I have a 1951 8n can they run a bush hog? i see a lot of them that require 40 hp. but i also see a lot of fords with bush hogs on. do i need a particular bush hog? thanks.

We have run a 5 ft model on our 1950 ford 8n. When we went to go and look for a engine for a different tractor, the seller had a 8n with a 6 ft brush mower on it. Ours didn't mind a 5 ft, but it was recommended to have a slip clutch on it. We didn't have a slip clutch on ours so every time we hit a clump of dirt the tractor would stall. 8n's don't have live pto or hydraulics.

As stated Bush Hog® is a very dependable brand name, a variation of the generic term 'BRUSH HOG' of which there are several suppliers out there these days. Consider when buying part availability, part costs, and reliability on the off brands. Make sure the one you get has the 'stump jumper' feature. that is a safety feature that allows the blade to swing away out of the way when a large hidden object is struck such as a stump, car part, or dead body.

Tim Daley(MI)

I've been running this 5 footer behind an N for 19 seasons with no problems.

Bush Hog® is a registered trademark of the Bush Hog corporation.
There are many knock offs, imitations and erzatz rotary mowers out there. Some better built than others. But they are Not Bush Hogs. And if you owned a real one you would understand why.
That said, most rotary cutters are rated for max input not minimum input.
So a 40 hp King Kutter would be suitable for your 23 hp N.

I think that you could run any Category-1, 5-foot bush hog behind your N with few issues.

The two things you need to be aware of are that all modern bush hogs use a 1-3/8" PTO connection and if your N is still factory stock, it will have a 1-1/8" PTO, so you will either have to replace the PTO shaft or buy an adapter. Two, you need to run an Overrun Coupler (ORC) between your PTO gear and bush hog drive shaft. If you can find an ORC that also adapts 1-1/8" male to 1-3/8" female (assuming you have the original PTO shaft) would be ideal.

I've run a 5' ford brushog behind my 8n. My friend runs a king cutter behind his 8n without a problem. I think a 6' is a little too much ford an 8n. Even picking up a 6' gets light in the front end without wheel weights on. I have the 5' on the 8n at the deer camp and can't believe what the guy knock down with it. They are pretty hard on the farm equipment.

Kirk