king kutter brush hog

[mopar]

hi to all,spring is coming and i'm looking at a brush hog for our new jd4310 ehydro.we have light stuff mostly less than an 1" and maybe some a little more than 1".i'm looking at a king kutter at tsc 595.00 for 5' model and looking for opinions on them,any good?? will driveshaft and hitch hook right up to our unit with out mods?should i get the slip clutch?i also see they have different gear box ratings on the std duty kutters,do i need more than the std 40 hp gear box tractor pto is only 25hp on this unit.thanks

 

[JohnMiller3]

<font color="blue">...should i get the slip clutch?...do i need more than the std 40 hp gear box tractor pto is only 25hp on this unit </font>

For about ~ $100. extra, get the optional slip-clutch, especially if you plan on lots of brush hogging... well worth the time/aggravation saver... and it gives you one more safety cushion for your tractor's PTO...

I ran a "40 HP" KK gearbox continuously on a 52 PTO hp MF... without any problems... with your 25 PTO hp driving it... the gearbox should last forever... /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[mopar]

sounds like you like your kingkutter,is that what you had on in all those tutorial pictures? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gifthanks for the info on the gear box,i didn't think i would have a problem there.did you have to cut the pto shaft to use the unit?

 

[Gary_in_Indiana]

For what it's worth, TSC's around here are selling the 5' KK brush hogs for $549.99. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif I'm guessing the difference is related to our relative distances from the manufacturer. I think KK is made in Alabama somewhere.

 

[mopar]

thanks,i've seen different reports on here of between 500-600 dollars for the unit,maybe they will run a special and make my decision easier. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[JohnMiller3]

<font color="blue">… sounds like you like your kingkutter,is that what you had on in all those tutorial pictures?...</font>

Yes… that was me… I’m guilty of abusing that poor girl… Different times, I’d forget and thought she was a tree cutter… and really & truly cut some 4-5” stuff… slowly but she cut it… all with that 40 hp gearbox! (Don’t do this at home! /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif)

If the KingKutter could survive me and the torture I dished out… it should last you indefinitely… /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Gary_in_Indiana]

John,

Am I seeing you running this KK without chainguards? I would imagine you recommend those, don't you? Also, for something like this KK, could you share the pro's and con's of shear pins vs. a slip clutch? Lastly, is the slip clutch on something like this in the gearbox itself or is it incorporated into a different PTO shaft? Thanks for your help with this.

 

[gator]

Gary,
You will need the Free Acrobat Reader to view THIS CATALOG. Check out the top right side of page 29 and you will see a slip clutch. It goes on the rotary cutter gear box shaft then you mount the PTO shaft on it.

 

[JohnMiller3]

<font color="blue">... the pro's and con's of shear pins vs. a slip clutch?... </font>

Hi Gary,

The brush/saplings I am cutting would go through shear bolts like no tomorrow... Yes, the slip-clutch is mandatory with serious cutting... (on the 40 HP OMNI gearbox KK and many other's use, it's a smooth input shaft, so I used a Eurocardan slip-clutch with a Grade 8 bolt holding the slip-clutch on the shaft)

I cut mostly my property, very very very rural... no residences within 300 ft... in fact nothing within ~ 1/2 mile? But, this year I am putting some front chains on... for ME!

The KingKutter got a hold of the stuff and threw it... but the Brown rotary cutter is even nastier (7' blade tip speed is ~ 202 mph...) /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

 

[Gary_in_Indiana]

So I can add a slip clutch feature to a KK rotary cutter by just buying one of these and sticking it on one end of my drive shaft? Amazing... I thought at the very least I'd be buying a new drive shaft or something.

Once again TBN comes through with not only the answers and color pictures to boot! You guys are the best. Thanks. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif