BRUSH MOWER MAINTENANCE

1. Brush mower: the important features

A brush mower is a machine that every manufacturer of agricultural machinery needs to have, and the fundamental element for operating this machine is a rotor. It’s regarded as essential because the rotating movement of the brush mower makes it operational, allowing its tools to move and therefore work the land. 

Without a rotor, a brush mower could not exist, which is why it’s highly important to be familiar with the following features of this component: its weight, the diameter of the tube and the rotating body, as well as the machine width.  

2.  Features of the brush mower rotor

The weight factor of the brush mower is crucial. Indeed, 50% of the machine weight affects its performance, especially the force of the tractor to which it is attached. 

The diameter of the tube and the rotating body also affect the performance of the machine, since there is a direct relationship between the peripheral cutting speed and the diameter of the rotating tube. The larger the diameter, the higher the peripheral cutting speed. As a result, you will have a faster and more efficient machine.   

Lastly, the length of the machine affects the number of tools that can be attached, all of them being driven by the machine motor. 

Some brush mowers perform various functions, but the few lubrication points are extremely important for the machine to perform at its best. 

The bevel gearbox is the only oil-wetted component on brush mowers and transmits the PTO of the tractor directly to the machine. It’s therefore essential to change the oil in the gearbox.

There are various greasing points, but the main ones are definitely the rotor bearings. Other points may include the universal joint of the tractor, the pins and bushings that allow machine movement, and the support roller bearings. We recommend lubricating the machine approximately once every eight working hours. If it is operated in water, this time interval should be halved. The hydraulic system of the brush mower has no prescribed replacement time interval, and no specific type of lubricant. The owner therefore needs to decide when lubrication is required.

3. Replacing worn-out tools

There are two types of machine maintenance: that which needs to be carried out on a daily basis, and supplementary maintenance, which takes place less often at unspecified intervals. Supplementary maintenance includes tensioning belts, replacing worn-out parts and topping up the oil. A worn-out component should be replaced when the machine becomes less efficient. 

Here, we describe how to replace a tool: 

After purchasing new tools, the brush mower should be placed in a safe position, not hanging, but propped against something sturdy while allowing the rotor to be easily accessed. Bolts must be greased well with a spray lubricant after unscrewing them and removing the old tools. After this initial step, the new tools must be fitted and new bolts screwed on. If no problems arise, a small field test can also be carried out before moving on to the real work. After the test, we recommend checking the bolt tension and if no problem is detected, the work has been done perfectly.