My NX5510H

[DieselBound]

OK, I'm going to set this on the back burner until I actually get the tractor. Unfortunately that back burner time has now been increased as the factory failed to ship my tractor! Dealer called to tell me that it didn't come with their shipment. I'm puzzling on how this could happen; but it is, at this point, spilled milk. I'm disappointed. The dealer offered to loan me an NX4510 (he said cabbed 45 hp tractor, so maybe it's something else). That was a good gesture and I told him I'll be OK w/o it and that I'll call in the extra effort when it's really necessary: I have my B7800 and it's able to do what I need done at this time.

On the hitch issue, I was confused as to what the drawbar is on the NX. I was thinking it was clevis-like. It does look like I can put a ball on it (as countrybumpkin said); if I can't put on a pintle hitch then I'd like to go that route.

 

[countrybumpkin]

For now that would be your quickest and easiest way to just use a ball. You might ask your dealer if he can find a part number and order a hammer strap, the drawbar is designed for one along with the drawbar pin that comes with the tractor.

 

[DieselBound]

Update. Tractor delivery, take two.

Tractor is scheduled to arrive at the dealer's this Friday (10/7) and delivery will be some time next week.

 

[DieselBound]

Rumor from my dealer is that they're assembling my tractor. Not sure when it came in. Also wasn't given a completion time. (got left voice mail)

 

[DieselBound]

Getting closer...

Apparently they didn't mesh up the ordering and the third rear remove valve is about a week out. Weather is going to turn to absolute crap starting Thursday, so I told them that if they could have everything else ready to go and get this thing delivered to me on Wednesday (which is tomorrow) that I'd install the valve.

 

[DieselBound]

Wanted to split posts up because I have a change of direction in topic now...

I've spent a fair amount of time researching rotary mowers: I've decided to go with a rotary now and hold off on a flail until a later date. I'm fairly certain that middle-of-the-road is the way to go for me- "medium duty" cutter ought to be sufficient. And when one talks about "medium duty" one has to look at the leading manufacturers to understand what constitutes "medium duty." Here is what I'm seeing as comparables:

1) Land Pride RCR2672
2) Woods BB720X
3) Bush Hog BH26

All have as standard (and these are what seem to classify them as "medium duty"):

- 10ga decks
- 1/2" x 4" blades (this may not necessarily be a requirement for "medium duty," it's just that they all have this size so I figure that's the standard)
- Cutting capacity of up to 3" dia
- Gearbox ratings of 120hp or more
- Clevis style hook-ups
- Cat 4 drive line w/slip clutch

I like the Brown 416 but they don't run full welds, so I ruled that one out: it's otherwise a nice cutter.

All of these brands have dealers near me.

The RCR2672 has chains standard. The BB720X does not.

The BB720X's blade change system/mechanism is really attractive, though I have never had to change a set of blades (just parted with my old Rankin 5' and after years the blades still had a lot of meat left on them- I didn't necessarily treat it gingerly either!), until NOW... I bought a Land Pride RCR1860 for my B7800 and it comes with well-eaten-up blades; I am unable to get the blade bolts loose (nuts won't budge- had to buy a 43mm socket) and will be resorting to dropping the entire pan off (waiting on yet another stupid socket -36mm). So, this blade thing is kind of really starting to seem more important to me now.

Bush Hog's BH26 doesn't seem to have anything that sets it apart from the others other than its name. The only thing I can see is their "Tough Tail Wheel Beam," and while it looks better than the LCR2672's tail wheel (I'd have to give LP a negative on theirs) it doesn't seem any better than on the BB720x (which I think might be better).

Time is on my side here as we push into Fall and then Winter. I suspect that better deals will be possible off-season. I'll see what dealers are asking now. From what I'm seeing the pricing is just about a tie between the BB720X and RCR2672: $3k-ish. Not sure on the BH26, but I'll find out.

Oh, I'd talked to my Kioti dealer, who also sells Mahindra, and the 7' Super Duty Mahindra (a rebranded Kodiak) would run around $4k. This is the commercial level series, cutting up to 4" stuff (7ga deck); it's nice-looking stuff (but so then too is the higher series for the other manufacturers, though I suspect they're more expensive). I wasn't really considering a 6' Super Duty until I realized this pricing, so I think I'll see what the 6' one is running. Their Medium Duty cutters don't have the clevis pin hook ups like their Super Duty does, otherwise it would be in the running. I got rid of my Rankin and picked up the RCR1860 (I'd been watching used stuff for a long time until this one popped up) because I was tired of the hassle connecting up to just pins: on the B7800 I've had a regular quick hitch and then Pat's quick hitch; the regular quick hitch didn't work for my box blade so that style of hitch got sold; Pat's quick hitch just kind of became a pain, nominal gains, so were taken off (and I'll look to sell them).

