Mid Mount Finish Mower for quasi bush hog territory.

[Jaylegger]

Got a call from my father-in-law to help him out by mowing his approx 1 acre field at his camp. The field is relatively smooth but now overgrown primarily by grass of approx 3.5 feet and has some thistle bushes of 1-1.5 inch diameter stock. I would have tackled this no problem with my gear a month or two ago but now I'm a little worried I may put undue stress on my 54" mid mount mulching finish mower. My tractor is a 25hp Massey GC2600 equipped with a MF 2315 mower.

My plan is to remove the thistle first via loppers then use the mower fully raised for the tall grass so I'm looking for insight as to whether this may significantly stress the mower not. I've searched for a bush hog rental to no avail.

I don't mind spending a few bucks and do all I can to help out but really don't wish to destroy my equipment in the process. Any insight would be appreciated.

[TripleR]

I wouldn't do it with my BX2660. I have mowed stuff that tall, but not an acre.

[sweettractors]

Don't do it. This is a Brush Hog/Rotary Cutter job. Ken Sweet

[hawkeye08]

I have done 5-7 acres of that with my Gravely 816 and 50" MMM. Keep the rpms up, once you get it opened up, remember that you can take part of a swath, you do not need to get it all at once. I always mow with discharge to the side already mowed, keep an eye on discharge to make sure you are not bunching up under the deck. don't worry about getting it perfect the first pass, you will need to make several passes to get it clean. Sometimes it works to make the rough cut passes with mower high, then come back the next day after the clippings have dried a day to clean it up nice...

One of the reasons I have my new (to me) Kubota. It was a bit of work with the Gravely.

[art]

I've had lots of people cut that type stuff with a Kubota deck.. Some with others! Have you ever looked at the belt on a Kubota? Just go with caution and you should be fine!

[BruceWard]

Can you rent a bush hog to use with your tractor?

The bush hog will be much less likely to be damaged or stuck on high center.

[bp fick]

Does the 2600 have the HST cooling fan that is vulnerable?

If so, be quite careful with that as well. Renting a small bush hog seems a great solution. You wouldn't put your deck, with mulching blades, etc in jeopardy.

Family eh? This is the way stuff always happens. Wonder who would foot the bill of any needed repairs? Hmmmmmm...

[Jaylegger]

Thanks for the replies so far guys, 2 for and 2 against with weighting towards against thanks to Ken Sweets input, it being his business he likely has a great reservoir of others experience to draw from. Regarding renting a brush hog I've been calling all afternoon and can not locate any rental or farm equipment shops which have a unit for rent, there's a couple used ones for sale for between 750-1000 dollars but I'm not willing to go that route yet.

I suspect I'll be loading up the tractor for Saturday, haul it out to the site and have a look, say what the **** or something to that effect then quickly proceed on to mower destruction.

[Jaylegger]

Does the 2600 have the HST cooling fan that is vulnerable?

If so, be quite careful with that as well. Renting a small bush hog seems a great solution. You wouldn't put your deck, with mulching blades, etc in jeopardy.

Family eh? This is the way stuff always happens. Wonder who would foot the bill of any needed repairs? Hmmmmmm...

Yeah, there's a fan which has a small shroud but it's not impervious to outside influences that's for sure. I'll go to great lengths to help him out but wish to minimize my costs which at this point appear to a toss up between a sub 1K used b(r)ush hog purchase or more likely than not an undetermined repair bill on $2.5K mower deck.

[TripleR]

I've had lots of people cut that type stuff with a Kubota deck.. Some with others! Have you ever looked at the belt on a Kubota? Just go with caution and you should be fine!

Well, he has a Massey Ferguson, not a Kubota; not familiar with the deck or belts on that model.

I took his question as not "could it be done", but "should it be done". I have no doubt my Kubota would do it, I just wouldn't. There is no way I would even consider it with my John deere 2305 as it would overheat and probably burn the belt or cause significant wear.