Bushog what brand?

Gatorboy · May 9, 2005

Woods doesn't make a very good batwing... Plain and simple...
I wouldn't hesitate for one second to recommend the Woods single spindle 3-point mowers though.... 

I appreciate hearing this. I won't be so quick to dismiss the Woods product line on non-batwing models.

Indydirtfarmer · May 9, 2005

Woods tends to cater to the 35 to 60 HP tractor "user". Most of their product line is in that range. They build good landscape equipment (box scrapers, rakes, blades, ect.) They should have stayed out of the "big" market entirely though. I demo-ed a new Woods 15'er a couple years back. The primary gear box failed as I was using it. (With less than 2 hours total use)

Bush Hog, Alamo, Rhino, Shultde (?) and recently, John Deere have cornered the market on the bigger "high horsepower" stuff. I'm currently using Bush Hog batwings.

Moon · May 9, 2005

I bought one made by international. It was half the cost of a woods medium duty cutter. Not sure what part of the country your in, but the international i bought was made here in Ohio. I've had it 3 years now with no problems. It's a mutiflorra eating machine!

Moon of Ohio

Soundguy · May 9, 2005

( I would stay away from the really light (looking) ones, you won't save that much in the long run, their Junk. (Sold at TSC, Northern Equipment, etc.) )

That may be your opinion.. but it hasn't been my experience.

I have a "junk" 5' KK rotary mower from TSC.. have had it 5 years almost now.. pulle dit behind my ex-NH 1920 .. that tractor will tote a 6' mower.. so the 5' was getting a work out. I usually was cutting stuff taller than the tractor. It found it's fair share of buried lumber, and skinned more ant hills and mole hills than i can count. Probably been thru a couple shaer pins a season.. Pto shaft is nice and tight, and oem shield is still intact.. no leaks on the gear box.. OEM set of blades is still in perfect condition.. OEM paint hasn't worn thru yet.. though is scratched deeply in places. NO rust ont he deck.. slight surface rust from scratches onthe a-frame... no bends, etc. Hud or rear laminated tire is fine.
Not bad for a 500$ mower... I don't baby it at all. The tail wheel mount has been known to knock over a fence post or two as well.

Last year I upgraded to a 10' howse mower.. that's another one of those "junk" mowers. I mows 1" woody stuff and tall brush, and 3' deep weeds and grass like butter. I've accidentally knocked a sweet gum tree or two over ( 3" / 15' tall ) and made mulch out of it. That mower is toted by a Nh 7610s.. again..way more tractor than the mower needs..

No leaks.. no blade problems, or pto shaft problems.. tail wheel hubs ar good, as well as the tail wheel rocker lift shaft. Deck and 3pt frame is massive.. 1/2 inch metal in some areas.. mower weighs a couple thousand pounds... part of their heavy duty line... You do realize that these "junk" dealers offer many lines.. ranging from economy to heavy duty?

My stepfather has a 6' howse rotarty cutter.. economy line.. pulls it with his 50-hp JD 2240.. mower is in rough shape now.. but it's over 10ys old. still oem blades seals and gearbox.. no leaks.. deck has been damaged by running into trees and stumps. Almost lost a blade bolt fromt he carrier, and let the blade put an arc shaped gouge int he deck.. but didn't penetrate... So, in the 10+ years.. it got 1 new blade bolt and nut, and a weld patch on the deck... pretty good for a junk 500$ mower eh?

You are also overlooking an important feature of an economy mower.. weight. many tractors may have the hp to run.. say.. a 5' mower.. but are on the light side.. or have a lift that may not lift a huge heavy duty mower. That's where an economy mower comes in.. they have less metal, and are lighter / lighter duty. An old ford 8n can spin a 5' mower.. bt the rear lift is only good for about 750# before the front end comes off the ground.. and then if you have weight on the front, and an excelent hydro system, you might get 1000 to 1200 punds out of it.. but that is reaching.. my guess is closer to 900-1000#. I've seen heavy duty 5' mowers that exceded that weight... those woulddn't be an option.. etc.