 

[DieselBound]

Haven't mentioned (here) that the monitor I got was bad. White screen and nothing else: two different cameras and two different photo cameras and no images on the monitor. Sent it back for another one. Sad, in that the retailers have ZERO ability to provide "technical" assistance, couldn't tell me what the "Menu" button is supposed to do! No documentation. I'd figured that if the "Menu" button was supposed to bring up some sort of display then that would tell me that this monitor was in fact bad (not something that I had hooked up wrong; I'm 99.9% certain that I had things hooked up right- the .1% is in case my mind is failing me ).

No word from the dealer today, so figure that this is going to drag on for another week. At this point it doesn't matter all that much because we're going to be having a ton of rain for the next week+.

 

[MinnesotaEric]

Wanted to split posts up because I have a change of direction in topic now...

I've spent a fair amount of time researching rotary mowers: I've decided to go with a rotary now and hold off on a flail until a later date. I'm fairly certain that middle-of-the-road is the way to go for me- "medium duty" cutter ought to be sufficient. And when one talks about "medium duty" one has to look at the leading manufacturers to understand what constitutes "medium duty." Here is what I'm seeing as comparables:

1) Land Pride RCR2672
2) Woods BB720X
3) Bush Hog BH26

All have as standard (and these are what seem to classify them as "medium duty"):

- 10ga decks
- 1/2" x 4" blades (this may not necessarily be a requirement for "medium duty," it's just that they all have this size so I figure that's the standard)
- Cutting capacity of up to 3" dia
- Gearbox ratings of 120hp or more
- Clevis style hook-ups
- Cat 4 drive line w/slip clutch

I like the Brown 416 but they don't run full welds, so I ruled that one out: it's otherwise a nice cutter.

All of these brands have dealers near me.

The RCR2672 has chains standard. The BB720X does not.

The BB720X's blade change system/mechanism is really attractive, though I have never had to change a set of blades (just parted with my old Rankin 5' and after years the blades still had a lot of meat left on them- I didn't necessarily treat it gingerly either!), until NOW... I bought a Land Pride RCR1860 for my B7800 and it comes with well-eaten-up blades; I am unable to get the blade bolts loose (nuts won't budge- had to buy a 43mm socket) and will be resorting to dropping the entire pan off (waiting on yet another stupid socket -36mm). So, this blade thing is kind of really starting to seem more important to me now.

Bush Hog's BH26 doesn't seem to have anything that sets it apart from the others other than its name. The only thing I can see is their "Tough Tail Wheel Beam," and while it looks better than the LCR2672's tail wheel (I'd have to give LP a negative on theirs) it doesn't seem any better than on the BB720x (which I think might be better).

Time is on my side here as we push into Fall and then Winter. I suspect that better deals will be possible off-season. I'll see what dealers are asking now. From what I'm seeing the pricing is just about a tie between the BB720X and RCR2672: $3k-ish. Not sure on the BH26, but I'll find out.

Oh, I'd talked to my Kioti dealer, who also sells Mahindra, and the 7' Super Duty Mahindra (a rebranded Kodiak) would run around $4k. This is the commercial level series, cutting up to 4" stuff (7ga deck); it's nice-looking stuff (but so then too is the higher series for the other manufacturers, though I suspect they're more expensive). I wasn't really considering a 6' Super Duty until I realized this pricing, so I think I'll see what the 6' one is running. Their Medium Duty cutters don't have the clevis pin hook ups like their Super Duty does, otherwise it would be in the running. I got rid of my Rankin and picked up the RCR1860 (I'd been watching used stuff for a long time until this one popped up) because I was tired of the hassle connecting up to just pins: on the B7800 I've had a regular quick hitch and then Pat's quick hitch; the regular quick hitch didn't work for my box blade so that style of hitch got sold; Pat's quick hitch just kind of became a pain, nominal gains, so were taken off (and I'll look to sell them).

Random thoughts on the BB720X (since I have one and have pegged out what it can and cannot do).

1) I broke a driveshaft because I hit a windfall in tall grass and instead of rolling over, the cutter jackknifed my three point lifting it up to the point where my driveshaft flexed and then broke in half. I have learned to back up into the material I'm cutting and so I have the rear set so that it is higher than the front when I have the three point down. Even so, I must be "cool" about "stump jumping" to avoid jack-knifing the three point and shelling a driveshaft. FWIW, my local Fleet Pride reused the undamaged driveshaft ends and replaced the driveshaft for about $300 about half of the cost than what Woods wants for a new driveshaft.

