# bush hog vs belly hanger



## newbie2 (Feb 27, 2016)

After getting some good advice here I found my dream tractor a JD2110 with 400hrs. So far so good.

It came with a belly hanger mower. I was thinking I needed a bush hog but maybe not. I have 4 acres to clear, cactus and a few stumps to be careful of. I thought I'd drag the bucket over the uncertain areas to discover rocks etc. The mow.

So I am left wondering if a bush hog would help? Main advantage I've heard is that the bush hog has a shear pin so if I do something stupid it will shear the pin. While if I hit something with belly hanger the shock will go more directly into the tractor with potential for damage. Any other advantages of a bush hog?

tks
don


----------



## fatjay (Dec 6, 2013)

Belly mowers are typically finish mowers with fixed blades, where-as brush hogs are your rough cuts with blades that pivot, so that if they hit a rock, stump, etc, they do not stop the blade dead in it's tracks. Brush hog blades have not a sheer pin, but rather a hardened pin going between the mount and the blade. Just think, how much fun would it be to have a blade spinning at 1100+rpm and blow off with a shear pin. Bad news.

I'd get both. Your closer acre I'd clear with the finishing mower, and hit a rough cut with everything else.


----------



## newbie2 (Feb 27, 2016)

fatjay said:


> Belly mowers are typically finish mowers with fixed blades, where-as brush hogs are your rough cuts with blades that pivot, so that if they hit a rock, stump, etc, they do not stop the blade dead in it's tracks. Brush hog blades have not a sheer pin, but rather a hardened pin going between the mount and the blade. Just think, how much fun would it be to have a blade spinning at 1100+rpm and blow off with a shear pin. Bad news.
> 
> I'd get both. Your closer acre I'd clear with the finishing mower, and hit a rough cut with everything else.


tks for info. Is this hardened pin between the mount and blade under the hog deck or inline with the PTO coupling? How is it different that a shear pin? It doesn't shear as easily, ie you have to hit something significant to shear it?

don


----------



## Thomas (Nov 1, 2006)

As fatjay said.


----------



## pogobill (Jan 31, 2012)

I think what fatjay is trying to explain is that the blades are not attached with a shear pin, but rather a hardened fastening pin that is not designed to break. If the pin did break, the blade, spinning at 1100 RPM, would most likely cause some extremely significant damage to life and property.
The blades on the brush hog are designed to climb over a an obstruction if one is encountered. The only pin that would act as a "shear pin" would be the bolt that holds your driveshaft to the coupling that attaches to the gearbox on the brushhog or any other PTO driven implement.
This is what I have for a drive shaft setup, but I don't use a brushhog either.








Your best bet would be to make sure you have a slip clutch between your driveshaft and the brushhog gearbox. If you do buy a Bushhog make sure it has one.








It will save you a lot of grief over a shear pin set up!
Cheers


----------



## FredM (Nov 18, 2015)

As a precaution should you buy a new or used brush hog (over the pond here, we call them slashers) I would dismantle the safety clutch pack and clean all mating surfaces, I say this because most of these implements sit out in the weather and moisture will ingress between the metal faces and clutch plate and create a bond, the clutch wont slip as it should if an obstruction is encountered.

You can measure spring length before undoing the retaining nuts or browse the manufacturers specifications for the set length. 

I have attached a photo of a brush hog blade beam with blade and HT bolt, nut, blade bushing and washer,


----------

