Rotary Cutter Bushhog Or Woods Brand Rotary Cutter

[Cabinholler]

To everyone that has replyed to my post about these rotary cutters. Thank you very much.

I have got to do some explaining about these 2 different brand rotary cutters prices. Yesterday 03/14/05, I called the dealer, and he priced me the same price of $1,950.00 for both brands of these 7 foot medium heavy duty rotary cutters. Today 03/15/05, I went to his dealership to look at them, and he said that he forgot to price the rotary cutters with front and rear guards (what a pile of that horse stuff found in a barn). The price he gave me today was $2,110.00 for the 7 foot SQ840 Bush Hog with front and rear guards. I didn't even price the 7 foot Woods rotary cutter, because he didn't have it in stock, and didn't know when they would be in. He also said that he had in stock a 7 foot SE7 Rhino rotary cutter with front and real guards on it for $2,250.00. I don't know if these are good prices on these rotary cutters or not. On 03/16/05, I am going to the dealer to check out the 7 foot International heavy duty rotary cutter that the dealer priced me for $1,500.00, and see if he priced it with front and rear guards on it.

I have got a question about tractor sizes for these 7 foot lift type rotary cutters. Most all of these rotary cutters will go over 1,000 pounds. I was wondering if my tractor will handle these 7 foot rotary cutters now. I have a 4341.1 Zetor tractor with 55 PTO horsepower, with cab, with 4X4, and with a 102SL Zetor loader on it. The tractor weighs around 7,500 pounds, and the loader on it weighs around 2,100 pounds. If my tractor can handle one of these 7 foot rotary cutters, will I have to keep the front end loader on it to bush hog with, or if I take the loader off, will I have to add weight to the front end of the tractor to keep the front end of the tractor on the ground. The reason that I am asking this question is that so many here on the board states that a 7 foot rotary cutter is a lot of weight on the rear of a tractor. If that is the true, I might have to go with a 7 foot drag type rotary cutter with hydraulics. I hope that my tractor can handle a 7 foot lift type rotary cutter, because I have priced a 7 foot drag type Bush Hog brand rotary cutter that is out of site for me on price. The dealer priced it to me for $4,000.00. I checked with another dealer, and he wanted $4,300.00 for the very same brand rotary cutter. If these prices keep going up on tractors and implements, I think I am going to start using a team of mules with a old time mowing machine to keep my fields cut like my dad use to when he was a young man LOL. If prices of steel keep going up, I don't know how farmers and people in construction can stay in business. I am a retired person, and I like to just be on my farm cutting grass, and doing other things that has to be done on my farm. I am glad that all my bread and butter doesn't have to come off my farm.

Sorry about the price mixup on these 7 foot rotary cutters.

Cabinholler

 

[KiotiJohn]

From what I can find out about your tractor model, it has a lift capacity of over 6,000 pounds. There's no reason you couldn't carry a 10 footer.

You may need to add some front weight to carry the 7' mower, but I'm not sure you would. I think you'd have to for the 10' if you decide to go there. Howse has a 10' for about the same price as you're getting on these others. Soundguy has one and may comment.

That's a monster tractor, and you'll have no problems finding a good cutter for less than you're getting quoted. Many other brands are good deals and will last a long time for the average homeowner/hobby farm/non-commercial cutter. John

 

[Gatorboy]

Bushhog

 

[creeper]

Just a note on the international. Several people in my area use this brand and seem to be well made. I dont know of any problems.All the brands you mentioned are good, but if you can save some cash, I wouldn't be scared off by the international. I pulled a Howse 7' behind a MF 65 with no problem. I would also stick with single wheel.Can you drop your bucket without taking the whole loader off? This works well for me. Not as much of a pain and gives me additional clearance.

 

[Dk45_Jeff]

Your tractor will not have a problem pulling any 7' cutter. My DK 45 weighs about 4800 pounds with ballast, the loaders adds another 1100 pounds, has 38 PTO hp and it has no problem handling my 6' cutter. The BB720 with chains weighs about 1200 pounds the 7' Woods BB840 is only slight heavier, coming in near 1300 pounds. The SQ840 weighs 900 pounds but Bush Hog rates it as a light duty cutter, the 287 is Bush Hog's medium duty 7' cutter.

 

[Dargo]

Your tractor should have no trouble at all with a 7 footer. I have a Kubota 5030HSTC (cab) and I have no problems at all with a 7 footer. I've never run my rotary cutter without my loader though. I use the loader as a "feeler" looking for buried rocks, stumps, etc. when I'm cutting. So far, on trees, if I can push it over with my tractor, my cutter chops it up no problem. I've easily chopped up trees that were 3" or slightly larger.

I sort of went a different route on buying my rotary cutter. I have a basic metal shop in my barn. So, when I shopped for a rotary cutter I didn't care how strong the deck was. Even the absolute strongest factory rotary cutter decks now look like they are weak compared to mine. I was really only interested in the hp rating of the gear box and that the sheet metal on the deck was of a reasonable gauge.

