mower clumping
Linda Hungerford
household, job and wireless internet set up. Hope you can help me
with my mowing issue.
I am learning to use my CaseIH 234 and a few of the implements I have
for it. The finish mower - three point- is working well, but the
grass comes out in clumps a large portion of the time. Grass is not
wet, btw. Suggestions?
I do have the mower set very low, since I manage to leave some gouges
in the lawn at times.
Do I need to adjust the mower so that the grass doesn't clump, and if
so, how do I do this? And yes, I need to set the deck a little higher
when I am mowing, I suspect.
Remember, I am just learning about three point hitches and the
implements for my tractor!!
thanks....
Linda H. in a different part of Illinois
Jack Hunt
<tallgras...@earthlink.net> wrote:
>Do I need to adjust the mower so that the grass doesn't clump, and if
>so, how do I do this? And yes, I need to set the deck a little higher
>when I am mowing, I suspect.
If it's a side discharge, try tying up or removing the chute cover. I have two
commercial mowers, each with a 61" deck and the grass clumps unless I
de-restrict the discharge opening. I removed the covers on both of them. It
allows the cut grass to be blown over a wider area and greatly reduces clumping.
The mowing height is controlled by the wheels, not by the height of the three
point hitch.
--
Jack
brooklyn1
It's a *finish* mower (you don't say which or what size) but obviously you
are mowing too low or mowing grass too tall for the mower.. You either need
to raise your mowing height or mow more often so you're not mowing growth
that is too tall. Most finish mowers suggest cutting no more than 6" on a
pass less is better... if your grass is taller then raise the deck on the
first pass and lower it on your second pass. The logical remedy is to
decide on a mowing height, of say 2 1/2", and mow often enough so that you
mow before your grass reaches a 5"-6" height. You may be traveling too fast
and your blade rotation too low, you'll need to experiment. And you'll get
better results by overlapping passes by about 1/3 of your mower width
(remember, with a rear mower your tractor wheels are smooshing the grass
flat ahead of your mower, you may also want to use high loft blades, if your
soil is not sandy) you'll place less strain on your tractor and mower belts,
you'll actually save fuel... your tractor is only like 15 horsepower so you
want to do all you can not to overload it. Your mowing pattern is also
important for good results; change patterns each time and change direction
with each pass, you want to mow into the direction you just smooshed the
grass on the last pass... learn to mow leaving strips and then reverse
direction for mowing the strips. Also clean/scrape out the underside of
your mower regularly... be sure not to go underneath without blocking up the
mower... invest in a pair of jack stands... and while you're there hit the
blades a few licks with a file to remove any nicks and dress the edge a bit.
And check the gear lube each time before starting up, and take a grease gun
to all the fittings, especially the blade spindles, and lube the wheels too,
and keep the tires properly inflated, if not rotatating freely they'll
scrape ruts, especially on turns. You may also want to have mulching blades
installed. Adjusting your mower height is pretty straight forward as all 3
point hitches are alike, and most all finish mowers are height adjusted by
changing the bushings on the wheel spindles.. with the mower raised adjust
one at a time, be sure all are the same. Then be sure to be on a level spot
and adjust your 3 point hitch connections and your lever stop. The people
who sold you the tractor should have spent a couple of hours giving you
instruction, if you run into a problem or are unsure about anything give
them a call... there is a lot to know about using a tractor and mowing but
most is common sense... remember, safety first. You really should have your
tractor, mower, and all implements serviced regularly at a reputable shop...
parts are expensive, even tires, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of
cure. It should cost about $300 once a year for service on your machine,
well worth it. And you want new mower blades each season, do not try to
stretch out replacement, the metal fatigues, extremely dangerous.... never
permit anyone (including pets) to be within 300 feet while mowing with that
rig.
brooklyn1
"Jack Hunt" <jhu...@tds.net> wrote in message
news:484085l7fuhj5f30c...@4ax.com...
> On Sun, 9 Aug 2009 23:12:29 -0700 (PDT), Linda Hungerford
> <tallgras...@earthlink.net> wrote:
>
>>Do I need to adjust the mower so that the grass doesn't clump, and if
>>so, how do I do this? And yes, I need to set the deck a little higher
>>when I am mowing, I suspect.
