JD261 RFM on a 455?

[hemiguy]

Anybody out there ever tried using a 261 rear finish mower on a 455 heavy L&G tractor (or other 4x5 or X series)? This is a 60" finish mower and my dealer thinks it would be too much for a 455. Thinks it weighs too much for the 3pt on a 455 to lift. And yes, I already have a Cat 1 hitch and the 540 PTO on my 455. I currently use a 4ft, 420lb tiller on the 455 with 5 weights on the front bumper and it handles it just fine. I've been thinking of buying a used 261 rather than rebuild the beat up 60" belly deck that came with my 455.

Any thoughts? Anybody know what a 261 weighs?

 

[BarryinMN]

I have an ag hitch on a cat 0 3pt that I lift a ball coupler 4K lb deckover trailer with a bunch of chains & ratcheting tensioners in the tool tray. Must be all of 750 lbs and the 455 is at its limit. Have about 150 lbs of steel weight on the mower front bumper before I move the trailer.

 

[sandman2234]

I put the 261 mower on a couple of sawhorses to start removing everything, so I could sand and paint it, and it was all I wanted to just flip it over. It isn't too bad, now that I have the gearbox, wheels, rollers, spindles and the back brace off.
It was hooked to a 4100 JD that was way too close to a burning barn. Still quite a bit of yellow paint on it, but I figured to sand it and paint it over, just to keep it looking good for a while. I will have to replace two of the plastic rollers, as they got just hot enough to melt one edge. Not sure if I am going to keep it, or trade/sell it for something bigger, as my 70 hp tractor won't even know it's back there.
David from jax

 

[mfreund]

I have a friend that used a 60" RMM on a 318. He had to use so much weight on the front end that he had to rebuild the bushings in the front axle annually. It will work but how long will it last??

 

[hemiguy]

Yeh, interesting that Deere compatibility charts list the 2000 RPM 260RMM for the 420/430 and 300's but not the similar 261 for the 4X5's. They're basically the same mower except for the gearbox and 3 point pins. Maybe they backed off for exactly the reason you mention. Anyway, I ended up buying a nice used 60" belly mower for about the same as it would have cost to rebuild mine (about 1/4 the cost of a new one). Still would be nice to have a RMM for ease of mounting for the only occasional mowing that I do but I'll wrestle with the belly mower for now.