Brush Cutter

[Midwest Gurl48]

Morning. Im trying to figure out what I need for a brush cutter for my 1030 2wd Massey Ferguson tractor. New to the game. Any advice is surely appreciated.

 

[repete]

You might start with a description of what you are looking to cut. Pics perhaps of what you are up against.

 

[leonz]

Since your mule is a well built TOYOSHA made 12 forward/3 reverse gear in 3 speed ranges (Low/Medium/High) tractorwith only 23 horsepower(claimed) at the power take off the only mower that will give you adequate brush clearing and mowing is a 60 inch cut flail mower.

A gear drive tractor will provide you with plenty of PTO horsepower and torque to provide the needed horsepower and torque for a 60" flail shredder/mower as the forward speed can be easily controlled and the naturally aspirated engine will not have power robbed from it like a hydrostatic transmission engine combination would rob useable power.

I have described in great detail what someone needs to examine when investing in a flail brush mower here on the forum.

A flail mower/flail shredder will provide the end user with a better finish when clearing brush or simply mowing good sod ground and leave no residue if the finish type flail mower is invested in.

A rotary cutter only provides a very small cutting edge length in total when cutting brush or mowing and cannot recut the material unless it is brittle.

A flail mower/shredder will provide the end user with up to 20 feet in cutting edge length to slice and recut the brush of any density versus a 5 foot rotary cutter or finish mower.

If you invest the time in reading my posts about buying a flail mower and how to buy the right one you will have a flail mower attachment that will work well with your forever tractor and provide you with many decades of service.

Please send me any questions you may have at your convenience via a private message and I can and will tell you which flail mower brands to avoid like the plague.

Leon

 

[Vigo327]

With 20-odd pto hp, a 5ft rotary cutter is fine, although there will be tomes you’ll need to go slowly depending on what you’re trying to cut.

I do agree that if youre willing to spend the money a flail mower will give much nicer results. However, it is a more complicated machine with more possible maintenance/repair issues. The simple bush hog / rotary cutter is pretty much optimized for ‘mistakes’ in the sense that its the most likely to survive mishaps or poor judgment. Im not trying to dissuade you from a flail mower with that, but if you are just trying to keep something walkable or from getting overgrown and dont actually care how ‘nice’ it ends up, its hard to argue with the price/simplicity/availability of a simple rotary cutter.

 

[Roadworthy]

The proper mower for you depends on your budget and the expected results. A five foot rotary mower will cut most stuff but the results won't look like a finish mower. It will look like a mowed field. I've been using mine for over fifteen years behind a two wheel drive tractor with your horsepower and it's still hanging in. A flail mower will give nicer results as will a finish mower but at a greater cost.

 

[TerryR]

It totally depends on what you are trying to cut, and the results you want. If you are cutting thick tall stuff a flail will be a big load for your tractor and won't leave a good cut. A rotary would do much better. But if you are cutting it often a flail will do a nicer job. But is it worth the cost for your application?

 

[paulsharvey]

I dont think you have the tractor for it; but a Brown Tree cutter is a real step above any of the bushhogs you see running around. I dont know if they made a 4 ft version, and that might plain be too much weight for your machine, but they will shred some pretty impressive stuff.

I am not a fan of flail mower for anything brushy at all; but I know others love them. I have the all purpose hammers/teeth, and they aren't great on grass or brush, just kinda adequate for both, but not great on either.

 

[leonz]

A finish flail mower or a flail crop shredder with side slicers
or hammer scoop knives will work very well as long as the
hammers or the knives are sharped properly.

 

[TerryR]

A finish flail mower or a flail crop shredder with side slicers
or hammer scoop knives will work very well as long as the
hammers or the knives are sharped properly.

Only if you mow often. If you let the weeds get tall and stiff, it does a lousy job. It totally depends on what you are trying to cut and what you expect the results to be.

 

[Smokeydog]

Need to define brush. I’ve got mean, tough brush and hilly ground.

Tried different tractors and attachments over the decades. Hard to beat a good rotary cutter for cost, performance, and durability.

Fresh paint on our 25year old Brown tree cutter.

 

[John0829]

Being new to the game, starting out and needing to obtain implements for your tractor I would tell you to go with a rotary (bush hog) for your first one. It will be able to handle brush or grass and if you sharpen (not recommended if cutting brush) the blades they can deliver a near finish mower cut. Look around and you should be able to find a good used one for sale.