>
> If it's a side discharge, try tying up or removing the chute cover. I
> have two
> commercial mowers, each with a 61" deck and the grass clumps unless I
> de-restrict the discharge opening. I removed the covers on both of them.
> It
> allows the cut grass to be blown over a wider area and greatly reduces
> clumping.
Removing the chute cover/guard is extremely dangerous.
> The mowing height is controlled by the wheels, not by the height of the
> three
> point hitch.
>
>
The mower and the 3 point hitch *both* need to be adjusted... everytime the
mower height is changed the three point hitch needs to be adjusted so that
the mower is parallel to the ground... and the tractor hydraulic lift needs
to be adjusted so that the mower wheels are set on the ground with the
correct contact pressure, so that the full weight of the mower is on the
wheels and only the weight of the mower... the linkages should all be
slack.... running so that the mower is hanging from the hitch will cause
side to side occilation resulting excessive linkage wear and a poor cut ,
running with downward pressure will also caue excessive linkage wear and
will destroy the mower tires and wheel bearing and spindles and will be like
running the tractor with it's brake on.
You obviously know nothing about tractors, 3 point hitches, and
implements... and you are dangerous, you demonstrate total disregard for
others life and limb... please, no one listen to this moron about removing
machine guards, they're there for a good reason... if a mower guard becomes
damaged do NOT use that mower until a new guard is secured.
Jack Hunt
>running with downward pressure
What tractor has downward pressure on the 3 point hitch? Certainly not the
Case-IH 234. That's not a rhetorical question, Shellie. I want a rational
answer. Scream and curse and demean all you want, but provide an example of a
three point hitch with down force and explain how that applies to this lawn
mower.
We're waiting.
> you are dangerous
You have an excellent grasp of the obvious.
--
Jack
Larry Caldwell
@p9g2000vbl.googlegroups.com>, tallgras...@earthlink.net (Linda
Hungerford) says...
> Hello....I am a previous regular away for while moving and getting
> household, job and wireless internet set up. Hope you can help me
> with my mowing issue.
>
> I am learning to use my CaseIH 234 and a few of the implements I have
> for it. The finish mower - three point- is working well, but the
> grass comes out in clumps a large portion of the time. Grass is not
> wet, btw. Suggestions?
Hi, Linda. I have no idea what your mower even looks like, so can't
offer much. However, I removed the rear baffle from my brush hog, which
let the grass out from under the mower more easily. It doesn't chop it
up so fine, and spreads the grass more evenly on the ground.
> I do have the mower set very low, since I manage to leave some gouges
> in the lawn at times.
>
> Do I need to adjust the mower so that the grass doesn't clump, and if
> so, how do I do this? And yes, I need to set the deck a little higher
> when I am mowing, I suspect.
If you have hit the ground, and maybe a few rocks, the blade is probably
dull. Keep rotary mowers sharp and they will do a better job. On yard
mowers, I have also had good results from replacing the straight blades
with mulching blades that have secondary cutters.
> Remember, I am just learning about three point hitches and the
> implements for my tractor!!
Aren't tractors fun? Did yours come with a front loader? It's amazing
what you can do with hydraulics.
> thanks....
> Linda H. in a different part of Illinois
>
--
For email, replace firstnamelastinitial
with my first name and last initial.
Jim
> Linda Hungerford says...
> > Hello....I am a previous regular away for while moving and getting
> > household, job and wireless internet set up. Hope you can help me
> > with my mowing issue.
> >
> > I am learning to use my CaseIH 234 and a few of the implements I have
> > for it. The finish mower - three point- is working well, but the
> > grass comes out in clumps a large portion of the time. Grass is not
> > wet, btw. Suggestions?
>
> Hi, Linda. I have no idea what your mower even looks like, so can't
> offer much. However, I removed the rear baffle from my brush hog, which
> let the grass out from under the mower more easily. It doesn't chop it
> up so fine, and spreads the grass more evenly on the ground.
The Bush hog I currently have here on the farm I purchased new and it did not
come with any kind a rear baffle. I never thought much about it until I saw
my neighbor running his Bush hog one day and noticed a series of short chains
hanging from the rear.
