Ginormous
Gold Member
A guy locally has several 5' bushhogs listed for sale. Would I be pushing my luck trying to use a 5' bushhog with my YM1700? Would it just be a matter of mowing slower? Is overheating the primary danger?
5' bushhog with a YM1700 (20 HP)?
- Thread starter Ginormous
- Start date
- Views: 31199
clemsonfor
Super Member
If u get a deal id buy one. Its not really an overheating thing, i guess you could overwork it but if its too much it will just choke down and not mow. You can always go slow like you said or offset onefoot and only cut 4 ft of tall grass each time esentially turning it inot a 4fter.
A 4fter in tall grass is all my 2000 wants.
284 International
Veteran Member
- Joined
- Jun 28, 2010
- Messages
- 1,464
- Tractor
- International Harvester 284
If the price is really good, you might try it out. Then you'll know, and can sell it for about what you paid for it, if not all of it, if it works poorly.
I've got a 4 foot that I use with my 186D (15 PTO horsepower). It's marginally sufficient. I am not able to cut knee high weeds with it if they are dense at decent speeds. The machine doesn't have enough power to rip through the stems, so blade speed decreases, and the weeds don't get cut, just defoliated. A couple more passes are needed to finally get them cut. However, the powershift transmission and overrunning clutch make it much more workable than anything without the clutch, and the compact size is a nice package, so I usually mow that way anyway.
My 20 PTO horsepower YM2000 runs the 4 foot really well, and would be my recommendation for power. The 18 PTO horsepower Mitsubishi is in between, as you would expect, and does a sufficient job. It's pretty well matched. Misusing the cutter by trying to cut low to the ground over rough terrain is a bit much for the Mitsubishi, the YM2000 will usually just manage. With a 5 foot cutter, I would imagine you would be about like the 186D with my 4 foot cutter, but with a friendlier powerband. If you don't have really dense things to cut, you'll be fine. Just remember that these should really be set to cut about 3 or 4 inches high, to keep them out of the dirt. Running through dirt pushed up by gophers is really taxing, and takes all the horsepower you can throw at the cutter if you're cutting low.
Buy an overrunning clutch. You'll be so much happier. It really increases productivity. (I know you've heard me say that numerous times before.) It's also safer.
I've got a 4 foot that I use with my 186D (15 PTO horsepower). It's marginally sufficient. I am not able to cut knee high weeds with it if they are dense at decent speeds. The machine doesn't have enough power to rip through the stems, so blade speed decreases, and the weeds don't get cut, just defoliated. A couple more passes are needed to finally get them cut. However, the powershift transmission and overrunning clutch make it much more workable than anything without the clutch, and the compact size is a nice package, so I usually mow that way anyway.
My 20 PTO horsepower YM2000 runs the 4 foot really well, and would be my recommendation for power. The 18 PTO horsepower Mitsubishi is in between, as you would expect, and does a sufficient job. It's pretty well matched. Misusing the cutter by trying to cut low to the ground over rough terrain is a bit much for the Mitsubishi, the YM2000 will usually just manage. With a 5 foot cutter, I would imagine you would be about like the 186D with my 4 foot cutter, but with a friendlier powerband. If you don't have really dense things to cut, you'll be fine. Just remember that these should really be set to cut about 3 or 4 inches high, to keep them out of the dirt. Running through dirt pushed up by gophers is really taxing, and takes all the horsepower you can throw at the cutter if you're cutting low.
Buy an overrunning clutch. You'll be so much happier. It really increases productivity. (I know you've heard me say that numerous times before.) It's also safer.
284 International
Veteran Member
- Joined
- Jun 28, 2010
- Messages
- 1,464
- Tractor
- International Harvester 284
Clemson beat me. The rule of thumb I've seen for compact tractors is 4 to 5 PTO horsepower per foot of implement width. I think that's a good recommendation, with ground engaging being at the lower end, and mowing/cutting, and tilling, at the high end.
you can get by with lower power per foot, but you have to go so much slower and stop to bring the blades back up to speed so often that you'll be better matched with a smaller cutter that you can run without stopping or at higher speeds. My big 46 PTO horsepower machine will run the 4 foot cutter so fast it's unsafe though, so there's a top end as well.
you can get by with lower power per foot, but you have to go so much slower and stop to bring the blades back up to speed so often that you'll be better matched with a smaller cutter that you can run without stopping or at higher speeds. My big 46 PTO horsepower machine will run the 4 foot cutter so fast it's unsafe though, so there's a top end as well.
