Largest Rotary Cutter used with BX?

[BotaBound]

What is the largest rotary cutter / brush hog have folks used with their BX's..?

I have a friend that has a 'light duty' 60" that I will have access to use with my BX1850... I figure that i would be pushing it but the majority of my field is just tall grasses and thin shrubs...all of it is under 1".

I am not worried about the weight but will i have enough HP to use it..?

Thanks!

 

[Av8r3400]

60" is too much, especially for a BX18xx. 48" would be pushing it if the grass is thick and the brush is 1/4"+ diameter.

Remember, you've only got something like 15 hp at the PTO.

 

[FamilyFarm]

If it is a light weight unit, you might manage to cut with it, but I would not recommend it.
I have the BX22. I have a 4 ft med duty hog, 500 lbs., 45 hp gearbox, 11 ga. thickness. It is a Fred Cain Agri-Cutter model AC-104. It is a perfect match for the BX. I have never had an issue with this combo. It is listed as minimum PTO of 15hp.
The same company makes the model AC-203 that offers a 3ft cut. That is pretty narrow, but goes down to 12hp PTO and weighs only 400 lbs. It appears to be the same durable construction as the one I have - a very tough little cutter.
FWIW,
Terry

 

[Tom_H]

I've heard people say that a LD 60" will work on a BX22, 23, 24, 2200, 2230, or 2350 IF you are cutting just thin hay, no thick grass or saplings.

I have a BX2200 and a HD 40" Gearmore. It is the same width as the tractor (42") and is well suited for manuvering around and between trees on knolls. It cuts saplings up to 2" and grasses up to 8' tall (no exagerating-don't know what it is but it's some wild grass weed that grows by edge of swampy area). The only thing that lugs it down is a really dense broom grass.

I'd recommend you borrow that 60" and try it just so you can get a feel for what your unit can do. That might help you guage how much smaller to go.

 

[NY_Yankees_Fan]

Bota,

Unless he has a BX, the PTO shaft maybe too long on the cuttter to use it on the BX, and a new PTO would be needed. You do not want the PTO hitting the rear PTO connection when lifting the cutter.

 

[MessickFarmEqu]

weight is the problem, not power. I put a 48" Woods on one and the front end would hop right up off the ground, it was just too heavy. You can use larger sizes, as long as they are light weight.

 

[Highbeam]

On the weight issue... could you not ballast the front end with a loader, a loaded loader, or suitcase weights? Many a tractor has used front end weight to keep the nose down.

So long as you can be certain that the mower will physically attach without hitting anything or sending the PTO shaft up your tractor's hiney, then you have nothing to lose by trying.

I believe that you can use it to mow full width of sparse grasses and am certain that you have enough pto power to mow with a partial overlap.

 

[HomeBrew2]

I'd certainly try it. One thing to be aware of is the PTO engagement on the BX has a hair trigger. If I don't make a real effort to feather the PTO, my 48" hog will literally yank my BX form side to side and badly lug the engine. A little throttle helps but too much is worse. Mine only has 3" x 3/8" blades. The 60" RC may have 4" x 1/2" blades (and obviously ~6" longer) ... that's a lot of mass to get going.
If you get it going ok but you start running out of HP in tall/heavy material, adjust the back so it's 2-3" higher than the front. If you finish mow with it like I do and have the deck about level, don't let the grass get more than ~8" tall and overlap (as noted before).

 

[FamilyFarm]

I made the mistake (in my previous post) of not asking if you have a loader for your tractor. If not, I would not try a larger cutter unless you plan to keep it on the ground at all times just dragging it on the tail wheel. If you have some type of guard on the front of the tractor to mount weights on, you might accomplish getting enough ballast. I have never operated my rotary cutter without the loader attached.
Terry

 

[MessickFarmEqu]

On the weight issue... could you not ballast the front end with a loader, a loaded loader, or suitcase weights? Many a tractor has used front end weight to keep the nose down.

This machine had a loader, and you can't add front weights with it on. Fluid in the front tires would help some.