When I get behind in my work and allow the erosion control borders on the farm
to grow to a height of 2 or more feet tall I have found that it's best to set
the bush hog at its highest level by lowering the rear wheel and raising the
three point hitch. After the first passover is complete I'll lower the mower
to mow it again the very next day allowing for the first cut grass to dry out
some.
I do not own a finishing mower but I have used one on another person's farm.
It had four wheels one located on each corner and all four were independently
adjustable in height. Adjusting the wheels was how the grass cutting height
was determined.
>
> > I do have the mower set very low, since I manage to leave some gouges
> > in the lawn at times.
> >
> > Do I need to adjust the mower so that the grass doesn't clump, and if
> > so, how do I do this? And yes, I need to set the deck a little higher
> > when I am mowing, I suspect.
>
> If you have hit the ground, and maybe a few rocks, the blade is probably
> dull. Keep rotary mowers sharp and they will do a better job. On yard
> mowers, I have also had good results from replacing the straight blades
> with mulching blades that have secondary cutters.
Sharp blades are a must and absolute must for several reasons. It is
healthier for the grass if the grass can be cut cleanly and quickly rather
than hacked with a dull blade. Faster recovery and less yellowing at tips
is the result of keeping the blades sharp. Also sharp blades require less
energy input and will produce a higher quality finish.
>
> > Remember, I am just learning about three point hitches and the
> > implements for my tractor!!
>
> Aren't tractors fun? Did yours come with a front loader? It's amazing
> what you can do with hydraulics.
yes, tractors are fun until they start singing that song 'I want a new part'..
brooklyn1
brooklyn1
>
>> Linda Hungerford says...
>> > Hello....I am a previous regular away for while moving and getting
>> > household, job and wireless internet set up. Hope you can help me
>> > with my mowing issue.
>> >
>> > I am learning to use my CaseIH 234 and a few of the implements I have
>> > for it. The finish mower - three point- is working well, but the
>> > grass comes out in clumps a large portion of the time. Grass is not
>> > wet, btw. Suggestions?
>>
>> Hi, Linda. I have no idea what your mower even looks like, so can't
>> offer much. However, I removed the rear baffle from my brush hog, which
>> let the grass out from under the mower more easily. It doesn't chop it
>> up so fine, and spreads the grass more evenly on the ground.
>
> The Bush hog I currently have here on the farm I purchased new and it did
> not
> come with any kind a rear baffle.
Bush hogs typically have a solid sheet of steel wrapped around the rear as a
guard, with slots for vertical adjustment. Some bush hogs have the chain
link assembly at the front/leading edge of the unit. Bush hogs have one
large blade with removable tips that travels at very high tip feet per
minute speeds. There is one large wheel and the rear of the housing is
rounded to accomodate the single blade.. The bush hog is intended for
chopping through brush, shrubs, and saplings perhaps up to 2" diameter...
it's not for mowing lawn grass. Never run a bush hog with the rear guard
and chain assembly removed.
> I never thought much about it until I saw
> my neighbor running his Bush hog one day and noticed a series of short
> chains
> hanging from the rear.
What you saw your neighbor using with the short chains hanging from the rear
is very likely a rear discharge finishing mower. Never run one with the
chain assmbly removed.
Not the greatest picture but that's a brush hog:
http://i31.tinypic.com/166iwja.jpg
This is a rear discharge finishing mower:
http://i32.tinypic.com/k0q4g.jpg
Jim
good post shelton....
<G>
(PeteCresswell)
>but the grass comes out in clumps a large portion of the time.
One thing nobody's mentioned yet is time of day.
Might be belaboring the obvious, but morning = more clumping (bco
moisture?)
People who use hand scythes will say that they can feel the diff
in the way the grass cuts depending on TOD.
--
PeteCresswell
Linda Hungerford
want to do all you can not to overload it>>
Sorry for the omissions... 25hp diesel CaseIH 234. Deck is finish
mower, definitely wider than the 44" on the Simplicity Broadmoor
(older model). I estimate the deck to be four feet, maybe five.
I was mowing the front lawn, which had not grown that much since it
had been mowed last week. The grass was still clumping. I don't -
think- there was a six inch growth in the last week.
