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Find a model →Pit up to four models against each other. Engine, hydraulics, hitch, weight, warranty.
Open comparison →Written guides on choosing tractors, hydraulics, PTO, hitches, and maintenance.
Read articles →A structured pre-season checklist walkthrough covering ten specific tasks before using a rotary cutter: gearbox oil condition, greasing zerks (including commonly missed PTO shaft and shield zerks), blade inspection and un-tucking, torque specs for blade bolts (350-400 ft-lbs), slip clutch burn-in, level and tilt adjustment, and cutting height setup. Goes beyond a surface overview with practical problem-spotting tips like reading grass color for oil leaks and net wrap damage. Best for new brush hog owners.
Tractor Mike is a longtime tractor-industry insider with decades of hands-on experience in the equipment business. He built his channel to help first-time and rural buyers make confident decisions, and his guidance comes from that deep, long-term background rather than a sales pitch.
Check through a sight plug, check plug, or dipstick depending on the machine, and look for the right level. Any milky or off color oil means water has gotten in and it needs draining and replacing.
On this machine the bolts holding the blades on take 350 foot-pounds of torque, and the big nut holding the blade pan on takes 400 foot-pounds.
Brown grass can just be shade from the machine, but it can also mean an oil leak from a failing gearbox seal, so check it after moving the machine.
Check it is level side to side, and tilt it slightly forward, about three-quarters of an inch lower in front, so material is expelled out the back instead of re-cut.
