Using an older finishing mower to cut pasture

[LSUalum]

I have an older finishing mower (5') that I may try to "convert" to use to cut weeds in my pasture. I do not have any heavy brush, only a small amount of low growing briars.
Since this is a side discharge mower, should I cut the other side of the deck out also? Would this help with clogging in heavy grass? Or should I weld up the side discharge and cut out the back of the deck?

Anyone ever tried this?

 

[kossetx]

I use a single side discharge rfm on my pasture. It shows the use but is 22 years old. Try it w/o mods first.

 

[Rusty]

I use a 5' Kubota MMM with side discharge under my B7500 to mow a 5 acre pasture and 3 acre meadow (old hayfield). No modifications, except that I pin the mower deck in the raised position, about a 6" high cut. My first 2 passes discharge inward onto the uncut grass, then I reverse direction and discharge outward onto the already cut area. Works Ok for me. Works as well as the rear discharge RMM that I used to use behind a Ford 8N.

 

[Egon]

My MMM 60 in. mower works on taller grasses with only slight changes in operating procedure. I lift the end of the discharge chute and may have to take a reduced cut width and slow down depending on the height of the grass.

 

[wushaw]

I used a 60"RFM with rear discharge before getting a ZTR, I could cut tall grass with it without leaving windrows...as a matter of fact it gave a better cut than my 61" ZTR with side discharge, the ZTR just does it faster and with alot of trees it is lots easier.

 

[djradz]

I have an older finishing mower (5') that I may try to "convert" to use to cut weeds in my pasture. I do not have any heavy brush, only a small amount of low growing briars.
Since this is a side discharge mower, should I cut the other side of the deck out also? Would this help with clogging in heavy grass? Or should I weld up the side discharge and cut out the back of the deck?

Anyone ever tried this?

I have done as you suggest, without any modification to my Woods RFM and for the most part am usually pretty pleased. The problem I sometimes have though is if I've let the grass and weeks get toooooo tall, they have a tendency to wrap around the blade spindles and work their way into the bearings. I've wacked some pretty nasty rose bushes and other forms of briars without any problem, but too much tall grass and weeds gives me fits.

 

[schmism]

i know i replyed to this thread... yet it seems not to exist... wtf?

 

[Rusty]

i know i replyed to this thread... yet it seems not to exist... wtf?

schmism - You replied to a similar post entitled, "converting an older finishing mower into a pasture clipper" also by LSUalum in the "Build-It Yourself" Forum.

 

[BTDT]

As someone said, I would try it without the modifications first. If it works, fine, if not, cut away and try again.