L2501 I love it BUT

[TBone]

A 6ft hog with the 31HP L3200 should be quite compareable, as you say, to a 5ft hog run by a 25 HP L2501. The old "5 HP per foot rule." Of course "heavy" is relative and no telling exactly what the grass composition is like for TBone without being there.

I was raised in the country and have bush hogged and bailed hay all my life but this grass is a mystery to me. There is some bahaia grass, some bermuda grass, some Johnson grass and then there's this stuff I can hardly cut. If I cut it regularly its not too bad but down here where I live we have been getting raid practically every day. We are over 12" over normal for the month and it's not letting up. I will try to post a picture of this grass when it grows out and see if somebody can identify it.

 

[TBone]

I run a 6' bush hog behind my L3200/HST which isn't that much different than the L2501. I run in low gear and can pretty much floor the HST treadle and cut anything without breaking a sweat (note, I have only cut up to about 30" tall fields maximum).

I admit I never take my tractor out of M. I have tried to cut in Low but when I hit a spot that is lighter I can speed up a little and at the end of my cut I like to turn around as quick as possible so the Low range really holds me back. When I hit the heavy stuff in M I just let off the pedal and creep (sometimes stop) through it.

 

[Doorman63]

I have an L2501 with the RCR1260 bush hog.
some of my fields get about 4’ tall. Not real thick but she cruises right along.
I do have one spot where the grass is really thick and even at 12” tall I can feel the tractor “working” but it doesn’t really slow down.
I run my grinder on the cutting edges about every 3 weeks.

 

[TBone]

I have an L2501 with the RCR1260 bush hog.
some of my fields get about 4’ tall. Not real thick but she cruises right along.
I do have one spot where the grass is really thick and even at 12” tall I can feel the tractor “working” but it doesn’t really slow down.
I run my grinder on the cutting edges about every 3 weeks.

Thanks. I have tried, without a lot of sucess, to sharpen my blades without removing them from the cutter a couple of times. When I take them off I can put any kind of edge I want on them. Problem is, at my age, I have a hard time putting them back on without some help on the topside. Most of the time I don't have that available.

 

[Gee Ray]

I have a New Holland TL80A cab tractor 82 hp and 9000 pounds. I drag a Rhino TW-96 a twin spindle 8 foot mower. I have mowed fields that were above the cab with no problems. I also have an area that I mow that is about 30 inches tall and it is all the tractor wants in low gear, low range. My L2501 with a 5 foot Kodiak really does not like it either. But it cuts a bahaia grass field with no problems.

There are some things even a big dog doesn't like.

 

[JWR]

I admit I never take my tractor out of M. I have tried to cut in Low but when I hit a spot that is lighter I can speed up a little and at the end of my cut I like to turn around as quick as possible so the Low range really holds me back. When I hit the heavy stuff in M I just let off the pedal and creep (sometimes stop) through it.

Oh dear. OK, that sheds a lot of light on the entire circumstance. You are choosing to creep, not being forced to. Run in low range at full rpm when in the very heavy grass 3' high to get the most forward cutting speed you can get out of that machine. Otherwise, you were right to begin with: If you REALLY want to run faster cutting that same stuff go buy more horsepower !!

OBTW, can't you shift to a higher range when you want to run faster but are not in the heavier stuff? I'm not an HST guy -- are you forced to stop to shift ranges ? Can't shift on the fly ?

 

[Jstpssng]

^^^^^
I was wondering the same thing. Yes, you have to stop; but it doesn't take long to throw the clutch in and shift into a different range. I do it all of the time when plowing my driveway.

 

[Rdrcr]

I love my little 25 hp tractor. It's quick, it's nimble and handles like a dream. BUT, if tier 4 emission controls weren't in place I'd trade it in a heartbeat for some more hp. I had a M4900 prior to this one and really miss the extra horses. The L2501 does great for loader work but I get frustrated having to creep through 3' grass. I haven't used it for any ground engagement attachments but have a feeling it would come up short on those jobs too.

There should be a couple Turbo kit options coming out for the L2501 relatively soon. That could be a good option to boost the power of your current tractor rather than buying a larger machine.

Mike

 

[Grandad4]

The cutting height affects how hard the tractor works also. Giving a close shave to tough, thick material is much harder work than a taller cut. Sometimes an inch or so taller cut can make a big difference, like when you go from a 50 hp machine to a 25 hp one.

 

[Jchonline]

^^^^^
I was wondering the same thing. Yes, you have to stop; but it doesn't take long to throw the clutch in and shift into a different range. I do it all of the time when plowing my driveway.

HST + on the Grand L and L47/M62 are awesome for this. They have an additional high/low on the steering wheel to provide more control in each range. I use it all the time and don't have to actually change ranges much.