farmall h with 6 ft brush hog -- too big

michaelr · Nov 10, 2014

Have a farmall H trying to pull a 6 foot brush hog. It seems the H PTO has not enough muscle to run it. Even when taking a half swath. Might have to punt and get a smaller mower. What size do people normally put behind their H?

Zachary Hoyt · Nov 10, 2014

I ran a 5' behind my H and now with a 300 and am looking for a 6' instead since it would mean fewer passes. I am only cutting weeds and grass, no trees or wood bushes most of the time. Heights up to 6-7 feet but not really dense growth. Much will depend on what you are cutting, how tall and thick it is, how sharp the blades on your cutter are and what kind of power your H has since they can vary both in condition and what parts they were rebuilt with.
Zach

gene bender · Nov 10, 2014

Is the mower lower to the ground at the front

mkirsch · Nov 10, 2014

Many people through no fault of their own don't know what a good-running H is supposed to sound like. I've watched many a youtube video of proud 4-cylinder Farmall/IH owners marveling at how powerful their tractor sounds and how smoothly it runs, when it is clearly MISSING on two cylinders!

Your H should sound smooth, like a sewing machine, not choppy like a Harley Davidson. After it's warmed up some, you should be able to pull the quickly throttle lever all the way back and have the tractor rev up to full throttle smoothly without hesitation, coughing, or stalling.

If it isn't, you're leaving a lot of power on the table. Your tractor may only be making 1/2 of the power it's capable of. It needs to be tuned up. New ignition parts, rebuilding the carburetor, then tuning the carburetor and setting the timing. Adjusting the valves may help as well.

Of course the engine may be just plum wore out too. A compression check will tell you a lot about that. Much under 90 PSI and power will start to suffer.

IH fan · Nov 10, 2014

(quoted from post at 13:15:02 11/10/14) Have a farmall H trying to pull a 6 foot brush hog. It seems the H PTO has not enough muscle to run it. Even when taking a half swath. Might have to punt and get a smaller mower. What size do people normally put behind their H?

I don't know why a good running H should not be able to handle a good condition and properly adjusted 6' mower.

Janicholson · Nov 10, 2014

We run a sharp 6' Hog behind an H in 2nd in 2' tall grass. In grown weeds the height of the hood it will cut in first. In sedge grass 1/2 cut is required.
The H needs a bit of a tune, and the mower must be sharp and with the front edge lower than the rear by about a half inch (as noted in the other post. Jim

tractorguy2 · Nov 10, 2014

The mower need good sharp blades.Will make a lot of difference what type of grass and how tall you are mowing.

pete 23 · Nov 10, 2014

No one mentioned that there is a whole lot of difference between an H with a low comp head and H with gasoline head and over bore firecrater pistons, let alone the most often over looked governor on those old girls. IH was not known for good governor life on the older tractors.

jal-SD · Nov 10, 2014

Unless your H is completely wore out, it should pull a 6 foot with little problem. When did you change points & plugs last? It might be starving for fuel. Did you try opening up the carb? (My $0.0 worth. jal-SD)

Dean Olson · Nov 10, 2014

I run a 6' behind a 53 SH. 2nd gear in 4-5' tall pasture weeds and 4th for ongoing maintenance,12". Full cut on both.

I suspect your H is pretty worn out or your brush is really tough.

Mark-Mi · Nov 10, 2014

I pull a 7 foot with my H. I like to go slow, first or second gear cuts better looks good. Power is no problem.

redforlife · Nov 11, 2014

A good running H in good shape should run a 6' mower. A poor running H or a wore out one is probly going to have problems. A responsive governor probly a must. Mower set right and sharp baldes probly a must. If getting into stuff to tall, a full swath probly not going to happen. For what its worth, if you not having to much of a problem now, just a little bit of power shortage and not from a governor problem or dull blades or something like that, your H would handle a 5' mower alot better.

todd hamilton · Nov 11, 2014

Times have surely changed. In the 70s nobody cared what a tractor looked like just how much soup it had. Dad a an ugly rusty sc case overbored with an l.p. head. It would pull 2 18s in third gear on flat ground, lug up a red hill in first with front wheels a foot off of the dirt. It would pull an 8' disk and cullipacker on rough plowed dirt. It would pull a John Deere four row planter with dry box fertilizer

farmall h with 6 ft brush hog -- too big

michaelr

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Zachary Hoyt

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gene bender

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mkirsch

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IH fan

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Janicholson

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tractorguy2

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pete 23

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jal-SD

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Dean Olson

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Mark-Mi

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redforlife

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todd hamilton

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