Using a large crescent wrench to bend back sheet metal will keep those shock loads off the weld from hammer use. Just set a narrow bite on the wrench and slip it over the sheet metal and lean on it.
@@roarke3727 Oh I see. Yeah the Ventrac is great. My mom hopped right on it and she has knee problems. Even her upper body strength is much lower than before from cancer treatments and she can drive around and operate the tractor easily. The 4520Z is a bit tougher to move sometimes because the detent springs on the SDLA lever are stronger I think.
Looks like you have all of your cut height setting at the minimum height of cut. That has to be pretty hard on the implement in heavy brush. I have the previous model which is very similar and i have it set at about 5 inch or 5 1/2 inch and very tough use.
How many hours mowing do you figure you have on that deck? I've seen what you cut in your videos. Do you think it is holding up reasonably well considering what you are asking of it? Thanks for posting these videos. I am still doing research and considering a Ventrac as an alternative to my little Kubota.
Indeed It is doing much better than I thought. I have been doing a self funded torture test of it and it has always kept on marching forward. A few inconveniences mentioned in the review video but for the Price of it and comparing to what local services around me charge for similar work, it has technically paid for itself. I would say I am probably around 40-50 hours on the tough cut. Thanks for watching this and my other videos. I am learning each time and hope to keep improving. (More mowing videos are being made right now)
I have a question not pertaining to the tuff cut deck but I noticed at the beginning of the video you had the bucket with the grapple on the hydraulic controlled 3 point hitch with the additional hydraulic assist. How can you be running 3 hydraulic devices from 2 hydraulic controls 🤔 did you run a 3rd addional line up and plug into one of the 2 front hydraulic controllers to manage controlling 3 cylinders? I have been considering doing that since the tuff cut only uses 1 cylinder for lifting it and the grapple with the bucket on the back at the same time as the tuffcut on the front makes sense. Thanks in advance for the answer and thoughts and the videos you do a great job.
The rear hydraulics can only control 2 circuits. On the control stand there are 3 levers for the rear. Lift and lower the entire assembly and the 2 sets of hydraulic couplers. I didn't have the bucket hooked up at all, it was attached to the back by the 3-N-1 adapter so it is securely attached, I was simply using it as a place to carry cameras and tools. I could use the bucket tilt and grapple on the rear but I would have to unplug the hydraulic top link function. Running lines from the front couplers to the rear is probably possible but it is a limitation of the machine in the current state.
Do you have any information on exactly how much benefit is found by having that one blade rotate backward? I would think the center blade would be the one that should rotate backward, if it is truely necessary.
The Steiner version of the tough cut has all the blades rotating the same and all the material trapped inside the deck piles up on the right side of the mower. Having that blade rotate backwards moves all the material to the center and basically leaves a nice windrow under the machine between the wheels. Basically all the blades in the same direction makes it act like a side discharge but there isn't an opening for the material to leave the right side. Check out this video from Steiger 256, he explains it well and installs the reversing kit. Tell him I sent ya. czcams.com/video/-_yFqDBUT_E/video.html
Tough cut deck doesn’t look very tough at all……… or you are cutting material that is too heavy fo the design of the deck. These decks were designed to cut over grown grass and weeds only! They will not hold up to use in wood type saplings etc. etc. I know this to be true as I own 2ea 4500Z tractors w/tough cut decks & finish decks. anything other than thick weeds/grass you need to use a rotary cutter PERIOD! They are great machines for cutting grass on steep slopes and large yards and that’s it. Keep them in there designed for lane and they will perform and last.
I e owned the two I have for over five years….. that’s how I know that they will not hold up to continuous heavy use period ! I have everything from forestry mulcher’s to 200hp row crop tractors to cat D6 dozers. I feel pretty sure Im qualified to judge the tough cut deck. Keep abusing yours and you will agree eventually when you wallet tells you…. 😂
You can baby it and never scratch the paint or you can use it as a tool is intended. I use mine for what's needed and yes I know it has limits and I have pushed it to them. If you want to buy me another I will be sure to use it how you want me to use it. Until then my way of using it is just fine by me. Thanks for watching.
Apologize for stepping on your exposed raw nerve… let’s just say that I believe that if I am bending sheet metal & breaking welds on the deck with my use of the unit……. It’s not the right tool for the task that I’m performing period! There is a ton of truth to the phrase…. You need to get a bigger hammer! 😂😂. Truth is matching equipment with the task to be performed to avoid un necessary self induced repairs is a talent the is totally lessons learned and experience based. “Work smarted not harder”. Also means not throwing money out the window! Have fun brother!!
Bert….. read all my previous reply’s in this thread. I have owned 2ea of the 4500z Ventrac machines for several years and use the hell out of them…. I know their limits period! You said it right….. “They show it”. That’s a marketing video that doesn’t show real world use. Get one and try to run over any and everything and you will finally hear your wallet screaming at you to STOP. They are great machines period…… for Mowing Grass and weeds.
I just changed the blades and greased last weekend . Missed some things. Thanks!!!
Using a large crescent wrench to bend back sheet metal will keep those shock loads off the weld from hammer use. Just set a narrow bite on the wrench and slip it over the sheet metal and lean on it.
Excellent video- thank you for the tips and tricks. I sure wish my HQ682 had the hydraulic lift kit cause its heavy!
