First post, smallest tractor for 5' brush hog?

[broncosfan]

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.

 

[Frog5234]

Don't know about others but Kioti CK20 will run a 5 ft brushhog and 5 ft box blade. I have been using this setup for 6 months with no harm to tractor or me. hope this helps.

 

[Z-Michigan]

I don't know that a 2305 is out of the question, though it would be smallish.

Basic rule of thumb is 5 PTO hp per foot, so 25 PTO hp in your case. Pasture grass is generally not the most difficult thing to cut so you wouldn't need too much over that, unless you have truly lush pastures of some tough grass (bromegrass, really tall fescue, some southern grasses I don't know much about). Something like a Kubota B7800, Deere 2320 or 3120, various other models in that range would probably work fine.

Any other tasks for the tractor? That will be important too.

 

[RoyJackson]

A Kubota B7510.

I bought my 5' cutter from a Kubota dealer who also sold Land Pride. I had a 16.5 HP Deere 670 based upon the dealer's assertion that they sold these 60" standard duty cutters to B7500 owners. Powerwise, the B7500 and 670 were very close.
Land Pride recommended 20 PTO HP minimum (4 HP per foot) and I was running it with 16.5 HP which is about 3½ HP per foot (the B7500 was about the same PTO HP).

The 670 did a fine job, so I think it's safe to assume the B7500 (now B7510) would do well too...at least as far as brush cutting.

The hindrance with the B7500 or B7510 might be the weight of the cutter if you wanted to transport with it raised. I could with my 670 (as long as the FEL was installed), but the 670 weighed a few hundred pounds more then the B7500. However, even with the 670 (and my current 790), I towed the cutter more often then transported it raised. This isn't something you'd want to do any great distance though.

Anyway...the question was what is the smallest tractor that can run a 5' cutter. Well, the Kubota B7500 is the machine.
That's if we're talking new tractors. Used Deeres would be the 755, 855, 670 and 770. The pictures attached show the 5' Land Pride rigged to the 670.

I don't know where the 5 HP per foot number came from...I think it's one of those internet suggestions that eventually became "fact".

 

[DmansPadge]

As for Kubota... I would say a B7510DT (17 PTO HP) would be about the least I'd go with. A more comfortable fit would be a B7800.

 

[jbrumberg]

Broncosfan:

Welcome to TBN ! As usual I agree with Roy. I have no clue as to origin of the "5HP per Foot Rule" either, but I have tended to follow the "Rule". My 23+HP PTO handles my 60" medium duty RC without difficulty and I have cut some nasty stuff including softwood saplings (poplar) in the +1.5" range. I got interested in the evolution of this rule and I did find this information in "The Compact Tractor Bible"- "The power (required) is typically 2 horsepower per foot of cut for light-duty rotary mowing and 5 horsepower per foot of cut for brush hogs capable of smashing 2-inch-diameter saplings. Hope this helps- Jay

 

[PBinWA]

Other than the PTO HP requirement you would want to consider the weight of the tractor. The 5' ft. Brush Hog can be a big heavy tail. The momentum of the blades will cause the tractor to vibrate more. If you have hills then the weight of the brush hog may make the tractor too light in the front end.

If you get a light tractor you may want to consider a light cutter. Or you may have to add some weights to the front end to keep things manageable.

Just another issue that is often over looked.

PB

 

[jbrumberg]

PBinWA:

I agree. I leave my FEL on (and low) for balance as well as to knock stuff over and find an/or carry things. Jay

 

[GreenWannabe]

JD suggests 790, 990, 2520 and up in the 20 series, 4210 and up in the 10 series (and I would assume 4200 and up in the earlier 4000 series). The LX5 was rated at min 18 hp, Frontier light duty 60" at 20 hp

 

[RalphVa]

It isn't hp; it's weight you have to watch for. A friend of mine ran a 5' brush hog with a 16 hp Kubota. He said he needed to put suitcase weights on the front, as he didn't have a FEL.

The 2310 and 4010 take the same implements. They're both the same weight, but the 4010 only has 18.5 hp vs. 23 or so in the 2310. My 4010 would drive a 5' hog long if I didn't have to horse it around too much on hills; be a bit too much weight back there on some situations on hills.

Ralph

 

[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.