Advice on bush hog width vs rear tire width

ovrszd · Feb 8, 2013

TripleR said:
[Now the 4' doesn't get used much, but my wife says she might use it this year on "her" tractors.:laughing:

Your 2305 would handle it with some front weights wouldn't it?? Or are ya gonna hafta buy "her" a tractor???

TripleR · Feb 8, 2013

ovrszd said:
Your 2305 would handle it with some front weights wouldn't it?? Or are ya gonna hafta buy "her" a tractor???

She uses the 2305 only as a last resort though she has had to a few times since our grandson has been laid up from the motorcycle injury, but yes it would work. "Her tractors" are the BX2200 and BX2660 and both have used the 4', we just haven't had a lot of use for it since we decided to buy another tractor, L5030 then L5740 to live full time where we live and not have to run tractors between farms and swap equipment around.

We did some reforestation a few years ago and we have some hardwoods where nothing but a really small tractor will fit and there are some areas between the new and old growth where I can't get a bigger tractor, so she "might" do some mowing in there. I was going to sell the BX2200 as I saw no need for two of them, but was "persuaded" how she "needed" them both.:laughing:

carmedic310 · Feb 8, 2013

Correct me if Im wrong but what would it matter if the mower covers the tire tracks when indeed the tires are before the mower unless mowing in reverse.I can understand wanting a mower that protrudes past at least one tire for mowing along fence lines and the likes.My bush hog is a couple inches shorter than my overall tire width and it mows fine.The vacume under the deck picks the grass back up to cut sufficently after all it is a rough cut mower not a finish mower

ovrszd · Feb 9, 2013

TripleR said:
She uses the 2305 only as a last resort though she has had to a few times since our grandson has been laid up from the motorcycle injury, but yes it would work. "Her tractors" are the BX2200 and BX2660 and both have used the 4', we just haven't had a lot of use for it since we decided to buy another tractor, L5030 then L5740 to live full time where we live and not have to run tractors between farms and swap equipment around.

We did some reforestation a few years ago and we have some hardwoods where nothing but a really small tractor will fit and there are some areas between the new and old growth where I can't get a bigger tractor, so she "might" do some mowing in there. I was going to sell the BX2200 as I saw no need for two of them, but was "persuaded" how she "needed" them both.:laughing:

You are a smart man Larry. You fully understand that if she "needs" them, you are better off to let her have them!!!

ovrszd · Feb 9, 2013

carmedic310 said:
Correct me if Im wrong but what would it matter if the mower covers the tire tracks when indeed the tires are before the mower unless mowing in reverse.I can understand wanting a mower that protrudes past at least one tire for mowing along fence lines and the likes.My bush hog is a couple inches shorter than my overall tire width and it mows fine.The vacume under the deck picks the grass back up to cut sufficently after all it is a rough cut mower not a finish mower

You are correct. Each person's useage and needs are different. For me, I want overhang past my tires. For others here, obviously they don't. There is no wrong answer to this question.

TripleR · Feb 9, 2013

ovrszd said:
You are a smart man Larry. You fully understand that if she "needs" them, you are better off to let her have them!!!

You betcha, I haven't been married for 44 years on my dangerously handsome face and lithe graceful body alone...:laughing::laughing:

ovrszd · Feb 9, 2013

TripleR said:
You betcha, I haven't been married for 44 years on my dangerously handsome face and lithe graceful body alone...:laughing::laughing:

Heheheheheh....

Wyobuckaroo · Feb 9, 2013

I've only got 25 engine hp to work with, so I'm going to get a 5' brush hog style mower.
This size is a good match for my pto hp, need to use, budget etc.

Coincidentally, the tires are 4' 10" outside to outside on my tractor.

If I had a lot of fence row to deal with, I would set up an independent pull behind offset to deal with the need.
Seems to me they invented and use the big bat wing mowers because they have the hp and room to run them successfully.

Good luck

cheoah · Feb 9, 2013

We run a 6' Bush Hog on our 5403 and did on our 5400 for years too. Our 5 series are setup for 4 row cropping and the 6' rotary mower fits about perfectly behind the machine. It is in my opinion properly sized to the machine, particularly for our mountain pastures and other technical mowing applications on the farm. With a good operator you can mow pretty tight to fences, crops, and buildings. For bigger fields a batwing is more appropriate.

Unless you have a lot of ground to cover, you may find that a 6' mower is more nimble setup and will mow your tire tracks fine, it does over hundreds of acres each season here on our place. With a full set of weights on front, and a six footer on the back in travel position, might be a better match than a seven footer weight wise. Our mower is a very heavy duty model, some seven footers prolly weigh less.

