Can't decide X748 or 2305

[ChuckinNH]

For that windy stream, you really need a different mower to be safe. I would look at a small sickle bar mower. Send Ken Sweet a PM, and see if he has anything, or can point you in the right direction. Otherwise, I would think a pull behind mower that can be offset like the swisher would be best. A ride into that brook is not a good thing on any tractor. The other option is to let the grass grow there. More roots, and trees give shelter to fish that might live there, and stabilize the banks.

 

[Builder]

Agree. A small sickle would be great. The crew that cut the grass before me used 2 zero turns to cut the whole place. I am concerned with cave-ins-especially in spring, but I have to cut off the expenses and amount of attachments somewhere. I am watching for a decent used sickle.

I get about 2' away and weedeat the rest, but it takes 2 full days to weedeat both sides of the stream.

 

[medicshawn]

Have you considered a small tractor and a flail? Agri supply has a caroni 36 47 and 59. I didn't look hard but all the specs on the Agri Supply website say 20-40 Hp. Agri Supply - Search Results for flail

 

[jenkinsph]

The X749 with the 62C for lawns and a two point brush hog setup on a light duty LX series or similar might do the trick. Would involve a little fabrication but the technology should be easily copied from the two point MX8. Might be able to use a 5' LX5 or similar with 12 inches of offset, that should get you alot closer to the edge of the bank.

As I understand it the 62C has more ground clearance in the full up position which would help you when mowing the rougher terrain with the brush hog. The suggestion to look into a small flail that can be offset is a good suggestion too. Should be more manueverable than an offset brush hog.

At any rate the suggestions to use a finish mower deck and a small brush hog for the taller grass has alot of merits. This would allow using the X749 in this scenario, further increasing your manueverability.

 

[TripleR]

Agree. A small sickle would be great. The crew that cut the grass before me used 2 zero turns to cut the whole place. I am concerned with cave-ins-especially in spring, but I have to cut off the expenses and amount of attachments somewhere. I am watching for a decent used sickle.

I get about 2' away and weedeat the rest, but it takes 2 full days to weedeat both sides of the stream.

The worst I have ever been stuck was when an undercut bank gave way thee feet from the edge. I was in my Rhino looking around in the spring prior to mowing. If I had been on my tractor, I don't know how I would have gotten something in there to get it out and the tractor would have overturned.

 

[Gittyup]

Yeah, a flail mower with hydraulic offset might actually be your best bet. Safer around ditches and supposedly cut very nicely.

Have you given good consideration to other tractor brands? I like the TYM T293. It's a lot of HP in a very short package. Should be priced close to where you are with the other two.

 

[Builder]

You guys offer up a lot of great insights. I guess you'd have to "walk a mile in my shoes" or work with me a few days to really see what my tasks are like.

I can only buy one tractor. It must be small enough to fine-finish cut a yard, but big enough to tear through medium height field grass a few times per month. I can't really spend a lot more than the cost of the X748 & deck right now. I always have the option of a used 7-9' sickle on my M-7040 to cut next to the stream gorge. That might make everything easier & safer, but I'd still barely prefer the 7-iron deck and the 2WS over the 62C and the 4WS.

I need some more time to think this through, but I think it will be either Deere 748 or 749. I just can't say enough about how nice these little tractors are. Really haven't heard much bad about them....

 

[bill in ny]

builder, you could always spray roundup along the bank edges

 

[Builder]

builder, you could always spray roundup along the bank edges

:shocked::shocked::confused2:

 

[Gittyup]

My point was that you could get the flail mower in lieu of a MMM. From what I understand they make excellent finish mowers and can still cut high stuff. There's a new 60" with offset capability being sold on ebay for less than $2000. That's less than a MMM. The you could still get AWS (assuming the X700 will pick up the flail).