Best medium dutyBatwing Mower

Farmwithjunk · Sep 20, 2009

LoneCowboy said:
well, ok Farm with Junk,

I see only your opinion and experiences matter here.

And you can lose the condescending tone. Of course stuff breaks. stuff breaks all the time, it's a cost of doing business.

But when the same stuff breaks multiple times in the same place in areas that it really shouldn't break and in time way before it should break under conditions when it really shouldn't break then yes, it's a defect.

Rhino 6' medium duty mower, purchased spring of 2006: $2400

Bush Hog 6' 296 mower purchased July of 2008: $2800

So you resort to personal insults and bogus claims now huh?

My opinion is based on fact and not emotion. We'll let everyone else judge who's counts for more at this juncture.

Oh, and by the way, you aren't comparing medium duty Rhino to heavy duty Bush Hog there either. BOTH models are marketed as medium duty mowers. (I've got a 286 and a 297 Bush Hog mower that I use at my home.) Expect more results simular to your Rhino experiment if you use light (or "medium") duty mowers of ANY brand in that sort of application. Anything more than that would be a gift.

dirt ditch · Sep 20, 2009

chevy454 said:
Are negative comments about brands simply brand-based like Chevy versus Ford or are there real differences? When I look at specs for various brands they all seem to be the same based on light, medium, heavy duty.

Looking for advice on brands, chain guards versus rubber, laminated versus ac tires, and number of wheels.

Thanks in advance for any help

Our state has hundreds of batwing mowers and we put thousands of hours on them cutting 6 months a year in some of the toughest mowing conditions around. Across the state Schulte is everyone's choice for mowing, but thanks to a low bid policy we don't always get them. When I started, our shop had 2 Schulte 10' single batwing mowers. Now we have 1 15' double batwing Schulte X1500, and this year traded in a single wing 10' LandPride for a single wing 10' Rino. The state has gone to mostly 15' decks but our shop has a stretch of highway that the right of way is so narrow a 15' deck won't fit in the ditches. The Schulte decks glide over the ground better, wing tips don't dig into the earth plowing a rut and pushing up dirt when mowing around objects like the other decks do. The LandPride and Rino decks although just 10' are too heavy and slide down slopes when mowing across them. Schulte is a bit pricey, our shops X1500 15' cost $17,000 new. If it was me I'd find a used Schulte before buying anything else new.

Farmwithjunk · Sep 20, 2009

dirt ditch said:
Our state has hundreds of batwing mowers and we put thousands of hours on them cutting 6 months a year in some of the toughest mowing conditions around. Across the state Schulte is everyone's choice for mowing, but thanks to a low bid policy we don't always get them. When I started, our shop had 2 Schulte 10' single batwing mowers. Now we have 1 15' double batwing Schulte X1500, and this year traded in a single wing 10' LandPride for a single wing 10' Rino. The state has gone to mostly 15' decks but our shop has a stretch of highway that the right of way is so narrow a 15' deck won't fit in the ditches. The Schulte decks glide over the ground better, wing tips don't dig into the earth plowing a rut and pushing up dirt when mowing around objects like the other decks do. The LandPride and Rino decks although just 10' are too heavy and slide down slopes when mowing across them. Schulte is a bit pricey, our shops X1500 15' cost $17,000 new. If it was me I'd find a used Schulte before buying anything else new.

From what I've learned the extreme upper end Rhino mowers have a great deal in common with the Schulte mowers. That's easy to understand since they're both "Alamo Group" products. Both brands have their strengths and weaknesses, much of the latter is high pricing. With any of these mowers, it pays to do your homework. Dealers tend to paint a rosey picture of whatever it is they need to sell. That generally results in products of marginal spec being selected on a cost basis.

There's another brand making waves in the batwing market. Bushwhacker is beginning to compete with the other majors. I have ZERO personal experience, nor do I know of anyone who does.

Kentucky has gradually phased out most of their state owned mowing equipment in favor of independent contractors. You'll see a wide variety of brands and models here these days. Bush Hog and Rhino are the favorites, with only a handful of Schulte mowers. Again.....cost.

chevy454 · Sep 20, 2009

OK, folks.....I appreciate all the info.....I guess I'll stay away from Woods and go with Bush Hog. I found a dealer yesterday that has a Bush Hog 2715 with chains, foam-filled AC tires, deck rings and CV joints he received on his lot in December 2008. He's asking $13,900. The other dealers have 2009s for around $15K. I'm thinking this is a no-brainer and intend to go with the 2008. What do you think?

My follow on question has to do with adding weight to my tractor. As stated initially, I have a Kubota M8540 with rear wheel weights. When mowing I drop the bucket and add 700lbs of weights to the front. Should I add fluid to the tires? I'm not really worried about going up my hills it's going down I'm worried about. I don't want to get pushed by the batwing but I don't want to add needless weight and lose power on the hills.

Any thoughts??

Ken45101 · Sep 20, 2009

Chevy,

fwiw, I only paid $10,150 for a new BH 2515, rubber guards, composite tires, CV drive. I don't know the difference between the 2515 and the 2715.

I understand your concern about being pushed downhill. I had the same concern, but so far I haven't found the slightest tendency. I have 800# of Rimguard in each rear tire. As I mentioned earlier, that gives me 8000# of tractor (M9540) and 4000# of mower. Your terrain and conditions may vary.

Do you need to take the bucket off and put the weights on? What about just picking up a load of rocks or gravel with the bucket for weight?

Of course your growing season is longer down south, but up here, it's getting to the end of the season and prices might be better.

Ken