Finish mower - BEFCO Cyclone C30

NC tractor driver · Aug 31, 2015

Anyone have any experience with the BEFCO Cyclone finish mowers? I found this one on Craigslist: 5' CYCLONE FINISH MOWER

It looks a little rough and before I drive 2 hours to look at it I thought I'd seek the opinions of the group here. My tractor is a Kubota B7610 and I don't have much to mow (a couple acres and I don't need it pristine, just knock the grass down), but it's more than I want to tackle with my push mower and since I have the Kubota it seems like it's a better idea to get a finish mower instead of a separate lawn tractor.

This is a C30 and I understand that the C50 is much more rugged, but then again, will the C30 do what I need it to?

Thanks in advance for any sage advice.

ShowroomShine · Aug 31, 2015

I dont have first hand experience with the C30, but most BEFCO items are good stuff. Any RFM will cut grass, some may do it better than others. Rear discharge will spread clippings more evenly for a smoother cut, while a side discharge will cut more like a lawn mower.

The one thing I dont like about the C30 is the low blade tip speed at 14,763 fpm. I like tip speeds of 16,000 fpm or more, but it should still cut well enough.

NC tractor driver · Aug 31, 2015

ShowroomShine said:
I dont have first hand experience with the C30, but most BEFCO items are good stuff. Any RFM will cut grass, some may do it better than others. Rear discharge will spread clippings more evenly for a smoother cut, while a side discharge will cut more like a lawn mower.

The one thing I dont like about the C30 is the low blade tip speed at 14,763 fpm. I like tip speeds of 16,000 fpm or more, but it should still cut well enough.

Thanks for the information. That helps.

Gator6x4 · Aug 31, 2015

The Befco C-30 is a ground contact mower. Examine the wheels and pivots very carefully for wear. Without proper lubing the wheel pivots wear and the mower support wheels instead of running straight and true will cause lawn damage when turning. They are a tough mower and properly maintained will last a long time. Check the PTO gear box also for signs of oil leakage and open the fill plug and make sure it contains oil not grease. If filled with grease that is a sure indicator a seal is bad or wear is causing oil leakage. Some of the Befco mowers also have a anti scalp wheel in the center front. Check that also for wear and tear if the unit has one. Check the decking for lumps and bumps, a sure indicator the unit was used in a rocky environment and rocks were rattled around under the unit.