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Section 4: Operating Instructions
11/13/18
RCF3684 Rotary Cutters 326-412M
Tractor Shutdown Procedure
The following are basic tractor shutdown procedures.
Follow these procedures and any additional shutdown
procedures provided in your tractor Operator’s Manual
before leaving the operator’s seat.
1.
Reduce engine speed and disengage power take-off
if engaged.
2. Park tractor and implement on level, solid ground.
3. Lower implement to ground or onto non-concrete
support blocks.
4. Put tractor in park or set park brake, turn off engine,
and remove switch key to prevent unauthorized
starting.
5. Relieve all hydraulic pressure to auxiliary hydraulic
lines.
6. Wait for all components to come to a complete stop
before leaving the operator’s seat.
7.
Use steps, grab-handles and anti-slip surfaces when
stepping on and off the tractor.
Transporting
WARNING
!
To avoid serious injury or death:
•
When traveling on public roadways, travel in such a way
that faster moving vehicles may pass safely. Use accessory
lights, clean reflectors, and a slow moving vehicle sign that
is visible from the back to warn operators in other vehicles
of your presence. Always comply with all federal, state, and
•
Always disengage power take-off before lifting cutter fully
up. Never operate cutter in the raised position. The cutter
can discharge objects at high speeds.
•
Always disengage power take-off and wait for driveline to
stop rotating before raising implement to transport position.
1.
Make sure driveline does not contact tractor or cutter
when raising cutter to transport position.
2. Reduce tractor ground speed when turning and leave
enough clearance so cutter does not contact
obstacles such as buildings, trees, or fences.
3. Limit transport speed to 20 mph. Transport only with
a tractor of sufficient size and horsepower.
4. When traveling on roadways, transport in such a way
that faster moving vehicles may pass you safely.
5. Shift tractor to a lower gear when traveling over rough
or hilly terrain.
Conventional U-Joint Driveline
Figure 4-1
Turning Angles for Pull-Type Cutters
Avoid tractor-to-cutter turning angles exceeding 35
degrees if main driveline is a standard conventional drive
shaft. This extreme angle is intended for intermittent
usage only and not prolonged usage. Plan your field
cutting to minimize the number of turns as well as
extreme angles where turns are necessary.
Crossing Steep Ditches and Banks
Figure 4-2
Crossing Steep Ditches & Banks
WARNING
!
To avoid serious injury or death:
Damage to the tractor’s power take-off and/or driveline can
cause driveline to come loose and cause bodily injury to the
Cutting over ditches and backing up hills can tilt the
cutter’s back side up excessively resulting in “
Bottoming
Out
” the driveline. Bottoming out is when the driveline
shaft has shorten to the point it is pressing against the
gearbox and tractor power take-off shafts. Once a
driveline has bottomed out, it can not be shorten anymore
without causing serious damage to the tractor power
take-off components, cutter gearbox, and driveline.
Do not operate a pull-type cutter at an angle exceeding
25 degrees up or down or at any angle that will force the
driveline to bind and/or hit the tractor drawbar.
11934
Ditch / Bank
Wrong
Right
Ditch / Bank
IMPORTANT:
Always cross ditches and banks at a
diagonal. Never cross straight across and never
back into a ditch or bank.
