JD MX6 Brush Hog? Should I Go For It?

[wirlybird]

There is a John Deere MX6 brush hog locally for $1600. Looks to be in decent shape.
It would be used on a 3032E or a 3038E. JD says minimum HP is 30 so it is in line for the 3038E but I image it would do ok on the 3032E for general field grass cutting.
I am looking for a 6 foot rotary cutter and have been holding out for an RC 2072 since its stated PTO HP range starts at 25. These are hard to come by in decent shape.

What do you guys think? Anyone with experience with the MX6?

 

[joecdeere]

Do a little searching on the net for MX-6 gearbox failures, lots of issues with the output shaft breaking, really HD mower with a very crappy gearbox

 

[wirlybird]

Do a little searching on the net for MX-6 gearbox failures, lots of issues with the output shaft breaking, really HD mower with a very crappy gearbox

Very good to know. Thank you.
I'm thinking it is overkill for what I want anyway but it is in decent condition so thought I should consider it.

 

[Hay Dude]

Ran an MX-8 (8’ with 2 gearboxes) real hard for 10 years and never a gearbox issue, or any issue for that matter.

 

[Ortimber]

I run an MX6 behind my 4052R. It is my belief that this mower is too heavy for a 3 series machine. It makes my tractor very light in the front. I don’t have any flat ground, so my experience might be different than others.

 

[wirlybird]

I run an MX6 behind my 4052R. It is my belief that this mower is too heavy for a 3 series machine. It makes my tractor very light in the front. I don’t have any flat ground, so my experience might be different than others.

Thank you. It is looking more and more like I should not get it!

 

[mo1]

There is a John Deere MX6 brush hog locally for $1600. Looks to be in decent shape.
It would be used on a 3032E or a 3038E. JD says minimum HP is 30 so it is in line for the 3038E but I image it would do ok on the 3032E for general field grass cutting.
I am looking for a 6 foot rotary cutter and have been holding out for an RC 2072 since its stated PTO HP range starts at 25. These are hard to come by in decent shape.

What do you guys think? Anyone with experience with the MX6?

I have a newer MX6 with the "revised" gearbox. No issues with it. It is a nice cutter that is sturdier than the light duty units like the RC2072. But at almost 1100 pounds it is probably too much weight for a 3E to handle, it's a better match for a heavier machine. If you are cutting grassy fields, I would look at a light duty cutter, and probably only look at a 6' cutter with the 3038E, stick with a 5'er on the 3032E.

 

[Wyobuckaroo]

I have a RC2060 behind a 2032R (25pto hp)
Has worked well..
I have read different things about the MX series being very good frame mowers.. Quite desireable for that quality..

Never heard about gear box issues..

To me.... A used mower would get a very complete gear box oil drain and replacement before moving an inch..

 

[mo1]

I have a RC2060 behind a 2032R (25pto hp)
Has worked well..
I have read different things about the MX series being very good frame mowers.. Quite desireable for that quality..

Never heard about gear box issues..

To me.... A used mower would get a very complete gear box oil drain and replacement before moving an inch..

At least with the newer single spindle MXes the manual is very specific about making sure the gearbox output shaft nut is properly tightened. There is a big castle nut with a cotter pin going through this shaft. The nut was supposed to have been tightened twice in the first 8 hours to properly seat and then every 50 hours if the mower hits really ugly stuff, and the cotter pin replaced when the nut is tightened. It takes just shy of 450 ft-lb of torque on this nut. If I bought one of these used, I would absolutely make sure this is tight as I am curious if loose hardware wobbling around on the output shaft may have caused or at least contributed to shaft breakage on the earlier units.

There is no oil drain plug at least on the newer gearboxes, you would need to suck the oil out of the fill/breather port to change it.

In addition to tightening the output shaft nut and changing the oil, I would tighten the other fasteners (particularly the blade bolts and gearbox-to-frame bolts), grease everything, and make sure the slip clutch is adjusted. I wonder if some of the units which had output shaft failures didn't have seized slip clutches.

 

[Dave Pic]

I own an MX6. Used it for years behind my JD5203. Never had an issue with the gear box, however, didn't like the angled deck. Hit a rock, stump or something and the blades came up and sliced through the deck like butter. I know that your supposed top avoid those things, but life happens. Here is RI, all we seem to do is grow rocks. I also had a Woods BB 60, and I thought that it was a better built unit. Never had the blade issue.