Bush Hog Squealer

TMAC · Apr 23, 2004

Fixing on getting a NH TC45DA with 37hp at the PTO.

My question is--> I went to look at the Bush Hog Squealer series rotary cutters today at my local farm equipment dealer. I'm wanting to get either a 60" or 72" Squealer. The 72" seems a whole lot bulkier of coarse compared to the 60 inch. I'd rather be able to maneuver better by going with the 60". I have about 3-4 acres of field I would be using this cutter for, along with light brush clearing. Any experienced advice would be helpful. Am I leaning the right way by going 60"? Thanks. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Bird · Apr 23, 2004

Greg, I used to have a 48" Squealer behind my B7100 Kubota and my cousin has a 60" Squealer behind his TC29D New Holland. If you prefer the 60" one for maneuverability, there's certainly nothing wrong with that. But most people find out they want a bigger mower so they can get more done quicker and, in my opinion, you certainly have enough tractor to handle the 72" one. So my purely personal opinion is that you'll wish you'd gotten the 72" mower unless you know you have very specific reasons for needing the smaller one.

Gatorboy · Apr 23, 2004

( I'd rather be able to maneuver better by going with the 60". )

You would be surprised how quickly and easily you would be able to manuever a 72" mower. I have to agree with Bird that you would later regret not getting the 72" if you went and bought the 60".

TMAC · Apr 23, 2004

Thanks for your experienced opionion guys. Here was the dealers pricing.

SQ600 $690.00 Shear Pin
SQ720 $990.00 Slip Clutch

I was considering the SQ720, but the wife frowned on the price tag. So I tried to convince myself to go with the 60", thinking I might be guessing right about the maneuverability. But as David has convinced me the 72" would be easy to handle as well. I tried to explain to the wife about getting all I could out of the TC45 and getting the job done quicker with bigger implements. There's still hope. Maybe I can sweet talk here a little. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Later on after the house gets built I'll be wanting a finish mower as well. I most certainly was going with a 72" Cut on that implement. I was considering the rear discharge model Bush Hog. The dealers price was:

RDTH72 $1,675

Do the prices seem fairly reasonable? /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Gatorboy · Apr 23, 2004

( Maybe I can sweet talk here a little. )

Tell her how you will get done so much faster so you can get back do other chores on her list /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

tough451 · Apr 23, 2004

We pulled a 72 with 135MF for years so you should be able to pull it just fine. But my dealer steered me away from the Squealer series said that if I couldnt afford a real BushHog to go with International or King Kutter. He stated that quality wise I wouldnt be happy. So look around at the others. I went with the 72" International.

Good luck on your choice.

Bird · Apr 23, 2004

( RDTH72 $1,675 )

Doesn't sound bad to me, since I paid $1,695 for the RDTH60 in 1999. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

TMAC · Apr 23, 2004

Thanks for all your comments folks. Nice having people to help sort out your troubles. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

David, I'll try that on my wife tomorrow and see what she says. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

tough451, I can understand what you mean about the light duty Squealers. I seen one awhile back all beat up that a guy was using across the road from my property, never got a chance to talk to him about how he liked it. If money wasn't to much of an issue I would rather have the 286 medium duty Bush Hog, but I can't see paying that kind of money right now for a rotary cutter. I might have to look at the King Cutters or a more affordable brand./forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif I need other implements like a finish mower eventually and want to make sure I save some money to buy a quality one. Thanks for your post.

Bird how did that RDTH60 cut for you? Ever have any complaints about it? Did it do a nice job on your law? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

rdam · Apr 23, 2004

The 60" won't cover your tracks so it will be hard to get close to trees, fences, etc. It may actually be harder to maneuver because it's too narrow for the tractor

I have a 72" Squealer (paid $1,200 last year) with slip clutch. With a tractor that size, it doesn't make much sense to go with the smaller cutter.

TNCHRIS · Apr 23, 2004

i have owned a mf35 gas, mf135 diesel and now a l3830hst kubota. i have used a 72 inch finish mower withing for 84inch but for bush hoging i use a 60 inch and plan to buy a new 60 soon. it's plenty big enough if your cutting heavy thick stuff. the groomer is for the light stuff. if the field is just grass i'd use a finnish mower.

AndyMA · Apr 23, 2004

I've run 2 Squealer 60's since 1987. One was replaced by an insurance company because of a barn fire. I sold it to another TBNer. I've beat the heck out of them behind my Ford 2120 and never had a bit of trouble other than breaking a few blades.

Andy

MiniOaksMocha · Apr 23, 2004

That's a good price as I paid $1640 in Dec 99 for my BH RDTH72" unit. It's a great mower. I cut my 17 acre hay pasture last weekend in about 8 hours with it. I have a 60" Modern Bushhog and almost never use it because the finish mower does such a better job plus it cuts a foot wider. Wish I had gotten a 72" bushhog myself. Have a TC29D. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

TMAC · Apr 23, 2004

So, given what has been said in the last few posts; do you guys think I would be better off just getting the RDTH72 finish mower now and rent a bush hog to do my first cut. My main concern right now is being able to get the field under control. About 6 acres is what I'm concerned with for the time being. The field is about 3-3.5 feet tall right now. Mainly hay and some other wild grasses along with a few briars here and there but nothing real thick.

