Best older 7' rotary cutter

[Zebrafive]

I wondered about 4" cut for the 709, it having a 100HP gear box. It would take a LOT of tractor to be pushing down 4" "brush", or 4" trees. But even if it was rated 3", still a good pick.

I also like the Bush Hog 287 and 297 (only difference I see is cleaner deck), and Woods BB840.

 

[jonathanstarr]

709 is a great deck. Battleship. Works well for pioneering areas that have been taken over by forest. Our 709 is very old, very heavy. Got it from a friend who found it in a long unused meadow. Still ticking, easy to maintain. We have the tow-behind model with the two wheels; large turning radius is the main negative. For us, it's a perfect complement to our Rears Pak-Flail.

717 is a sheet metal piece of junk. Severely rusted through over 7 years, gearbox needed replacing after about 4 years.

JD 709 one of the best ever made. I seem them regularly around $1500.
Don't waste money on a flail. They have their place, it's not in tall bushey/grass..

 

[LD1]

I wondered about 4" cut for the 709, it having a 100HP gear box. It would take a LOT of tractor to be pushing down 4" "brush", or 4" trees. But even if it was rated 3", still a good pick.

I also like the Bush Hog 287 and 297 (only difference I see is cleaner deck), and Woods BB840.

The 297 seems to be about 350# heavier, though I dont know where that weight comes from. Both 10ga tops, 1/4" sides.....297 is a little beefier gearbox. But I sometimes wonder on the specs of some of these. Cutters with a 10ga top range from 850# (landpride 1884) up to ~1500# (bushhog 297, woods BB840). Just seems like a huge swing.

Still looking though. Id love to find a good deal on a 287, 297 bushhog, or a BB84 or 8400, or a 709 deere, or any of the 20-series landprides. 7' cutters just arent as common in my area used.

 

[LD1]

709 is a great deck. Battleship. Works well for pioneering areas that have been taken over by forest. Our 709 is very old, very heavy. Got it from a friend who found it in a long unused meadow. Still ticking, easy to maintain. We have the tow-behind model with the two wheels; large turning radius is the main negative. For us, it's a perfect complement to our Rears Pak-Flail.

717 is a sheet metal piece of junk. Severely rusted through over 7 years, gearbox needed replacing after about 4 years.

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Im not disagreeing that the 717 may be junk.....but saying its a piece of sheet metal junk at over 1000#....and saying the 709 is very heavy when it only weighs 300 pounds more just dont make sense. The 717 has a 10ga top.....on par with just about every other 1000-1500# cutter. IF it rusted through in 7 years I would say the paint sucked, or it was left outside for 7 years with rotting grass and debris left on top. Which would happen to any color of cutter.

 

[jonathanstarr]

Im not disagreeing that the 717 may be junk.....but saying its a piece of sheet metal junk at over 1000#....and saying the 709 is very heavy when it only weighs 300 pounds more just dont make sense. The 717 has a 10ga top.....on par with just about every other 1000-1500# cutter. IF it rusted through in 7 years I would say the paint sucked, or it was left outside for 7 years with rotting grass and debris left on top. Which would happen to any color of cutter.

Hi LD. I'm just going by the couple of thousand hours I've spent with both the 717 and my 709 dual wheel. They are the only rotary cutters I've ever owned. The 717 I bought new, along with my 5300 MFWD in '94. My gear lives in a quonset; never spends a night outdoors. It just always felt too light for our conditions and the tough sword grass that grows like crazy. There's plenty of basalt lava rock chunks that come up over time, and they would dent the deck and skirt of the 717 so it looked lumpy from early on. Rust through started after about 5 years, after 7 it was toast. Blade holder bent, gearbox shaft had to be replaced. It was the wrong tool for the job & place. This is pretty rough terrain and a rocky, severely sloping marine environment.
The 709 is still a joy and looks fresh after 18 years here. When I got it it had been set up to run off some kind of track machine, 10,000 RPM and the driveline extended and the angles modified, which was a hassle to get it modified and dialed in. Had to weld on new wear shoes and gussets on the skirt. Since then, just blade tips, hydraulic hoses and seals, touch-up green paint, a couple of u-joints and clutch plates. It is difficult for me to believe it is only a few hundred pounds heavier than that old 717. Regards.

 

[LD1]

It is difficult for me to believe it is only a few hundred pounds heavier than that old 717. Regards.

I have never seen either of them "in person". All I can go off of is published specs.

And and have zero experience with 7' cutters.

Been around alot of 5 and 6 foot cutters. And for the most part, know what the good ones are and know the ones to avoid. Which is why I am asking the questions. Sounds like the 717 would be one to avoid.

 

[Zebrafive]

TractorHouse lists a 709 for $2450 in Archbold Ohio. I have no idea distance for you to check it out. You might want to message the seller for a serial number. From it you can find out which gear box is has (JD used several makes)

 

[Ford850]

TractorHouse lists a 709 for $2450 in Archbold Ohio. I have no idea distance for you to check it out. You might want to message the seller for a serial number. From it you can find out which gear box is has (JD used several makes)

Wow, they have 2 of them for sale. They look to be repainted so it's difficult to tell condition.

 

[coobie]

I have never seen either of them "in person". All I can go off of is published specs.

And and have zero experience with 7' cutters.

Been around alot of 5 and 6 foot cutters. And for the most part, know what the good ones are and know the ones to avoid. Which is why I am asking the questions. Sounds like the 717 would be one to avoid.

I would also check out Yoder & Frey auctions located in archbold OH.They have a yard full of Farm stuff.

 

[jonathanstarr]

Let me know if you want more specific info or pix on the 709. We致e been through a lot over the years.
I see there are several clutch options. The big manually adjusting clutch on the tail of the driveline is a fine feature. I can feel when it starts to slip more than a tad, about once a month, and tighten it up a flat in seconds. We get over 5 years on a a set of impregnated fiber plates. Only needed to change the metal plates once when we let the fiber ones wear down to nothing.