Disc mower on a compact tractor

[Ridersupfarm]

Does anyone have experience using a Krone 283 9' disc mower (or similar) on a compact tractor such as an L3130? If so, please share results.
Tx

 

[Halftrack]

No offense, but your dreaming. Minimum of 100 hp to pick it up and preferably 150 hp to spin it in tough conditions. Even a 5 rotor disc will overwhelm your bota. You might consider a 5' 2 rotor drum mower, or a 7' New Holland haybine.

 

[sixdogs]

I've had 9' -- New Idea/Case IH -- disc mower conditioners and to mow timothy hay took maybe 90HP. Disc mowers eat horsepower is a common saying. I also transported this mower with a 40 hp tractor and turned it on from time to time to see what would happen.

It would mow grass up to maybe 6" if I went very slow. If I went faster the mower would bog the tractor down or stall it. Note the grass was not high enough to go through the conditioner rolls.

You didn't explain your plans but if it's mowing typical grass and weeds you could likely do it it you want very slow, maybe up to 1 mph and worked the engine extra hard. It's probable you wouldn't have enough hp to mow very much and it wouldn't work.

 

[Ridersupfarm]

Thanks both. I've used this mower for years with my M7060 Kubota through all types of heavy hay with no issues what-so-ever. Not sure why someone would need 100hp. I was toying with the idea of using the L3130 for a backup but even the mower manufacturer recommends 50hp so we'll shelve this "brilliant" idea. Thanks again for the insight.

 

[Farmer495]

Thanks both. I've used this mower for years with my M7060 Kubota through all types of heavy hay with no issues what-so-ever. Not sure why someone would need 100hp. I was toying with the idea of using the L3130 for a backup but even the mower manufacturer recommends 50hp so we'll shelve this "brilliant" idea. Thanks again for the insight.

M7060 will handle it fine as you state. It's more so the weight and stability of the tractor than the HP.

I ran a 5 pot on a well ballasted (heavy) older 42 PTO HP utility for years, mower said 40 PTO HP required. I had one dealer tell me it was impossible to run a disc mower on that tractor and I needed a bigger tractor.

I think 3130 might physically cut hay...at a slow speed...but would not safely handle the lifting and transport.

 

[LightningCamaroGuy]

We used 60 HP Farmtrac 665's to operate a Gribaldi & Salvia DM207 for years. This is a 9.5' disc mower. My 5075E had 0 issues with it. I would even take the FEL off for an easier to maneuver, and less bounce ride in the bumpy fields. Unless you just get reckless l, hauling butt on bumpy ground, the mower's weight wasn't too much for the chassis to safely manage. A M7060 should have no problem with the typical 9' disc mower. Allow me to picture hwore for you.



We now use a drum mower as that disc mower got old and worn, we don't farm grass as much as we used to, disc mowers are expensive to buy and up keep in comparison to drum mowers. They are more complex than drum mowers, require more maintenance than a drum mower, are easier to damage than drum mowers, and while disc mowers usually cut a wider swath, generally speaking you have to run them in a lower gear, at lower speeds, so even at an extra 3.5' over the drum mower, the disc mower only saves around 30 minutes cutting 20+ acres.

 

[rodneyn]

Does anyone have experience using a Krone 283 9' disc mower (or similar) on a compact tractor such as an L3130? If so, please share results.
Tx

Yes, I ran Lely 6’ behind kioti lk3054 for years. But 9’ that requires minimum 60 hp class 2 3 pt hitch. My Lely was class 1. Granted 40 hp would have been better by the Kioti handled it. The others that responded are correct disc mowers are super heavy. My unit weighed over 1300 lbs.

 

[5030]

Rule of thumb is 10 pto horses for every pot. Main reason why I had my M9's cranked up a bit. I run a New Holland center point 8 disc machine but it is also a conditioner, not just a cutter.

The M9's handle it just fine, but I know it's back there, especially when I have the crimp rolls tight. I keep sharp knives on it as well, change them out every fall.

 

[zzvyb6]

... and yet I easily ran a NH479 MoCo behind a 22 h.p. Yanmar in the late 80's. Didn't have a 'live' or 2 stage pto. One clutch was all you got. I could run in high gear on flat ground. We loved the way the fast travel with fixed sickle speeds left a cool pattern in the fields.

I'm still using that mower today behind a 35 hp JD 1070. Didn't need the power, but the weight in order to manage towing around a NH Stack wagon.

 

[RayIN]

... and yet I easily ran a NH479 MoCo behind a 22 h.p. Yanmar in the late 80's. Didn't have a 'live' or 2 stage pto. One clutch was all you got. I could run in high gear on flat ground. We loved the way the fast travel with fixed sickle speeds left a cool pattern in the fields.

I'm still using that mower today behind a 35 hp JD 1070. Didn't need the power, but the weight in order to manage towing around a NH Stack wagon.

Dad and I had one of those conditioners. We pulled with a MF 135 (slow ground speed) unless the 4' tall grass was heavy, then used a MF165, which never ran out of power with the crimp roller tight.
I'd have to watch any 22 HP tractor pull one through the grass hay we grew.