Almost forgot... discharge of grass is from the rear.
thanks for the suggestions so far...
Linda H.
SE IL
Linda Hungerford
of the deck? This mower only has one large(er) wheel at the back of
the deck.
Me, I do not take the covers off my mowers. The ex did to the
Simplicity, and I have to clean out the back of the pickup in order to
find the parts and put it back on. I don't like taking off the mower
"chute" because I think it results in more grass and dirt being air
borne and winding up on moi'.
I have read that proper adjustment of a three point mower allows the
rear of the deck to be slightly higher than the front of the deck.
Yeah/Nay??
And, having worked with a man who got off his tractor while the pto
was still spinning, then pants spun into the pto and losing his leg, I
am extremely cautious with this piece of equipment.
thanks....
Linda H.
Linda Hungerford
No baffle remaining. Deck has usual shape, straight sides, then side
of deck bends around the back maybe three-four inches, on both sides.
> Aren't tractors fun? Did yours come with a front loader? It's amazing
> what you can do with hydraulics.
>
No front end loader. waaaaaaa. !! Did find a used slip scoop
relatively cheap, and expect it to arrive this week some time. Beats
the bejeebins out of wheel barrowing limestone gravel into the dog
runs, moving dirt etc.
I am enjoying learning to use this machinery, altho it is very
frustrating at times. e.g. tonight, the spring button that releases
the pto from the tractor is underneath the plastic housing and will
not budge. Had to call the ex for a tutorial in how to get the *&%%$$
pto off the tractor. So much for 'quick-tatch'.
Linda H.
Linda Hungerford
> "Jim" <j...@bellsouth.net> wrote in message
> Not the greatest picture but that's a brush hog:http://i31.tinypic.com/166iwja.jpg
>
> This is a rear discharge finishing mower:http://i32.tinypic.com/k0q4g.jpg
This resembles what I have for a mower deck.
Linda H.
Linda Hungerford
High noon, no recent rain.
Linda
Ann
<...>
I have no idea if this stuff actually works, but lacking a better
solution, it might be worth a try. Ran across it yesterday when I was
shopping for something else. The clumps may be grass that is building up
on the under side of the deck.
Mo-Deck Deck Spray
http://tinyurl.com/lkrzy6
Linda Hungerford
I wonder if PAM or similar aerosolized vegetable sprays would work
similarly. Or wax the underside like the runners on a snow sled...?
Linda H.
Ann
I did a quick google on the brand name and some people said it worked;
some said it didn't. One person did suggest Pam. I wouldn't think
anything short of something like Imron paint would last for long.
Have you tried starting with a clean deck and then checking for buildup
when you first see the clumps? If that's it, it may be just a few spots
that are the problem.
brooklyn1
"Ann" wrote:
> Linda Hungerford wrote:
>
>
> I have no idea if this stuff actually works, but lacking a better
> solution, it might be worth a try. Ran across it yesterday when I was
> shopping for something else. The clumps may be grass that is building up
> on the under side of the deck.
>
> Mo-Deck Deck Spray
> http://tinyurl.com/lkrzy6
Theoretically it's a good idea but in actual use I seriously doubt a lube
spray would help much if at all.... there are just too many nooks, crannies,
and rough spots where clippings can collect on larger mowers, they are not
smooth and rounded underneath like the better quality push mowers. And I
can't imagine that any spray coating would last through more than a few
minutes of mowing before it eroded away, the underside of a mower deck in
operation is continuously sand blasted as the blades are designed to suck up
grass, as they will soil and small stones. It's not all that difficult and
time consuming to raise the mower deck, crawl underneath and use a stiff
wallpaper scraper to remove the packed on clippings, especially if done
right after mowing before they dry and harden. People who do a lot of
mowing and have a lot of mowers, like golf courses, use a power washer... I
sometimes clean the underside of my mower by backing up to my pond and
carefully lowering the mower just until the sucking from the blades
generates a powerful spray, can do the same by running over a shallow puddle
(that's how I sometimes clean the belly mower on my small tractor). And
it's always a good idea to inspect the underside of a mower deck often
anyway, excessively dull and/or damaged blades are extremely dangerous, and
mower baffle welds sometimes break loose, also a very dangerous condition.
