BRUSH MOWER MAINTENANCE, NEW DETAILS

1. Brush mower: the important features

Without a rotor a brush mower could not exist, which is why knowing the features of this component is essential when purchasing the machine and when carrying out maintenance.
The rotor varies according to the width of the machine required. Since it is the rotating body that moves the brush mower tools, a greater width of the machine body always entails a higher number of blades or hammers, resulting in a greater mechanical workload.
It’s therefore essential to consider, depending on the farmer’s requirements, the following rotor components:

• Weight
• Diameter of the rotating body tube
• Machine width

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

• Features of the brush mower rotor

The diameter of the rotating body tube also affects performance, since there is a direct relationship between the peripheral cutting speed and the diameter of the rotor tube. A larger diameter results in higher speeds in the cutting devices and, consequently, in a machine that works faster.
This relationship, combined with the type of brush mower and the type of work to be done, can increase the rotor speed to between 1,800 and 3,000 rpm.
Lastly, the machine width affects the number of tools, hammers or blades, to be moved by the rotor. A wide machine will require more tools, and therefore a more powerful and heavier motor body. These factors influence the total weight of the brush mower and also lead to evaluations of the tractor that will use this agricultural machine.

• The brush mower hydraulic system

Some brush mower models are fitted with hydraulic pistons to allow specific movements. As for the hydraulic system, you only need to check that there are no leaks from the pipes and piston seals.
Ferri does not indicate a replacement interval, nor a specific type of lubricant for this application because the oil in the hydraulic system is ‘extracted’ from the hydraulic sockets of the tractor, and so it depends on the tractor make and model.