OP
Ginormous
Gold Member
I was thinking to try to pick up a 4' bushhog, but those apparently are much more difficult to find. I have seen numerous 5' bushhogs for sale, and now a single person selling several 5' bushhogs of different makes. I don't like the idea of paying $850 for a 4' rotary cutter from Tractor Supply.
284 -- I did buy an overrunning clutch... I do like the idea of being able to stop when I want to. :thumbsup:
284 -- I did buy an overrunning clutch... I do like the idea of being able to stop when I want to. :thumbsup:
deepNdirt
Veteran Member
Depending on the price? if not an exceptional good deal i would not use a 5 ft. cutter, we only have 17 HP @ the PTO. I did however buy a beat-up 5 ft cutter last year when could not find a good deal on a 4 ft. It was so beat-up around the apron I cut it down to a 4 ft'r but never got a chance to run it before finding a good deal on a nearly new international 4 ft'r and purchased it instead, I then re-sold the cut down one, Its drive shaft had been welded and patched on a number of times and i would have been likely needing to buy a new one anyway, Needless to say I was able to pick up the 4 ft cutter that I now have for only 100 bucks more than the cost of a drive shaft, yes only 250 for a rarely used 4 ft cutter,
My point is you can buy the 5 ft if can get cheap enough and if it don't work out you can perhaps try to trade down to a 4 ft.
or re-sale it......another thing to consider is the gearbox, not that our 17 hp tractor can damage one,
but larger cutter will most likely have a lower gear speed and need higher rpm range to operate the cutter more efficiently, IMO a 4 ft bush hog is the perfect size for our 1700
Yes, over heating the engine will be a concern, the engine will try to produce all the hp it can, run at 100%,while the PTO hp will be lower. A 5 footer needs 5 x5 or 25 PTO hp. and you still need hp to move the tractor and go up hills. you will need to control your speed, go slow by using a low gear and keep the engine rpm up, cut high, cut narrow.
deepNdirt
Veteran Member
Good advice and I also like to point out our 1700 do not have water pumps and solely rely on the engine water temperature to circulate efficiently, frequently check the screen in front of the radiator and for any radiator obstructions no matter what size cutter you use,
again I'd hold out for a 4 ft'r if anyway possible
I've been using my 1700 with a 4 ft and know its capabilities
I think anything more would be putting more wear on the tractor than necessary, although don't get me wrong I'm not one to be talking about pushing the envelope as I do many things beyond my 1700 intended purposes with the other implements I own
Last edited:
OP
Ginormous
Gold Member
DeepNdirt -- actually, I just purchased a radiator screen from Hoye, as I noticed I didn't have one. I installed a water T gauge, so I can keep track of the temperature, especially when I know I'm working it hard.
Also, I just found a very nice looking 4' Bush Hog SQ480 listed on Craigslist. It looks brand new and the guy says he only used in twice. He is asking $450 obo. I'm going to try to get that one.
Also, I just found a very nice looking 4' Bush Hog SQ480 listed on Craigslist. It looks brand new and the guy says he only used in twice. He is asking $450 obo. I'm going to try to get that one.
Pete Judd
Veteran Member
- Joined
- Aug 18, 2010
- Messages
- 1,013
- Location
- The Thin Gravy Ranch in The wet PNW
- Tractor
- Yanmar 186d, JD 314
I have a 5 ft on my 186D, and 2 nights ago, went through 10 ft tall scotch broom, and black berries. My biggest problem is that it weighs so much, that I have had to extra weight on the front end, or the front end want's to rise up.
The tractor does struggle a bit in tall grass but I slow down. My tractor has an overrun clutch built in, and I can't see anyone using a brush hog without one. When I disengage the PTO, the mower deck spins for over for a long time, and if you were in gear, would push you off a cliff.
The tractor does struggle a bit in tall grass but I slow down. My tractor has an overrun clutch built in, and I can't see anyone using a brush hog without one. When I disengage the PTO, the mower deck spins for over for a long time, and if you were in gear, would push you off a cliff.
