Do you own or operate an offset rotary mower????

[hotchkiss]

I am buying a second rotary mower for a new smaller tractor I just bought (55hp JD). I am thinking about buying an offset rotary mower. I noticed the Bushog is 7 feet with a nine inch offset. If you have used an offset, are they handy? What are advantages and disadvantages? I like the idea of being able to mow with a little offset,but not real sure if they would be a danger on the side of a hill for example.

 

[LindenBruce]

On open ground an offset won't be of any benefit. Offset's are mainly where you are running up against an object like fences, trees etc. so you can get a close cut to the object without running your tractor tires up the flap pole so to speak and possibly contributing to a roll over. B.

 

[hotchkiss]

Thanks. I am thinking it will let me mow a little closer to my creek banks, fences, apple orchard and ditch lines. I am surprised you don't see more of them.

 

[dodge man]

I've seen them used but usually to mow a bigger swath on open ground. The ones I've seen have a large offset, usually a few feet. If you have a mower with a 60" deck, the offset follows off to one side so if you have a offset mower that is 60", you end up cutting something near 120" wide.

For what you are planning I'm not sure how easy they are to control near a hill or a pond.

 

[BHD]

I made a small 5 foot mower in to a offset so I could mow the width of the tractor with out leaving the edge unmowed, where the tires were wider than the mower, If I could not afford a mower as wide or wider then the tractor, then YES I would go with a OFF set,

Or if I was doing a lot of ditch mowing, like the semi bat wing type with the extra wind on the right side of the tractor,

(I currently have a 10 foot, deck on my mower, and it is solid, in ditches it is not the greatest, a folding bat wing type that could follow the contours better, would be nice.

 

[nc redneck]

I have a 6 foot offset bush hog. Used it for a few years behind my Kioti 45. It works well for fences and around my pond. Biggest disadvantage I see is missing a foot or so in mowing field when using front tire for guide. Real easy to forget it is offset. Ended up buying a Woods 8 Foot Estate Mower. Because of its size it does the same job. I would recommend one for close mowing around ponds and fences.

 

[hotchkiss]

Well I have looked at the Bushog 84T offset mower 8,743 and one half times on line! It has a nine inch offset and while it would be somewhat handy to mow a LITTLE closer to the creek banks, the pond and off the edge of our roads, I am not sure it isn't more trouble than it is worth. I suspect it may be a bit of a pain staying in line in an open field but maybe not. I do have some banks I would prefer to mow with the 5055e ( sits low and tires are out wide ) as opposed to the 6330 (not so low and not as wide based as compared to overall height ). I am concerned about what the mower would be like with the offset on the down hill side. Someone did note it sits closer to back of tractor in terms of overall length so that is good going up hill. Any more thoughts? If not, I will flip a quarter - time tested method for selecting most everything .

 

[Poopdeck Pappy]

Have you considered buying a sickle mower instead? You could get a much longer reach down into a ditch or pond bank with an 8' or 9' sickle mower, which would also have the advantage of being cheaper than an offset rotary mower.

Maybe it won't work for your needs, or maybe you're just not interested. Just a thought.

 

[hotchkiss]

Have you considered buying a sickle mower instead? You could get a much longer reach down into a ditch or pond bank with an 8' or 9' sickle mower, which would also have the advantage of being cheaper than an offset rotary mower.

Maybe it won't work for your needs, or maybe you're just not interested. Just a thought.

Actually it is a good thought. I had not thought of it - not sure why I hadn't that is all we had to cut hay with growing up. Thanks.

 

[Poopdeck Pappy]

Actually it is a good thought. I had not thought of it - not sure why I hadn't that is all we had to cut hay with growing up. Thanks.

The reason I thought of it is because that's what we used to mow ditches when I was a kid. My dad had an old antique (even in the late 60's) pull-type sickle mower with a seat on it. He drove the tractor (of course) and I sat on the sickle mower. It had a foot pedal I could step on to raise the sickle bar a foot or so temporarily to miss a rock or other obstacle, and a lever I could pull to raise it up all the way or lower it.

I now see old ones like that being used as yard art around here.

One thing about sickle mowers is you have to be careful if any animals are around. Our neighbor had a 3-legged dog that lost his leg to a sickle mower. Ouch.