Rmd8136 · Feb 9, 2013

Thanks for advice. I have some roadbeds to cut and some food plots that are 1 acre in size spaced throughout 80 acres of combination Timber and regenerating 5 year old cutover with creek drains throughout . I also have some narrower fire breaks and will need some 3 point turns to change direction. I feel good about the 6 foot Bush Hog 296 I am planning to get. I believe it weighs about 1100 lbs. I think it will work out. Appreciate the advice.

cheoah · Feb 9, 2013

We have a 604 model, same width, but 400 lbs heavier. We put a ton of hours on it and put it through it's paces, and the main issue is the tailwheel or tailwheel bearings go after a while - so we keep spares. One of the lighter ones may be a better choice but worth pricing the beefy one in my opinion. You might also be open to one of the 604's used, as the components are heavier duty and will last unless it has had thousands and thousands of hours of use.

Professor Marvel · Feb 9, 2013

Maybe something is wrong with my tractor (NH 45 D 6 ft track) but I have a real heavy old 5 ft bushog and when I get into thick long grass my tractor starts to bog down and I have to lift it up and shake out the grass mountain. I think a 6 ft would be too much sometimes. If you are just talking cutting grass that is a different story. I would use a smaller bushog than a rotary cutter for mowing. Am I doing something wrong?

cheoah · Feb 10, 2013

We sharpen our blades several times in the season, but very thick wet grass will bog down my 65 hp on the PTO, although rarely. Keep rpm's up and reduce ground speed. If the mower traps a ton of clippings under the deck when it is really thick there's no way it will keep spinning at speed. Try raising the height some too.

vtsnowedin · Feb 10, 2013

Professor Marvel said:
Maybe something is wrong with my tractor (NH 45 D 6 ft track) but I have a real heavy old 5 ft bushog and when I get into thick long grass my tractor starts to bog down and I have to lift it up and shake out the grass mountain. I think a 6 ft would be too much sometimes. If you are just talking cutting grass that is a different story. I would use a smaller bushog than a rotary cutter for mowing. Am I doing something wrong?

You may get better results if you adjust it so the front of the cutter is a couple of inches lower then the back. That way the blade is only cutting on the lead in and the extra space in the rear lets the clippings drop out.

ovrszd · Feb 10, 2013

vtsnowedin said:
You may get better results if you adjust it so the front of the cutter is a couple of inches lower then the back. That way the blade is only cutting on the lead in and the extra space in the rear lets the clippings drop out.

Very good advice. Takes a LOT less HP to only cut the grass once rather than having the rearward arc of the blade having to cut it again.

Our waterways are seeded with Fescue. It cuts tough. Takes a little extra HP if it gets grown up tall before being cut.

treetrimmer01 · Mar 21, 2013

Professor Marvel

Take a good look at the rotation of your mower blades. You may have put on the wrong blades at some time. Some blades are made for clockwise rotation and some for counter-clock rotation. By chance, you may be cutting with the back of the blade. Adjust the mower so the blade is 2" lower in the front. Rotate same blade straight back and it needs to be 2" higher than when it was in front. I hope you understand what I am trying to say. Don

Professor Marvel · Apr 3, 2013

Thanks Don
I am not sure exactly but when I look under it I hope I will see what you mean.

altoonapillarrock · Apr 10, 2013

I have a bx24 and am considering a land pride 48". Most of my mowing will be like trail work. We have a half mile long driveway with 21% grade. I will be backing the mower into the edges. I wonder if a woods 42" mower would be a better choice?

megaboz · Apr 21, 2013

altoonapillarrock said:
I have a bx24 and am considering a land pride 48". Most of my mowing will be like trail work. We have a half mile long driveway with 21% grade. I will be backing the mower into the edges. I wonder if a woods 42" mower would be a better choice?

Personally, I would go larger rather than smaller compared to the tire width (or at least the same width). However, that being said, steep hills, might have to reconsider. If you have a rental place, you might actually try renting one and seeing how you feel.

I had a BX 24, and with nothing on the read I always felt that the thing was going to flip straight up and over going up some steep grades, backwards, I always lost traction trying to get up the hills, but the a brush hog, you should have ample weight backing up the hill.I have a 60" on JD 2520, other than being a bit too heavy at times for the hills, I really like it as my tires are always in the cut path with out having to make two or more passes when backing into the bad stuff.