conflicting advice on using bucket with rotary cutter

[4570Man]

If I was in ground nasty enough to worry about knocking the front axel off the tractor I’d much rather use this. The tractor works way better with the FEL arms removed.

 

[SetterDog]

I leave mine on ......... I cutter a bunch of farm lanes and set a side, so I drive it around. If nothing else the bucket is a good place to put a couple fuel cans and of course the cooler

 

[ptsg]

The other day, I was mowing brush as tall as the tractor on a 20 to 25 degree slope with a bunch of trees spread randomly. No way I could walk the field or do that job with the loader on. It would make the chances of rolling the tractor even higher. Most of my mowing is actually done by going backwards since the brush is so high.

 

[m1garand762]

Leave it on run it low and curl it back to knock down the weeds. It lessens the time spent cleaning the radiator screen

 

[mikester]

I put the grapple on so I can move fallen branches and trees if I have to.

 

[Lineman North Florida]

I leave mine on, if I get to a fence or something that I want to mow up to close or in a fence corner I just raise it, for some reason mine raises and lowers real easy, depending on the situation as to the height that I keep the bucket at if I don't know the ground that I am mowing it stays down low enough with the bucket curled upwards to possibly detect any objects that might cause me grief, it also is helpful when mowing taller weeds with dry seed heads for catching a lot that seed rather than it getting pulled into my radiator screen, I just dump the bucket when I finish and the seed pile is surprising. Everybody has a different way and reasoning for doing things the way that they do, you need to find out what works best for you as there is no one answer that fit's all situations.

 

[Thomas]

I leave the bucket on about foot above the ground,comes in handy moving trees that fallen in field also extra weight mowing slopes.

 

[5030]

I previously had a 10ft 3pt mounted JD cutter. When I removed the FEL I added 1000lbs of suitcase weights to the front. It was a heavy cutter!!!

I have / had the same issue with the open station with the 8 foot Landpride on the back (loader off), another reason I leave it on. The one time I shredded with the loader completely off, she wanted to 'wheelie' when I put the shuttle in forward. Quite an experience. No issue with the bat wing as it's drawbar pulled.

Steering was 'exceptionally' light, like a spirts car....lol

In reality, the only time I use either cutter is after I take off hay to level everything out and get the corners I miss with the disc machine. I also do the triangular piece next to my property that the guy who owns it never farms as it's too small to turn his big equipment in and I like keeping it chopped so the noxious weeds don't produce seeds that can blow into my hay and cause weed propagation. Of course he don't even own a shredder. I'm more convenient I guess.

 

[3gunr]

At my farm there is always a tree or something that has to be moved, A new washout or hole needing to be filled , the loader stays on, For finish mowing around the house it would make it easier with it off but i have done it for so long i just leave it on.

 

[IndyJay]

At my farm there is always a tree or something that has to be moved, A new washout or hole needing to be filled , the loader stays on, For finish mowing around the house it would make it easier with it off but i have done it for so long i just leave it on.

Same here. When mowing there are often downed branches along the edge of the field and even trees when mowing the trails. It is nice to have the bucket (and now grapple) to move them out of the way. Also, having something attached is great for clearing spider webs across the trails. Yeah, the bucket/grapple does stick out front making turns a bit tighter but you can raise above fences and such. To me it is worth the trade-off.