Great video, suggest in editing eliminating wind noise as much as ya can. From experience, I know its a pain, but makes it easier on your viewers. 🙂
I was at the dealership, they have one model which I sat on an I can say it's a whole lot easier then a big step up of the Kubota I have.
Are you talking about a large rotary mower for a tractor or a Zero Turn mower?
@@InsightLandCare I was talking about how easy it is to get on the Ventrec compared to my machine.
@@roarke3727 Oh I see. Yeah the Ventrac is great. My mom hopped right on it and she has knee problems. Even her upper body strength is much lower than before from cancer treatments and she can drive around and operate the tractor easily. The 4520Z is a bit tougher to move sometimes because the detent springs on the SDLA lever are stronger I think.
Looks like you have all of your cut height setting at the minimum height of cut. That has to be pretty hard on the implement in heavy brush. I have the previous model which is very similar and i have it set at about 5 inch or 5 1/2 inch and very tough use.
Saw you using the Lube Shuttle, what grease are you using?
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️👍👍👍👍👍👍
👍👍👍👍👍👍❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
How many hours mowing do you figure you have on that deck? I've seen what you cut in your videos. Do you think it is holding up reasonably well considering what you are asking of it? Thanks for posting these videos. I am still doing research and considering a Ventrac as an alternative to my little Kubota.
Indeed It is doing much better than I thought. I have been doing a self funded torture test of it and it has always kept on marching forward. A few inconveniences mentioned in the review video but for the Price of it and comparing to what local services around me charge for similar work, it has technically paid for itself. I would say I am probably around 40-50 hours on the tough cut. Thanks for watching this and my other videos. I am learning each time and hope to keep improving. (More mowing videos are being made right now)
I have a question not pertaining to the tuff cut deck but I noticed at the beginning of the video you had the bucket with the grapple on the hydraulic controlled 3 point hitch with the additional hydraulic assist.
How can you be running 3 hydraulic devices from 2 hydraulic controls 🤔 did you run a 3rd addional line up and plug into one of the 2 front hydraulic controllers to manage controlling 3 cylinders?
I have been considering doing that since the tuff cut only uses 1 cylinder for lifting it and the grapple with the bucket on the back at the same time as the tuffcut on the front makes sense.
Thanks in advance for the answer and thoughts and the videos you do a great job.
The rear hydraulics can only control 2 circuits. On the control stand there are 3 levers for the rear. Lift and lower the entire assembly and the 2 sets of hydraulic couplers. I didn't have the bucket hooked up at all, it was attached to the back by the 3-N-1 adapter so it is securely attached, I was simply using it as a place to carry cameras and tools. I could use the bucket tilt and grapple on the rear but I would have to unplug the hydraulic top link function. Running lines from the front couplers to the rear is probably possible but it is a limitation of the machine in the current state.
Thank you for the reply
Do you have any information on exactly how much benefit is found by having that one blade rotate backward? I would think the center blade would be the one that should rotate backward, if it is truely necessary.
The Steiner version of the tough cut has all the blades rotating the same and all the material trapped inside the deck piles up on the right side of the mower. Having that blade rotate backwards moves all the material to the center and basically leaves a nice windrow under the machine between the wheels. Basically all the blades in the same direction makes it act like a side discharge but there isn't an opening for the material to leave the right side. Check out this video from Steiger 256, he explains it well and installs the reversing kit. Tell him I sent ya.
czcams.com/video/-_yFqDBUT_E/video.html
Tough cut deck doesn’t look very tough at all……… or you are cutting material that is too heavy fo the design of the deck. These decks were designed to cut over grown grass and weeds only! They will not hold up to use in wood type saplings etc. etc. I know this to be true as I own 2ea 4500Z tractors w/tough cut decks & finish decks. anything other than thick weeds/grass you need to use a rotary cutter PERIOD! They are great machines for cutting grass on steep slopes and large yards and that’s it. Keep them in there designed for lane and they will perform and last.
Watch some other videos. You know what's it capable of if you own them.
I e owned the two I have for over five years….. that’s how I know that they will not hold up to continuous heavy use period ! I have everything from forestry mulcher’s to 200hp row crop tractors to cat D6 dozers. I feel pretty sure Im qualified to judge the tough cut deck. Keep abusing yours and you will agree eventually when you wallet tells you…. 😂
You can baby it and never scratch the paint or you can use it as a tool is intended. I use mine for what's needed and yes I know it has limits and I have pushed it to them. If you want to buy me another I will be sure to use it how you want me to use it. Until then my way of using it is just fine by me. Thanks for watching.
Apologize for stepping on your exposed raw nerve… let’s just say that I believe that if I am bending sheet metal & breaking welds on the deck with my use of the unit……. It’s not the right tool for the task that I’m performing period! There is a ton of truth to the phrase…. You need to get a bigger hammer! 😂😂. Truth is matching equipment with the task to be performed to avoid un necessary self induced repairs is a talent the is totally lessons learned and experience based. “Work smarted not harder”. Also means not throwing money out the window! Have fun brother!!
Bert….. read all my previous reply’s in this thread. I have owned 2ea of the 4500z Ventrac machines for several years and use the hell out of them…. I know their limits period! You said it right….. “They show it”. That’s a marketing video that doesn’t show real world use. Get one and try to run over any and everything and you will finally hear your wallet screaming at you to STOP. They are great machines period…… for Mowing Grass and weeds.