JD790

Anonymous Poster · May 8, 2001

I just ordered a 790 with R4's, 4x4 and FEL for use on a small horse farm. Major chore will be mowing about 15 acres of flat pasture/lawn. Loader work will be for light duty of moving/removing bedding and manure for a 19-stall barn.

Any recommendations for a pull behind grooming mower for the 790? I'd like to go with a 6' mower to get the job done efficiently while not overloading the tractor. Even the dealer admits that the JD mowers are a little pricey for non-commercial use. Any input will be appreciated. I'm in the Tidewater Virginia area (Chesapeake, Virginia Beach, Norfolk) so there are several dealers that can offer parts support such as Agri-supply.

Anonymous Poster · May 9, 2001

KING KUTTER FREE FLOATING FINISHING MOWERS
lead the way in performance and quality. It is constructed of heavy 3/16" deck material, heavy-duty wheels, and heat-treated 1/4"-thick blades. The versatile machine mows on level or unleveled ground. Standard equipment on all King Kutter free floating finishing mowers includes a 40hp gearbox, shielded PTO shaft, gauge wheels and a self-tightening belt that reduces slippage. King Kutter's specially designed hitch allows one side of the mower to raise to a height of up to 16" (15.5 degrees) while the other side remains on the ground. This lets the mower follow the contour of the ground.
Available @ Quality Farm/Central Tractor/TSC etc.
{Average Retail $999. for 6 foot, $899. for 5 foot}
_________________
Also check with RobS, as he has a JD790 as well...

RobS · May 9, 2001

I do have a 790 as John mentioned, but I don't currently have a finish mower. The 790 pulls a 5' rotary cutter through dense, tall weeds with no problem. I'm sure it would easily handle a 5-6' mower.

Congratulations on your tractor order. The 790 is a lot of tractor for the money /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

GaryK · May 9, 2001

I know the belly mowers from JD are pricey but nothing beats them, they are rugged and easy to maneuver around trees etc. With a rear mower you have to contend with the swing of the mower

Anonymous Poster · May 9, 2001

I just can't recommend the King Kutter. I have a 60" one and it moves too much side to side for my liking. I have figured out a low tech low buck fix but it should not have been necessary. Your 790 will handle the 72" with no problem.

-Don M

Anonymous Poster · May 13, 2001

Thanks for the input on the grooming mower for the JD790. I called the manfacturer of King Kutter and got a quote of about $1400 for a 72" pull behind, side discharge. I was also told that I would have to locate a dealer in my area to purchase the unit. I located a dealer who has a 60" in stock but the price is $1099. He said he could order the 72" unit for $1299 plus freight. My other alternative is a 72" Caroni that can be purchased in a side or rear discharge model for $939 from Agri-Supply. Another dealer in my area sells the same unit for $1199 and says he has sold over 50 Caronis and has personally been using a Caroni for about 8 years with belt and blade replacement the only major maintenance cost. Anyone have any bad (or good) experiences with the Caroni? Thanks for any additional input. By-the-way, the dealer delivering my JD790 says they can get the King Kutter, but suggested that I find an alternate source if this is the unit I would like. They prefer to sell Land Pride or Woods since they stock the replacement parts for these units.