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Tractor brush mower modified to fit mini excavator??

Canuck Digger

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Dec 24, 2012
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263
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Mission, BC, Canada
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Business Owner, Equipment Operator, Fishing Guide
So this old timer I work with once in a while has this not so pretty mower that he claims works pretty good on his little 35. (cuts brush up to 2") He made it buying a used tractor brush mower for $500, couple of welded brackets, ears and a hydraulic pump and she works like a charm. under $1200 all in. I'm looking at small brush mowers for my mini and they're about 10K. Anyone else ever done such project? How did it work out? Any other thoughts? Thx.
 

fast_st

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Ask said old timer for help making one for yourself? Sounds like a dandy of a project!!
 

Canuck Digger

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Mission, BC, Canada
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Ask said old timer for help making one for yourself? Sounds like a dandy of a project!!

Yeah was just wondering what the performance difference would be. If I can get 80% of the performance compared to an excavator"intended" brush cutter for 20% of the cost, it's a no brainer. One of the things I did notice is it does not look very robust. The tin is pretty thin. We ll see. Would have to look into installing a case drain I'm assuming
 

fast_st

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I think case drain depends on the type of pump, a straight gear pump may not need one
 

245dlc

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Usually you need a case drain for the axial piston type motors as they have little weeping ports to help lubricate the internals. You'll also have to look in to heavy duty bearings and what everything is going to weigh once you are done.
 

DIYDAVE

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Feb 18, 2007
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MD
I made one, fer my ASV RC30. Used the gear box outta 4' 3 point hitch mower, gotta hyd motor from surpluscenter.com, that was the right flow and pressure fer my machine, and ran close to 540 RPM. Direct coupled the motor to the gearbox drive shaft, then welded a bracket into place to hold the motor, using the scientific method of picking up the motor, and seein where the halfway point, between too far up, and too far down was, then welded it there. Body of it I made outta 1/4" steel, as the 3PH mower's sheet metal was rotted away. I've made so many attachments, fer the RC-30, I have a jig made, to make the detach plate... I would guess I had about 1250 in it, about 10 years ago. Only hadda replace the stump jumper on it cause the old wan was wore out at the keys fer the blades, and I got tired of listening to the blades beat on the sides of the box. OH, and this year, I hadda replace the 1/2" X 3" shear bolt...;)
 

rondig

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Jul 24, 2013
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fort macleod alberta
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excavation
Case drains are based on seal shaft back pressures...usually the higher the rpms...the more a case drain is required on gear motors...piston motors use the case drain for cooling.. also make sure you have a quick acting cross over relief to protect motor against sudden stop...also if A port and B port are connected to pressure ports it will protect motor seal from over pressure at instant stop... also there is a major waste of potential energy going through the mechanical gear box...low speed/high torque motors are more efficient.
 

Canuck Digger

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Dec 24, 2012
Messages
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Mission, BC, Canada
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Business Owner, Equipment Operator, Fishing Guide
Case drains are based on seal shaft back pressures...usually the higher the rpms...the more a case drain is required on gear motors...piston motors use the case drain for cooling.. also make sure you have a quick acting cross over relief to protect motor against sudden stop...also if A port and B port are connected to pressure ports it will protect motor seal from over pressure at instant stop... also there is a major waste of potential energy going through the mechanical gear box...low speed/high torque motors are more efficient.

Yes, I understand case drain is a good idea.
Holy Crap rondig. I envy guys like you that have their brain wrapped around all this stuff. I like running equipment and thinking jobs through, but the mcgiver mechanical stuff is foreign concept for the most part. Trying though.. Gona go and see if I can adjust my aux circuit pressure from 1950PSI to 2700. Now that's a task. lol..
 

rondig

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Jul 24, 2013
Messages
517
Location
fort macleod alberta
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excavation
Well i have an unfair advantage..i started life as a hydraulic shop grunt and moved up to authorized sauer and rexroth rebuilder...then i opened my own shop to build custom seismic drills and hydraulic system design for oil and gas companies from scratch...sold that business 8 years ago...and took over my dad excavation business. Still do the odd design and rebuild in winter when things get frozen and cant dig any more.
I just came back from a 5 day sauer course on their new 5-24 mil amp system for the new power match system they plan on putting in new hoes and skid steers to meet even tighter emission standards.....i hate emission standards....but figured i would stay current for my own stuff....besides the courses are a way to party away from home without getting into trouble.
 

rondig

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Jul 24, 2013
Messages
517
Location
fort macleod alberta
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excavation
I see your in mission bc...i am near lethbridge alberta....do u mind telling your buddies over there we need the pipeline....lol
 

Canuck Digger

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Dec 24, 2012
Messages
263
Location
Mission, BC, Canada
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Business Owner, Equipment Operator, Fishing Guide
I see your in mission bc...i am near lethbridge alberta....do u mind telling your buddies over there we need the pipeline....lol
lol. Yes you/we do need one. I'm all pro. Just makes sense. What a soap opera that's become...... Maybe you just need a premier that can ask "nice".

A real silly question....... I understand/well aware of bending the thumb ram with the increased pressure. Not sure what you mean by re-setting the valve.
 

245dlc

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Canada
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Well when you up the pressure for mower....you will have to set it back down for thumb
We have to do that with our 160 we've got a Promac Brush Cutter and it requires 4000 or 5000 psi (I can't remember) and the thumb around 2500-3000 I think. We didn't bend the cylinder or anything that dramatic but it did start leaking out of the seals and a pipe fitting, and the boss didn't understand till I told him he has to set the relief valve to use the thumb. However with our Kobelco 210 which is about 5 or 6 years newer you just reset the relief valve through the display in the cab which is quite a bit more convenient.
 

JD8875

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Apr 8, 2010
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314
Location
Harrisonville, Missouri
Im like your friend and a cheap skate... I built a mower for my skid steer out of crap I scrounged out of the junk pile. The mower a family member junked because "the gearbox was bad" truthfully they hit a tire and jammed the swing bar. The motor came from a street sweeper I junked out years ago, I built my own plate, I use a simple in line pressure relure valve "T'd" between the hoses. When you shut it down the relief opens up and oil flows in a circle through the motor and about 4ft of each hose.

The deck could be heavier, and I've bent it. The gearbox doesn't hold oil, so I've filled it with gun grease like every other mower on the farm. It's ugly as hell, but it's a money maker in a hurry.

John
 
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