Do I have any business trying to use a rotary cutter on this?

[Gary Fowler]

I wouldn't intentionally drive over anything like that without a full skid plate under the machine to protect hoses, tubing, wires, filters, etc.

That is why I but in this sentence
"The biggest concern is that your tractor doesn't have any delicate items exposed underneath, like oil filters and hoses. My Yanmar didn't have anything exposed so there wasn't any worry."

Tractors vary in the design of components underneath. Some are well protected while others need to have armor installed underneath do protect all the delicate items that the manufacturer hung out in the wide open to damage. Sometimes I think they do this so they can sell those parts.

 

[nyone]

Are you buying a machine to do this project? Personaly i wouldnt. 2-3in trees are nothing a chain saw and a few brush burning sessions cant handle. Leave about 12in of stump showing. Rent a mini excavator for a day snd pluck them all out..burn again.

 

[CobyRupert]

You can back into the brush but you could bend the sheet metal back into the BH blades (been there, done that) so be really careful that when backing up that you dont run into something to large for the bush hog to ride over without bending something.

Yep.
Check real good what you’re backing into. Rocks, posts and bigger than expected sapling trunks have a way of hiding, especially in the summer.
As a backup plan keep the top link short so that you can raise the mower high enough so that when you back in the underside/blades contacts things first, instead the sheet metal getting pushed in. Then lower mower onto brush.

And if there’s been any fencing there in the last 120 years, you’ll find it!

 

[tcreeley]

My 5' bush hog would have no problem with the brush. I pull it with a 30 hp TC30.

 

[morris lipham]

Location is not necessary.

I went from this:

View attachment 586770 View attachment 586771

To this:

View attachment 586772 View attachment 586773

With this:

View attachment 586774 View attachment 586775


Granted it wasn't 5 acres, and it took a while. But it was done.

I did this also on my farm when I got it. DR mower I bought nearly 25 years ago. Used it until I got my first tractor with a bush hog. Still have it, can get into tight places tractor won't go.

 

[RSKY]

IMO, it can be done easily. As others said, just take your time. Keep an eye for big stuff or hidden surprises.

I've done worse with a 35 hp tractor and a 4 foot mower. However, over here, we use high strength chains in the mowers instead of blades, for this exact purpose. Shown in the second picture. It eat more HP of the tractor, hence the small since mower, but it shreds pretty much everything and won't get hurt if it hits rocks.

I've mowed small trees close to 3" in diameter. Taking it slow so I won't break anything.

View attachment 586857View attachment 586868

I like the way the chains are attached to the back of the mower. All US mowers have a solid piece there. I also like the front roll bar. Much better for going thru brush.

RSKY

 

[tmc_31]

Silverado, you still haven't given your location, is it a secret? (it's ok if it is). The reason I ask is that if you were close to me I could grub and rake that 5 acres for you in two days for less than $3000 with my skid loader, sheepsfoot grubber and front mounted rake. This gets the roots of the saplings out and there is normally little regrowth. For less than $2000 I could mow the place (and rake it if need be) with my skid and a rotary cutter. Mowing leaves the root system intact and allows for rapid regrowth. You may have to re-mow it with a tractor and shredder several times a year to stay ahead of the regrowth. There are probably people in your area that have this kind of equipment and do this kind of work.

This equipment is easily rented at most rental places and requires no special skills to operate. I also have a tractor that I mow with however I wouldn't mow your place (from what I see in the picture) with the tractor on a bet. It is too hard on the tractor.

Once you get it grubbed or mowed and raked, it should be easy to keep it clean with your 25 hp tractor and 3-4' rotary mower without damage to the machinery.

Tim