Best Topper Type

TippNorth

Just wondering what is the most suitable topper for wet ground where there are rushes soft spots etc?

Is a trailer topper easier to travel with on wet ground than a mounted one or side mounted?

Could do with your thoughts , I had a semi offset previous, but its small 6ft with a single rotor and can go through a lot of shear bolts on rushy areas.

_Brian

If your breaking shear bolts on rushes then I'd say tue forward speed is too high.

We have a single rotor Fleming trailed topper 6ft and sadly plenty of rush and wet spots. Haven't broken a shear bolt in years.

I'd suggest that any type of topper will give trouble if not given time to deal with the rushes.
Low forward speed and high rpm on topper.

mythos110

Had a trailed Rossmore in the past and it was a disaster in wet or high going (Sinking or sliding). IMO the best topper I have used is mounted offset. Plenty of ground clearance when you need it.

A reasonable quality disc mower is good on rushes also. Stay away from a Malone though. I have used one for topping for the last few years and is a disaster on ragworth. I drove over the same stalk 3 times last year and it was still standing. That was at about 8kph with the pto at 540rpm! Dropped the mower and borrowed my brothers 8ft mounted abbey. it was a dinger of a machine.

Have a new 9ft offset mounted Abbey on order now myself!

patsy_mccabe

Keep your blade sharp. Obvious, but very few actually edge it.

The part time boy

A mower !

Noveight

We've a 9ft trailed Abbey. Great width to make progress but does a lot of slipping on hilly ground, means you can't drop her entirely and have to keep weight on the wheels. Well able for heavy going.

Before that we had a side mounted Major. Equally good, a bit harder on shear bolts if I remember right but it's a while back now. Never gave any bother and cut the world of rushes.

Overall the trailed is a great job if you've ground to cover.

Timmaay

If your shearing bolts too easy check incase the hole has gone oval shaped abit on the pto shaft, the bolt will snap a lot easier if it has.

Timmaay

The part time boy wrote: »

A mower !

I thought about this, but the sums didn't really stack up to replace my old but perfectly functional topper with a new mower. The topper I can (and do lol) dog the sh1t outa, we lucky don't have many stones here but the few that I do hit in the grazing paddocks I know would do alot more damage to a mower. The contractor does all the silage here, and I don't really have much ambition to take on a new job myself if I was to pickup a mower, and end up having to cut most myown silage just to justify spending the 8/10k on a mower.

Mooooo

Timmaay wrote: »

I thought about this, but the sums didn't really stack up to replace my old but perfectly functional topper with a new mower. The topper I can (and do lol) dog the sh1t outa, we lucky don't have many stones here but the few that I do hit in the grazing paddocks I know would do alot more damage to a mower. The contractor does all the silage here, and I don't really have much ambition to take on a new job myself if I was to pickup a mower, and end up having to cut most myown silage just to justify spending the 8/10k on a mower.

Could just do the strong paddocks as you like and leave main cuts to contractor.

The part time boy

Advantage of mower over toper is you get a way cleaner cut and there fore better regrowth.

Also as mo said if a paddock goes to strong you can cut your self

Timmaay

The part time boy wrote: »

Advantage of mower over toper is you get a way cleaner cut and there fore better regrowth.

Also as mo said if a paddock goes to strong you can cut your self

Even with a sharp blade on the topper? I sharpen the blade on the topper here every few days when I'm regularly using it (or after I've struck something bad ha, clean enough cut on the grass. I do keep the pto speed up tho, and drop the forward speed for heavy stuff (but equally so I will hit 12kph on lighter stuff and still get a decent cleanout). Blade set to the lowest setting also, much to the complaint of my dad ha, anything higher and it's purely cosmetic, and burning diesel.

The part time boy

Timmaay wrote: »

The part time boy wrote: »

Advantage of mower over toper is you get a way cleaner cut and there fore better regrowth.

Also as mo said if a paddock goes to strong you can cut your self

Even with a sharp blade on the topper? I sharpen the blade on the topper here every few days when I'm regularly using it (or after I've struck something bad ha, clean enough cut on the grass. I do keep the pto speed up tho, and drop the forward speed for heavy stuff (but equally so I will hit 12kph on lighter stuff and still get a decent cleanout). Blade set to the lowest setting also, much to the complaint of my dad ha, anything higher and it's purely cosmetic, and burning diesel.

Not compairstion to be honest. My uncle uses a mower . Mower with old knifes is still better than my topper that's just been sharpened .

Always said I get a Mower when I upgraded my topper. Now that I gone part time it probably won't happen for while

mythos110

The part time boy wrote: »

Not compairstion to be honest. My uncle uses a mower . Mower with old knifes is still better than my topper that's just been sharpened .