I still would like to have a rotary cutter eventually but wonder if I should just go ahead and get the finishing mower and include it with the financing of the tractor. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif Hmmm decision, decision, they never end. /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

Gatorboy · Apr 24, 2004

( do you guys think I would be better off just getting the RDTH72 finish mower now and rent a bush hog to do my first cut. )

What are you going to be doing in that field? Is it just to have it look good, or will you be using it for some activity that will need to have a nice finish cut?

I am very impressed with the results my rotarty cutter can do. Plus, if I don't have time and the field gets too long, I don't have to worry. With a finish mower, you will have to keep the grass from getting too long.

dieseldoc · Apr 24, 2004

tmac,i have a 72" new international i bought in jan. i paid 725.00 with slip clutch(this was a discount price as i also bought a new mahindra 4500,trailer,disc plow,ect.) i am not sure if this is considered a light duty or med. duty but i have cut everything from head high briers to 3" trees(slowly of course)the money you save buying a "lesser" brand can be used to buy more toys!

OkieG · Apr 24, 2004

finish mower now and rent a bush hog to do my first cut. My main concern right now is being able to get the field under control. 

When I bought my BushHog Squealer, the dealer said that with sharp blades, he could cut my yard to look as nice with a brush hog as with a finish mower. Wow, was I impressed with that comment.

My reality is that the brush hog doesn't come close to a finish mower in quality of cut, especially if you want the grass short. On the other hand, Gatorboy's field looks pretty nice.
If you don't need your field to look "perfect", a brush hog might offer you more versatility when tougher jobs come up. Otherwise, your idea sounds like a good one.

By the way, the light duty Squealer has held up real well for me. It ocassionally shaves rocks and digs dirt (not on purpose) and cuts small saplings to the point it almost stalls my little tractor. Haven't had to change a shear pin so far.

OkieG

Bird · Apr 24, 2004

Greg, I really liked the RDTH60 behind a Kubota B2710. I much preferred that to a belly mower personally. A lot of people say if you have a lot of maneuvering to do, the belly mower is better and I can understand that, but when you're accustomed to rear implements . . . well . . . I mowed an estimated 3 acres with it and had to maneuver around the house, barn, shop building, at least 18 trees, 4 utility poles, three flower beds, 8,000+ sq. ft. of garden, barbed wire fences, and 400+ ft. of road frontage that included a shallow borrow ditch, mail box, and 3 culverts. I did have one problem with it. A pulley came off one spindle once and destroyed the woodruff key. I'm guessing it was because the nut holding the pulley on was not properly tightened when it was assembled, and I never removed the covers and checked any of them before using it. And it happened after using it a year or so. Wasn't really any big deal to fix it. I was very pleased with the job it did, but I'll admit I just had a "yard" instead of a manicured "lawn" like I maintain in town.

TMAC · Apr 24, 2004

I'll probably ramble a little here but here goes anyway. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

I just recently bought this land in Dec. 2003, 44 acres. It is mostly wooded acreage, 180ft of road frontage. About 32-34 acres of timber with rolling hills coming from the back of the property to the field and from there to the road the remaining is field that is also rolling terrain with a small wood line that runs parallel with the road and splits the field in half. The field is nothing real steep, just a gradual incline with a fairly level 2-3 acre area at the peak/top of the field.

Right now I have a guy coming in to do a little excavating work to install my driveway (530ft). My driveway will be fairly straight, but not so level, running down off the road into a small valley of the field gradually rising back up through the wood line and then opening up into the other part of the field where I will be building a home.

So right in the beginning stages of construction I'm not particularly worried about making it all look Grade A. I just want to keep the field looking halfway decent for the next year or so and keep it knocked down along with some other light brush clearing.

So I'm convinced now that I'm probably going to go for the rotary cutter. I like the fact of not worrying if it gets to tall on me. So will see what I can find.

I'm still open for others experiences though so shoot away. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Thanks for all the replies everyone. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
Again sorry if I rambled too much. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

TMAC · Apr 24, 2004

David, nice looking job on the field./forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif I read the other post about your dad's business. Those Rhino Flexwings must be something else. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

twabscs · Apr 24, 2004

Here's another 5' vs. 6' experience. When I bought my TC40 I decided on a Rhino SE 5 with a shear pin. After having trouble with replacing shear pins and not being able to "get close" to fence rows and other obstacles with the 5', I traded the nearly new SE5 for a new SE6 with a slip clutch. I'm much more happy with this size/combination, and of course I had to pay a bit more because of the "swap", but the dealer was very fair.

The SEs are medium duty cutters and my TC40 has no difficulty with the 6' mower.