2) Get the chains and reinforced edges for whatever cutter you get.

3) If your machine is a HST with our live PTO, you can run any of the cutters. I rarely stall but I'm also "easing into" heavier material.

4) Ratings are for green hardwoods. Softer material like aspen or poplar will get chewed easier.

5) The single tail wheel is fine although I will likely need a set of wheel bearings on the tail wheel at some point as my cutter has a lot of wheeling around time on it.

6) Get a Quick Hitch. I've had good success with the SpeeCo brand which is cheapest on the internet at Blair's Fleet Farm (as I recall). The Pats Hitch is too light to take the abuse of carrying around 1200+ pound attachments without peening out.

7) Dull blades work well to process material and shred them forcing their roots to send up new sprouts rather than growing out of whatever was cut. Dull blades still do a good job at cutting field grass.

8) Get a set of blades thrown into any deal (or something).

9) Seems to me I paid something like $3500 for my new BB720X in 2014.

10) Woods orange isn't orange, it is sort of burnt-yellow color. They come in different colors and Kioti/Kubota orange is an option.

11) Hang a bungie strap to support the weight of the driveshaft from the top link to support the weight of the driveshaft while attaching the driveshaft. Doing so make life way, way easier.

12) Consider a hydraulic top link. It massively increases to flexibility of your attachments including the angle of attack you can process material with a rotary cutter.

13) Consider getting your wheels filled with Rim Guard for ballast and traction.

 

[DieselBound]

Eric, thanks for the reply/input!

Yes, I probably had a good (conservative estimate) 400 hours with my old 5' cutter. I go easy into places that I am not certain what lies below the brush. My property is full of logging land mines! (even finding old, HUGE logging cables) Haven't been easy on the cutter, but also haven't thrashed it. Broke the tail wheel a year ago: w/tax that ran to $180 - I suspect it was an issue of accumulated stress rather than all from one big hit (but one tends to only notice when there's a complete failure!).

I agree on the chains, been thinking about those. Do you recall how much more those ran? Someone about 175 miles away from me (dealer) is selling a new Woods BB720X for $3,300 but it doesn't have chains. I'll get a better idea when I stop by a nearby Woods dealer on what the chains would run.

Most of the smaller stuff I have is of the soft variety, such as alder. In general I try to preserve most saplings as they will one day be my firewood (or someone else's).

I think that I'd only sharpened my old cutter's blades once (three or four years ago), and after reading more I haven't bothered. Original set of blades and they were still decent. I scratch my head over those that are regularly replacing and or sharpening blade.

I've followed your thread so I've picked up a lot of good info (such as the bungee cord for the drive shaft).:thumbsup:

I'm posed to fire off an order for an hydraulic top link once I have the tractor here and can verify the top link's measurements (I can probably go by what others went with but I want to make sure). Also will be measuring for the hoses for the remotes for the grapple. I am excited about the grapple, but the hydraulic top link is something that I have really missed (I should have sought out adding it to my B7800- if my wife does in fact start using it [she says that she'll mow in the tighter areas] then I may add one).

Tractor will be coming from the dealer's with ballast in the rears. This will be a lot of weight on my property and I'm a bit concerned but will watch things: ground is soft.

I'll have to see how I feel about hitching things up whether I want to shell out for a quick hitch. Had one on the B7800 and it was of limited utility because it didn't work with all implements. For now I'll be using the other end of the tractor (bucket, grapple, pallet forks), the rear isn't likely going to see much action until the end of next Spring when it starts to dry out.

I'm not necessarily hung up on colors, but I suppose if I'm ordering new then I figure it might make sense to (try to) color match: I do think that orange/yellow is a good color for implements such as this- anything that's dangerous ought to be more visible!

Dealer update: Tractor will be delivered tomorrow (w/o the extra remote because it's not in yet- I have to wonder if they just dropped the ball on ordering it since the tractor oder was originally in weeks ago). Weather is going to be utter crap, which is disappointing: hoping it's not an omen; when I'd gotten my B7800 delivered it was an unusually warm and sunny November day (2010). Supposedly going to spend an hour with me going over things.

 

[bgruss75]

I'd have to second Eric on the quick attach. Granted I've only had it two weeks, I've changed out attachments 7 times. Each time it's been under half a minute to include PTO hookup on two of those. I talked my dealer into throwing it in at no cost since I did buy several attachments. It's the SpeeCo brand also.