Six foot finish mower purchase

[Bob_Skurka]

If cost was no object : BEFCO

If cost was factored in : I don't know, I own a BEFCO and am happy with it, its built like a tank and I doubt I can wear it out.

Low Priced Units I would personally avoid : Anything Chinese, plus King Kutter and Howse. I had a Howse rotary cutter and can't say much good about it other than it was free when I got it and I gave it to a guy a couple years later because he had a trailer and I couldn't figure out how else to get it to the scrap yard. King Kutter is known for lightweight stuff, I've never used it but most people who say it is good say they are on their 2nd or 3rd unit over the past 8 or 10 years. . . I'm still on my 1st BEFCO mower and it is almost 10 years old, so I guess maybe it is cheaper in the long run than 3 King Kutters or Howse units.

 

[yellowsocks93]

I know this would look really weird on you Kubota but I have a Deere 272 72'' RFM. It's side discharge and cuts just as well as our JD 72'' belly mower. They are reasonable in price and well built. They also make a 261 which is 60'' wide. Both are very good and my 272 almost cuts as good as my old JD 4300 with 7 iron commercial deck.

 

[Maker102]

I also needed a finish mower a few years ago and found a source for inexpensive mowers and other implements. Head on down to a small town and find out where the farmers "hangout". This is usually the local Hardees or McDonalds but could also be the local grain elevator. Ask them if they know of anything for sale in the area. I picked up a Landpride 72" rear discharge mower that never even had the blades sharpened. It was like brand new, the cost $800.00 and no tax. Then I picked up a 6" rear blade although not a prize by any means but the price was right $20.00. In short don't get in a hurry and keep the lines of communication open with the people that have the equipment, something will drop in your lap. Good luck /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[SnailTraX]

Thanks again. It will be a great help. Bill

 

[dlgmt]

I previously had a 1548 landpride side discharge mower, had it for seven years and it probably had 300hrs on it no problems. Recently purchased a first-choice 72" rear discharge (enables closer cuts) cuts great, seems to be maintenance friendly (greasing, belt adjustment) priced reasonably $1100.

 

[Dennisr]

Just took delivery on a Woods RD7200 for $1775 this week. I used it once and was really impressed with the cut.

 

[Soundguy]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Low Priced Units I would personally avoid : Anything Chinese, plus King Kutter and Howse )</font>

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( King Kutter is known for lightweight stuff, I've never used it but )</font>

Awfull tough on a piece of equipment you've never had???

My KK rotary cutter is going on 3 years with nothing more than a scratch or two in its paint. I've tamed 7' weeds.. hidden lumber.. rocks, dirt mounds, etc. I've sharpened my blades once.. No oil leaks.. pto shield even still stays put with the stay chaind, and still unlocks and slides so I can grease the diffy.'s.

At 1/2 or 1/3 the price of the other big name mowers on the market... if in 10 years I need to replace it, I will either have the smae money in 2 of them ( probably much less considering inflation ), and have a new mower.. While the big name ones may still be working in 10 years.. they will not be new, and I doubt they will go for 20 years with no problems...

At the GC I work for, we use howse 6' cutters. The one we use around the shop yard is now 13 years old. The deck has benn weld repaired at least twice. Same gearbox, seals and bearings.. ( probably same oil? ).. same blades.. sharpened many times..

Light duty.. yes.. and we knew it going into it.

We used to only by high dollar bush hog and other industrial mowers. On a cost analysis it became apparent that under hard work conditions, we were spending more money on the name brand units than the cheaper.. in a given time frame. For instance.. name brand 'a' was nearly 1500$... last a couple years mowing right of ways around the road.. hitting tires.. blocks.. cut fire wood, bottles, car rims.. etc.. Generic brand 'b'.. last 1.5 - 2 years cutting same stuff.. cost.. 5xx...

The cheaper units stayed 'new' longer due to being replace more often... net result was lower price.

In the end we decided that a burried log would smoke a 500$ gearbox on a bushhog just as easilly as a 250$ gearbox on a howse shear pin or not.. those gerboxes only have a certain amount of !whack! built into them... and buried logs aren't choosy. Luck has a lot to do with it too.. and that goes for all equipment. We just bought a few craftsman weed eaters for ROW trimmiing. nice 179$ units... Only to find that they last as long as a ryobe (sp? ) 79$ unit when they fall off the back of a service truck driving between jobs... go figure..

More expensive is not always better in every aspect..... otherwise massey ferguson wouldn't be in business...

Soundguy

 

[mar]

Who sells First Choice? Just priced a 60 inch KK at Tractor Supply. Price went up this season from $999 to $1049. 72 inch is $1199. Also checked Homier. They have a Farm Pro for 600 but want 126 extra to ship. Weight listed at 200lbs. Anyoneknow who makes this?