How much HP needed for a 72" belly mower?

[mecan]

Belly mower only takes up less space when its hooked up, mine usually sits in the garage except when I'm mowing, less to worry about when working with the loader or grapple.

 

[sixdogs]

I mow mine at a 2 inch height and always end up with a mess of grass to rake up. I hate sweeping up grass! Have you ever tried it that low? My land used to be pasture for cows. I don't like mowing much in the heat of summer and it takes half my weekend up. That might change if i ever get a decent tractor one thing i don't like about a rear finish mower is it will take up a lot of extra space in the garage that a belly mower wouldn't.

Looks like you have a nice setup thanks for the pics!

I have never mowed at 2". Well, I did once but it was too much work sweeping up.

When I mow at 3 1/2" with the 7 ft mower, everyone thinks I'm mowing at 2" or so. It must be the wider width makes it look shorter. Not sure why but I'm sure some TBN'er knows.

Seven ft is soooo easy and despite rain 28 days out of 30 here this year--and lots of it--I never raked or swept one blade of grass and had zero clumping or anything. Plus the lawn looks way better, greener and thicker. I'm never going back to a short lawn.


EDIT--On the storage space, add on or build another barn. You eventually will anyway so why not now?

 

[4570Man]

Here are some pictures of what I mowed with my 72" rear discharge mower. I pulled it with my B7100 which is only 17 hp. I unhooked the finish mower and finished with the belly mower because it couldn't turn the finish mower. It does ok in regular grass with the finish mower, but this grass was two weeks high. I don't have enough cell phone signal to upload the pictures, I will post them when I get home.

 

[mecan]

Big pole building would be great but was either get the tractor and wait on the barn or get the barn and wait on the tractor. Was looking at a lot of projects I didn't want to do with a shovel and wheel barrow. Soo someday swmbo will get to park in the garage, just not for a couple more years

 

[4570Man]

Here are some pictures of what I mowed with my 72" rear discharge mower. I pulled it with my B7100 which is only 17 hp. I unhooked the finish mower and finished with the belly mower because it couldn't turn the finish mower. It does ok in regular grass with the finish mower, but this grass was two weeks high. I don't have enough cell phone signal to upload the pictures, I will post them when I get home.

That finish mower has a blade tip speed of 26,000 FPM. Yes you read that right and it is blistering fast. The tractor would do ok with a slower mower.