Always said I get a Mower when I upgraded my topper. Now that I gone part time it probably won't happen for while

I thought the same and got an 8ft Malone to replace the 8ft rossmore trailed. As I said above, it leaves an awful lot of ragworth standing and has an awful tendency to skip over grass going downhill. The abbey topper I borrowed gave equally clean a cut but actually cut everything. Hence I'm getting a new abbey myself and will probably offload the Malone at some stage.

PS: the Malone cuts quite well on meadow swarths when you have it peeling nice and low to the ground, but that doesn't suit for topping. Have tried it with and without the topping skids fitted and same results.

Bass Reeves

Have a topper from years ago but bought n 8' disc mower two years ago. If you have clean stone free fields then the mower is the job. But of there is a danger of hitting rock or stone then the topper is a necessity. I am reconditioning topper at present. The damage done to the underneath would frighten you. Mine was a trailed9semi offset) but would imagine that an offset would be a better job.

Often with rushes it a case of slowing down and keeping revs up. Lift topper 2-3 inces off ground and take a cut and go back and cut again. First year is hardest. If you can top them again in mid summer you will weaken the rushes and then top once to twice ever year. Over time you will really weaken the rushes. Its immaterial what you cut them with as long as you keep cutting them

Limestone Cowboy

Rang 2 places pricing a galvanised 6ft semi offset major topper today. Was 300 in the difference between them for the same topper.

kay 9

Limestone Cowboy wrote: »

Rang 2 places pricing a galvanised 6ft semi offset major topper today. Was 300 in the difference between them for the same topper.

That's a fair percentage difference in a relatively small cost machine. Someone is extracting the urine. What was the cheapest quote? Our own is getting old

Limestone Cowboy

kay 9 wrote: »

That's a fair percentage difference in a relatively small cost machine. Someone is extracting the urine. What was the cheapest quote? Our own is getting old

1700 or 1450 for a painted one with galvanised skids.

kay 9

Limestone Cowboy wrote: »

1700 or 1450 for a painted one with galvanised skids.

The galvanised skids must make them a good bit dearer. I've never seen the skids to rust out, it's usually the tops.

TPF2012

Just a query about the gearbox oil. We have a major 605, it is around 8-9 year old, never had its gearbox oil changed, topped up or anything. Is it required to change the oil or will it be ok? Does about 30 acres light rushes/20 acres heavy rushes a year. Seems to be going well enough,

Fireside Solicitor

Have a 9 foot abbey years and no trouble, bit hilly round here for a disc mower as stoney enough in places as lots of drainage over the years and no matter how much you pick them always coming up. Got a sub spoiler for the reeds and didn't do a bad job at all only you have to go at every 3-4 years. Neighbour has one so handy enough but expensive if you get a contractor in

SuperTortoise

Limestone Cowboy wrote: »

1700 or 1450 for a painted one with galvanised skids.

I've a regular painted topper here the skids are just fine no signs of any serious corrosion, however the top is goosed, rusted right through so i'll have to replace the steel top this year.
What thickness steel would i need to be using, would 4mm be overkill? a sheet is coming in over 100e and one sheet won't quite cover it.

_Brian

SuperTortoise wrote: »

I've a regular painted topper here the skids are just fine no signs of any serious corrosion, however the top is goosed, rusted right through so i'll have to replace the steel top this year.
What thickness steel would i need to be using, would 4mm be overkill? a sheet is coming in over 100e and one sheet won't quite cover it.

4mm definitely overkill, what was on it, I'd be going with same again..

pedigree 6

SuperTortoise wrote: »

I've a regular painted topper here the skids are just fine no signs of any serious corrosion, however the top is goosed, rusted right through so i'll have to replace the steel top this year.
What thickness steel would i need to be using, would 4mm be overkill? a sheet is coming in over 100e and one sheet won't quite cover it.

I replaced the top on my abbey a few years ago.
I used the lightest of the steel sheets 1 or 2mm??
But I spot welded it all around and its more than strong enough for anyone to stand on the covers. Stronger than the original in fact.

Here's a pic from when I replaced the sides on it.
But you can see the covers.


Edit: I think the covers look better flat anyway than the original corrugated covers from Abbey and easier clean.

Timmaay

_Brian wrote: »

4mm definitely overkill, what was on it, I'd be going with same again..

In situations where steel rusts like crazy I don't see any advantage in going with a thicker plate, it will often rust even faster, you end up with the really flaky rust. The only job with a topper is to keep it reasonably clean, and free from grass, if you fire it off the tractor with a load of grass and sh1te on it, water will just sit on the bed of it. Bed on our topper isn't in fantastic condition I'll admit but I power washed every bit of rust off it last summer and gave it a decent lick of paint, will hopefully get me through another 2seasons before I'll have to look at doing some proper patchwork on it ha, or trading it in.

Muckit

It seems to be the achilles heel of them. I've a 10 yr old abbey here and have to resheet it now too.

Sheets are 6'? Feckin making it awkward. Is is possible to weld 2mm sheet with a standard stick arc welder?

pedigree 6

Muckit wrote: »

It seems to be the achilles heel of them. I've a 10 yr old abbey here and have to resheet it now too.

