Thats kinda the hazards of do it yourself. You learn where it could have been better. Mind you, that can be the hazards of buying new too, sometimes made just good enough to make it through warranty.
Add the bypass. The cutter also really slows down when you lift the arms of the loader, as the arms get the oil instead of the motor, and being able to coast in this situation would be beneficial also. Think the check valve was $10 with hoses and T's still under $40
I find the front wheel good if the mowing is a smoother field, but if its too rough the front wheel stubs into the holes (not as tall as the skidsteer wheel, so won't climb up and over as much) and has been broke off many times.
When I put mine back on (yet again) it is going into a 2" receiver, so it can be easily removed when the mowing is too rough. (we mow some logging cut overs for atv/sled trails for hunters) and its pretty easy to bang and bend the deck up in amongst the stumps and rocks. I completely gave up renting the brusher for this application. No matter how tough I made the thing it had a 50% chance of coming home broken.
This spring I cut the front out of the deck this year exposing 6" s of the blade tips, throws debris a little more. But much less bb prone to running out of power in tall grass as it discharges @ 50% of the grass.
Ken