5' Bush Hog on a BX23?

[radair]

Is a 5' Bush Hog going to be too big for my tractor? I've done a lot of searching through the archives (and Google), and it seems there are a few people running them. But I have to wonder if it's a good choice. I've found a used 5' in reportedly good condition that's a little more than half the cost of a used 4' BH Squealer.

My other thought is that if I end up getting a bigger tractor I won't have to replace the rotary cutter. Any opinions are appreciated. My lot is 13 acres but only an acre or two of gently sloping field.

Thanks - Rob

 

[radioman]

The manual states 48 " is recommended, but I have seen the 5 ft'er at TSC and it doesnt look like it will be a problem for the BX. You are only adding 6 inches on each side of mowing path and that is kinda nice for a easy overlap of each rowing of mowing. I wish I could tell you more .

 

[Bird]

I used to have a 48" Bush Hog Squealer for my B7100 Kubota (Kubota manual specified 42"), and when I traded up to a B2710, I traded up to a 60" Howse brush hog (Kubota manual specified 48"). I was quite happy with both, and I do think Kubota is quite conservative in their recommendations. But I think I'd have reservations about a 5' brush hog for a BX tractor. Of course you can take my opinion with a grain of salt, since I've never used a BX tractor.

 

[schrand]

I think I'd be more worried about the weight of the cutter, and how much further back it will be than a smaller one. I know that with my 42" cutter on my BX2230, the front end is very light without the FEL on when I'm transporting it. Obviously, when in use, some of the weight is on the tail wheel, so not a problem.

 

[pintodeluxe]

I do not recommend it. It takes a lot of h.p. to run a 5' mower in tall grass. Mine will occasionally bog down in wet fields. Beyond that, there's the issue of groung clearance. 5' mowers aren't just wider, they are longer too. On my Bx2230 (22hp) I run a 42" brush hog, and at full lift height the gauge wheel only clears the ground by 4". This is only an issue if you are traveling on paved roads or over hilly terrain.
Best of luck!

 

[bx24]

I do not recommend it. It takes a lot of h.p. to run a 5' mower in tall grass. Mine will occasionally bog down in wet fields. Beyond that, there's the issue of groung clearance. 5' mowers aren't just wider, they are longer too. On my Bx2230 (22hp) I run a 42" brush hog, and at full lift height the gauge wheel only clears the ground by 4". This is only an issue if you are traveling on paved roads or over hilly terrain.
Best of luck!

Pintodeluxe hit the nail on the head. If you are not going through really tough stuff and the added weight and length does not not cause you too much concern, the 5' should work out fine, otherwise 4'.

From what it sounds like, I would lean towards 5' if I were you.

 

[LBrown59]

Is a 5' Bush Hog going to be too big for my tractor? I've done a lot of searching through the archives (and Google), and it seems there are a few people running them. But I have to wonder if it's a good choice. I've found a used 5' in reportedly good condition that's a little more than half the cost of a used 4' BH Squealer.Thanks -
Rob

The manual for my BX23 says 42'' Max but it will handle a 48'' ok but I say that's skirting the limit and a 60'' is more than just pushing the envelope.

I think I'd be more worried about the weight of the cutter, and how much further back it will be than a smaller one. I know that with my 42" cutter on my BX2230, the front end is very light without the FEL on when I'm transporting it. Obviously, when in use, some of the weight is on the tail wheel, so not a problem.

It is if you back the tail wheel out over a ditch or a bank.

The manual states 48 " is recommended, but I have seen the 5 ft'er at TSC and it doesnt look like it will be a problem for the BX. You are only adding 6 inches on each side of mowing path and that is kinda nice for a easy overlap of each rowing of mowing. I wish I could tell you more .

According to my manual a 5 ' is adding a foot and a half more than is recommend.

I do not recommend it.
Best of luck!

Neither do I.

 

[DmansPadge]

The power would most likely not be a problem. It is just the physical size of a 5' cutter that would hurt you. Go with a 4' er.

 

[leonz]

Is a 5' Bush Hog going to be too big for my tractor? I've done a lot of searching through the archives (and Google), and it seems there are a few people running them. But I have to wonder if it's a good choice. I've found a used 5' in reportedly good condition that's a little more than half the cost of a used 4' BH Squealer.

My other thought is that if I end up getting a bigger tractor I won't have to replace the rotary cutter. Any opinions are appreciated. My lot is 13 acres but only an acre or two of gently sloping field.

Thanks - Rob

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Buy a four foot land pride flail mower in Kubota orange we have a 48" Mathews company Lawn Genie and we are still using it after 22 years!

You will have a lot more useable energy generated by the flail mower rotor,
no worries about flying projectiles from picking up an object and throwing it for hundreds of feet and a better looking mowed area as the flail mower will cut and re-cut with little effort.

look up flail mowers here in the search box and you will see many an example of rotaries replaced with flails we have a gentleman from down under that discussed why he replaced a rotary with a flail that threw a projectile bolt several hundred feet through a home.

A bigger tractor will also work well with a 48 inch flail mower too-you may decide on a sixty inch flail mower as you will have all the power of the flail rotor working for you at 540 rpm and with a low ground speed you will have no worries and lots of weight to hold the tractor from bouncing due to the gauge roller on the flail mower.

 

[Crash101]

Looking at Kubota's specs for the BX series 3 point lift, it seems they recommend a maximum weight of around 660 pounds at 24 inches. What the tractor feels is weight times arm, or "moments" In this case, Kubota's limit is 15,840 moments.
Where is the center of a 5 foot rotary cutter? 3? 3and a half feet? Where is it attached? At the end of the 24 inch 3 point lift arm?
Add the 24 inches to 36 (cutter center) and multiply that times the weight, (what 600 pounds?) And we may have upwards of 36,000 moments. Over twice the recommended 15,840. The numbers may be off somewhat, but the formula isn't. In any case a typical 5 foot cutter is a whole lot more weight felt on that 3 point than Kubota intended.