Rotary Cutter Bush hog 3210... which type semi mount, or trail type?

[FMRanch]

Looking for suggestions from experience on which type of mounting, semi or pull type, might be best overall for rolling ground with small hills, a few shallow dips, and some flat ground. I have only ever used a 6ft three point Bush Hog 286 which has been a great cutter with my old 4140 Ford tractor. Definitely keeping the Bush Hog 286 for the tight areas around the timber, ponds and other really rough ground .

I bought a bigger tractor now, 3 year old New Holland TT75A (63 PTO HP), and I am thinking about a bigger cutter for the more open areas. Found a 4 year old Bush Hog 3210 pull type that has very little use on it for $6000, or maybe a little less if I can talk him down a little bit. I know the Bush Hog is a very tough cutter that will handle hitting fallen limbs and saplings that spring up here and there in my pastures. My biggest question is which type of mounting do I want?

I don't have any experience with semi mounted or pull type rotary cutters. Will a pull type follow the ground better? It would seem to me the semi mount would gouge the ground more in the dips and between hills, or am I wrong? I could save some money buying a semi mount over a pull type. What ever I get I will be keeping for a very long time.

Any suggestions or pointers would be greatly appreciated.

 

[TripleR]

We use a combination of 3H and pull type cutters. I use a 6' Land Pride RCR2672 on our L5740 and a 10' Woods DS1260 on our M8540. Before buying the 1260, we used a 10' Woods 121 for years. For the bigger mowers, we prefer the pull type on our slopes as it feels much more stable than the 3PH and gives a smoother cut as it follows the contours of the land better. We prefer it for our use over a semi mount as it follows the tractor better and doesn't swing out when turning and hit trees, fences etc. It is not however as maneuverable as a 3PH or semi mount and backing it up with such a short coupling takes a bit getting use to. We have acclimated to it and really like the pull type.

 

[Gary Fowler]

Pull type is all we ever had on the farm where I grew up. A small tractor can handle a very heavy pull type that it may not be able to carry on the 3 PH. For clipping a pasture that is just overgrown with bitter weeds, thistle and other such doesn't require a lot of PTO HP. A 20 HP tractor could pull that 10 footer easy once it got it spinning that is.
Another thing I like about a pull type is the ease of getting in to hook/unhook the PTO shaft. Now all I have is 3 PH but would sure love to have a pull type. By they way TripleR, how do you get the tongue up onto the drawbar on that 10 footer. I used a Handyman jack on the one back on the farm, I would have thought that today, they would put some kind of tongue jack on them like on trailers but I don't see one in the photo.

 

[cmbertrand]

Good question because I have been looking into the same issue as you are. All I ever owned was 5 to 6' 3pt rotary cutters and have moved up to a more powerful tractor to cover more ground faster. I looked at an offset pull type landpride and it seemed nice to cover ground and do close trim work but I need to transport the rig so I have decided to go with the 3pt 8'. One of my trailers is a deck over GN but it has 2 15k axles which technically puts me into CDL category plus the trailer is just plain heavy to tote around. So I figure the 3pt should allow me to lift the cutter over the rails of my smaller lighter trailers with 2 8k axles allowing cutter edges to rest and be secured over the rails. I am looking at the landpride 8' lighter duty model to pull behind a m6040. Have not bought the cutter yet and who knows, I could end up with something completely different when I start testing them at the dealer.

Good luck

 

[TripleR]

Pull type is all we ever had on the farm where I grew up. A small tractor can handle a very heavy pull type that it may not be able to carry on the 3 PH. For clipping a pasture that is just overgrown with bitter weeds, thistle and other such doesn't require a lot of PTO HP. A 20 HP tractor could pull that 10 footer easy once it got it spinning that is.
Another thing I like about a pull type is the ease of getting in to hook/unhook the PTO shaft. Now all I have is 3 PH but would sure love to have a pull type. By they way TripleR, how do you get the tongue up onto the drawbar on that 10 footer. I used a Handyman jack on the one back on the farm, I would have thought that today, they would put some kind of tongue jack on them like on trailers but I don't see one in the photo.

Simple, I call one of my sons and say, hey, hook up the bush hog; magically when I show up, it's on. :laughing:

It came with a tongue mounted jack, but didn't last through the first season of being drug through the saplings we were cutting, so we just use a floor jack or hi lift jack. I keep thinking about getting another tongue mounted jack and may some day, but we usually keep it hooked up all summer.

 

[FMRanch]

TripleR: I was thinking the pull type would maybe be better for the more open areas and make a smoother overall cutting. I'll still have the 3PH 6 foot cutter for the tighter rough stuff. I was leaning toward the pull type and from what you said I think that is the way to go. Thanks guys for helping me make up my mind.

 

[bigbull338]

go with the pull type its easier on you an the tractor.3pt shredders put alot of stress on the 3pt.

 

[Ed of all trades]

Yes I like the pull type as well. All I had for years was a 7ft pull type and wish the little 4ft I have now was pull type. Don't even see a need for a 3pt if you can back a trailer.