Finally have the money for a brush hog

   / Finally have the money for a brush hog #1  

botemout

Bronze Member
Joined
May 6, 2009
Messages
51
Location
Upstate NY
Tractor
1957 Ford 860
Had to fix my truck instead of buy that John Deere 6 weeks ago so now I'm ready to buy. I think I can get a 6 year old Bush Hog model 720 (he said it was 7200 but I think it must be a 720). In any case it's 6 ft with a slip clutch.

My question is: is this a good brush hog for pretty heavy duty work being pulled behind my ~40HP 1957 Ford 860? I think he wants more for it than it's worth but if I can get him down to a reasonable range, I'm probably going to buy it unless I hear that it has problems. (I haven't yet even searched this forum for reviews, opinions, etc... - it seems that, in general, people think Bush Hog brand is good quality).

Thanks
 
   / Finally have the money for a brush hog #2  
It depends on the price. As far as quality goes Bush Hog makes premium stuff. Anything with a Bush Hog name will last a lifetime. Bush Hog isn't cheap. You get what you pay for.
 
   / Finally have the money for a brush hog
  • Thread Starter
#3  
I'll be paying $1000 (of course, I have to drive 2 hours round trip to pick it up). From the prices I see online this seems to be on the low end of what people pay so that I'm happy about that. As for condition, all I know so far is that everything works. I don't know how much it was used, what kind of terrain it was run on, whether anything was ever serviced, etc... I'll be talking to her later to get those details (hopefully, it was used to mow her 5 acre horse pasture ;-)

So, Bush Hog is HIGH quality. Great. Question though: is this unit considered a HEAVY duty brush hog? It will be used VERY intensely on my property (acres of multi-flora rose).

Thanks
 
   / Finally have the money for a brush hog #4  
I believe the 720 is the SQ 720 known as the Bush Hog Squealer which is a light duty model that sells for around $1600 new. A good mower but not a heavy duty model.

MarkV
 
   / Finally have the money for a brush hog
  • Thread Starter
#5  
I believe the 720 is the SQ 720 known as the Bush Hog Squealer which is a light duty model that sells for around $1600 new. A good mower but not a heavy duty model.

MarkV

Hmm ... that's not good. I'd assumed all the Bush Hogs were heavy duty. So would you characterize this cutter in the same class as what you'd buy at TSC, e.g., King Kutter, etc...?
 
   / Finally have the money for a brush hog #6  
The Squealer Bushhog brand is Bushhog's "light" duty model.

But it is way more bushhog than a KK, Howse, or TSC type "light" duty model. I have a SQ 600, which is the 5' model and use it behind a Massey 1533. I'd tear up the tractor before I'd tear up the bushhog. I don't know how rough you really want to get or what kind of tractor you have, but I've seen the county use a 7' Squealer to cut road right of ways where I live. They are tough. Unless you're extreme with it, it'll probably work fine.

I've really only hit 1 object with mine and it was a 6 1/2' metal fence post. It didn't bend or break anything, but man what a racket.

I'm not saying it's a commercial mower by any stretch, but it will take some pretty good abuse.
 
   / Finally have the money for a brush hog
  • Thread Starter
#7  
I'd tear up the tractor before I'd tear up the bushhog. I don't know how rough you really want to get or what kind of tractor you have, but I've seen the county use a 7' Squealer to cut road right of ways where I live. They are tough. Unless you're extreme with it, it'll probably work fine.
Well, I'll be clearing about 40 acres of property that, though mostly open, does have significant patches of multi-flora rose (not to mention small brush, 3 ft' high apple, etc...). The multi-flora is pretty demanding. Of course, the largest will probably require that I push them over with the bucket.

Thanks for the reassurance about it's general sturdiness though. I'm picking it up tonight ;-)
 
   / Finally have the money for a brush hog
  • Thread Starter
#8  
I'd tear up the tractor before I'd tear up the bushhog. I don't know how rough you really want to get or what kind of tractor you have, but I've seen the county use a 7' Squealer to cut road right of ways where I live. They are tough. Unless you're extreme with it, it'll probably work fine.
Well, I'll be clearing about 40 acres of property that, though mostly open, does have significant patches of multi-flora rose (not to mention small brush, 3 ft' high apple, etc...). The multi-flora is pretty demanding. Of course, the largest will probably require that I push them over with the bucket.

Thanks for the reassurance about it's general sturdiness though. I'm picking it up tonight ;-)
 
 
 
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