RSKY
Veteran Member
- Joined
- Oct 5, 2003
- Messages
- 2,444
- Tractor
- Kioti CK20S
Sticker shock !!
Shopping for a rotary mower for my CK20HST. Found the following prices for 5' light(er) duty mowers.
Bush Hog Squealer....$1500 slip clutch, 65-hp gearbox, 636-lb, 11-ga deck
Rhino RB-60.............$1200 slip clutch, 60-hp gearbox, 522-lb, 11-ga deck
Land Pride...............$1100 slip clutch, 50-hp gearbox, 478-lb, 12-ga deck
King Kutter................$800 shear bolt, 40-hp gearbox, 525-lb, 12-ga deck
County Line TSC........$800 shear bolt, 40-hp gearbox, 535-lb, 12-ga deck
Tarter......................$900 shear bolt, 45-hp gearbox, 450-lb, 13-ga deck
Howse.....................$760 shear bolt, 55-hp gearbox, 507-lb, 12-ga deck
The Bush Hog and Rhino mowers looked like a Lexus compared to the others. Deck edges were rolled over and continuously welded to the sides.The paint on each of them was flawless and looked like several coats. Everything looked heavy duty and I cannot believe there isn't more of a difference in weight. I could jump up and down on the decks and there was no deflection or 'tin can' noise. Would buy either if price was no object. They looked like lifetime investments.
The King Kutter and the County Line already had rust at the joints and welds. Tops were sheet metal just dropped on a frame with a 1-2" weld every six inches or so. Looked like one thin coat of not very good paint on them. The bracing did not look very strong either.
The Tarter looked better than the specs, didn't see any rust. Got the impression it was very light duty. I newer laid eyes on the Land Pride, when I told the Kubota dealer I had a Kioti he seemed to loose interest in selling me a mower.
I am getting the Howse. Cheapest, higher rated gearbox, bracing looked better especially at the 3-pt attachments, and the paint looked better.
The Howse is at a local yokel side of the road place that picks up a truck load every other week and sells out before they can get more of them. They undercut everybody elses prices and sell a bunch of stuff. Started out rebuilding red belly Fords. Located in the middle of nowhere and always a line of older farmers buying parts. Everybody seems to know what they are doing....my kind of place.
I know the Howse is light duty buy I don't think Willey E. (Kioti) has enough horsepower to tear much up. Most of the work I have for the mower is cleaning out around grown up ponds, fence rows, and the out of way places you can't get with even the small Ford we ususlly use.
Shopping for a rotary mower for my CK20HST. Found the following prices for 5' light(er) duty mowers.
Bush Hog Squealer....$1500 slip clutch, 65-hp gearbox, 636-lb, 11-ga deck
Rhino RB-60.............$1200 slip clutch, 60-hp gearbox, 522-lb, 11-ga deck
Land Pride...............$1100 slip clutch, 50-hp gearbox, 478-lb, 12-ga deck
King Kutter................$800 shear bolt, 40-hp gearbox, 525-lb, 12-ga deck
County Line TSC........$800 shear bolt, 40-hp gearbox, 535-lb, 12-ga deck
Tarter......................$900 shear bolt, 45-hp gearbox, 450-lb, 13-ga deck
Howse.....................$760 shear bolt, 55-hp gearbox, 507-lb, 12-ga deck
The Bush Hog and Rhino mowers looked like a Lexus compared to the others. Deck edges were rolled over and continuously welded to the sides.The paint on each of them was flawless and looked like several coats. Everything looked heavy duty and I cannot believe there isn't more of a difference in weight. I could jump up and down on the decks and there was no deflection or 'tin can' noise. Would buy either if price was no object. They looked like lifetime investments.
The King Kutter and the County Line already had rust at the joints and welds. Tops were sheet metal just dropped on a frame with a 1-2" weld every six inches or so. Looked like one thin coat of not very good paint on them. The bracing did not look very strong either.
The Tarter looked better than the specs, didn't see any rust. Got the impression it was very light duty. I newer laid eyes on the Land Pride, when I told the Kubota dealer I had a Kioti he seemed to loose interest in selling me a mower.
I am getting the Howse. Cheapest, higher rated gearbox, bracing looked better especially at the 3-pt attachments, and the paint looked better.
The Howse is at a local yokel side of the road place that picks up a truck load every other week and sells out before they can get more of them. They undercut everybody elses prices and sell a bunch of stuff. Started out rebuilding red belly Fords. Located in the middle of nowhere and always a line of older farmers buying parts. Everybody seems to know what they are doing....my kind of place.
I know the Howse is light duty buy I don't think Willey E. (Kioti) has enough horsepower to tear much up. Most of the work I have for the mower is cleaning out around grown up ponds, fence rows, and the out of way places you can't get with even the small Ford we ususlly use.