Mowing What size Bush Hog, 5' or 6'?!

[ZAR2USA]

Buying a L3200 HST 4WD R4. What size Bush Hog is best, 5' or 6'?! I want to buy as big as the tractor can easily handle without straining it. I use too calculate 4Hp/ft width for a Bush Hog for PTO TRUE HP, i.e. 6' mower x 4HP = 24PTO HP = approx 32HP Engine. Does anyone else have this same exact setup, care to share your experience, also what size disk as maximum, 6'?!

Thank you in advance.

 

[RobertN]

What are you cutting, and how slow do you want to go?

From discussions here on TBN, seemed to be 5hp/foot.

You might be able to run a larger mower in lighter materials.

Also, what is the 3pt hitch capacity of your tractor(weight limits)?

 

[texasjohn]

I like larger mowers....when material is dense, go slower and/or cut shorter swaths...more options under your control...less time with light material.

 

[1fastbob]

My previous tractor was a 30HP Agco ST30 HST. 5 foot mower was perfect, 6 foot would have been too big. I mow some pretty tall stuff though.

 

[ovrszd]

My Brother pulls my 6' with his L3240. He's kinda lazy and uses the anti-stall feature. It kicks in when the conditions are tough. But the tractor handles it well under most conditions.

 

[TripleR]

Light, medium, heavy duty, weight, what will you be cutting...?

 

[Bluegill2]

It will handle a 6' mower, but will handle a 5' mower better.

L3800 would have been a better choice for the larger mower and not much more $.

6' will also be wider than the rear tires, so if mowing around trees, fence post, etc., the mower can hit stuff.

 

[LD1]

Many things still need answered, but either mower will work. It is just a 5' has pros and cons as does the 6' for your tractor. Which "pros" apply depend on how you answer the following....

What are you cutting? How dense? Any heavy stuff? how often?

Are you mowing in a wide open field? or is manuverability a concern?

How heavy duty of a cutter do you want?

IMO, in 90% of circumstances, there will be no "finished" time difference between the 5 and the 6. Sure the 6 cuts a wider swath, but you have to go slower. End result is usually the same.

So other factors come into play that are far more important.

If manuverability (or total tractor weight and length for trailering or soft conditions) is a concern, then get the 5'-er. Especially if you want a heavy duty cutter. These kubotas are pretty light for their HP, and I have both a med-duty 5' cutter and a HD 6' cutter. The 6' cutter requires I leave the loader on. Thus it is more difficult to trailer and MUCH less manuaverable. The 5' cutter is narrower (or at least the same width) as the tractor, lighter and tucked in closer, so I can talke the loader off. This is nice for tight areas and trails in the woods.

Heavy thick slow cutting stuff, you have to drop down a gear with the 6' cutter. Still takes the same amount of time overall cause its cutting a wider path, but it just "seems" sooo slow.

So my reccomendations is....If you are cutting a wide open area, that is easy cutting, and you cut it several times a year to maintain it, you will be happy with a 6' cutter.

BUT...If you are in tight quarters, or cutting thick nasty stuff, or plan on trailering much, I'd go with a heavier duty 5' cutter.

 

[ZAR2USA]

Thank you everyone, especially LD1. After reading your response (which explains a lot of factors and makes my decision easier), I think i will go with a 5' mower.

 

[LD1]

Thank you everyone, especially LD1. After reading your response (which explains a lot of factors and makes my decision easier), I think i will go with a 5' mower.

No problem. Like I said, you really cant go wrong either way, and either mower will work. Just depending on the circumstances, some times one works better than the other.