i have a 3130 with a 5ft cutter, and thinking about going to a 6footer. most of my work with the cutter is pasture clipping, and very little really heavy brushy stuff. my question is, will my tractor and hp handle this cutter in this application.
L3130 and 6ft cutter
- Thread starter botakix
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Todd_C
Gold Member
My answer is "it depends". I say this because of my experience of using a cutter on a TC 30 and a TC 40. I use a 6ft KK to cut 10 acres of pasture land with my TC 40. It works fine with 35 pto hp when conditions are dry and the grass isn't chest deep. I often find myself having to mow based on my personal time constraints rather then waiting for ideal conditions. My tractor was under a strain and I killed the engine once with the 6ft when I started cutting the field with a heavy dew.
I think your tractor will handle a 6ft cutter, but you may have to slow down more often than you do with the 5ft cutter if conditions aren't ideal. I use a 5ft cutter at my house for my property because of the amount of stumps I have to weave between.
I would make the decision based on the size of the field you cut and to see if the cost of a new 6ft cutter can be justified over keeping your 5ft cutter.
I think your tractor will handle a 6ft cutter, but you may have to slow down more often than you do with the 5ft cutter if conditions aren't ideal. I use a 5ft cutter at my house for my property because of the amount of stumps I have to weave between.
I would make the decision based on the size of the field you cut and to see if the cost of a new 6ft cutter can be justified over keeping your 5ft cutter.
Podunkadunk
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Botakix,
I too have an L3130, 4x4. I regularly pull a 5 footer, but recently, my cutter gave up the ghost. It's old and not worth putting the money into it to get it fixed. So, I have been borrowing my neighbor's 6 foot landpride rotary cutter. Your tractor will pull it, will cut with it, but like Todd C. mentioned, you'll have to run it a little slower IF you get into anything meaty. I have a pasture of bahia and if it's high, it puts a load on my tractor when borrowing my neighbor's 6 footer, but if I run it in low gear and keep the RPM's at 540, it cuts like a champ and doesn't seem to "lug" the engine. I got into some dog fennels recently, it'll put a strain on your tractor.
I recently called my local Kubota dealer, spoke to a salesman that I always deal with, he confirmed what I already knew. So, I'm buying a 5 ft. landpride to replace my antiquated cutter. You and I both know that we can drag that 5 footer at a moderate speed and get a nice, even, clean cut.
I feel like faster at 5 ft is = to slower at 6ft! Plus, no strain on my engine means tractor longevity
Good day,
Podunk
I too have an L3130, 4x4. I regularly pull a 5 footer, but recently, my cutter gave up the ghost. It's old and not worth putting the money into it to get it fixed. So, I have been borrowing my neighbor's 6 foot landpride rotary cutter. Your tractor will pull it, will cut with it, but like Todd C. mentioned, you'll have to run it a little slower IF you get into anything meaty. I have a pasture of bahia and if it's high, it puts a load on my tractor when borrowing my neighbor's 6 footer, but if I run it in low gear and keep the RPM's at 540, it cuts like a champ and doesn't seem to "lug" the engine. I got into some dog fennels recently, it'll put a strain on your tractor.
I recently called my local Kubota dealer, spoke to a salesman that I always deal with, he confirmed what I already knew. So, I'm buying a 5 ft. landpride to replace my antiquated cutter. You and I both know that we can drag that 5 footer at a moderate speed and get a nice, even, clean cut.
I feel like faster at 5 ft is = to slower at 6ft! Plus, no strain on my engine means tractor longevity
Good day,
Podunk
I've an L3410 with GST (30 hp pto) and a "light duty" 6' Woods. What's your pto (DT or GST vs HST makes a difference), as such is what counts for brush cutters? Per prior posts, I have to either "go slow" in heavy/tall Bahia, or cut 3/4 rather than full widths of the brush cutter. For modest grass/weeds, there's no problem. Previously I had a 5' Woods, the "medium duty" unit (a tank equal to most company's heavy duty), and it worked fine in heavy/tall bahia, but I didn't purchase the unit for routine field care but rather to clear my property - it worked for that, and then I traded it in. So, check your pto, and go from there.
Podunkadunk
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Update:
Since my last post, I called in an order for a new Rhino model 160 rotary cutter (5 ft). I pick it up Friday
Gonna sell off the old antique for steel scrap.
Podunk
Since my last post, I called in an order for a new Rhino model 160 rotary cutter (5 ft). I pick it up Friday
Gonna sell off the old antique for steel scrap.
Podunk
5030tinkerer
Gold Member
I suppose I don't adequately appreciate the true differences in tractor PTO HP. I have an L5030 and my 6' heavy duty Bush Hog never ever causes me trouble. I often, in fact, find myself mowing with it at 1500 engine RPM in the medium range. In 6' tall dewey grass, I typically bump up engine RPMs to maybe 2000, but that still doesn't equate to near 540RPM.
Podunkadunk
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5030,
You've got almost twice the PTO hp that we have. There's a huge difference. You could get away with pulling a 7 footer easily, whereas a 6 footer in taller grass puts a lot of unnecessary wear and strain on our smaller engines and driveline. 540 rpm is what our owner manual says to run a rotary cutter at...I forget the actual tractor rpm's for that speed...I reckon the pto gauge spoils me
There isn't a day that I'm on my tractor when I don't want a bigger tractor with more hp, but at the time, the Fed (wife) wouldn't allow me to go bigger.
Podunk
You've got almost twice the PTO hp that we have. There's a huge difference. You could get away with pulling a 7 footer easily, whereas a 6 footer in taller grass puts a lot of unnecessary wear and strain on our smaller engines and driveline. 540 rpm is what our owner manual says to run a rotary cutter at...I forget the actual tractor rpm's for that speed...I reckon the pto gauge spoils me
There isn't a day that I'm on my tractor when I don't want a bigger tractor with more hp, but at the time, the Fed (wife) wouldn't allow me to go bigger.
Podunk
TNhobbyfarmer
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- Middle Tennessee
- Tractor
- Kubota L3430 Polaris Ranger 500
I have a L3430 28.5 PTO HP GST transmission. I have about 4 acres that I cut with a 6' light duy cutter. I only cut it 2-3 times a year, depending on the amount of rain we get. The tractor has no problem with the 6 footer, however, if I get in too big of a hurry, the cut isn't quite as smooth as if I just take my time and slow down. I think your tractor will be OK with either size. It's just a matter of adjusting speed and size of cut to meet the conditions.