Hi Mark. Pleased you enjoyed the video. It is all a bit ‘old school’ but like you I have some great memories of this type of farming. I haven’t got access to additional labour or a kitted out workshop so try to get decent quality, strong, simple and reliable machinery and look after it. It works financially and you can really concentrate on the quality of what you are producing. The thought of a summer passing without swinging the drum mower into action doesn’t appeal. Thanks for your support.

Hi Therese. If you do a KZfaq search for two videos produced by the 'Funky Farmer' here in UK using 'checking the belts on the ZTR 165 mower' you should see what to do. He takes the covers off and also shows you where the tensioner is. You will find it very helpful if you know how to tighten the belts using the adjuster at the start of the season and also loosen them at the end. Getting the tension right is really important - if the belts start slipping they will eventually burn out and in the meantime the drums might not be turning quickly enough to mow the grass cleanly. I hope this helps.

@@longhayltd9241 Yes, I found it and asked him the same question, he was also very helpful. Belts are on, tighten correctly and ready to start cutting - Thanks so very much for your help

In a lightish crop they will go well. My mistake was to push too hard with the old Kverneland with a 100+hp tractor in a thick crop. The mower bogged down and the knives weren't spinning fast enough to cut properly then the mower belts start getting hot (very hot).

You are right - if you have lots of acres of thick crop to down in a hurry it just isn't going to work. With decent blades, mower properly set up and occasional checks to make sure it is cutting cleanly it is ok but you are not going to be home early. I think the things that worry me most about trying to get the best output are the risks of overloading the belts and burning them out and finding that underneath the swath the grass hasn't been cut properly. I have seen both. As you have probably picked up regarding my small set up I can usually go steady and reduce these risks. When I was contracting and having to push on there was always a greater chance of these issues. I used this mower on a neighbour's field that was as rough as anything I have been on. The speed was limited by the constant bouncing in the cab rather than the mower's ability to ride over the bumps.