Brush cutters

[Slickheadhunter]

I have never used a brush cutter, so I'm looking for recommendations on what weight cutter a Mahindra 4025 can handle easily. I'm looking for the heaviest 60in cutter I can use comfortably on this tractor. The tractor is over 6000lbs with the loader and loaded tires with a three point hitch rated at 3525 at the lift points. It's rated at 31 PTO with 41 engine hp.

Thanks

 

[smstonypoint]

The major manufacturers (Woods, Landpride, Bush Hog, etc.) have heavy-duty cutter lines, along with light- and medium-duty lines. I don't think you can go wrong with any of the heavy-duty models. The manufacturers' Web sites will list recommended PTO HP ranges for their various models.



Steve

 

[whistlepig]

Your manual should tell what weight brush cutter you can use. Three point capacity and mower weight is not one in the same. At least not on my tractor.

 

[Piston]

If your looking for a true heavy duty cutter, I think you'll find that it may be a bit of a workout for your tractor to get it spinning. If I were you, I would look at the true medium duty cutters like the Bush Hog BH25, the Brown 415, the Woods BB600, and so on.

I think you could handle the weight of the heavy duty cutter (not sure from experience) but I know that 31hp is very low for a truly heavy duty rotary cutter. What size brush/saplings/trees are you planning on mowing? Your on the right track by staying away from the light duty cutters. :thumbsup:

If you have some time, google the specs on the truly heavy duty cutters, the Woods 6000, Bush Hog 405 etc. I don't believe Brown makes a 5' HD cutter.

 

[Slickheadhunter]

Your manual should tell what weight brush cutter you can use. Three point capacity and mower weight is not one in the same. At least not on my tractor.

I ordered the tractor a couple weeks ago, so no manual yet. My 2516 manual doesn't say anything about which size attachments to use, just how to use the three point hitch. I would like to use the heaviest cutter it will comfortable handle, I'm just not sure what that weight would be sticking 6ft or so back behind the tractor. It will be used primarily for my clover food plots, I also have some areas over run with sumac so every couple years only.

 

[Slickheadhunter]

The BB600X I think is woods medium duty cutter and weighs just over 1000lbs. I'm guessing this size and weight might be all I would need. I believe 31PTO should handle this size cutter without any trouble, just using common sense because like I said I have no experience with a brush hog at all.

 

[xring100]

BH25 weighs 905 lbs and they claim to have a minimum horsepower rating of 35 pto gear box is 130hp The only concern I could see would be getting it spooled up might be hard on the pto clutch if the engine cant get it turning from an idle. I have a BH27 its built well.

What ever you get I would recommend the chains for guards I've seen a lot of the rubber ones worn out

 

[whistlepig]

No doubt it will pick the cutters up easily. For me the concern is transporting. A cutter too heavy lifted might break something on the three point bouncing up and down while transporting it. If your manual doesn't say anything about what size attachments to use it sounds like you have a blank check as far as your warranty and the size of the attachment you pick.

 

[Slickheadhunter]

I definitely don't want to break anything, perhaps a cutter in the 600 or 700lb range might be a better option. I think woods minimum PTO hp for the BB600X was 30, cutting it kinda close I guess. I'll try sending Mahindra an email and see what they recommend.

 

[Slickheadhunter]

I checked again on the woods web site and it lists the hp in engine hp? I didn't see recommended PTO hp.


Working width 60"
Transport width 65.5"
Overall length 104"
Deck length 70"
Cutting height 1" to 9"
Approximate weight 604 lbs
Tractor Engine HP 25 - 50 hp
Tractor PTO speed 540 rpm

 

[whistlepig]

Recommended is 5 HP per foot on a rotary cutter minimum. That's pushing it if you mow heavy stuff.

 

[Slickheadhunter]

Recommended is 5 HP per foot on a rotary cutter minimum. That's pushing it if you mow heavy stuff.

Using the 5 HP per foot rule a five foot cutter using 31 PTO hp I should be fine?

 

[whistlepig]

You would have 6 PTO HP to spare on the 5' rule.

 

[xring100]

Using the 5 HP per foot rule a five foot cutter using 31 PTO hp I should be fine?

You'll be fine in field grass or light brush but I can load my tractor up pretty good if you start throwing 2" diameter saplings into the picture and thats with 75 pto hp and 7 foot deck ~11 hp/ft.

