Buying Advice Buying Finishing Mower

[Larro Darro]

If the wheels fall in a small gully the lawn will get a scalping.

When I worked at a golf course that had steep, rough roughs, I always stressed about scalps. But my boss told me, "don't worry about it, it will scalp less next time. You are just smoothing it out." After that it didn't bother me quite as much. {of course the fairways and greens were a different story. I wasn't happy unless they were perfect} So in the long run, the gullies will take care of themselves.

Larro

 

[terryknight]

we have two woods RFM an rm90 and an rm600. really like them. use the rm90 all summer cutting pastures. used it with a 32PTO MF and now a 45PTO JD. can't beat it. use the rm600 on the 20PTO D

 

[Will_C]

I have experience with Woods and Land Pride-both fine units. I have a First Choice 60" mower I picked 5 years ago used for $500-mow 9 acres with it, 4 of them quite rough and never have had a problem-no complaints for my investment with that.

Will

 

[donm1]

Lots of good finish mowers have already been mentioned. I've had a 6' Rhino for the past 8 years. I prefer the rear discharge.

 

[joe04785]

I have a Kioti 72" rear discharge finish mower that I've had for 2 years now and it works great. Paid $2000 new for it and it was worth every penny. Very heavy and thick plated steel. Never missed a beat.

 

[vulcancowboy]

I have a 72" King Kutter. I've had it for several years now and use it to mow about 10 acres of pasture. My biggest complaint is related to the tires, as others have said, go with the solid tires. The quality control was not what it should be, i.e. the wheel assemblies were made in such a way that a couple of the tires rubbed against the yoke. I have had to do some welding repairs in a couple of places. Not sure I would buy another one.

 

[kyles974]

Finally found a current thread. I've been searching awhile and only see old threads on this subject. (Like years old)

I have a woods rm550. It came with my jd 2320 my wife bought me. The tractor had 103 hrs on it. But I would have to say the woods mower had 2, 000 hrs???? I don't know...but have had problems with the leaking bottom seal even tried packing it with grease and the grease works it way out.

So I'm in market for a new FM. It's hard to judge Woods mowers because I don't know how many hrs on this one....but boy....it's hard to think woods for a new one with having one thats seems worn out. (Wheels worn too...along with whel bearings etc.)

So to the OP...I'm too looking.

Also...just mowed neighbors yard yesterday. ...sits on 5 acres....so I'd say mowed 3 ares of grass..lots of trees to go around....and it took me 1 1/2 hr. Probably could mow it in 1 hr the next time since I took my time making sure no hidden stumps...etc... anyhow. ...I burned about 3/4 tank(or 4 gallons)....boy....using the pto really burns up the fuel.
My yard is only about an acre....so takes me 20 minutes?

Maybe the woods being worn out causing to eat up fuel?

Anyhow. ..not trhing to hi jack thread...just thinking it would be good info for others to see??

 

[kyles974]

I'd check out Kioti finish mowers also. I don't know much about them, but they looked pretty heavy duty when I looked at them at the Kioti dealer near me.

I have experience with Woods and Land Pride-both fine units. I have a First Choice 60" mower I picked 5 years ago used for $500-mow 9 acres with it, 4 of them quite rough and never have had a problem-no complaints for my investment with that.

Will

Rear discharge.....wow...I've never seen this in a finish mower. Seems like it wouldn't do as good of job with longer grass??
Because having to recut clipping to help mulch it. ???? Sometimes I need to mow areas a couple times because letting grass get to tall. safter 2nd cut....it starts to distribute clipping s around.
Guess I have something to research.

Can anyone elaborate on this??

Also...just read the rino blades has a 1" overlap ....???? So each spindle is or rotation together? What keeps the baldes from hitting when one is ...oh let's say stopped from a stump?

 

[RoyJackson]

Rear discharge.....wow...I've never seen this in a finish mower. Seems like it wouldn't do as good of job with longer grass??
Because having to recut clipping to help mulch it. ???? Sometimes I need to mow areas a couple times because letting grass get to tall. safter 2nd cut....it starts to distribute clipping s around.
Guess I have something to research.

Can anyone elaborate on this??

Also...just read the rino blades has a 1" overlap ....???? So each spindle is or rotation together? What keeps the baldes from hitting when one is ...oh let's say stopped from a stump?

Most RFMs I've seen have been rear discharge and the cut quite well. You may be mistaking a rear finish mower for a mid-mount type mower. To the best of my knowledge, all mid-mount mowers are side discharge (which is great if you have a clipping collection system).
The advantage of a rear discharge RFM is evenly distributed clippings....not the windrows left by side discharge mowers.
As far as blade overlap, the spindles are timed so blade contact can't happen. I can't recall ever hitting a stump with an RFM, but I suspect you'd bend a blade before any collision between blades.

 

[Larro Darro]

My {25 year old} 4' Woods mower is a side discharge, and in tall grass it makes quite a windrow. When it was still at the Civic Center, I shattered a very high dollar glass door with a rock mowing up close to the building. I guess it is possible for a rear discharge to throw things, but the odds of hitting something important seems like they would be lower.

Larro