Mowing beside the road

[wcarm]

I own hilly timber/hunting land and use a John Deere 4720 to bush hog, dig ditches, grade roads, etc. I would like to do a better job mowing beside my roads and trails. The areas besides the roads and trail are highly variable - many have ditches of various widths/depths, others involve terrain that slopes up or down from the road; steeply in many cases. In many cases I can't safely take the tractor off the road. There are several miles of roads and trails.

I am considering:

1. A 3 point hitch boom mower attachment for my Deere 4720 tractor (66 hp; 4500 lbs). I am concerned that this solution my be too light. I have heard that I really need a 100 hp tractor to handle a boom mower.

1. A larger tractor with a boom mower (like the County uses beside county roads). One concern here is that I would have a large tractor that would be usable for very little else if it is big boom mower on it.

2. A fairly large skid steer with a boom mower attachment. A skid steer would be handy for many other jobs since the boom mower attachment could be removed, but I have not read much about people using boom mower attachments on skid steers. I think a skid steer would have lower center of gravity than a large tractor which would be a big plus on my hilly property.

Any thoughts and experiences would be appreciated.

 

[rekees4300]

Rhino has a boom flail mower it says "Fits tractors as small as 45 PTO HP and 4,500 lbs weight".

Hydraulic Boom Flails | Rhino

 

[kf4uda]

Bushhog has a model for your tractor power/weight as well. I doubt you could go wrong with either brand.

http://www.bushhog.com/product-line/reach-mowers/boom-mowers.html

 

[Scooby074]

Mcconnel (Alimo) makes them for compacts down to 35hp McConnel

 

[DT86]

Doesn't someone make a sickle bar mower on a arm like that? I would imagine it would weigh less than the flail.

 

[Scooby074]

Doesn't someone make a sickle bar mower on a arm like that? I would imagine it would weigh less than the flail.

Yes, Mcconnel does. It requires only 15hp and a 550kg tractor

 

[Don87]

Yes, Mcconnel does. It requires only 15hp and a 550kg tractor

My gosh, that will work on a lawn mower..........almost. It will work on a tractor that weighs as little as 1200 lbs. Would love to have that for my Massey GC2400.

I could almost retire my string trimmer.:thumbsup:

 

[Scooby074]

Yeah its pretty neat isnt it:thumbsup:

Mcconnel was bought by Alimo mowers so you might begin to see more of them around.http://www.alamo-industrial.com/Products/ProductView.asp?ProductID=30

Funny about siclebars on small tractors, 20 years ago I remember the town using an old Massey Pony with a side mount sickle bar to mow the edges of dirt roads. A pony is a pretty small and low power tractor (like 10-15 hp IIRC) and it ran that sickle pretty good.

 

[Don87]

Yeah its pretty neat isnt it:thumbsup:

Mcconnel was bought by Alimo mowers so you might begin to see more of them around.Alamo Industrial: Products - Ditchers, Loaders & Sickle Bars > McConnel^? Swingtrim Sickle Bar

Funny about siclebars on small tractors, 20 years ago I remember the town using an old Massey Pony with a side mount sickle bar to mow the edges of dirt roads. A pony is a pretty small and low power tractor (like 10-15 hp IIRC) and it ran that sickle pretty good.

Yes it is.

I have a steep bank in front of my property, by the road. It's steep enough that I slide down the bank while using the string trimmer(and that's a killer once you get a few years on), and an attachment like that for my Massey would be the ticket.

 

[CobyRupert]

Here's the more familiar offset bush hog :Bush Hog vs Bush Hog 2011 vs 2011 3209 Offset Rotary Cutter vs 3209 Offset Rotary Cutter Cutter Implements
I also found this neat offset arm:
Beaver Valley Supply Company - MK Martin Rotary Cuter Offset Arm
I'd want to add some the counter weights.
The sickle bar mower doesn't look bad, depending on what you're trying to cut.

 

[Scooby074]

Yes it is.

I have a steep bank in front of my property, by the road. It's steep enough that I slide down the bank while using the string trimmer(and that's a killer once you get a few years on), and an attachment like that for my Massey would be the ticket.

