Buying Advice 4' Rotary Cutter Suggestions / Opinions

[Bill601]

I've got a Boomer 24 and am looking to buy a 4' rotary cutter for it. Anyone have suggestions for a good value? I just saw Tractor Supply has added the Bad Boy brand. It looks decent, but I'm not sure what to look for.

 

[jeff9366]

It is difficult to beat the King Kutter brand for VALUE in compact tractor Rotary Cutters.

king kutter brush hog

 

[Slowpoke Slim]

What kind of cutting are you going to do with it?

Just grass in your own fields? Mowing rough brush and fields (unknown) for hire?

I originally bought a light duty (they call it "medium duty", but it's not) Titan that I had intended to only use at my own place (for grass). Well, job creep, whatever you want to call it, and I started using it to mow for hire, unknown fields for unknown customers. Long story short, my deck has certainly taken a rough beating. It's taken it (so far), but it looks like it's been through the war. It still works, gear box, blades and stump jumper are fine, but it looks like 5 miles of bad road (cosmetically). If I had it to do over again, for mowing for hire, I would have selected a heavy duty unit. I've been looking at the EA one recently, and I may pull the trigger on that this summer (we'll see what kind of jobs I end up with).

 

[Bill601]

What features would you look for or avoid as far as going for a heavier duty unit?

One unit I saw was made from 10 GA steel and weighed nearly 200 lbs. more than another, but does that necessarily mean it's tougher?

 

[Sawyer Rob]

IF You want to buy a good 4' Woods brand rotary cutter with the drive line slip clutch, for a decent price, I have one I would sell.

It's been used very little, if you are interested, PM me.

SR

 

[jeff9366]

What features would you look for or avoid as far as going for a heavier duty unit?

LINK: 48" Rotary Cutter site:tractorbynet.com

1) Slip Clutch

2) chain debris guards/stops front and rear.

3) Very robust tail wheel mounting

4) floating connection point for the Top Link





It is difficult to beat the King Kutter brand for VALUE in compact tractor Rotary Cutters.




LINK: Rotary Cutter / Bush Hog Considerations for Compact Tractors

 

[Bill601]

LINK: 48" Rotary Cutter site:tractorbynet.com

1) Slip Clutch

2) chain debris guards/stops front and rear.

3) Very robust tail wheel mounting

4) floating connection point for the Top Link





It is difficult to beat the King Kutter brand for VALUE in compact tractor Rotary Cutters.




LINK: Rotary Cutter / Bush Hog Considerations for Compact Tractors

Thank you for the list! I will keep all those things in mind.

As for King Kutter, I won't dispute their value. Just looks like it's going to be hard to find one. The Blain's 40 miles away only has 5' and up. Good thing I'm not in a hurry.

 

[Slowpoke Slim]

What features would you look for or avoid as far as going for a heavier duty unit?

One unit I saw was made from 10 GA steel and weighed nearly 200 lbs. more than another, but does that necessarily mean it's tougher?

If you're looking for a 4' deck, I'd look at this one:

Everything Attachments Xtreme Duty Compact Brush Cutter

Get the safety chains add on. I also like the lift away "hood" that allows you easier access to the front of the gearbox. Looks like it makes replacing the shear pins much easier. Wish mine had that. Replacing my shear pins is a pain in the butt with that @#%&! plastic cover. Slip clutches sound cool, but if you don't keep them adjusted properly (and frequently) you're going to break stuff that's a whole lot more money than a mowing deck. Just my preference.

Still haven't seen where you're describing the kind of mowing you will be doing. Heck, you may actually want a finish mower instead, and we just don't know it yet. These rotary brush cutters are not going to leave a nice lawn type of cut behind when done. There will be small twigs and "stick ups" left over all over your mowed field. Is that going to be a concern? Are you looking for a groomed lawn, or park-like finish? It's ok if you are, but you need to be looking at "finish mowers", better visual cut lawn appearance, faster blade speed, also lighter blades and not intended for cutting down brush.

 

[Bill601]

Thanks for the recommendation. I saw that EA has a rotary cutter, but I'll look at it more closely.

I have almost 80 acres that's mostly wooded with paths through it and a few clearing. I like to keep the paths mowed down and want to cut down the berry bushes that have started to take over some of the clearings. The berry bushes are especially challenging because you never know when the mower is going to find a log underneath them. I've done as much as I can, maybe more than I should, with the belly mower I already have. So far I've been fortunate not to run over anything that could damage the belly mower. I want the rotary cutter so I can cut where I need to and not wreck the belly mower.

 

[Slowpoke Slim]

Gotcha. Makes sense to me. Are you able to get around to the various spots with your belly mower still on? I'm just curious if you have enough ground clearance, or if you have to take it off to make it in there? Not really related to what we're talking about, I'm just wondering what kind of clearance you have with the belly mower attached?

 

[jeff9366]

IF You want to buy a good 4' Woods brand rotary cutter with the drive line slip clutch, for a decent price, I have one I would sell.

It's been used very little, if you are interested, PM me.

