Bush Hog Size for BX1800 Kubota - noob question.

[Randy_Leo]

I've searched through the forum for the answer to this and am coming up empty-handed. Help!

I'd like to buy a small bush hog for my Kubota BX1800 to mow the ROW and other areas on the farm that are either too rough for the BXs' belly mower or won't be mowed by the neighbor who has the hay lease on my land.

What's the right size bush hog for my little compact?

 

[RonR]

My guess is your manual will say 4 foot.

I have a 2200 and if/when I buy one, I plan to buy a 5ft, if the 3PH can lift it. I won't be mowing anything very heavy.

By the way, welcome to the forum.

ron

 

[KiotiJohn]

Ideally you should use a 4 ft. mower, mostly because of the PTO HP you have with that tractor. If you were to use a 5ft, it may be a little too heavy, or the PTO HP may not turn it well enough in high brush, tough woody material.
I have a 4ft on my CK20 (15.5 hp at the PTO), and I do know that I could use a 5' for most places I cut, but it may be too hard with much higher material and tougher material.
John

 

[Henro]

Ron,

I am pretty sure the recommended size for the BX1800/2200 is a 42" brush hog.

Personally I would not go bigger than 48" on a BX. I do have a 5' woods BB60 and there is no way I can see that it would be a good fit for my BX. At least not if there are any hills involved. I should sometime try to hook it up to the BX just for fun...

"Has anyone run a 60" rotary cutter on a BX" is a follow up question I would ask to anyone reading this thread...I for one would certainly like to hear how it worked and what terrain it was done on...

 

[thcri]

I think at 4ft your pushing it. But it is duable. I have a TC29D that has 24 hp at the PTO and I am thinking 5' is about as large as I want to go. But to me anything bigger than the 4'ft and you won't be able to keep the front end of the tractor down even with a loader on it. Just me thinking that is all.

murph

 

[JerryG]

A 42" would be perfect, a 48" would work good. I know that I have bogged down tractors with 2-3 the amount of horsepower that the BX has with a 5' brush hog in heavy thick grass not even talking about heavy brush. Don't let want of size get in the way of what your tractor can really handle.

 

[bdog]

I asked a similar question a while back and a good reply I got was 5hp per foot of shredder as a rule of thumb. So in order to run a 5' shredder in all conditions you need 25hp.

 

[Slamfire]

When I blew a hole in my Oliver's engine block, I had a 6 ft towable cutter. I bought the Mistubishi pictured because that was the best deal available. It would operate the 6ft cutter, but you couldn't start the blade and the tractor's wheels at the same time. I picked up a 5 ft 3 point cutter and am quite satisfied with the performance. The tractor has 18 hp, but I run it at the torque peak instead of the hp peack.

 

[RalphVa]

The JD 2210 and 4010 are speced for a 4' bush hog for their 1400#. I've a 4010 (18.5 hp), and it has plenty of power for the 4' (without a rear guard). Haven't bogged it down at all in either brush or high grass.

An acquaintance has a B7400 and uses a 5' bush hog with it. He had to load his front tires (no FEL) to off weight the bush hog on the back. However, it has plenty of power for it. Think he even said he has a rear guard.

I'd not go bigger than a 4' bush hog with a BX just because of the weight vs. the tractor's. A 4' one weighs 400-420#. A 5' one adds at least another 100#. They hang out there quite a ways. Could have the cart directing the horse on slopes.

I've also a 12 hp Gravely. Some Gravely owners use a 50" deck on them. I've only a 30". Almost never have bogged it down. Really high and thick bamboo grass will bog it some.

Ralph

 

[dooleysm]

I just got my 5 foot Woods bushhog fixed to use with my tractor. I had to lower the mounting points so my L3000 could lift it. Previous owner had a taller tractor.

Anyway, that 5 foot bushhog gave my 30 hp tractor everything it could handle yesterday. I was mowing tall grass (hadn't been cut yet this spring) over moderately hilly ground. Even in 4wd and with a FEL I could definitely tell that bad boy was back there, wanting to pull my rear end down hill. I had to run very slow, in 2nd gear, over most places. I bogged down in a few places, but was able to lift the mower slightly and keep going. I can't imagine a 5 foot hog on a smaller tractor. You'd have to go soooo slow and maybe make smaller width cuts that you'd lose any size advantage over a 42" or 48" bushhog.

Just my opinion, though, and I've been wrong a time or two in the past, so take it for what it's worth.

 

[Randy_Leo]

FWIW, with the input from everyone here and some that I found on the Howse implements site it looks like a 36" to 42" bush hog is the right size for the little BX. I'll brobably go with the 42".

Now, to find one that doesn't break me...

 

[Soundguy]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I can't imagine a 5 foot hog on a smaller tractor )</font>

Wow.. I always felt my 5' mower on my Ex-Nh 1920 was 'underkill'.. as in I needed a 6' mower. Never did bog the tractor down whether it was 3' thick grass.. or 7' weeds.

Guess terain might make a difference as well as tractor weight. That tractor sounds like it may have a lighter frame than mine did.

Soundguy

 

[KenVT]

just began using a 5ft rotary cutter behind my DX40, I don't believe the tractor knows it is there, I have not used it in tall grass yet, mostly shumaks and berry bushes, but, am currently thinking about getting a 6ft, Any body's opinion on this?
Is it worth the Jump?
Will the Tractor then begin to bog down?
Would the Wife Kill me? /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

Ken

 

[HammerFour]

The 5 hp per foot rule is a pretty good one for average use, so for a 40 hp at the pto you will do just fine with a 6 footer. My FIL runs a 6 foot on a NH TC 30 so he has a bit less than 30 pto hp obviously, but he does fine with it. He just has to slow down a bit in real tall or thick stuff, or take smaller bites.

The advantage ( sometimes ) of having to big a mower is that if you aren't cutting very thick grass or brush, you will be cutting more width on each pass.

I'm almost scared to admit I use a 5 foot woods rotary cutter and a 6 foot King Kutter finish mower on a Kubota L2350 which has 25 total hp, they work fine for my use as I never let the pastures get that tall before I cut them, and I don't have any brush left to mow at all. I am at the point where I mow the pastures with the finish mower and the rotary cutter gather dust and chicken droppings ( on the fresh coat of paint I put on it last year but that's a different story ).

 

[RLeo]

Well, that was then, this is now. I've bought a JD2040 with FEL and box blade...and, I'm in the market for a 6' bushhog for the Deere. I may keep an eye out for a small mower for the BX but for now, it looks like I'll do it all with the green machine.

Thanks for all the guidance and advice!

 

[Dooze]

I've used a 42" KK with my BX1800 for 3 years now and have been very happy with the performance. I mow some pretty uneven terain with a creek running through it. I did have to lower the pins on the KK because the lift arms are low on the BX but other than the slight modification it works well.

 

[1aberg1]

I have a bx 1800 and a 5' land pride brush hog, it handles it well in all situations and cuts up to 11/2 inch wood with out problem

 

[RalphVa]

I use a 4 foot bushhog on my 18.5 hp JD that's about the same weight as your BX. Works fine. I let my turnbuckles go a little slack and bent the 3ph bar the lower arms come off of. Be sure and keep the turnbuckles tight.

Ralph

 

[creekbend]

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