Never attempt to straighten a warped mower blade, toss it and install new.
This is my system for working on my mower's underside:
http://i27.tinypic.com/o0wkjq.jpg
Never want to crawl underneath without proper blocking (heavy duty jack
stands are cheap), if the hydrolics let loose you're a gonner, never try to
save money on safety:
http://i30.tinypic.com/2ng8o6s.jpg
brooklyn1
"Linda Hungerford" <tallgras...@earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:83bc0eae-4ea3-425d...@26g2000yqk.googlegroups.com...
If as you say your "mower" has one wheel then it is a brush hog, not a
mower... and yes, a brush hog is correctly set so that the trailing edge
(rear) is set a couple three inches lower than the leading edge (front)....
it's set at an angle so that brush can more easily enter but so it doesn't
come shooting out the rear (always set the rear shield close to the ground
and never operate with it removed. A mower is properly set perfectly
parallel to the ground. Most mowers used with tractors have three blades
(some riding mowers have two), brush hogs always have just one blade. It
would be useful if you post a picture of what you're calling a mower. Btw,
a brush hog will always generate clumps no matter what you do, that's the
nature of th ebeast and is perfectly normal. A brush hog blade because it's
set at an angle actually cuts an arc verticle to the ground, as one moves
over for the subsequent passes a series of circular ridges will be formed in
the vegetation, with the clumps accumulating in the valleys, this is
normal... farmers use brush hogs at the end of the growing season to chop
down corn stalks, potato plants, etc. so that over winter they will more
easily decompose and in the spring can be more easily plowed under... it's
not possible to use a brush hog for mowing. Before anyone can help you it
needs to be ascertained whether you're using a brush hog or a finish mower,
it appears you're not sure... post a photo or a maufacturer's URL for that
model.
brooklyn1
That button is probably impacted with old gritty grease. If you think
detaching is a pain it's a lot more difficult lining up the splines to
attach implements. You likely need to have the PTO components cleaned of
grit and regreased, and it's a good idea to have a pair of heavy leather
gloves that are used exclusively for working on your tractor implements.
brooklyn1
brooklyn1
"Linda Hungerford" <tallgras...@earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:53f887ff-fd71-4b6b...@f37g2000yqn.googlegroups.com...
To which picture are you refering?
Elmo
Over several years, I have concluded that when the grass is longer
and/or the mower is set lower, it clumps worse than when the grass is
shorter and/or the mower is set higher. In my case it's the length
of the individual pieces that seem to make the difference. If I
reduce my ground speed and give the blades more time to slice the
grass into smaller bits, it clumps less. If the grass is wetter
it clumps more because the wetter grass adheres to the deck and
disrupts the flow which then acts like a magnet and grabs more and
disrupts more. It's also a lot worse when I'm too darn lazy to
keep the deck clean.
--
Always remember that it is impossible to speak in such
a way that you cannot be misunderstood: there will always
be some who misunderstand you.
(PeteCresswell)
>High noon, no recent rain.
Oh well.... -)
--
PeteCresswell
Linda Hungerford
> "Linda Hungerford" <tallgrassprai...@earthlink.net> wrote in message
I thought I had cut and pasted properly. anyway, the brush hog is
what I have behind the tractor.
Linda H.
Linda Hungerford
point taken.
Linda H.
Linda Hungerford
> Larry Caldwell wrote:
> yes, tractors are fun until they start singing that song 'I want a new part'..
Mine must be using subliminal methods... the slip scoop arrives
tomorrow, and I didn't even know that the tractor had spoken to me!!!
Does that quote, above, go with the song "I want a new drug..." ??
hehehe...
Linda H>
Jim
> Jim wrote:
> > yes, tractors are fun until they start singing that song 'I want a new part'..
>
> Mine must be using subliminal methods... the slip scoop arrives
> tomorrow, and I didn't even know that the tractor had spoken to me!!!
now that's a well mannered tractor. mine usually make this awful
rude screeching noise...
> Does that quote, above, go with the song "I want a new drug..." ??
>
> hehehe...
> Linda H>
Huey Lewis & The News did pop into my mind when I was picking
the rhythm for the words
'I want a new part'
.
.
.
better living through music :)