I have nothing against flails, I own two of em', but I just do not think they are a "beginners" cutter.

 

[JGENGINE3]

Any thoughts on a flail mower versus brush hog? Have a few very rocky areas to deal with and the brush hog works but need to be very careful.

 

[paulsharvey]

Any thoughts on a flail mower versus brush hog? Have a few very rocky areas to deal with and the brush hog works but need to be very careful.

You need to also be careful with a flail. They are also easily damaged by rocks. My main enemy is the sand. Conventional mower, yiu might get a year out of blades, but they are worn away after that. Makes it extremely hard to keep whatever, 96 teeth, sharp...

 

[Midwest Gurl48]

The proper mower for you depends on your budget and the expected results. A five foot rotary mower will cut most stuff but the results won't look like a finish mower. It will look like a mowed field. I've been using mine for over fifteen years behind a two wheel drive tractor with your horsepower and it's still hanging in. A flail mower will give nicer results as will a finish mower but at a greater cost.

Thanks for your response. I’m trying to keep the place from being overgrown and I don’t want to keep using the John Deer mower. The hay field get cut once a season ,but I have other areas that burdocks,poplars and scrub stuff keeps resting it’s head. I don’t care in these areas for a super polished look. I appreciate any other thoughts you hv

 

[Midwest Gurl48]

Need to define brush. I’ve got mean, tough brush and hilly ground.

Tried different tractors and attachments over the decades. Hard to beat a good rotary cutter for cost, performance, and durability.
View attachment 819603
Fresh paint on our 25year old Brown tree cutter.

I like the size of this one. Called a tree cutter?what size is it

 

[paulsharvey]

I like the size of this one. Called a tree cutter?what size is it

Google Brown Tree Cutter. They are very expensive compared to a bushhog, but they are designed to cut that 3-4" stuff. Yes, a bushhog will, but it won't cut a wall of it, without either bogging down to the point the blades don't cut, stall the tractor out, or break something. I dont think they ever made a 4 ft model (or atleast they don't list one of current products). They are awesomeness, but you probably won't be able to use a 5 ft one without some pretty serious front weights. I see one locally (6 footer) for $3,000 OBO, in good, use not pretty condition. New, that is probably close to $12,000.

No knowledge abiut them, but there is a Bramua Tree saw, 30", only weighing 700 lbs, for like $3000 new. Didn't do much digging to see how the front of the 'Saw' body is, and whether it works like a bushhog in forwards

 

[paulsharvey]

So, before you go too far down the path, we need to know what 'brush' is. If it's grape vines, black berry's, snake weed, and 1-2" green sapplings; I'll get hate for it, but a standard duty, cheap, 4 or 5 ft countyline bushhog will do the job for many many acres, and many mowing cycles. If it's more like small diameter trees, with walls of brush, or very tough, woody brush, then the tree cutters are amazing, but you pay a price, in dollars, weight, and cutting width.

 

[paulsharvey]

Something like the Bestco 48" heavy duty flail, 'claims' upto 3" woody material, but that would involve driving over the 'brush' first, as they don't cut well in reverse, and the configuration of the back, really isn't designed up mow in reverse.

 

[cathy liebchen]

Google Brown Tree Cutter. They are very expensive compared to a bushhog, but they are designed to cut that 3-4" stuff. Yes, a bushhog will, but it won't cut a wall of it, without either bogging down to the point the blades don't cut, stall the tractor out, or break something. I dont think they ever made a 4 ft model (or atleast they don't list one of current products). They are awesomeness, but you probably won't be able to use a 5 ft one without some pretty serious front weights. I see one locally (6 footer) for $3,000 OBO, in good, use not pretty condition. New, that is probably close to $12,000.

No knowledge abiut them, but there is a Bramua Tree saw, 30", only weighing 700 lbs, for like $3000 new. Didn't do much digging to see how the front of the 'Saw' body is, and whether it works like a bushhog in forwards

We had many brands of bush hog cutters and replaced all of them with Brown cutters- we have 4 of them . 415, 416, 672hd-d 2 of them, best you can buy. We use a
skid steer with a drum mulcher for anything over 3”