Mowing Belly Mower vs 3 Pt Finish Mower

[DrDan]

I am debating which way to go for mount on a BX2200. My ground is a little hilly so I wonder how the finish mowers do when mounted on a 3 pt hitch. When you hit little crests and the front wheels drop down does the 3 pt mower lift and cause irregularities in the mowing height? It seems the rear mower would be easier to remove from the tractor than those dang belly mowers. Looking for opinions...

Dr Dan

 

[MReeter]

Myself,I would go with the mid-mount mower.The decks on the Bx look to be VERY simple,easy to remove.If you attatch a rear-mount mower,your going have to have ballist weight in the front of the tractor,either FEL of some form of weight.To me,nothing more unhandy than to try to mow with a loader on.I've used both style mowers over the years,and for ME the mid-mount is the only way to go.

 

[bpence]

Personally, I favor the mid-mount mower. Easier manuverability, easier to view where you're cutting, and not that difficult to remove/install. On my B7100 you just drive over the deck to install/remove it, handle 3 hook-up points, and install the mid-pto shaft. Takes less than 10 minutes.....on or off.

A lot of folks speak highly of the 3-pt mowers since they are a bit easier to remove/install and do mow very well. Also, the 3-pt mowers are generally a few dollars less expensive.

Bob Pence

 

[GlennT]

I have a Bush Hog 3-pt finish mower which I use with my small John Deere. The Bush Hog was one of the few 48 inch mowers available. I wanted it this narrow because I need to get between trees. The mower has four wheels and when mowing the lower 3 pt arms ride free so that the mower can rest on its own wheels and move up and down over rough ground independently of the tractor. I chose to go with the 3 pt mower because it is easy to hook up and it really is. It takes less than 5 minutes and most of that is taken up by connecting the PTO shaft. HOWEVER, the 3 pt mower is a real pain to maneuver. The rear wheels of the tractor is the point around which everything rotates and it is VERY, VERY EASY to swing the mower sideways into the fence, a tree, the house, a flowerbed, etc. And the inside corner of a fence is a real challenge. Even though I've used this kind of an implement for some time, I still box myself in occasionally when I've misjudged the turn. My Bush Hog is easy to attach, easy to adjust (vertically), easy to lubricate, easy to position for sharpening the blades, and very durable. I am glad I purchased it. Even then, if you find a midmounted mower deck that you can attach easily, my opinion is GO FOR IT!!!

 

[Bird]

DrDan, the other guys have already answered your question, so you can see that personal preference has something to do with it. The only point that I see has not already been mentioned is the fact that if you should change tractors some day, or want to change mowers, the 3-point mowers can go on just about any tractor, while the mid-mounts are usually specific to one model. Each has advantages and disadvantages. I use a 3-point mower myself for three reasons, cheaper to buy, easier on and off, and will work on other tractors.

Bird

 

[Ingo]

I'm also considering the belly vs. 3-pt mower question. Since I mow 1/2 mile along a gravel road I mow quite a bit of gravel along with the grass (and leaves and sticks, etc.), so I tend to sharpen blades fairly often. Now I just tip my little riding mower up on it's end, but I don't figure that will work too well with a tractor. My question for the Mid-Mount Club is how do you remove the blades for sharpening? Drive up on blocks and crawl underneath or take the deck off and flip it over? I can imagine doing it, but it doesn't seem very easy, so I'd love to hear what you do.

John

 

[Charliebrn]

I have a BX with the 60" mid mount. It takes all of maybe 3 minutes to yank the deck off. I then use the FEL and a chain to tip it up so I can pull the blades off. Takes maybe 5 minutes to put the deck back on. Now, my fathers L2900 was a different story...took 20 minutes just to pull the deck off. So take a look at your particular model when considering...

 

[DrDan]

I have a Kubota G1800 right now and I'll tell ya that dang PTO quick disconnect is anything but quick? Way the heck under the tractor and a stubborn thing. I thought it might be nice to have it all out in the open. Yes I know all about the whip effect of items on a 3 PT hitch. I used to farm in Iowa and we plowed at night. Had a 16 bottom on with nothing but a little white marker light on the tail wheel. At row end there was lots of work. Had to raise front 8 bottoms then back 8 then turn then drop front 8 and then back 8. Wellllll "Inadvertantly I did not even realize (AC 365 HP Turbo Diesel) that I had hooked some woven wire fence. About half way across a 40 acre field I suddenly noticed fence posts following me. My god I had egg all over my face on that one. Luckily the farm owner wanted the fence taken down anyhow. Can you imagine??? Didn't even change the pitch of the diesel or turbocharger...

Dr Dan

 

[MReeter]

I don't bother taking a deck off to change blades,I run the tractor up on a set car ramps,take the impact and within seconds I have the blades off.I always buy an extra set of blades,so I've got a set of sharp ones ready to put right back on.Now,if I'm wanting to clean the deck,yes I take it off and raise it with the loader,but to change blades,that's a waste of time.

 

[Russ]

I have a BX2200 and am running a 5' Bush Hog finish mower. Since the finish mower has 4 wheels you mow with the 3pt all the way down and the mower floats on its own wheels. This way it is kind of independent from the tractor bobing up and down over changes in elevation. This may give you a smoohter cut than a mid mount deck in some situations. It would be nice to be able to try both on your property and see what works best for your property. Also a rear finish mower will let you back into a corner and reduce the amount of trimming later.

Russ