shadowone
New member
comparison of medium duty mowers, specific brands, kingkutter and or landpride.
7 ft shredders
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I see that you're pretty new to TBN, so welcome.
The Kingkutters seem to receive pretty good reviews as far as ability, but not as to paint jobs.
I've gotten very good use out of a light duty Howse brand, and they make up to heavy duty and receive good reports as well. These two brands are less expensive than the Landprides/Woods mowers and probably won't last as long, but taken care of should last quite a while.
Many of the lower end brands seem to use a generic gear box as they all look the same, and that's the heart of the mower as far as I'm concerned.
Woods Equipment mowers have a much larger oil tunnel, constantly bathing the gears, but they're much more expensive and last for years. As they say, "Ask an old timer which mower he'd buy," or something like that. John
The Kingkutters seem to receive pretty good reviews as far as ability, but not as to paint jobs.
I've gotten very good use out of a light duty Howse brand, and they make up to heavy duty and receive good reports as well. These two brands are less expensive than the Landprides/Woods mowers and probably won't last as long, but taken care of should last quite a while.
Many of the lower end brands seem to use a generic gear box as they all look the same, and that's the heart of the mower as far as I'm concerned.
Woods Equipment mowers have a much larger oil tunnel, constantly bathing the gears, but they're much more expensive and last for years. As they say, "Ask an old timer which mower he'd buy," or something like that. John
RoyJackson
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You'll pay a lot more for the Land Pride, but it's a much higher quality unit.
Of course, do you need the higher quality for the work you're doing? For a "medium" duty unit, you'll need about 35 to 40 HP.
I'm using a 60" unit I've been very happy with. This is a light duty unit that I'm clearing heavy brush with...other then a few dents (from rock) and tearing up the bell shaped guard on the gearbox end of the PTO shaft, it is holding up well and doing a heck of a job.
Of course, do you need the higher quality for the work you're doing? For a "medium" duty unit, you'll need about 35 to 40 HP.
I'm using a 60" unit I've been very happy with. This is a light duty unit that I'm clearing heavy brush with...other then a few dents (from rock) and tearing up the bell shaped guard on the gearbox end of the PTO shaft, it is holding up well and doing a heck of a job.
RalphVa
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These are "shredders"; they're "cutters" or "bush hogs".
I've signed to get the JD LX4 cutter for my JD 4010. I looked at KK and Woods. The JD LX4 was lighter in weight than either the KK or Woods. The Woods, in particular, is very heavy. You need to consider this. The weights: LX4 @ 414 #, KK @ 420 #, & Woods @ 456 #.
The KK was a good bit cheaper but have seen my neighbor's 30 year old JD cutter still working fine.
Ralph
I've signed to get the JD LX4 cutter for my JD 4010. I looked at KK and Woods. The JD LX4 was lighter in weight than either the KK or Woods. The Woods, in particular, is very heavy. You need to consider this. The weights: LX4 @ 414 #, KK @ 420 #, & Woods @ 456 #.
The KK was a good bit cheaper but have seen my neighbor's 30 year old JD cutter still working fine.
Ralph
ThistleKop
Silver Member
Stay with Bush hog, Rhino, Woods, etc. Pay up front and get something that will do all kinds of cutting and last. KingKutter, Howse, Land Pride may be ok but they are still not in the class of the brands above. IMO, not always, but generally you get what you pay for.
TK
TK
RoyJackson
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"Stay with Bush hog, Rhino, Woods, etc. Pay up front and get something that will do all kinds of cutting and last. KingKutter, Howse, Land Pride may be ok but they are still not in the class of the brands above. IMO, not always, but generally you get what you pay for. "
It's pretty obvious you've never used any of those cutters. Land Pride is every bit as high a quality as the Woods, Bush Hog and Rhinoes. Even the KK's and Howse are solid units, just not assembled as well as Land Pride, Bush Hog and others.
I'm sure Bush Hog, Woods and Rhino have had just as many or more warranty claims as KK and Howse.
But, it is pretty apparent you never had a Land Pride...you'd know your post was in error if you had...
It's pretty obvious you've never used any of those cutters. Land Pride is every bit as high a quality as the Woods, Bush Hog and Rhinoes. Even the KK's and Howse are solid units, just not assembled as well as Land Pride, Bush Hog and others.
I'm sure Bush Hog, Woods and Rhino have had just as many or more warranty claims as KK and Howse.
But, it is pretty apparent you never had a Land Pride...you'd know your post was in error if you had...
MMM
Platinum Member
I'm not too sure as too your intentions. Shredders normally are 4 blade units (hi-low) with stationary knives installed inside the deck also. If you just want a cutter for grass, KKs or other lite to medium duty models will be ok. I wouldn't try them extensively in brush though. I had a med duty KK72-60 and it lasted 2yrs in brush (mostly<2"). The thin deck wasn't repairable as it would break next to welds and the lift pins were placed too high and twisted Aframe when deck hit a tree. The gearbox had a lot of slack also at the end of it's short life. I've got a lot of lthickets to reclaim, so I bought an industrial right of way cutter with 1/4" deck and 150hp box. I'm not really bashing KK. They came out with a heavy duty model that looks pretty stout. Just be forewarned that the cheaper models won't last under these conditions.