One option you see guys here using is leaving overlap and only using a portion of the deck if it gets slow going

 

[Piston]

You would absolutely be fine with the medium duty cutter, the Woods 600 would be great for your tractor. It is still a very well built and durable cutter that will last you a lifetime. My tractor weighs 6k lbs with FEL and ballast in the rear tires, I use a 6' 1,100 lb rotary cutter (a true medium duty cutter, "heavy duty" to some). I handle the weight just fine as long as the FEL stays on. Without it I can do power wheelies relatively easy. A true heavy duty 6' cutter is too much for my tractor, I'm referring to cutter's like the Brown 672.

I have 39-40 PTO hp, it takes a bit to get the cutter spinning, but once there is great. If I do anything thick, like 2" material or more, I have to go very slow, it will overwhelm the cutter.

I've had both light duty and medium duty, I will never recommend a light duty cutter to anyone, not even for field mowing unless it's a very small tractor. There are times you can get away with Light Duty when all your mowing is grass and very small brush, but I would never recommend one. Not to mention, resale is horrible on light duty equipment, mostly because it's always pretzeled up and bent and torn apart.

Lastly, be careful on other manufacturers "naming" of they're cutters. You will see some advertised as heavy duty, yet, they weigh 500lbs with a 35hp gearbox rating.

 

[Slickheadhunter]

You would absolutely be fine with the medium duty cutter, the Woods 600 would be great for your tractor. It is still a very well built and durable cutter that will last you a lifetime. My tractor weighs 6k lbs with FEL and ballast in the rear tires, I use a 6' 1,100 lb rotary cutter (a true medium duty cutter, "heavy duty" to some). I handle the weight just fine as long as the FEL stays on. Without it I can do power wheelies relatively easy. A true heavy duty 6' cutter is too much for my tractor, I'm referring to cutter's like the Brown 672.


I have 39-40 PTO hp, it takes a bit to get the cutter spinning, but once there is great. If I do anything thick, like 2" material or more, I have to go very slow, it will overwhelm the cutter.

I've had both light duty and medium duty, I will never recommend a light duty cutter to anyone, not even for field mowing unless it's a very small tractor. There are times you can get away with Light Duty when all your mowing is grass and very small brush, but I would never recommend one. Not to mention, resale is horrible on light duty equipment, mostly because it's always pretzeled up and bent and torn apart.

Lastly, be careful on other manufacturers "naming" of they're cutters. You will see some advertised as heavy duty, yet, they weigh 500lbs with a 35hp gearbox rating.

That's what I was hoping, the one thing I will be very careful with is driving to my plots. Going up my road is no problem but once I turn off my road onto the dirt road it can get a little rough. The dirt road is about 1/4 mile and with that kind of weight hanging off the back it will be slow going.

 

[whistlepig]

A heavy duty cutter is heavy in weight. A medium duty cutter is lighter in weight. The HP required the same for both of the same size cut. More strength and longevity for the heavier cutters in my experience. Still don't compromise the tractor for the cutter. Cutter's are a bit cheaper to replace.

 

[xring100]

I agree with piston you probably close enough to the minimum horsepower you'd be alright and not have an issue. Is this tractor an electronic self modulated Pto or manual I like being incontrol? Once its spinning the rotational inertia will work to your advantage. Bush hog, woods, landpride, brown, there are others , make true medium duty cutters that are rated. 2.5 -3" that weigh twice as much as the heavy duty pieces of junk by some of the other brands. Ive seen some of these supposed heavy duties that looked like they cleared a mine field with them. I wouldn't want the light duty of woods BH etc either unless it would be only used for field grass they are just too delicate

 

[Slickheadhunter]

A heavy duty cutter is heavy in weight. A medium duty cutter is lighter in weight. The HP required the same for both of the same size cut. More strength and longevity for the heavier cutters in my experience. Still don't compromise the tractor for the cutter. Cutter's are a bit cheaper to replace.

Using the 5hp per foot rule and having 3525lb lift capacity on my three point hitch lifting a 1000lb cutter should fall into the safe category?! More involved than I thought it would be.

 

[Slickheadhunter]

I agree with piston you probably close enough to the minimum horsepower you'd be alright and not have an issue. Is this tractor an electronic self modulated Pto or manual I like being incontrol? Once its spinning the rotational inertia will work to your advantage. Bush hog, woods, landpride, brown, there are others , make true medium duty cutters that are rated. 2.5 -3" that weigh twice as much as the heavy duty pieces of junk by some of the other brands. Ive seen some of these supposed heavy duties that looked like they cleared a mine field with them. I wouldn't want the light duty of woods BH etc either unless it would be only used for field grass they are just too delicate

It has a dual stage clutch live PTO