Bush Hog 287 questions

[Witt]

Tommorrow I sign the papers on a Kubota L5030HST Cab with loader and several goodies. I would like to get the biggest bush hog that I can safely use. I have 25 acreas at our home site and another 16 acreas on the Tennessee River that I must keep mowed. The dealer is telling me that this tractor can handle a 287 Bush Hog dual tail wheel with hydraulic height adjusment easily. He has quoted me a price of 2750.00 for this set-up. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif What do you guy's think about this price? Seems high to me. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif Also, I think this 7 foot rotary cutter may be a bit to much for this tractor. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif I have 4 foot grass and larger that I must mow. Thanks for the help

Witt

 

[SageBrush]

Look at the woods brush bull first, I have the Bush Hog 286 now. My next one will be a woods probably. The deck is very nice and easy to clean. They seem to have more weight to them also... apples to apples. I bought the Bush Hog brand before I saw the brush bull. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[JohnMiller3]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( a 287 Bush Hog dual tail wheel with hydraulic height adjusment easily... a price of 2750.00 )</font>

Around here in the NE U.S.... most of the pricing I've seen on that 7' unit hovered around $3K or more...

My recommendations would be: a "minimum" PTO hp for a 7 foot rotary cutter would be 48 PTO hp... and nominal would be ~ 58 PTO hp, along with a properly ballasted/balanced weight on the tractor...

In your case, with the cab Kubota, the weight shouldn't be a problem... but you're below the minimum PTO hp rating... I'd go a max of 6' rotary cutter with the Kubota 5030 for optimum performance (both from the cutter and the tractor)...

(the BH 287 would work with your Kubota on flat terrain and cutting "light" brush, but would bog down doing sustained medium/heavy duty cutting being so far below the minimum hp ratings...)

 

[rockyridgefarm]

Its my understanding that a 7' cutter takes the most power of any. 8' and larger goes to multiple spindles. I may be off here...

 

[Phred]

I have a 286 that I run with 57 pto hp.
This tractor is over kill for the 6 foot.
I have not been able to find anything it can't cut, that I can drive over.

However, I can see how the 7' would need more power.

Fred

 

[JohnMiller3]

Ahh… those TN70’s have mostly a minimum of ~ 60 PTO hp out of the box, with ~ 180 ft./lbs. of torque… and a great torque rise of ~31%… all in all… pretty darn impressive spec’s for a 3 cylinder powerplant… (just what a rotary cutter thrives on!)… /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Wouldn’t ya say Fred?… /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

(and the TN70 loves the BH287... great match!)

 

[Phred]

John,

I love it. And you may be right the 57 number is conservative.
The only thing that works it hard is the round baler, but even then it has not problem running it.

Fred

 

[1bush2hog]

I just purchased a Brown 484 for $2275. If you are in the market for a 7 footer, you may want to check it out. I found the Brown less expensive than the BH or Woods. I used it about 10 hours last weekend and it is impressive. The only thing that made it stumble was a 2-3ft dia clump of privet. It easily cut thru 3-4" locust saplings. Deck design is also clean.

Check out the pics the JMIII posted, if you haven't already.