Based on price.. I can buy a "junk" mower.. use it till all the goods gone, and then repalce it with another, say at the end of 12 years. that puts me with a brand new mower after 12 years of use.. and with the purchase of the 2 mowers.. I'm still in for less cash than if i had bought a single high dollar unit, which at the end of 12 years should still be running ok.. though isn't new... etc. I'll go with thos numbers any day...

Soundguy

BB_TX · May 9, 2005

Like Soundguy, I have a "junk" 6' Howse light duty rotary cutter that I bought over 5 years ago. I mow about 5 acres every 2-3 weeks and another 6-7 acres about 3 times a year. I have also cut a lot of brush, cedars, and small saplings as I clear along my creek and fence rows, often hitting stumps and large chunks of wood hidden in the grass. It works great for me. No leaks, rarely shears a bolt, and runs smooth. Paid about $500 for it and would do it again.

KubotaSteve · May 9, 2005

I'm like soundguy and Bill, I bought one of those 5' (cheap) rotary cutter from CT Farm & Country about 10 or 12 years ago. I used it on a tractor that was really too big for it until I got my 7800 and it has handled everything we've thrown at it. My dad has run over trees with it, rocks, stumps, etc. It is beat up pretty good and has went through its share of shear pins, but runs like a top and doesn't leak any fluid. If I had it to do all over, I would go with the cheap one again.

JoeinTX · May 9, 2005

I have to agree with the fellas immediately above me....

I honestly do not know what some people are doing with their shredders to tear them up so fast....? I've used a number of older shredders which could be considered "off-brand" and I've recently bought a new Howse for another tractor. Never had a Bush Hog or a Rhino or a Woods....yet I've never had any of mine fly apart.
I do believe that, while good, the name brands are a little overrated and overpriced, while some of the lesser brands are underpriced and underappreciated.

The Howse/King Kutter/IMC will be really good equipment for a lot of users and it all depends on what you're intending to do with it.

If you're planning on using this thing to cut pasture grass, 1" material, etc....these will do fine....

If you want a machine to cut paths into overgrown mesquite pastures, then the Dale Phillips or Brown cutters are the ticket...

slowrev · May 9, 2005

I have an old 5" bushhog brand brand bushhog. was bought at auctin several years ago. Rebel is the model of it. built heavy works great. Had to put new bearings in the flapper type tailwheel this past winter, and had done nothing else to it.
It also has a chain supporting the rear instead of straps that just bend when you go thru dips. I suppose it will get a new paintjob next winter.

I would not mind having a 7 ft one, but this five footer serves me well.
Ben

ThistleKop · May 9, 2005

If you go with Rhino, you most likely won't need to worry about parts service.



Dave,
You're correct Dave. I've had the 7 ft. Rhino for yrs. Takes a licking and keeps on....... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

TK

Cabinholler · May 10, 2005

Fellows! Let me get this straight on Howse rotary cutters. Several on this post are stating that Howse rotary cutters are cheap and a pile of junk. About a month ago, I bought a new HD8DC Howse 8 foot heavy duty rotary cutter pull type with a 100 horsepower gearbox. So far, I haven't used this rotary cutter very much, but I am getting ready to. The price that I paid for this cutter was not cheap, and the cutter isn't made up cheap. I bought this cutter to cut grass fields, not to cut 4 inch oak trees down. There could be other brands of cutters out there that would cut larger stuff than a Howse brand, and stand up better than a Howse brand, but who knows for sure. One thing for sure that I know, I am not going to pay $5,000.00 or more for a 8 foot pull type poplar brand rotary cutter to cut grass fields on my farm. Yes, I paid a lot less than $5,000.00 for this 8 foot pull type Howse rotary cutter than the other top brands of rotary cutters.

Starting this week, I am going to find out if this Howse rotary cutter is a cheap pile of junk.

Cabinholler