u/hobby_ranchhand

A while back we got an MX4800 and a Landpride 1272 with it. I hit a stump with it a few years later and the shaft below the gearbox sheared off. (You had ONE JOB shear bolt?!?!?)
We replaced the gearbox and everything was fine for another 5 years. Now the A-Frame support is separating from the mowing deck (the metal is broken off on one side and cracking on the other.)
We're looking at replacing it, but since I seem to be tough on these things, should I look at moving up to the 2072 medium duty one? I'm a bit hesitant because it comes with the slip clutch rather than shear bolt, and I've heard that can rust closed. Does anyone have experience with that?
The idea of the slip clutch seems great, but I have heard stories. Our tractor is stored in a Texas pole barn: open sides, but under a roof, so it does not get rained on but does get some moisture blown onto it. The online articles make it seem pretty straightforward for maintenance- loosen the bolts on the springs and run it through brush until it slips once a year, then re-tighten the bolts? Is that all there is to it?

I have a 3+ acre fenced-in field we own that I take our dogs out into occasionally for some "get-out-of-the-backyard" fun. The last two times I've taken one of our dogs out, a wild bunny jumped out of the same high-grass spot and took off. I looked, and I don't see any baby bunnies, but there's definitely some kind of nest thing there (I did not want to touch anything because I don't know what I'm doing, so they may be under some of the leaves). Since this is a fenced-in field that rarely gets used, I can see why it would be an attractive nesting site, and I've no problem sharing it with some wild rabbits since it is just a big, grassy field with trees I let wildflowers grow in and take the dogs out to for off-leash walks a couple times a week.
I'm guessing that even if there are no babies, then this is preparation, and there will be baby bunnies. I've kept an eye on our dogs when they are near the spot so they don't bother it, but I'd rather not have to babysit the area while they're out. Would putting up a quick 16'x16' square of cattle panel to keep our dogs away interfere with the rabbit? The cattle panel openings are 6"x6" so the bunny would still be able to get in and out from anywhere without any problem, but it would keep the dogs from getting too close.
I assume that at some point in the next few months the bunny will move along and I can just take the panels down?

https://preview.redd.it/d1oga6butq0h1.png?width=3044&format=png&auto=webp&s=674419c3de7d3e28f54d437741cd2c85b0a4d3dc