Can cutter width be TOO small?

[citytransplant]

I can't begin to thank you folks enough for all the feedback.

I was eyeballing a Bush Hog SQ420 on eBay that was initially listed at $499 auction style (it closed today at $636 ... someone got a nice deal on an almost new unit). That implement new here in Central New York runs about $1,250 plus tax. After reading all the comments above, I decided that the smaller shredder isn't the way to go.

I will bite the bullet and lay out over a grand for a new 5' or be patient and buy used at a reasonable price.

Great information from a great bunch of folks.

Fun filled and safe holiday weekend to all.

 

[whistlepig]

You will want a brush hog as wide as your rear tires. Anything narrower will leave a strip along your fences and boundaries that will have to be cut by hand. You would not like this. As far as a brush hog leaving strips this can be controlled by mowing at the right height. If it is too tall it won't stand all the way up under the brush hog. Just the tops get nipped off. The newer brush hogs have high lift blades. My two year old Land Pride has high lift blades. The only advantage of the high lift blades to me is to suck every bit of dust and dead grass out of the ground and deposit it on me and the tractor. As far as the tires mashing the grass down this won't be an issue if the mowing is done at the proper height. My neighbor has a manicured two acre front lawn he mows with a front end ZTR mower. No tire tracks for him. I have an eight acre front lawn that I mow with a RFM. My yard is every bit as nice as his. You can't tell the difference between a good mid mount mower and a good RFM.

 

[citytransplant]

Well thanks again for all of the great feedback. Yesterday I had a shiny new 5' Razorback delivered. I've learned that it makes perfect sense to have a cutter at least as wide as the tractor's wheelbase.

Unfortunately after less than an hour in the field, my PTO lever became frozen in the disengaged position. My new cutter sits in my pasture about as useful as a chocolate teapot.

Please see "PTO lever frozen" in the "parts/repair" section for pics and an elaboration on my PTO issue.

Thanks again to all that provided input into my right-sized rotary cutter decision.

 

[schmism]

buy a 5' used one and still save the $500 over a new one.

 

[GreenLawnFarm]

while wide is more economical, i can see where a smaller mower could be useful with a slower tip speed and the narrower the deck the better you can follow uneven ground.