Howse Rotary Cutters....POS?

[agford4x4]

Gosh...i just can't stomach 1200+ bucks for a shredder. BUT, i can't be fixing and repairing it all the time either.

For some reason, there are very few shredders to be had used. I don't know why.

 

[jinman]

Gosh...i just can't stomach 1200+ bucks for a shredder. BUT, i can't be fixing and repairing it all the time either.

For some reason, there are very few shredders to be had used. I don't know why.

You have a NH TC55 don't you? I'd say you definitely need a medium duty cutter. From my experience with the Howse light duty cutter I had, I sure can recommend them as worth every penny you pay for them.

My Howse 5' light duty cutter was used for "discovery" most of the time, and I found a lot: rocks, logs, stumps, etc. The cutter held up fine except for the sheet metal that took a beating at the welds. Several welds just gave up and I drilled and bolted the sheet metal back to the frame. Finally the stump jumper worked loose and begin to slip on the gearbox spline.

Eventually, I bought a new KK from TSC. The sheet metal was heavier and made a little better than the Howse. Unfortunately, my "discovery" practices continued and I lost the gearbox in the KK after about 3 years. The lower seal went out and I did not discover it until the gearbox overheated and locked up.

So, I took the gearbox off the Howse and replaced the KK gearbox. I really could not tell that they were any different. That cutter is still working fine today. Thats after 12 years of abuse (minus the three it set aging on the old sheetmetal). I like the Howse PTO shaft so much that it is the one I use on any cutter I have. It's the coaxial square tube kind instead of that tri-oval shape of most of the new ones.

So, I'd just recommend buying whichever cutter had a dealer closer to me. I think Howse and KK are both just fine. If you abuse them, they will break. But when they break, most likely you will feel you got every penny of their worth out of them. I sure do.

 

[okie350]

Hello all, Long time lurker, first time poster

For what it is worth i bought a 5' medium duty howes for $200, 2 years ago. At the time i figured if i destroyed it I wasn't out much, well after 2 yeaars of clering my place and abusing it around black jack oaks it still works great, although it has quiet a few dents and scratches and have rubbed all the paint off the sides. I have been pleasantly surprised and pleased with it. To the point that i bought a Howes 6' finish mower.

Mark

 

[Soundguy]

I've got 2 cheap mowers.. a KK 5' roatry cutter, ( paid about 500$ for it about ? 7 ys ago ). I also got a Howse 10' rotary cutter.

I've gotten my money's worth out of both of them.. The 5' cutter has eaten some 2" material in it worklife.. and PLENTY of ant mounds. Sheared quite a few shearbolts.. but otherwise works fine. Will seep a little oil at the front pto shaft seal.. but nothing major. Same with the howse 10' mower. I accidentally knocked down a 3" 15-20' tall tree with the mower and it mulched it before i could come to a stop..

Lots of the high priced mower owners will bash a 500 $ mower especially since they may have paid 3x that. The way i look at it.. if the high priced mower is 1500$ and will last 20 ys.. and my 500$ mower is going to last? 10 ys.. then at the end of 20 ys.. we both have a worn out mower needing replacement.. except that I also have an old one out back for parts.... plus I got 500$ more in my pocket than him..

Soundguy

Or not?

Ive been looking high and low for shredders in 5' or 6' and teh Howse brand shows similar if not identical specs as the major brands like bush hog, rhino, etc, except its priced as though it was not made out of 24k plated gold.

I have been told by howse that they are great reliable mowers (duh) and ive been told by a place that USED to sell them that they are cheap junk with chinese made gearboxes.

I mean, to me, a shredder is a shredder, it has blades, a gearbox and something to hook it to the tractor. Its hard to screw that up, but the major brands seem to have a bunch of gimmicks and specs that play into the pricing. I mean, they arent exactly complicated pieces of equipment.

So, whats the deal with them, are Howse Cutters as good as the major expensive brands?

Thanks!

 

[mlauk]

I just went through the same situation. I was looking for a 6' light duty shredder for my MF 2135 (38 hp). Couldn't find a good used one, so looked at all the new brands. I went through the same thought process and it came down to $800-$900 with a 40 hp gearbox or $1200 for a 65 hp gearbox (including front guard). The gearbox looked so much beefier, that I bought the bush hog squealer. Also went ahead and added the slip clutch for another $100. I would have bought a Rhino or Woods also, but that was the best deal I could get. After hooking it up and engaging the pto, I had to do a double take to make sure it was spinning because it was so smooth.

Based on all the used shredders that I looked at, there were alot of the 40 hp shredders for sale and not many of the 65 hp shredders.

 

[Farmwithjunk]

I just went through the same situation. I was looking for a 6' light duty shredder for my MF 2135 (38 hp). Couldn't find a good used one, so looked at all the new brands. I went through the same thought process and it came down to $800-$900 with a 40 hp gearbox or $1200 for a 65 hp gearbox (including front guard). The gearbox looked so much beefier, that I bought the bush hog squealer. Also went ahead and added the slip clutch for another $100. I would have bought a Rhino or Woods also, but that was the best deal I could get. After hooking it up and engaging the pto, I had to do a double take to make sure it was spinning because it was so smooth.

Based on all the used shredders that I looked at, there were alot of the 40 hp shredders for sale and not many of the 65 hp shredders.

You just hit upon some of the advantages to the "name brand" mowers. A stout, solid deck....smooth running mechanics, and options to equip the low end light duty mowers like the high end models. The high end mowers usually come equipped with replacable (bolt on) "skids". (They do wear out finally)

I'm starting to do a bit of "for hire" mowing this summer. In talking with my insurance agent, I found my policy required SAFTEY CHAINS front and back. The upper end mowers usually have them as standard equipment. At the very worst, they're available as optional equipment. (Ins. co won't accept rubber shields)

There's a big difference between the low end and the high end mowers. (besides the price) It's up to each individual as to the need for the quality that goes with the extra price.

