Mowing Is mowing a pasture supposed to be this hard?

[AKfish]

I would like to go bigger, might try my neighbors 15' batwing next time.

I think your dealer "helped himself" when he convinced you to go with a 7' mower. And, a Frontier model at that! Way too light duty for your tractor! Lot's of discussion here on TBN regarding single-spindle 7' cutters. Mostly negative...

With 100hp @ pto you should be working a MX-10 at the very least - IMO. And, if you're only mowing heavy grass and small rose bushes, etc. that 15' batwing would be easy duty for your tractor as well!

I'd be talking with your dealer about a trade-in... after the new pto shaft arrives.

AKfish

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

I think your dealer "helped himself" when he convinced you to go with a 7' mower. And, a Frontier model at that! Way too light duty for your tractor! Lot's of discussion here on TBN regarding single-spindle 7' cutters. Mostly negative...

With 100hp @ pto you should be working a MX-10 at the very least - IMO. And, if you're only mowing heavy grass and small rose bushes, etc. that 15' batwing would be easy duty for your tractor as well!

I'd be talking with your dealer about a trade-in... after the new pto shaft arrives.

AKfish

What he said....I've been walking on egg shells trying to say that 7' cutters are not the best for what he's trying to do. Trade it in for a heavy duty 6' if money is a factor or step up to a bigger cutter. You'll be happier in the long run.

 

[corey9212]

I will talk to my dealer about a trade in to a bigger mower (a batwing would be nice) would you guys say a 20-30'?

 

[AKfish]

I will talk to my dealer about a trade in to a bigger mower (a batwing would be nice) would you guys say a 20-30'?

OK... don't be too sensitive! There's lot's of reasons we all "buy what we buy" - generally it comes down to finances. But, you can get some advice that goes against your gut feelings; but, matches up with your pocketbook - i.e.; dealer... that doesn't always end up where we'd like!

That said - if you mounted 18.4 x 30 duals on front and back - that 30' deck might just work out Ok!

AKfish

 

[corey9212]

OK... don't be too sensitive! There's lot's of reasons we all "buy what we buy" - generally it comes down to finances. But, you can get some advice that goes against your gut feelings; but, matches up with your pocketbook - i.e.; dealer... that doesn't always end up where we'd like!

That said - if you mounted 18.4 x 30 duals on front and back - that 30' deck might just work out Ok!

AKfish

I'm not being sensitive, I am always accepting of constructive criticism, and great advice. That's how I learn and makes me a better person. What's the biggest I could run efficiently with that size of tractor?

All this sizing up with the bigger tractors is a lot more difficult than with a smaller tractor, with the BX2660 I know 48-60" was the size limit for that tractor so I always stayed in that limit, but with the bigger tractor comes more versatility and more options that I have to learn about.

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

I'm not being sensitive, I am always accepting of constructive criticism, and great advice. That's how I learn and makes me a better person. What's the biggest I could run efficiently with that size of tractor?

All this sizing up with the bigger tractors is a lot more difficult than with a smaller tractor, with the BX2660 I know 48-60" was the size limit for that tractor so I always stayed in that limit, but with the bigger tractor comes more versatility and more options that I have to learn about.

Glad you have a good sense of humor. So your BX 2660 has about 25hp at the motor, maybe 18-20 hp at the deck.
For a 48"-60" deck, that works out to about 4 or 5 hp per foot. This is ok for cutting the lawn, but if you get into deep, rough work, you'll want 8, preferably 10hp per foot. Especially if you like to mow in B4 gear. I would look at a 10' cutter. Heavy duty if you want to take down saplings.
Then your bad mowing days will be minimized.

 

[corey9212]

Glad you have a good sense of humor. So your BX 2660 has about 25hp at the motor, maybe 18-20 hp at the deck.
For a 48"-60" deck, that works out to about 4 or 5 hp per foot. This is ok for cutting the lawn, but if you get into deep, rough work, you'll want 8, preferably 10hp per foot. Especially if you like to mow in B4 gear. I would look at a 10' cutter. Heavy duty if you want to take down saplings.
Then your bad mowing days will be minimized.

Ah, ok, I was being honest when I asked about the 20-30' mower not sensitive. The dealer says 7' is lots and you guys say it's too small (I'll take your guys' word first any day cause experience takes over dealer knowledge on this stuff.)

So is it safe to say I should stick with 4hp/ft. for most attachments and 10hp/ft. for the heavy digging/ground engaging attachments? This is the type of info that's good to know cause I asked the dealer about harrows for the pasture and he said I could use any size I wanted, is that true? Cause (I would never use this big) that would mean I could pull a 50' or 70' harrow.

 

[cowski]

i have run a 7 foot with a lot bigger tractor than that.sometimes a 7 foot is what you need rather than a 15 ft.my tractors have twisted shafts off of big cutters when slip clutches do not work.

 

[cowski]

the u-joint spit out the caps! My bet is that the retainer clips were never installed and the caps worked their way out.

if you look at the picture the yoke spread out.this appears to be a stuck clutch problem.it could of broke the box or twisted the shaft .all of which has happened on my farm. about the 7 foot bush hog,it is plenty for his amout of acres.years ago i cut 200 acres of cotton stalks with a jd 709 cutter in a week.

 

[AKfish]

if you look at the picture the yoke spread out.this appears to be a stuck clutch problem.it could of broke the box or twisted the shaft .all of which has happened on my farm. about the 7 foot bush hog,it is plenty for his amout of acres.years ago i cut 200 acres of cotton stalks with a jd 709 cutter in a week.

Yes... but - there is no way that a Frontier 2084 is anywhere in the same league as a 709! It's not a good match with a 100hp tractor... have to always watch every little burp in the landscape for fear of blowin' the mower up.

AKfish