs so next time I mow I need to be super careful. From the weather report I guess that means tomorrow - hotter than today, about 80° but nothing like the heat index of 95° on Friday
Odd thing about the stop for that 3 PT lever. It likes to move forward which in turn means pushing the lever down to the stop equals dropping the front of the mower lower than I want. So the knob is loose right? NO!!!! It is so tight I can barely get it loose to move it back where it started. In fact it would be helpful to have a T or star knob instead of a small round one. I have no idea how this happens but it is a PITA.
Today I mowed most of the outer fields. Nice weather for it, 75°, clouds moving in and out, with a breeze. Kinda slow going since the stuff was anywhere from 3' to 5' high and hiding everything in front of me and even "sorta flat" is not descriptive of the land. I found (and avoided) rocks I knew about and others I didn't. Yep, kept my hand on the 3 PT lever at all times, hopefully didn't dull the knives too much. Some of what is left I KNOW has some exposed ledge and some drop offs so next time I mow I need to be super careful. From the weather report I guess that means tomorrow - hotter than today, about 80° but nothing like the heat index of 95° on Friday
Odd thing about the stop for that 3 PT lever. It likes to move forward which in turn means pushing the lever down to the stop equals dropping the front of the mower lower than I want. So the knob is loose right? NO!!!! It is so tight I can barely get it loose to move it back where it started. In fact it would be helpful to have a T or star knob instead of a small round one. I have no idea how this happens but it is a PITA.
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Bruce
Herd Master
Chicken update. Last night Anais had 4 chicks and Angel had 4. Today Angel wanted nothing to do with them and was pecking them when they tried to get near her on the roost. Good thing Anais really likes "babysitting" because she's #1 now. Took forever for all eight to get near her on the roost tonight. I had to play rooster and "peck" some of the other hens that pecked at the chicks if they even got near in their attempt to find a way to Angel (BIG mistake) or Anais. Eventually there were 4 on either side of Anais but these kids need to learn the ropes pretty fast now that Angel wants nothing to do with them.
CntryBoy777
Herd Master
Too bad ya can't grind the rocks down, so they wouldn't be an issue....but, I'd have to find a way to "mark" them in some fashion....even an old car tire placed on top...landscaping flags might work....
Mike CHS
Herd Master
As you know I can relate to your ledge rock. I use my Cub Cadet to mow around the ledge that circles our place and the tractor for most of the rest that needs cutting. The mower lets me get close to the rocks. I haven't been doing a lot of cutting but I have knocked the tops off of some of the woody grasses.
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Bruce
Herd Master
Previously found rocks have been marked with old ski poles "kindly" left under the drive bay by the prior owners. I definitely need to mark the "outcroppings", I've seen them before after Al mowed so I KINDA know where they are. Also need to see if some of the previously known rocks are of a size I can get out with the backhoe and forks. Didn't have that ability before. But there are some ledge areas that are just going to stay. I'm thinking of partitioning them off in some fashion and maybe planting flowers that bees and butterflies like. Then I won't have to mess with them so much in the future.
Senile_Texas_Aggie
Herd Master
Mr. @Bruce, sir,
I would like to know what your impressions are of the flail mower after a couple of uses. I somehow got the impression that flail mowers were rather fragile, almost like a sickle mower, but then I saw a YouTube video (I think on GP outdoors) where the flail mower was used to cut tougher stuff than grass.
Senile Texas Aggie
I would like to know what your impressions are of the flail mower after a couple of uses. I somehow got the impression that flail mowers were rather fragile, almost like a sickle mower, but then I saw a YouTube video (I think on GP outdoors) where the flail mower was used to cut tougher stuff than grass.
Senile Texas Aggie