Soundguy
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</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Shredders normally are 4 blade units (hi-low) with stationary knives installed inside the deck also )</font>
Depending on where you live, you see 'shredders' slashers, rotary cutter, 'brush cutter', etc used to represent a 'brush cuter'.
</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I wouldn't try them extensively in brush though. I had a med duty KK72-60 and it lasted 2yrs in brush (mostly<2"). The thin deck wasn't repairable as it would break next to welds and the lift pins were placed too high and twisted Aframe when deck hit a tree. The gearbox had a lot of slack also at the end of it's short life )</font>
I disagree.. I think you may have just got a bad unit, or abused it.. for instance.. complaining that a unit bends or breaks when you hit a tree should not be a fault of the cutter.. but of the operator. If I drive my car off the road and hit a tree I don't think I'll be complaining about the 'darn light bumpers' that dodge puts on their vehicles.. etc.
I've used my ld/md 5' KK for over 3 years now. It's first duty was to reclaim a 10 ac overgron field that used to be used for watermellons. I was cutting dogfennel and ragweed stalks over 7' tall. Along the way I cut down lots of ant hills, rotten fence posts.. old wire fencing, ruts inthe dirt, 2" sapplings.. rocks.. bike tires old car battery.. etc.
Gearbox and drivetrain is tight and clean.. frame is straight, sheet metal has a few scratches. The sheetmetal is certaintly thick enough to mig weld, or use a small stick welder on. I've done less maintenance on that mower than on any other piece of equipment I've owned. Just fill with oil when I bought it, and have sharpened the blades once a season, and replaced shear pins.. etc.
Soundguy
Depending on where you live, you see 'shredders' slashers, rotary cutter, 'brush cutter', etc used to represent a 'brush cuter'.
</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I wouldn't try them extensively in brush though. I had a med duty KK72-60 and it lasted 2yrs in brush (mostly<2"). The thin deck wasn't repairable as it would break next to welds and the lift pins were placed too high and twisted Aframe when deck hit a tree. The gearbox had a lot of slack also at the end of it's short life )</font>
I disagree.. I think you may have just got a bad unit, or abused it.. for instance.. complaining that a unit bends or breaks when you hit a tree should not be a fault of the cutter.. but of the operator. If I drive my car off the road and hit a tree I don't think I'll be complaining about the 'darn light bumpers' that dodge puts on their vehicles.. etc.
I've used my ld/md 5' KK for over 3 years now. It's first duty was to reclaim a 10 ac overgron field that used to be used for watermellons. I was cutting dogfennel and ragweed stalks over 7' tall. Along the way I cut down lots of ant hills, rotten fence posts.. old wire fencing, ruts inthe dirt, 2" sapplings.. rocks.. bike tires old car battery.. etc.
Gearbox and drivetrain is tight and clean.. frame is straight, sheet metal has a few scratches. The sheetmetal is certaintly thick enough to mig weld, or use a small stick welder on. I've done less maintenance on that mower than on any other piece of equipment I've owned. Just fill with oil when I bought it, and have sharpened the blades once a season, and replaced shear pins.. etc.
Soundguy
When you say shredder are you talking about a brush hog or a flail style mower? Rhino referes to their heavier counter rotation flails as shredders. They are used down here to cut cotton fields after harvesting.
MMM
Platinum Member
I'm not up withall the regional slangI for rotary cutters (save bush hog), but 've got one and the mg calls it a shredder. It has a 9" skirt and is quite different from the normal rc with the aforementioned extra blades and stationary knives. I don't recall any mfg calling their rc a shredder. I believe there are shredding attachments that are optional though if the carrier and deck are machined for it.
I also stated I wasn't bashing KK, just giving personal experience. I reckon if my KK72-60 was so well built it would still be around and there wouldn't be any such thing as HD cutters. I'm not abusing equipment because I've got 20' of eqipment to maneuver in tight spaces I've hit trees with my Cyclone and saw no ill effect due to the different Aframe design. KK has copied it for thieir HD model, but it's still a little high on the frame.
I will plead guilty to abuse by using a med duty in overgrown thickets (not ragweed and the occasional sapling). That was my point for original poster.
I also stated I wasn't bashing KK, just giving personal experience. I reckon if my KK72-60 was so well built it would still be around and there wouldn't be any such thing as HD cutters. I'm not abusing equipment because I've got 20' of eqipment to maneuver in tight spaces I've hit trees with my Cyclone and saw no ill effect due to the different Aframe design. KK has copied it for thieir HD model, but it's still a little high on the frame.
I will plead guilty to abuse by using a med duty in overgrown thickets (not ragweed and the occasional sapling). That was my point for original poster.