Brush mowing steep slopes

[KentT]

I looked again at Kents pics and don't see anything unacceptably steep for a two wheel tractor. It looks no steeper than my farm.

Bill,

Surprised that you haven't brought Grillo into the discussion. I'm thinking a Grillo G107D would be an alternative -- even if a used one would be almost impossible to find. How would it compare for using primarily front-mounted mowers?

 

[KentT]

I see what you mean, I've seen brush mower here in my neck of the woods mounted on the side of a tractor with sort of an excavator ARM and a brush mower to get the sides of the canals over here there similar to this but with a lot more reach and on the center of the tractor

A lot of the county road departments use something similar in East Tennessee, mounted on either a tractor (with a heavy counterweight) or old road graders, and hydraulically driven...

They use them to clear roadbanks, since they can mow both below and above grade...

 

[farmerboybill]

Yes, the 107d would be a good alternative. I would have mentioned, but you all-caps'd "used" in your first post. Beings there's only about 1000 Grillos in the US, you're gonna have a lot harder time nailing a used 107d down vs. the used BCS models I discussed. Of course, you'll also find there to be a LOT more solid axle BCS machines available versus differential machines. Maybe a used 107d won't be any harder to find than, say, an 850...

This one here has the brakes on the steering column between the handlebars. They didn't put them on the right handlebar until January 2011 -
Walk-behind Tractor with tiller, cultivator and mower


The 11 hp 107d should be considered slightly smaller than the 13 hp 853. It'll handle any attachment an 853 can handle(and many more than the average BCS dealer carries), but generally takes one size smaller width. It also has a slightly faster second and third gear 1.8 mph vs, 1.7 mph and 3.3 mph vs. 2.7 mph.

 

[KentT]

Yes, the 107d would be a good alternative. I would have mentioned, but you all-caps'd "used" in your first post. Beings there's only about 1000 Grillos in the US, you're gonna have a lot harder time nailing a used 107d down vs. the used BCS models I discussed. Of course, you'll also find there to be a LOT more solid axle BCS machines available versus differential machines. Maybe a used 107d won't be any harder to find than, say, an 850...

This one here has the brakes on the steering column between the handlebars. They didn't put them on the right handlebar until January 2011 -
Walk-behind Tractor with tiller, cultivator and mower


The 11 hp 107d should be considered slightly smaller than the 13 hp 853. It'll handle any attachment an 853 can handle(and many more than the average BCS dealer carries), but generally takes one size smaller width. It also has a slightly faster second and third gear 1.8 mph vs, 1.7 mph and 3.3 mph vs. 2.7 mph.

Yes, I just can't swing the price of a new package right now, though the Grillo might make that a more affordable alternative than the BCS... I just can't swing $7k or more now for a package.

That appears to be a fair price for that Grillo package, given how clean it looks. Plus, I certainly think it looks better without the lime green hood that some have. It appears to have been well maintained, but the two most implements that likely got the most use are pictured -- the sicklebar and tiller. The tires show some wear, though, so this thing has certainly been put to use.

Is that the brake levers in the middle, over the yoke for the handlebars?

 

[farmerboybill]

Hey all,

I forgot a big piece of information on the review of differential machines and it's too late to edit the original post.

The 737, 605, 830, and 850 have one big problem I've run into five times so far. The steering column liked to seize up in the position they're most commonly used. Four of my machines were used in the twin cities or northern Wisconsin as sweepers and were froze up that direction. the fifth was out of the cities and froze in tiller mode. IF you go look at a 737, 605, 830, or 850, be sure to check to see if the machine swivels from tractor to pusher mode. If it doesn't you're in for a job. Every one that I've broken loose involved taking apart the steering column, a 20 ton press, and a torch. The problem was fixed when BCS started building the 852/853.

 

[cqaigy2]

I see what you mean, I've seen brush mower here in my neck of the woods mounted on the side of a tractor with sort of an excavator ARM and a brush mower to get the sides of the canals over here there similar to this but with a lot more reach and on the center of the tractor

Yikes, i wonder where a blade off of that would land?

 

[milkman]

Hey all,

I forgot a big piece of information on the review of differential machines and it's too late to edit the original post.

The 737, 605, 830, and 850 have one big problem I've run into five times so far. The steering column liked to seize up in the position they're most commonly used. Four of my machines were used in the twin cities or northern Wisconsin as sweepers and were froze up that direction. the fifth was out of the cities and froze in tiller mode. IF you go look at a 737, 605, 830, or 850, be sure to check to see if the machine swivels from tractor to pusher mode. If it doesn't you're in for a job. Every one that I've broken loose involved taking apart the steering column, a 20 ton press, and a torch. The problem was fixed when BCS started building the 852/853.

You can add the 735 to that list also, but I caught it early and was able to get it loose with some spray lube and elbow grease.

 

[KentT]

Well I've got a lead on a 735 package, but I don't like the gearing/transmission on it, and it's priced a bit high IMO.

After my preliminary "elimination", I'm also now looking at two different Gravely Professional machines that have steering brakes. Without the steering brake, IMO, Gravely is out of the question...

 

[KentT]

After my preliminary "elimination", I'm also now looking at two different Gravely Professional machines that have steering brakes. Without the steering brake, IMO, Gravely is out of the question...

Just to close this thread out, I ended up making a deal on a clean Gravely 5260 that has been repowered with a Kohler Magnum 12. It came with duals and steering brake, has less than 600 hours on it total, and about 200 on the newer engine. He put too big a deck (50") on it, and upgraded the engine to handle it about 10 years ago...

That slope is nothing like some I'll have to deal with, but it was the steepest he had, and shows how far away it is from the tipping point. I've picked up a 30" brush cutter for it, and will likely add a sickle bar at some point. Here's a slideshow of pics, if anyone is interested. Meanwhile, it will provide a starting point, and let me know what a 2-wheeled tractor is capable of...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kentthomas/sets/72157629668699828/show/

 

[farmerboybill]

That looks like a really nice machine. I think you're gonna need a lot more traction than turf tires are gonna give you. Is it easy to find and put taller lug tires on a Gravely?