front mount topper direction

Ploughteringindubs

Member
Mixed Farmer
hi what direction should front topper rotate? towards tractor throwing stuff behind or forwards?

Its a blade topper that i have and when purchased it was used front mount on demonstration and the middle gearbox was just flipped with bung and breather reversed. Its just i find it seems to eat more pto bolts as currently throwing stuff back into what its taking in and making more work for itself. I also didnt quite appreciate how blocked the radiator grills would get.

Its 2.9m slewtec thats has middle gearbox and two 90s with small pto shafts joining. These shafts have the slip clutches. Ive been having a think and wondered if it would work better reversing the gearbox back to rear mount direction then swapping the two pto shafts over side to side so slip clutches are reversed, thus chucking stuff out backwards under the chassis reducing its work load and reducing stew kicked up and covering grills.

Either that or i will perhaps start looking for flail but not sure if they can go the same speed, 10-15kmph on front currently i think but sure covered more ground with it on back but then left wheel marks where it sprung up.
 

Dave W

Member
Location
chesterfield
A rotary will only cut in one direction. The blades have to be spinning the correct way out it won't cut anything at all.
Had it got a flap of some sort that needs moving from front to back? Something that's not allowing it to fire out the back to clear.
Any pictures?
 

C.J

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
South Devon
You'll have to swap the blades from side to side if you want to change direction of rotation.

Most toppers work like a drum mower sending the cut material back through the middle and leaving a bit of a row.

Belt driven toppers chuck the toppings to one side.

The Mc connel Rhino/Topper nine rotates in the opposite direction to a drum mower so that it chops the cut material up finer and spreads the toppings over the full width of the row.

Sounds like the O.P 's topper is working correctly , but maybe he's trying to cut too much off in one go.

The rule of thumb for mulching a lawn , is only to cut 1/3 off so the clippings have somewhere to go.
 

335d

Member

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Ploughteringindubs

Member
Mixed Farmer
Sorry no pics at present but can get. The blades have plain flat edge on both sides so fit either side and would cut in either direction of rotation. Its just flat chassis with adjustable skids at side, two flat discs turned by comer transfer box each with two blades bolted to each disc. im pretty sure i can make the two discs either rotate in towards tractor or outwards like i currently have it when front mounted.

CJ is right they are not technically supposed to take on a lot and grass ran away very quickly mid/late summer. Its been through major bits of rushs etc before getting place a bit better and it managed fine in rear mount position running like a drum mower would throwing the stuff out the back. Its just in front mount with gearbox reversed its chucking it out the front then running over it again so have to go bit slower and the mess of stew sticking to radiator panels.

I just wondered if it would cause any issues with discss cutting inwards in front mount position as although i was shown the gearbox being flipped im sure just switching the overrun pto clutches to different side would have done same job when i though about it. The clogging up of radiator grill is a pest.
 

Ploughteringindubs

Member
Mixed Farmer
Teague make a similar topper for front or rear mounting.
I would assume as the direction is reversed on the front, you would need different blades with the crank on the other side to suit the direction of rotation, or if it has two rotors, then swap the blades over

It also mentions moving some guides



yip same setup just bit beefier. Even more so now as ive had it long time and remade the chassis with even thicker plate and box than when it was bought new. The stew and snapping of 12.9 shanked pto bolts is annoying when currently front mounted.
 

john432

Member
Location
Carmarthenshire
I've put my topper on the front linkage, it has revesable blade,ie edge on both sides, only thing I had to do was use the shaft off the front mower, due to the over run clutch.
 

Ploughteringindubs

Member
Mixed Farmer
I've put my topper on the front linkage, it has revesable blade,ie edge on both sides, only thing I had to do was use the shaft off the front mower, due to the over run clutch.
Which way does yours spin on front? imagine it's same way as on back as front PTO usually spins opposite from back.
 

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