 

[kentrodngun]

Like jinman, I too have a Howse 500 and it's seen plenty of abuse. It has chopped thousands of saplings (quite a few too big) and found more rocks (boulders?) than I care to admit. I too experienced breaks at the welds, but so far it's like a Timex - takes a lickin, but keeps on tickin. Overall, I can't complain - it does everything I've asked of it and oft-times more.

 

[skipmarcy]

I bought my 6' Howse very used from a dealer that had taken it in on trade with a tractor in front of it over 8 years ago - have no idea how old it really is or whether it's a light or medium duty. I immediately took the gearbox off, rinsed it out good and put the 2 seals in it and have run the heck out of it ever since. Don't know about current production gearboxes but mine is an Agmo made in the USA. Have never had to add a drop of oil to it. Like a couple of the others have said - it will cut anything that will go under it and keep on going. From my personal experience, I would look for another used Howse before spending big bucks on something else. By the way, I paid $300 for this one and the guy gave me the 2 u-joints it needed with it !!

 

[Soundguy]

Wow... I find that kinda 'backwards'. It's been my observation that rubber shields deflect more dust and ALL the thrown particles from under a hog.. where chains deflect -most- of the bigger particles, and none of the dust.

Our local county finally just switched over to rubber shileds after getting sued multiple times in the past years for thrown debri from roadside mowers.. both county and contractors. Contractors are now required to have the rubber shields on the mowers when doing county ROW work.

I notice some of the bush hog and JD mowers in the 15 size range are coming out with rubber shields as standard now.

Just an observation. ( 2 of my 5 mowers have rubber shields )

Soundguy

I'm starting to do a bit of "for hire" mowing this summer. In talking with my insurance agent, I found my policy required SAFTEY CHAINS front and back. The upper end mowers usually have them as standard equipment. At the very worst, they're available as optional equipment. (Ins. co won't accept rubber shields) .

 

[Farmwithjunk]

Wow... I find that kinda 'backwards'. It's been my observation that rubber shields deflect more dust and ALL the thrown particles from under a hog.. where chains deflect -most- of the bigger particles, and none of the dust.

Our local county finally just switched over to rubber shileds after getting sued multiple times in the past years for thrown debri from roadside mowers.. both county and contractors. Contractors are now required to have the rubber shields on the mowers when doing county ROW work.

I notice some of the bush hog and JD mowers in the 15 size range are coming out with rubber shields as standard now.

Just an observation. ( 2 of my 5 mowers have rubber shields )

Soundguy

Most brands offer rubber or metal plate as "standard" on economy mowers, and sell chains gaurds as an option. Bush Hog list's a 9 ga. metal gaurd as standard, and recommends them in ag applications only rather than no guards at all, on light duty mowers, but NOT on their heavy duty lines. They offer no rubber gaurds as factory equipment. You can't buy a Bush Hog medium duty mower WITHOUT chains on the front, no matter what the use anymore. (Oddly enough, you CAN buy them without ANY rear gaurds.) My son just bought a Bush Hog 2615 "Legend" 15' batwing It was available ONLY with chains. Rhino's heavy duty mowers come standard with 5/16" chain guards ONLY, no option for no gaurds OR rubber.

The insurance agent showed me where 33 states currently spec CHAINS ONLY as guards in their qualifications on mowing equipment when bidding on state/interstate hi-way mowing jobs. Rubber guards are listed in the insurers specs as OBSOLETE and not allowed on mowers they cover in commercial applications. Same applies to the metal plate gaurds. They list them as insurable on AGRICULTURAL USE ONLY applications where no shields are "required" in the first place.

When shopping for my latest mower (just a year ago) I found mention in sales literature from Bush Hog, John Deere, Rhino, Woods, Shulte, and Brown where no guards are required in ag use, but some gaurds were installed from the factory and they recommended leaving them intact, rather than no gaurds at all.

Currently I have 3 mowers along with 2 belonging to my son that we'll use when mowing commercially this coming season. All 5 are equipped with the required chains. We havn't seen any indication that anything beyond that is needed. (Only "dust issue" is with one particular Woods mower that seems to throw more debris forward than rearward.)

Bush Hog sales rep suggested to me that the theory is to allow flying debris to be deflected downward and slowed, deadening the momentum, allowing the projectile to exit front or rear in a controlled manner, but not TRAPPED UNDER the mower where it would continue to be thrown about by the mower blades, increasing the chances of the object going in an "unplanned direction or possibly causing a blade to break, then it would have the opportunity to fly through someones windshield. (as would be the case with rubber or sheet metal gaurds.) He also brought up this point. Which would you expect to stop a projectile moving at the speed of a bullit? 5/16" METAL or 1/4" rubber? Apparently those folks who build and must be held liable for these mowers, along with the insurance companies who share in that liability feel the same way.

I can't account for one lone county's acceptance of what major insurance underwriters, manufacturers of the mowers, and all the bigger mowing contractors seem to find not acceptable in commercial use.

In the end, I believe I'll stick with the findings of the manufacturers and insurers who've had to battle those lawsuits. I'd bet they have more than enough hard evidence to back up their findings. I'm inclined to follow along with the findings of names like Bush Hog, Woods, Alamo Group (Rhino/Alamo/Shulte SUPER heavy duty mowers) and believe in the risk analysis studies done by names like Prudential Ins, Mutual of Omaha, Business Mens Assurance, The Hartford Group, State Farm ins, and Farm Bureau Ins rather than the casual observations of one man with less than a lifetimes worth of experience. But that's just me, your results may vary.