3-point-hitch finish mower opinions...

PineRidge · Oct 22, 2003

OK I'll jump in here with my 2 cents worth. I have used a KingKutter 6' finsh mower and am very happy with it. It is however a side discharge deck.

frank_f15 · Oct 22, 2003

i use a Befco finish mower , a really well built unit. but like the others i will state that if u are not cutting on a short term regular basis(lawn grass) u will be better off with a cutter. i use the finish mower to cut fields and if the grass gets a little to tall it does not cut well.

Dave___in___CT · Oct 23, 2003

Thanks for all your replies...
Seems any of the top-brands work well... but are costly... close to $2,000...

Think I'll see how my old 19HP Gravely garden tractor with it's 60" belly mower handles it next spring... before I decide to spend for a new 3-point-hitch mower...

May cut the tall stuff around the perimiter with a weed-wacker/brush-cutter... before I cut with the Gravely... maybe not ! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Thanks again...

Dave...

stnickstoys · Oct 23, 2003

Tried many brands, like my First Choice 6' rear discharge the best! Works great, mows fast, distributes clippings the full width of the mower. Mows damp grass without clumping. Nice air tires and floating link arms. (A must for 3pt mowers if you have an uneven lawn unless you like scalping.) Great piece of equipment.
Nick

EastTexFrank · Oct 23, 2003

I can tell you how it's going to go using your garden tractor ... not very well and you'll end up killing the machine. It doesn't matter how big the deck is, you'll only be cutting 18" - 24" at a time as it will bog down if you try to take any more. I tried to do it in our pasture with a JD 318 and that's why I now have a Kubota B2400 - luv that machine. I got a Befco 60" rear discharge finishing mower and a light duty 4' bush hog for the pasture. The rotary cutter was cheap compared to the RFM. Both work very well but I wouldn't use the RFM in the pasture or the bush hog on the yard. It took me many years but but I finally realized that it's much better and usually safer to use the right tool for the job. Besides it gives you an excuse to accumulate more "stuff".

AndyM · Oct 23, 2003

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Tried many brands, like my First Choice 6' rear discharge the best! Works great, mows fast, distributes clippings the full width of the mower. Mows damp grass without clumping. Nice air tires and floating link arms. (A must for 3pt mowers if you have an uneven lawn unless you like scalping.) Great piece of equipment. )</font>

I totally agree. I shopped around and asked a lot of questions here at TBN, and I also decided that the First Choice rear finish mower provided the best VALUE of all the mowers I looked at. I bought mine from Corriher's, and had it delivered from NC to OH for $1150! I love it. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

frank_f15 · Oct 23, 2003

HEY! we got the same name, same tractor, and same rfm. except u live where it is warm /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

tdenny · Oct 24, 2003

I have a First Choice Rear discharge unit as well. Mine is only a 5 footer. It is as well built as any unit I've seen and was half the cost of the higher priced units. If it were me I'd rent or borrow a brush-hog type unit for the first run and then use a finish mower to keep it looking nice (as long as your pasture is realtively even). I don't even use my brush hog since I've had the RFM (about a year). Godd luck

Dave___in___CT · Oct 24, 2003

Hi...

Hmmm... seems I should buy/rent a brush-hog (rotary) mower... at least for the 1st time or 2... or even use it when the grass gets too tall for the old Gravely to handle it...

Dave...

trailertrash · Oct 25, 2003

Dave
Here's a thought, do a search on flail mowers on here and elsewhere they seem to be the best of both worlds and I know from experience that you can look around and find them used for a very good price. A lot of state and county departments seem to be switching to them because of their cut quality and the fact that they don't throw things like a rotary rock launcher/mower and they're still tuff enough to stand the abuse that they get on roadside mowing. Another thing is they don't require as much room to maneuver