30HP vs 26HP 60" bush hog?

[Jakea]

What is best a belly mower or a rear finish mower for my yard?

 

[Yander]

What is best a belly mower or a rear finish mower for my yard?

RFM really suck for mowing around things. I think you said you don't have many trees. I mowed with a 72" LP for one summer and really didn't like hassling with hooking it up, the wife having to hook it up and then trying not to hit things with it when going around things. Wide open mowing might be ok, we didn't have that much to mow around at that time either.

If you may have your wife or kids on it, I would steer away from a RFM.

 

[DieselBound]

Type of grass also matters.

My B7800 had never struggled with a 5' RC, until this year, until this past weekend with air temps in the 100 degree range and running through 5' high grass (not dry): ground was too soft to have my Kioti on otherwise I'd be inside in an A/C cab! First time it has ever really ran hot: blew out radiator fins and screen (always watch closely) but I still ran a lot hotter than I ever recall doing. One can tax ANY tractor. (my Kioti running a 7' flail and going through tall grass in temps in the 80s and with A/C on stays at a steady mid-range/normal temp gauge reading)

Only way to really tell is to put things to the test. Might be able to do a 6' cutter for very light duty (but would have to be more along the lines of a finish mower).

 

[crbr]

HA sure if you have a nice level cement floor. Try it out in the yard.

I fully understand. I wasn't one-upping you. Just a different perspective for decision-making.

I'd still keep both machines. Best on the solution

.

 

[Jakea]

I fully understand. I wasn't one-upping you. Just a different perspective for decision-making.

I'd still keep both machines. Best on the solution

.

It's fine

Keeping both is best.

 

[Jakea]

Type of grass also matters.

My B7800 had never struggled with a 5' RC, until this year, until this past weekend with air temps in the 100 degree range and running through 5' high grass (not dry): ground was too soft to have my Kioti on otherwise I'd be inside in an A/C cab! First time it has ever really ran hot: blew out radiator fins and screen (always watch closely) but I still ran a lot hotter than I ever recall doing. One can tax ANY tractor. (my Kioti running a 7' flail and going through tall grass in temps in the 80s and with A/C on stays at a steady mid-range/normal temp gauge reading)

Only way to really tell is to put things to the test. Might be able to do a 6' cutter for very light duty (but would have to be more along the lines of a finish mower).

My yard is mostly weeds! Hardly any trees i like to do straight passes as it is because i feel like that is the quickest way to mow.

I've always wanted to try a RFM #1 i end up with grass rows and the rear discharge may take care of that. #2 i can go big to speed up my yard time # 3 i would find out if i could switch to a L tractor since no mid mount mowers on them.

My worry is i would buy it use for 10 min and hate it lol

My field is thick tall compacted weeds they are as tall as the tractor. Seems the deer love to nest in it.

 

[LD1]

You want everyones opinion but I think it is pretty simple....

You currently have TWO machines. One to mow and one to bushhog. You are considering going to ONE machine.

Only YOU can decide how important of a factor it is to remove and reinstall the belly mower and the hog each time the other task needs done.

Personally, Id never trade two machines in on only of very similar size and capability.

 

[IH2424]

I have a B2910 it has 30HP and 22HP at the PTO, I also have a B2650 that has 26HP and 19.5 HP at the PTO

Would it be fair to say that a 60" bush hog would run equally on both tractors? One tractor has more engine HP so how would that relate to the PTO or would it since there is only 2HP difference between the two.

I'm looking to get rid of the B2910, i have not tried the bush hog on the B2650 as it is my lawn mower and would be a pain to take off the mower deck any time i wanted to bush hog.

I have to run the B2910 with the front end loader on or else the front end is to light. The B2650 would be the same way so that extra weight might affect the smaller 26HP.

The B2910 needs a few repairs so i am trying to decide if i should repair it and just keep both tractors for the convenience factor or trade both in on a newer 33HP B series but then i would have to remove the mower deck any time i wanted to bush hog so that would be a pain.

Both tractors are paid for.

I mow the yard weekly with the front end loader off my yard is 3 acres and what i bush hog is 13 acres twice a year and is mostly flat.

I definitely need a tractor to remove snow, bush hog, road maintenance as my road is a 1 mile long almost.

What would you guys do?

Ii have a B2620 - 19 PTO HP, and a 4" Woods Brush Bull. It handles it fine, but I do have to slow down in heavy goldenrod and weeds at times, especially if I am going uphill. It would not run a 5' brush hog in the area that I mow, probably not even on the level very well. If I had a choice, I would stick with the 4' and mow pretty much as fast as the terrain allows, rather than mow 5" and have to travel slower in many places.

Tim

 

[JWR]

I've owned TWO compact tractors that would overheat when worked hard for longer periods of time, and I KNOW the radiators were clean and the tractors were maintained properly.

I'm totally convinced that compact tractors just won't take a steady diet of HARD work that nearly maxes them out for a longer period of time.

I put the same tool on a FARM tractor of the same HP and it did NOT overheat in the same field...

SR

All Kubota BX2200 or similar that I have been around will overheat when driving a 60" MMM in very hot outside air temperature, especially if the grass is heavy or at all wet. Even with immaculate cleaning and everything set perfect they will run close to the redline. Especially if pushed hard. In my opinion the radiators are plenty big for the displacement of these engines and the fans are adequate, so I say the water pumps are too small and/or just do not move enough coolant. It is a basic design flaw that only bothers most owners on rare occasion. Kubota has shown no interest in upgrading the design nor offering a fix for this issue. Every tractor has its quirks. An that is one of the small Kubotas. I see them as still better than any of the alternatives. I'm a little surprised that in all these years some innovative 3rd party has not offered an improved cooling kit.

 

[RancherGuy]

Keeping both is best.

Agreed - I would keep both. Sounds like they are non-DEF. If you are buying a new 25+ hp tractor, you would be getting into DEF, which would only be a continuous headache, especially as much use as you would give it. As pointed out earlier, HP determines your rate of cutting, either in width or speed. Small changes are just not worth the trouble of changing your setup.

If you have a cooling issue, be sure to try cleaning the radiator. I have encountered lots of dirt in mine even though they have debris screens. If you are using a rotary cutter, make sure it is properly adjusted so the rear is slightly higher than the front. I used a 60" cutter on my Kubota 20 hp PTO tractor and 72" cutter on my Kubota 30 hp PTO tractor. The smaller would overheat in continuous heavy material, but I never thought about checking for radiator cleanliness before selling it.

What sounds like a time issue is 13 acres of possible heavy cutting. Instead of buying a replacement tractor, maybe your compromise is hiring most or all of it to be shredded, at least once a year.

If your grounds are rough and weed-infested, maybe solve that problem and maintain it that way afterwards?