My rotary cutter now has an entire framework around it and suporting it made from 2" (3/8" wall) square tubing. I used two complete 20' sticks of the tubing in making this frame and strengthening the deck. I also used 1/2" boiler plate for the new skids on the bottom of each side. I guess I added about 500 to 600 pounds to the weight of the cutter. Yeah, I know, a little overkill. I can use my mower as a battering ram now. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Also, I installed a slip clutch at the gear box as well. Because of past experience, I don't do shear pins on a rotary cutter. If you use the shear pins, be sure to bring yourself a bushel basket of them each time you go mowing! And, make sure you bring a complete machine shop to remove the PTO shaft from the gear box when the shear bolt snaps and you don't immediately notice and the PTO shaft welds itself onto the gear box input shaft. You'll need a torch, a set of pullers, a case of WD40, a couple tubes of grease, snap ring pliers, a slide hammer, and a few hours. Yeah, I wonder how I know that routine! /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

 

[Cabinholler]

creeper

The International brand 7 foot heavy duty lift type rotary cutter for $1,500.00 is the cheapest brand rotary cutter that I have found so far. I am going to take look at this brand of rotary cutter in a day or so.

There is a dealer near me that sells the Howse brand rotary cutter. I will also take a look at this rotary cutter before I buy any other brand.

Yes! I can take the front loader bucket off, or the whole loader arms in a snap without using any tools. There is one lever on the front bucket to pull to release it, and there is one lever on each side of the loader to pull to release the whole loader from the tractor. All that would be left on the tractor after the complete loader is taken off is the loader frame that is under the tractor that the complete loader sits on.

Cabinholler

 

[JRobyn]

I love my BH 286 (6'). Built like a tank. Bought it Mar 04 for $1600 with front chain guard.

 

[BarryinMN]

Here is a pix of my 5.5' JD trailer style mower. The Zetor doesn't know it's back there. It bent the cutter blade bar 1st time out. It was pulled by our JD A since '69.

I've been drooling at a heavy duty JD 10' 3 point mower, about 2K lbs. A twin blade mower is wider but not as deep works faster for trimming along tree lines & keeps the cab further away from branches etc. The dealer will give me $300 for the Gyramor on trade.

I've lifted shipping containers wiith the 3 point without the front wheels coming off the ground. Depends on your slopes & hills but 1-1.5K on the 3 point probably not worry any about weights.

 

[Cabinholler]

The Bush Hog and Woods brand rotary cutter is a way to high in price here in Central Kentucky for me to buy one of those rotary cutters. It looks like so far price wise, that I will be buying a International, or Howse brand rotary cutter. I can get the 7 foot lift type 75 horsepower gearbox International 702 heavy duty rotary cutter for $1,500.00, and the very same size International rotary cutter in a heavy duty pull type for $2,000.00. I can get the 7 foot lift type 100 horsepower gearbox Howse HD7DC heavy duty rotary cutter for $1,595.00, and the very same size Howse rotary cutter in a heavy duty pull type for $2,700.00. Also, if I want to go with a 8 foot heavy duty HD8DC Howse rotary cutter, I can get it for $3,280.00. Both the International and Howse brand rotary cutters do not come with guards on them per the dealer that I checked with. If I want guards on them, I will have to buy them extra, or make some myself. I do want guards on any brand of rotary cutter that I use.

If I was doing a lot of bush hog work all the time, I might buy a Bush Hog or Woods brand rotary cutter. I will be using a rotary cutter just a few times a year to keep the grass in my fields cut, and I just don't see paying the high price for a Bush Hog, or Woods brand rotary cutter to be just using it a few times a year.

I know a lot of people on this board will not agree with me on this decision to buy a International, or Howse brand rotary cutter that use Bush Hog, or Woods brand rotary cutters, but I need to save as much money on this rotary cutter that I can possibly do. On 02/18/05, I bought a new 55 PTO tractor with cab, with 4X4, and with a loader. Anyone that has bought a new tractor and loader of any brand, or size lately knows that new tractors with loaders are out of site price wise.

I still haven't made up my mind for sure to buy a lift type, or pull type rotary cutter. There will be pros and cons about this issue from different people on the board here. I think my 55 PTO tractor can handle a 7 foot life type rotary cutter ok, because weight wise, it weighs 7,500 pounds, and I have a 2,100 pound loader on the front. If I buy a 7 foot lift type rotary cutter, I probably will have to keep the loader on it to have weight on the front end. The 7 foot, or 8 foot pull type rotary cutter would be real nice also. If the 7 foot and 8 foot pull type rotary cutter wasn't several dollars more, I would go with a pull type rotary cutter. Now, I got to make up my mind if I want to pay more and get a pull type rotary cutter, or save some money, and get a 7 foot lift type rotary cutter.

Cabinholler