Rear Finish Mower Finish Mower: side discharge vs. rear discharge

[hazmat]

Gary,

Have you used the woods mower yet or are you still losing your children in the yard?

 

[Gary_in_Indiana]

Hazmat,

My baby is like 6'-4, 230 lbs. and my little girl is about at 6' so I doubt I'll lose them even in that front field. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif While I feel a bit embarrassed at this /w3tcompact/icons/blush.gif, I really wasn't looking for a finish mower so much as a brush hog when I bought it. My thought was that I would use this on the front field AFTER I ran a brush hog over it a couple times.

I had been planning on getting a King Kutter brush hog (and box blade) from TSC when they got some in. While I was waiting, I kept reading more and more here on TBN about First Choice. Then I started seeing postings from PieterV and JimMc from there and wanted to see what they had.

Quite frankly, I was impressed enough to not only order a brush hog but also a box blade through one of their dealers. I already got the box blade. I have the option to cancel on the brush hog through June (in case I didn't like the box blade).

I can tell you now that's not going to happen. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif I understand that they're starting production of the brush hogs about July 1 and, after seeing the box blade, I can hardly wait to get the brush hog so I can get that front field knocked down. Once I do that (and make sure it's not full of stumps, etc.), I intend to mow it with the Woods.

I guess I was just a little afraid to take that nice, nearly new Woods finish mower out through a field that hadn't been mowed in at least a couple years. I might run the brush hog and not hit a thing. If that happens I'll know I could have used the finish mower. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif If I hit something, I'll be so relieved I didn't. /w3tcompact/icons/clever.gif

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

I bought a behind tractor rear finish mower several years ago and it had rear discharge. I really liked the way it laid the cut grass spread out over the yard instead of rows. My second finish mower was for sure a rear discharge. Bought a Kubota F2680 with rear discharge, a F3080 with rear discharge and my last purchase was a F3080 with side discharge. Now I know after trying both options that the rear discharge is and will be my choice and regret I bought the side discharge every time I mow. I really like using both sides of the deck for getting up to what I'm mowing and there is no comparison to the cut grass rowed up or spread out over the yard after cutting.
I also mow, never rake, leaves in the fall and the rear discharge cuts them up into tiny pieces which I want to keep on my yard since I don't fertilize my yard. Haven't raked leaves in 30 or 40 years, hate raking leaves. I mow em.

 

[Knight9]

Wow! I guess I have been around this forum a while. This popped up because I had replied to it....11 YEARS ago! :thumbsup:

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

I never looked at the post date.

 

[chim]

Wow! I guess I have been around this forum a while. This popped up because I had replied to it....11 YEARS ago! :thumbsup:

When I read this I went back to look at a reply I made when the thread was fresh. I must note a change of heart. When I got the L3200 last year the dealer had a rear discharge 6 footer that I bought at the same time. After using it I can say I really prefer a rear discharge now. I lost the leaf raking capability, but built a 3PH blower for that.

 

[Fromjim]

I like side discharge. Just bought a new one this Spring for the new tractor. Had a MMM for an old Cub Loboy, RFM for a Fords 1210, and now a RFM for the Kubota. I much prefer rear-mount. The side-discharge lets me use the tractor to "rake" the leaves in the Fall. I mow with the guard up, and can trim around the tetherball pole. With the RFM, you can swerve and run the deck under low-hanging pines and shrubs. Everyone likes different stuff for their own reasons.............chim

This is my question, I have just bought a new Kubota F2690 with front mower, rear discharge, which I bought because of the good replies on this forum, my opinion is positive, except for one thing, the mess from all the grass clippings under the tractor, it takes me an hour before I have the grass blown away from under the tractor, and many places are very hard to get at to clean, I was thinking of making a shield just behind the mower that would direct the grass down and not into the under parts of the tractor, I would like to hear ideas from others as to how they deal with this problem. One of my fears is fire, the damp grass packing tightly under the tractor could ignite. One other thing is I don't like using an air hose to clean since it may damage something that I can't see. Please share your ideas and opinions. I do believe this type of mower is a lot safer than side discharge, and is convenient because you don't have to choose direction because of where the grass is going.

God bless
Jim

 

[bigtiller]

This is my question, I have just bought a new Kubota F2690 with front mower, rear discharge, which I bought because of the good replies on this forum, my opinion is positive, except for one thing, the mess from all the grass clippings under the tractor, it takes me an hour before I have the grass blown away from under the tractor, and many places are very hard to get at to clean, I was thinking of making a shield just behind the mower that would direct the grass down and not into the under parts of the tractor, I would like to hear ideas from others as to how they deal with this problem. One of my fears is fire, the damp grass packing tightly under the tractor could ignite. One other thing is I don't like using an air hose to clean since it may damage something that I can't see. Please share your ideas and opinions. I do believe this type of mower is a lot safer than side discharge, and is convenient because you don't have to choose direction because of where the grass is going.

God bless
Jim

A good leaf blower is much faster and a little easier than compressed air.