Sheets are 6'? Feckin making it awkward. Is is possible to weld 2mm sheet with a standard stick arc welder?

Well an ordinary steel sheet is 8 x 4. If you wanted to go down that road.

It's possible to weld it with a stick welder. (I did)
But you'd need it turned right back and loads of patience.:pac:

larthehar

pedigree 6 wrote: »

Well an ordinary steel sheet is 8 x 4. If you wanted to go down that road.

It's possible to weld it with a stick welder. (I did)
But you'd need it turned right back and loads of patience.:pac:

It.s about the diameter of the rod.. if you use 3.25mm rods for 2mm material, you have it set do high to just get the rod burning that you burn through the material.. i would use 2 or 2.5.. the smaller the better..

SuperTortoise

_Brian wrote: »

4mm definitely overkill, what was on it, I'd be going with same again..

Just eyeballing it it looks to be around 3 or 4mm, 4mm sheet is around 100e + vat so I'd say I'll go for lighter sheet.

pedigree 6

larthehar wrote: »

It.s about the diameter of the rod.. if you use 3.25mm rods for 2mm material, you have it set do high to just get the rod burning that you burn through the material.. i would use 2 or 2.5.. the smaller the better..

Yea I used a light rod.

limo_100

Lads have a new s/h topper an 8 foot super float fleming topper. I was messing round with it today and I did a small bit of topping with it. I see one problem with when I send the topper round into the cutting position at 90 degrees to the tractor everything is fine but when I turn it on and take off the topper drags behind the tractor and doesn't stay in the 90 degree position. Am i missing something is it suppose to clip into position or is the ram suppose to hold it in position??

I have upgraded from a 6 foot semi offset abbey topper which gave twenty years of good service I hope I don't regret it.

larthehar

limo_100 wrote: »

Lads have a new s/h topper an 8 foot super float fleming topper. I was messing round with it today and I did a small bit of topping with it. I see one problem with when I send the topper round into the cutting position at 90 degrees to the tractor everything is fine but when I turn it on and take off the topper drags behind the tractor and doesn't stay in the 90 degree position. Am i missing something is it suppose to clip into position or is the ram suppose to hold it in position??

I have upgraded from a 6 foot semi offset abbey topper which gave twenty years of good service I hope I don't regret it.

I can speak about that topper but i have an abbey and it stays without any locking mechanism.. could be seals in the ram are feiced or valve in the tractor if no locking mechaism exists.. if you turn it 90 degrees, pull out the hydraulics pipes from the tractor and try pull it this should tell you if it is the seals..
Hope you got a warranty!

satstheway

larthehar wrote: »

I can speak about that topper but i have an abbey and it stays without any locking mechanism.. could be seals in the ram are feiced or valve in the tractor if no locking mechaism exists.. if you turn it 90 degrees, pull out the hydraulics pipes from the tractor and try pull it this should tell you if it is the seals..
Hope you got a warranty!

One of the spools om my tractor will also do this. Just turn around pipes and try.

limo_100

larthehar wrote: »

I can speak about that topper but i have an abbey and it stays without any locking mechanism.. could be seals in the ram are feiced or valve in the tractor if no locking mechaism exists.. if you turn it 90 degrees, pull out the hydraulics pipes from the tractor and try pull it this should tell you if it is the seals..
Hope you got a warranty!

My spools on the tractor have being opening on the tractor for the last few weeks I just didnt get a chance to tighten and put lock tight on them. Would the spools being loose do it?? Also if i plug out the pipes what will it tell that its a problem with the spools??

mayota

limo_100 wrote: »

Lads have a new s/h topper an 8 foot super float fleming topper. I was messing round with it today and I did a small bit of topping with it. I see one problem with when I send the topper round into the cutting position at 90 degrees to the tractor everything is fine but when I turn it on and take off the topper drags behind the tractor and doesn't stay in the 90 degree position. Am i missing something is it suppose to clip into position or is the ram suppose to hold it in position??

I have upgraded from a 6 foot semi offset abbey topper which gave twenty years of good service I hope I don't regret it.

Is it definitely the ram closing back? Try using a different spool or plug out pipes as advised above. Seals won't be dear in that ram.Sometimes play in the lift arms/stabilisers can cause them to swing back a bit, this can be lessened by keeping the arms over to the right to compensate.

limo_100

mayota wrote: »

Is it definitely the ram closing back? Try using a different spool or plug out pipes as advised above. Seals won't be dear in that ram.Sometimes play in the lift arms/stabilisers can cause them to swing back a bit, this can be lessened by keeping the arms over to the right to compensate.

The ram was closed when I put it in the cutting position but when I took off the ram was pulled out about 2-3 inches. My stabilisers are f**ked need a ned set of them aswell I will try to plug out the pipes later on and see what happenes