Definitely a good use. Around ponds too. It can also go vertical to cut back tree branches growing into your roadway

Id be scared to see what one costs however. Im picturing several thousand.

 

[Don87]

Definitely a good use. Around ponds too. It can also go vertical to cut back tree branches growing into your roadway

Id be scared to see what one costs however. Im picturing several thousand.

That's what my wife said when I told her..............I need this :laughing:

 

[Scooby074]

That's what my wife said when I told her..............I need this :laughing:

Tell her that if you throw out your back running the trimmer, she has to take over trimming that hill! You'll have her blessing by the end of the day:laughing:

 

[wcarm]

These are excellent ideas that I will investigate. Thanks.

 

[flusher]

I own hilly timber/hunting land and use a John Deere 4720 to bush hog, dig ditches, grade roads, etc. I would like to do a better job mowing beside my roads and trails. The areas besides the roads and trail are highly variable - many have ditches of various widths/depths, others involve terrain that slopes up or down from the road; steeply in many cases. In many cases I can't safely take the tractor off the road. There are several miles of roads and trails.

I am considering:

1. A 3 point hitch boom mower attachment for my Deere 4720 tractor (66 hp; 4500 lbs). I am concerned that this solution my be too light. I have heard that I really need a 100 hp tractor to handle a boom mower.

1. A larger tractor with a boom mower (like the County uses beside county roads). One concern here is that I would have a large tractor that would be usable for very little else if it is big boom mower on it.

2. A fairly large skid steer with a boom mower attachment. A skid steer would be handy for many other jobs since the boom mower attachment could be removed, but I have not read much about people using boom mower attachments on skid steers. I think a skid steer would have lower center of gravity than a large tractor which would be a big plus on my hilly property.

Any thoughts and experiences would be appreciated.

Spend the money on a nice 4-wheel ATV with a decent spray unit and hit your weeds with Roundup/glysophate whenever you get the urge to purge (the weeds). Safer and more maneuverable than a tractor and small enough to get into the tight spots.

Good luck.

 

[RoyJackson]

Yes, Mcconnel does. It requires only 15hp and a 550kg tractor

That is pretty neat...but I think it's the 550kg (1210 lbs) is the weight of the attachment, not the tractor.
Wonder what it costs?

 

[Hollow]

Here is the only rotary boom mower I know of for a tractor your size. Its been on my wishlist for quite some time.

http://hardeebyevh.com/items.php?cat_id=30&iditem=18

 

[Scooby074]

That is pretty neat...but I think it's the 550kg (1210 lbs) is the weight of the attachment, not the tractor.
Wonder what it costs?

from alimo: Minimum Tractor Requirement – 15 HP, 1210 LB shipping weight

 

[RoyJackson]

from alimo: Minimum Tractor Requirement – 15 HP, 1210 LB shipping weight

View attachment 323163

I downloaded and scanned the manual...yep, you're right and I stand corrected...with one minor caveat...from the operator's manual:
TRACTOR SELECTION
The SWINGTRIM is specifically designed to be fitted to all tractors with Category I linkage facility and a
minimum weight inclusive of ballast to manufacturers specifications, of 650 kg (1430 lbs.).

Definitely a nice attachment. I see the brochure shows it rigged to a Deere 770 (24 engine HP, 20 PTO HP and a weight of about 2100 lbs with no loader). The 770's are great machines, but their hydraulics are limited. So, if a 770 can handle this implement, any new compact should be able to do so as well.

 

[Scooby074]

Roy, there is the option of an external PTO driven hyd pump and tank for those tractors with weak flows.

Still curious about the cost... I bet its scary, lol.

EDIT: heres an old ad, for a 2011 one, yup its expensive http://goo.gl/8Rjin

2011 MCCONNEL SWINGTRIM M1021008 BZ$21,094 PA, US
Stk #: X21008; Rear Mounted Boom Mower; (Price entered as 10,240 USD);
Warner Tractor and Equipment
Phone: (888)302-3897
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Updated: 12/03/2013 03:45:00 PM