[murdo]

A couple of pics of my 2013 CF500 and the 4me (13') spray rig I have set up for doing small paddocks. The 12 volt pump will put 40 psi into the 8 nozzles.
I carry 65Lts (16.5 US Gal) in the rear tank, 36Lt (9 US Gal) in the front (with a small 12 volt fish tank pump to transfer to rear tank) and a 6Lt (1.5 Gal) tank of foaming agent for a marker. Also have a hand nozzle for doing around trees and fences. The CF handles it all with ease.

[Cosmosdan]

Nice, I love it when you can get your machine to do one more thing it didn't before.  Not a bad way to get chores done around the homestead.

[murdo]

Thanks. Will post up some pictures of the 4'6" tow behind (or beside) mower when I get it finished.

[Cosmosdan]

Please do. I was thinking of doing one also, if I can scrape up the parts. Another low/no budget project.

[John]

Nice

[murdo]

Here is where I have got to so far. I built the mower about five years ago to use behind my Kubota tractor, with the mower carried on the three point linkage and the swivel wheels at the back, powered by the pto shaft. The cutter heads are from a wrecked ride-on mower, and I built a heavy duty deck over using 14 gauge steel. My arthritis is getting too bad to be able to ride the tractor anymore so I will have to (reluctantly) sell it and will adapt some of my implements to use behind the quad bike. I plan to use a 16Hp Honda copy engine driving the 90deg drive box that the pto shaft was attached to. I have turned the box around so the engine will drive it the correct way and moved the swivel wheels to the front. I use the linkage pins as pivoting joints for the tow bar so it can flex over ground ridges and not drive the blades into the dirt, with a height adjuster for the tow bar. The rear wheels are small Mazda hubs, Suzuki wheels with quad tyres that match the CF stud pattern and my spare. These will also have a height adjuster (a trailer jockey wheel holder) so I can get the height and angle of the blades set right. I have made the towing attachment removeable so I can use an offset towbar so that the mower will be cutting with the quad running on the already cut grass (and not getting grass seeds in the radiator). More to do, a work in progress.

[Cosmosdan]

That's way more mower than I was thinking. Still interested in this. I love making something useful out of old items.

[murdo]

Google up 'quad bike trailing mower images' and somewhere on there is a photo of a trailing mower made from a ride on. The guy has taken the rear axel, seat and steering column off, fixed the front wheels straight, turned the cutting deck 180 degrees and fitted a tow bar to the rear of the frame. The engine runs the cutters as original, with height adjustment of original mower, and is towed backwards by the quad. I thought this was a brilliant idea for using an old mower with stuffed rear end or broken frame.
Another idea that may have merit was a bloke who bought three cheap Chinese made walk behind/push mowers and made a frame to tie them together with a tow bar. He started all engines and towed them around with a quad. 

[Cosmosdan]

I have seen these. I  am leaning towards the square tubing frame with a large mower deck floating in it. I will have to see what parts I find and go from there.

[murdo]

Use the largest wheels you can so they ride over holes, not drop into them.

[Cosmosdan]

I was also thinking about wheels on the deck also so it doesn't dig into a high spot.

[murdo]

Good idea. I have the swivel  wheels (about 4" dia) on the front for that very reason.

[murdo]

Took the spray gear off and went trailing with my partener on her 300 Kymco.

[murdo]

Have been giving the CF a service before heading off for the easter break. The valve clearances have not moved in the last 2,500 km, very impressed. Spark plug still good. Have also changed to waterless coolant that I will never have to change again. Oil and filter changed and diff oils checked ok. Measured the belt and has gone from 35mm new to 34.9 now, so many more miles left in it. Blew out the dust and regreased the bearing before replacing cover. I made a mod to the front cover so I can get the two front bolts that hold the fuel tank on out without having to take the full front cover off. Made a screen over the air intake to the belt cover to keep grass seeds out.

[murdo]

Gave my quad a clean up after a trip to the western end of the state. They are in a severe drought and no rain has fallen since May, so things are dry and dusty. I took off the rear wheels to grease the pivot joints, check the suspension bolts and make it easier to clean out the thistles and burrs. I found the left hub flange loose on the splines. I torqued it up and it only moved a small amount but it was enough to tighten it and pinned the nut again. Surprised this came loose after 3,000Km as the nut was still locked.