SR

Woods produces high quality implements. If VALUE remains a prime consideration I suggest contacting Sawyer Rob.

 

[Slowpoke Slim]

Condition (on used) is everything. I would look over anything used pretty hard before considering purchase. It may be "new", but if it's been left outside to rot for 20 years, I certainly wouldn't consider it "new", and would offer (or not) accordingly.

 

[Bill601]

Most of the paths are 2-tracks, so I can get around them with the mower on, I just have to watch for high spots between the tire tracks. There are other places I'd LIKE to open up that I don't think I could get through with the mower.

 

[Sid Post]

Land Pride

I run a Landpride RCR1548 on my Kubota B2601.

With a heavy 3pt "bush hog" like this, you really need some nose weight to keep the tractor balanced.

That being said, I have used this tractor and mower in heavy saw grass that was 6' high without ever tripping the slip clutch, though I did bog the tractor some in the heavy stuff.

I have also backed this into heavy brush and heavy thorny vines without drama or issues.

Don't skimp on your mower. A quality bush hog like this is a joy to use when you have a great gearbox and slip clutch. The mower frame, chains, and related features are good for protecting yourself and your tractor from a hidden rock or other shrapnel too!

With its 60Hp gearbox and driveline, I could always use it behind my L4600 too if the going was too tuff for the B2601 in my case.

In any case, be sure you get some nose weights for your little tractor. Especially for the heavier ones like mine or the EA.

My friend has the larger EA version and it is a pretty impressive mower too!

 

[RustyA]

I had a 5ft brush mower with shear bolt setup and it was okay for my clutched pto as I could ease into starting the blades. Next tractor had electric pto and I could not start mower without breaking shear bolts. Added slip clutch and replaced shear bolts with a grade 8 bolt. Slip clutch absorbed the shock of instant on pto...no more problems. Something to consider if you have electric pto switch.

 

[RalphVa]

I sold my 9 year old Frontier RC2048 and bought a Landpride RC1248 for the B2601. The sales guy had both Woods and Landpride. He recommended the Landpride.

After putting the RC on the B2601 and getting it setup, I recommend the Frontier over the Landpride. The Frontier is 1) easier to set up, 2) has chains instead of rubber pieces at front and back, 3) works better with the QH. The Landpride's method of setting tail wheel height with 2 little bolts is harder than the Frontier's method of swinging on a long bolt and using a second long bolt to put it at right location. I had to use a U adaptor on the top link of the Landpride because it absolutely would not lower below about 3 or 4 inches with the QH hook in place on the swing area just below the top pin. I had to connect the U adaptor to the top pin. I'll now have to use the U adaptor with the other implements because of too much hassle to put the hook back. The U adaptor works with them, but the hook did, too, just not the Landpride.

At least the Landpride dealer provided a push pin Ujoint connector and not one of those collars. I'd requested a push pin on the Frontier after having an LX4 with a collar.

 

[Bill601]

Land Pride

I run a Landpride RCR1548 on my Kubota B2601.

With a heavy 3pt "bush hog" like this, you really need some nose weight to keep the tractor balanced.

That being said, I have used this tractor and mower in heavy saw grass that was 6' high without ever tripping the slip clutch, though I did bog the tractor some in the heavy stuff.

I have also backed this into heavy brush and heavy thorny vines without drama or issues.

Don't skimp on your mower. A quality bush hog like this is a joy to use when you have a great gearbox and slip clutch. The mower frame, chains, and related features are good for protecting yourself and your tractor from a hidden rock or other shrapnel too!

With its 60Hp gearbox and driveline, I could always use it behind my L4600 too if the going was too tuff for the B2601 in my case.

In any case, be sure you get some nose weights for your little tractor. Especially for the heavier ones like mine or the EA.

My friend has the larger EA version and it is a pretty impressive mower too!

I could see where that might be an issue. I think the FEL would balance it out, if necessary. Thanks for pointing that out.

 

[moparcar]

I had a 5ft brush mower with shear bolt setup and it was okay for my clutched pto as I could ease into starting the blades. Next tractor had electric pto and I could not start mower without breaking shear bolts. Added slip clutch and replaced shear bolts with a grade 8 bolt. Slip clutch absorbed the shock of instant on pto...no more problems. Something to consider if you have electric pto switch.

Exactly what I am doing today. 2025r and found a Cosmo FL 165 flail mower. Only 479# I do not like the M10 shear bolt on the pto shaft. Locatedva 6" dia slip clutch and will be fitting up today. That instant on pto problem should stop with a bit of slip. Mows great, on a rough yard.

 

[RalphVa]

The LP RC1248 seems to cut better and to follow uneven contours better than the Frontier. The LP was just harder to set up than the Frontier RC2048. Think the movement allowed in the RC1248 is more than on the Frontier.

 

[cathy liebchen]

What features would you look for or avoid as far as going for a heavier duty unit?

One unit I saw was made from 10 GA steel and weighed nearly 200 lbs. more than another, but does that necessarily mean it's tougher?

Yes