3-Point Hitch Bolens G174 very newbie

   / Bolens G174 very newbie #1  

tundraman01

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May 3, 2008
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I have a Bolens G174, I have a couple of questions related to the three point hitch and mowing. Basicly I would like to know what size mower I can lift and power with my tractor. I want to get either a brush hog or a sickle bar mower to cut my fields, which are pretty rough and along my driveway. I think the sickle bar would be better for the driveway and the brush hog for the fields. Anyway, what size can the G174 handle? Also, the manual says the hitch is a category 0, but when I measure it and check it against the chart in Northern Hydraulic's catalog, it's a category 1. Which is it?
 
   / Bolens G174 very newbie #2  
I have a G174. I've been running a 48" bushhog on it for about 24 years.
The G174 is a cat 1 hitch. Don't think this size tractor can handle anything bigger than the 48".
 
   / Bolens G174 very newbie #3  
Mine came with a 48" finish mower which I set at 3 1/2" for mowing around tree seedlings. In pto #2 it has lots of power to run the mower, though belt life is a factor in its long-term use in this application. I'll eventually replace it with a 48" bush hog, no doubt.

Great little tractor. I'm keeping about ten acres mowed with it.
 
   / Bolens G174 very newbie #4  
Great little tractors but a 48 inch brush hog is about the limit. A friend of mine used to use a light duty 5 foot finish mower for grass cutting and needed front weights in order to pick up the mower with the hitch.
 
   / Bolens G174 very newbie
  • Thread Starter
#5  
Thanks for the info. I'm happy with a 48"; I just wanted to make sure I could lift it before buying one. So if I read the last post correctly, it could actually lift something heavier if the front didn't come up? Is that correct? The tractor came with suitcase weights on the front; but I still don't think I want to push it. Does anyone know how big a sickle bar mower it will take or can I just assume any catagory one implement will be OK?
 
   / Bolens G174 very newbie #6  
Thanks for the info. I'm happy with a 48"; I just wanted to make sure I could lift it before buying one. So if I read the last post correctly, it could actually lift something heavier if the front didn't come up? Is that correct? The tractor came with suitcase weights on the front; but I still don't think I want to push it. Does anyone know how big a sickle bar mower it will take or can I just assume any catagory one implement will be OK?

Tractors are meant to be ballasted (weight) on the front and rear depending on the use. To answer your question, in general, as long as you do not exceed the weight capacity of the hitch and have a proper ballast on the front You should be OK to use that implement. Your tractor should be able to run a 5 ft sickle bar mower without issue, I think 6 ft would be pushing it.
 
 
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