Woods RM59 3pt mower adapt to Fast Hitch Lo-Boy

[JNewton]

So I still intend to get the sickle mower and c2 belly mower that came with my cub up and running. However, I’m really loving the convenience of the fast hitch system (which delightfully contrasts with spending 15 minutes wrestling implements on my parents’ 8N while hopefully retaining all the digits I was born with). Knowing that I’ll really be searching to find a native fast hitch mower, and still longer searching for one that fits a lo-boy, I’m thinking about taking on the fab work to adapt a 3 point Woods RM59 to mount using the fast hitch. Why the RM59? I’ve got access to one, and its big giant drive pulley plays into my plan.

It seems that the three big hurdles are fabricating a fast hitch point and mounting that positioned correctly for mower alignment with the tractor and pto driveshaft, dealing with the cub’s high pto rpm, and dealing with the cub’s opposite-direction pto rotation.

The hitch point itself shouldn’t be too much of a problem with some welding skills. Mine are not great at all, but I’ve been needing a project to practice them on anyway. I’m not sure exactly how it would be mounted, but some head scratching while looking at the mower and tractor together should come up with something I would think. I wonder whether I will have to mount the point off-center or reposition the main drive pulley “tower” on the mower to get correct pto shaft alignment.

My theory on the pto speed would be to simply replace the big 18-ish inch drive pulley on the mower with a much smaller one. The pto and pulley itself will still be turning at 1600 rpm, but the rest of the mower system, and crucially the blades, could be slowed down to whatever speed a 540 rpm pto was turning them originally. If I’m doing my math correctly that would require an approximately 6 inch pulley.

I’m not sure what to do about the pto direction. I don’t think it’s as simple as just reversing the blades. I would either need to introduce a twist in the belt right after the drive pulley on the mower (smaller drive pulley might give more room), or adapt the blades to turn the opposite direction. (Drill and tap new blade mounting bolt holes with backwards threads so they don’t loosen?)

Of course the pto shaft itself will need to be adapted, or perhaps a new one fabricated. I think a simple spline adapter for the cub to a standard driveshaft isn’t too hard to find?

Anyway, I know there’s been threads on this before and have been trying to draw on those to work through the above thought process. Does anyone see any glaring holes in any of the above?

[staninlowerAL]

A WOODS FH RM 42 is made for a Cub with FH. Sounds like your adapting idea is going to be a lot of work! JMHO Stan

[Gary Dotson]

Stan, he said he needed a project, he’s got one! Personally, I would be on the lookout for a pto reverser ‘ reducer. That would even center the pto shaft. Of course that might not play well with the fast hitch.

[Matt Kirsch]

Years ago I had the opportunity to purchase an olive drab Cub Loboy with a 1000 loader and a fast hitch rear mounted 59" mower. Unfortunately I never got an up-close look at it. I posted about it on here, but I'm sure the pictures are long gone.

If you're looking for some ideas go over on Messick's website and look up the Woods parts books. You will be able to see the differences between the various RM42 models.