Ford 861 pull a 15' batwing mower?

[IC Smoke]

Hey gang, I stumbled across a 15' woods batwing finish mower but wasnt sure if the Ford would be up for the challenge. Its a older batwing mower but on woods website they say the motor HP should be between 35-80 hp. Tractor data says the 861 is 62hp but I'm not sure what the PTO hp rating is.

I have about 7 acres to mow and my 7' flail just takes too long. I would like to have a 10-12' mower but the price is right on the 15' at the moment.

TractorData.com Ford Powermaster 861 tractor engine information

TBW180 Finish Mowers

Thanks
Ian

 

[LD1]

Mid 40's PTO HP iirc.

HP is speed. I think it will pull it fine if you have a low enough gear an it isn't too thick. Think about small lawn mowers that used to have 12-14 HP and did fine with a 4' deck.

Now the same mowers come with 20+ HP. It allows faster ground speed.

And if the deal is a good one, if it don't work like you want, re-sell it.

 

[Soundguy]

i gotta think that 15' mower ( unless it's a golf course finish job ) is gonna not play well with that 861 that likely has about 48 pto hp or so.

for one thing.. it's gonna be tugging on that drawbar hanger something awfull.

i might run an 8' dual spindle mower on a 861 if i had to....

i use a 5000 on a 10' mower.. I know our county has used 5610 on 15' mowers.

I have a neighbor that used to use a 5000 on a 15' mower. it was a later job like mine with 256ci engine.. etc.

that's my opinion anyway..

the weight on a 15' mower is quite a lot. i'd hate to feel that thing with wings folded..

i pull a 15' jd 1517 with a NH 7610s... a 95ish hp tractor. nice and heavy.. .. that weigth adds to safety.. and te drawbar carier is much beeffier.

again.. my opinion.

I sure wouldn't put my 4000 4 cyl ( equiv to an 801 ) on something like that.

ps i assume that the mower has the 540 6 spline pto, and not the 1000 rpm pto input..etc.

 

[RickB]

One local school and the local county fair society both run 15' tri-deck mowers with New Holland TC45D's. If the engine, clutch, and cooling system of your 861 are fully up to snuff, you probably will be OK.

It's a finish mower, not a rotary cutter, correct?

 

[IC Smoke]

Yes its a finish mower. It is my lawn and pretty much like a golf course so I wouldnt be going over any thick stuff.

Woods 9180, what do you guys think its worth?

 

[RickB]

Worse comes to worse, you can drop off one of the wings and hang a couple hundred pounds of counterweight on the transport wheel opposite the remaining deck.

 

[Soundguy]

i musta missed somewhere that it was a finishmower.

I was thinking full on batwing.

 

[RickB]

i musta missed somewhere that it was a finishmower.

I was thinking full on batwing.

That I would pay to see, my friend.

 

[IC Smoke]

lol Ok technically they are a "All Flex Mower" but also some refer to them as a batwing finish mower. Still think the 861 would pull it?

With the photos above what would you guys think its worth? new they are around 15K.

 

[Soundguy]

That I would pay to see, my friend.

I have moved my batwing with my 4600, and I have even powered her up and knocked down bahia blacktops in my hose pasture using my 5000.. I'd have to think my JD 1517 batwing would eat my 800/801/4000 4 cyls lunch though. Actually I think it would eat the clutches lunch..