First post, smallest tractor for 5' brush hog?

[Rusty]

I have used a Ford 8N and then a Kubota B7500-HSD with a 5' rotary cutter on my 5 acre pasture. For the last 3 years, I have used a 5' MMM under the B7500, while pulling a 4' wide flex tine harrow. HP has not been a problem. I mowed 4 acres of pasture with this set up yesterday.

 

[Iowachild]

Roy,
Are the tires on your 790 what are called bar turfs?

 

[RoyJackson]

Roy,
Are the tires on your 790 what are called bar turfs?

Yes they are, and they worked quite well.
BTW, that's a Deere 670 which shares many components and sheet metal with the 790. The 790 is about 6-8 inches taller (mostly due to taller tires).

 

[milkman]

First post here, I am trying to find what is the smallest tractor that can run a light duty 5 foot brush-hog/rotary mower for pasture grass? What's the smallest new deere and Kubota that can do this? I only know the deere 2305 and BX2350 are out of the question. Thanks in advance.

With front weight, or the FEL, I use 5 foot brush-hog/roatry mower on the TPH with my BX2200, don't know who says it is out of the question.

 

[jbrumberg]

With front weight, or the FEL, I use 5 foot brush-hog/roatry mower on the TPH with my BX2200, don't know who says it is out of the question.

Milkman:

I agree with you, it depends what you are cutting. I believe that a BX2200 puts out 16.7 HP at the PTO which works out to 3.34HP per Cutting Foot with your 5' RC which would put your setup in the medium duty range of cutting requirements based on that "written rule" I quoted earlier (somehwere I read that would mean saplings >1" (but I just got out of work and it's the 4th so I am too lazy to find my source). But as you stated about tractor balance and what others have mentionned in past posts in other threads about terrain slope as well as 3PH lift capacities as important safety criteria in RC selection. Theoretically if one would use the "math" in that written rule 16.7 PTO HP could run an +8' RC in a light duty application . I would not be surprised if a TBN member will post having done just that ; and theoretically it is feasible. I read somewhere a long, long time ago that a beetle is incapable of flight, but nobody ever told the beetle ! Just keep doing what you are doing. Jay

PS: I love your atavar. It looks serious .

 

[milkman]

Jay, I don't think I'll try the 8' cutter, but I like the looks of the 6' tiller.

 

[jbrumberg]

Jay, I don't think I'll try the 8' cutter, but I like the looks of the 6' tiller.

Milkman:

That book states 7 to 15 PTO HP per foot of tiller depending on the tilling depth. I do not believe this factoid at all as my 23.6 PTO HP drives my 58" tiller through some heavy and rocky NE sod/soil (I do make two passes, 3 with virgin sod.) without difficulty and I can get down 8" in my garden. Theoretically that works out to to a 3' tiller. I believe someone (was it you?) tried this set up and said it worked. I bet a foward rotation tiller that size on your tractor would give an interesting bouncy, teeth chattering, rear end pounding ride. Who knows what a reverse rotation tiller would do? I would love to hear your tilling experiences with that setup ! Jay

 

[Renob]

I run a 5' light duty cutter on my BX24 with no problems. usually cut weed fields at a height of 3-6 foot. Many times grass is very thick in the spring and never had a problem with power. 17.7 PTO hp, by the way.

 

[milkman]

I run a 5' light duty cutter on my BX24 with no problems. usually cut weed fields at a height of 3-6 foot. Many times grass is very thick in the spring and never had a problem with power. 17.7 PTO hp, by the way.

Thanks for posting that photo, that looks just like the mower that I use, it belongs to my brother, I think it is International Machine something out of Ohio.