Mid Mount Mowers

[MacMurphy]

I am looking at purchasing a Daedong (Kioti) DK30HST tractor with FEL for work basic around the farm:
* 7 acres of lawn mowing
* 500m drive to spray weeds on
* basic grader work
* plenty of fencing (post hold digger)
* rotary hoe the vegie patch

This tractor appeals to me because of it's simplicity of use for both my wife and I and the price is very reasonable however

I am undecided on how I will approach the mowing, being HST I can have either a mid mount mower or simply a trailing finishing mower, at first I preferred the mid mount as it would be easier to manouver the tractor then I was told the trailing mower would be easier as it can be reversed into small areas...

I have been advised to purchase turf tyres for the mowing and that I wouldn't need ag tyres whereas another dealer advised that I should have two sets of rims and tyres and simply swap if I need to, is this a common scenario or totally unpractical ?

Thanks

McMurphy

 

[Bob_Skurka]

Did you mean CK30 instead of DK30?

Regarding MMM versus RFM. I had a Rear Finish Mower and found it easy to use, I only changed because I didn't have enough space to store it. Yes, you can back a RFM under trees and into some tight spaces, but is not ideal. It can be done but there are better ways to cut some of those places. I am now using a MMM and it took a while to get used to using but I now find it easier to use overall. Especially when mowing up against structures and alongside fencing, I think the MMM is easier. Now that said, I can not use it to get under small trees.

Regarding tires, if it was me I would go with R4 "industrial tires" they are not as soft on the lawn as turf tires but they are much softer than R1 "ag" tires. For the most part, R4s will not tear up the lawn when mowing unless you mow in 4wd and take sharp corners. In 2wd, the R4 tires are reasonable for lawn use.

 

[Henro]

Both types of mowers will work well and can provide a very good cut in my experience. My mistake was not getting a Rear Mounted Mower (RFM) wide enough. With only a few inches sticking out beyond my rear tires, it was a pain to cut close to things. Do a search for RFM and you may find a lot of useful threads. I would go with the widest RFM I could use on my tractor if I were going to buy a RFM.

I doubt you will want to be swapping tires on your DK30 frequently. I don't even want to swap the tires on my smaller tractor, too much of a pain. A spare set of tires is not cheap, and if you buy a set, I'd be willing to bet you will find one set, or the other, sitting in a corner collecting dust, rarely if ever on your tractor.

If you can't decided whether the ag tires or turf tires are what you want, you may want to buy the compromise tire that many of us have: the R4 industrial.

A RFM can back under trees, but does not cut as well around trees, because it wants to move away from anything the front tires are moving towards. Mine also did not work well backing up to a ditch. Without a hydraulic top link to lift it, the rear wheels fell off the ditch edge and the mower dropped into the dirt...

I believe my Woods RD6000 cut my yard as well as the MMM on my Kubota BX does. If not as well, VERY close. If you are going to have plenty of fence to cut next to, depending on how close you want to cut, the MMM might be better. Reason is if you get up close then you find you need to swing the tractor front away from the fence, the RFM will swing towards the fence, and you may have to stop and back up to correct the situation. Or you may be repairing some fence... /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

Do a search, you will find a lot of comparison between the MMM and RFM. Both are good. Depends on your particular needs...

 

[bandit67]

I've used both rear and mid mowers on 2 similar sized properties. For mowing a finished lawn around the house, I prefer the mid mount mower. I always seemed to spend more time maneuvering around trees and shrubs with the rear finish mower than I have to with the MMM that I have now, and I like the finish of the lawn a bit better with the MMM - just a bit more even/clean.

It all depends on the amount of trees, shrubs, etc. that are skattered around your lawn as to which type of mower you'll prefer. In my opinion, the more obstacles to mow around, the more you'll like the MMM setup, as the tractor and mower's footprint is much more compact, and getting around everything is a bit easier, and the mowing operation is smoother and faster as a result.

One other issue to consider is that some of the MM mowers are suspended from the tractor frame, whereas all the rear finish mowers roll along directly on the ground. A mower deck that rolls directly on the ground tends to scalp a bit more often (like when one of the 4 wheels drops into smaller ruts, holes, etc. that don't affect the larger tractor tires) than a suspended deck does. I don't know if the MMM for the CK30 is a suspended deck or not, so this may not be an issue in your case.

 

[thcri]

As others have said, if it is wide open space then the RFM is your best. But remember your neck will get sore looking back all the time. Some don't look back but I can't run an implement without watching it. If you have things to get around the MMM is your best. Also make sure you get one that is as large as your back end, the tractors that is. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

As far as ease of removing and putting back on. The RFM is easier to take off and put back on. The MMM usually in most cases is a bit tougher but after you take on and off some it gets easier. I have a MMM and in my case I have to have my loader on to put my mower on and off. I use the loader to lift the front wheels off the ground. My manual says I should be able to take on and off without the loader but my dealer and myself can't figure it out. It may have something to do with Super-Steer on my tractor.

After all I said I really think if you have any trees and have to mow around the house you and your wife will like the MMM much better.

As far as tires, get the R4's. They won't hurt you lawn and will give you more traction. It is an in between of the turf and the AG.

Good luck

Murph

 

[drm]

Like the other replies, I feel the mower is more dependent on your property and how you want to mow. For me the MMM was the better choice due to mowing along buildings & landscaping. It does take some practice to get the mower on & off, but it gets easier. The FEL definitely helps & makes it a quicker job. I don't know how I did it the first time without using the FEL.

As far as tires, I went with turf tires (Titan Multi Trac) and love them. I have not had problems with traction but my yard is soft. It was farm land for as long as anyone can remember and the soil is very good & organic. I use FWD for the hills but need to be careful because even the turfs will tear up my grass when turning with FWD. I have not had problems on the slopes but only cut a few times & then only when dry. My slopes are steep enough that I "hand cut" some of the yard. The other steep areas I back up.

...Derek

 

[Darren]

Something else to consider is how easy is it to install and remove the mid mount mower on the tractor. For some brands and models a mmm won't be a 15 minute job. For some work operations or terrain you'll have to remove the mmm. Some mount designs enable you to do that easily. Others are ****.

The tractor you're considering may or may not have an easy on and off mmm. Make sure before you buy, if you are going with a mmm. Otherwise you'll regret it every time you have to wrestle a mmm that weighs several hundred lbs. Been there, still doing it.

With an RFM you won't have that problem.