Mowing Will finish mower on 425 double as brush mower?

[RickeyL]

I am cleaning up about 6 acres of trees, but most of it is ravine and although I know I could use the brush mower initially for some things, I really can't forsee using it after things are cleaned up. Right now, I just take my 20HP Kohler large frame craftsman garden tractor and plow away through the wild raspberry patches and sumac. I'm sure it's hard on it but I use it like a tank sometimes.
Question , Can I on occasion use the finish mower like I do the Craftsman. I thought if I drove through areas with the FEL first and cleared debris as much as possible and then float the finish mower high and use it like a brush mower to get things cleaned out. I can always sharpen the blades like I do with the Craftsman after using it like a brush mower. Some of the areas are just difficult to take the garden tractor through because it is so bumpy and pot holed.
Any feed back would be appreciated.
Thanks
Rick

 

[Alan L.]

I wouldn't put my finish mower through that kind of punishment. Its hard enough to keep everything lined up and level so that it will give you the quality cut it was designed for, without subjecting it to excessive banging around.

But thats just me.

 

[MossRoad]

My guess is, if a lawn tractor can go through it, the PT will have no problem.

What do you other folks think?

 

[marrt]

Well, I wouldn't do it to mine...but I can almost guarantee you that the Power-Trac mower is stronger than the Sears deck. So, if you are willing to put the Sears through that, then the Power-Trac would probably be no problem.

One option, however, would be to get someone to Bush Hog it for you one time. Then, I'm thinking it would be no problem to maintain with the Power-Trac. Also, keep in mind that the Power-Trac mower rides on its own wheels, which are always in contact with the ground. I'm thinking that the Sears deck "floats" and isn't designed for rough terrain.

 

[smartguyz]

I guess I would ask just how nasty the brush is. Clearly, the PT's finish mower is very very sturdy. I was just mowing today, and thinking to myself how much more stout the finish mower is than the 50" deck on my JD318, which has a deck that is much heavier than most other decks I've seen.

Today, I was cutting some hedges and light brush (about 3/8" thick brush) with the hedge trimmer. After all my work trimming the hedge, I was wondering how I might be able to reduce the bulk of it. I ended up using my 48" PT finish mower at the highest speed, and chopping the brush into little fragments. The mower had absolutely no problem doing this. Examining the mower afterwards showed absolutely no sign of problems and even during the 'mulching' session, the PT mower seemed to take it all in stride. It didn't even slow down or seem to be straining.

After the 'obliteration' of the light brush, I used the JD318 with the Power-Flo bagger to bag the whole mess and put it into the compost bin. It was quick and easy and effective. I was actually quite pleased with how well the equipment worked.

I know that with the blackberry brambles in our forest (which I have spent a few hours brush-hogging already), I would never use the finish mower for such an arduous task. Even the swinging blade of the brush hog gets a beating doing this.

So, I'd go back to saying that it depends how bad it is. I would look at renting a rotary cutter if it is bad, and then maintaining with the finish mower, as has been suggested.

Sincerely,

Rob /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[bubenberg]

we have overall been very happy with the pt attachement. for a while i was rating them and the finish mower ended up way on the bottom. to be fair to pt ... the finish mower i gues is their weekest link. i been informed that they have found a new spindle assembly and are selling it at a dear price. if you have the new spindle assembly i think you will be allright. i am on my third set of bearings (ont the old spindle, around 700 hours of mowing)and am contemplating to change over to the new spindles. the cost of almost $100.00 a set, makes it not a priority, since i have a pt field mower for those kind of jobs.

 

[Bob999]

<font color="red">i been informed that they have found a new spindle assembly and are selling it at a dear price... the cost of almost $100.00 a set, </font>

I had a Gravely finish deck that I had to replace a spindle assembly on back in the 1980's. A single spindle (0ne of two one the deck) cost $150! The PT price doesn't seem too bad to me.