MMM vs. rear mount finish mowers

newtothis · May 19, 2004

Last fall I bought 48 acres and broke ground recently for a new house. I'm new to virtually aspect: Never built, never had crops (planted with winter wheat currently) never owned a tractor. I'm going to hire out the crops. The only thing I know how to do is hunt the deer, ducks and pheasants!

I bought a great tractor recently (1988 JD 770, 520 hours) with a bunch of implements: loader, backhoe, boxblade, brush cutter, front snowplow, yard rake and trailer. The only thing missing is a finish mower.

I just used it for the first time last weekend for a couple of hours. There were a bunch of perk tests done so I'm trying to fill them in with the giant piles of dirt next them. I didn't have much time to learn how to use the loader so it proved challenging.

Anyway, the only thing I'm missing is something to cut my lawn. I was looking around today to find information on my options when I ran across this site. My understanding is that I may not want a MMM as it will get in the way when I want to use the loader, which I think will be used often. They aren't easy to unhook either, from what I've heard.

I'm also a bit gunshy about the rear mount mowers because I'll probably plant plenty of trees and landscaping to go around. I've used a brush hog on a 9N before and know a little about how it will "kick out" to the side when turning.

Anybody got advice on which way to go? For the price on either unit I'm starting to wonder if I should just get a lawn tractor. Hard to tell how big the yard will be when done but it bugs me to think that I just paid all that money for the tractor of my dreams and may not be able/want to use it for mowing!

Henro · May 19, 2004

My experience is that a RFM will do a fine job of cutting grass.

BUT I got rid of mine because it was not great for cutting close to things (my tractor had 54" wide rear tires and the RFM was 60". I had problems cutting around my small(and only) pond which being around 80x50 feet curves pretty good. I also had trouble cutting close to a fence line. And so on...

So anyway I have a MMM on a smaller tractor now (kubota BX2200) which does a great job. Bottom line is the MMM will follow the front wheels, where the RFM moves opposite.

For cutting AROUND or CLOSE on curves, the MMM is better.

The RFM is will cut real nice otherwise, and depending on what you expect to end up with as far as your yard goes, it may be the most cost effective option.

My RFM (woods RD6000) cut better than my MTD garden tractor and I was very pleased with the cut. It was just that I had too many things to cut around or close to that caused me to get rid of it.

Having a wife that agreed to my buying a second tractor with a MMM attached did not hurt either! /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

I don't know how big that JD is but my Kubota B2910 with front and rear tires loaded cut the yard just fine. But it is a yard, looks nice and feels comfortable, but it is not a lawn like Bob Skurka has... /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

To20Chris · May 19, 2004

Hmmm...One of the thing I like most about the 60' brush hog on my TO20 (same size as a 9N) is that the deck tracks along so nicely. It is the same with as the rear (and front) wheels, and I know that if I hold the wheel in a stready arc and the front hubs clear it then the deck will too. Of course, if you move the wheel in the turn then that judgement will be off. Also, if the mower is wider than the track it is harder to judge as well. I have never used a RFM, but I heve used the brush hog in and around (and between!) many trees. The rear mounted mowers also have an advantage, in that you can back them into tight spots, or under things that the tractor won't clear.

Like most things, it is just a matter of practice. After a while the motion of a rear mounted mower will seem perfectly natural.

dbelisle · May 19, 2004

I have never had a MMM so I am not a good judge on what unit to buy, but I do have a 60 inch finnish mower and it does a great job for me.

I find it is pretty easy and quick to get on and off. I can unhook the backhoe and be mowing within ten minutes . The nice thing about it is I can back up to trees and things I couldn't get near with a MMM.

I would say that it will depend how many things you have to move around . I am in a open field with only a couple of trees so the mower on the back works just fine.

Good luck , I'm sure you will be happy with the unit you get.

DaveB

2810HST

Bob_Skurka · May 19, 2004

I use a 60" Befco RFM on the back of a NH TC24D and find that I get a very nice cut with it on the smoother parts of my property. But I do have problems with it where the ground is very bumpy, at that point I get some scalping and some uneven cutting. I have only used MMM on various garden tractors and have a 54" deck on my Cub Cadet. I will say that the RFM on the NH and the MMM on the Cub have the same cut quality and both have problems with scalping in the same areas. Henro is correct about mowing with a RFM and how it travels to the opposite of the front tires of the tractor, I do find, that a RFM will allow you to back down to a stream bank and mow it, or back up to and adjacent to trees with low hanging branches and let you mow right up to the trunks where there is no way to get that close to the trunk with the MMM when the trees have branches that just about the right height to take your face off if you tried to mow up to them normally.

Now the front mount deck on the Ventrac has not scalped anything anywhere on my property. The the quality of the cut is far superior to either the MMM on the Cub or the RFM on the NH. But that is another story.

newtothis · May 19, 2004

Great info, hadn't thought about the advantages to the RFM. The grading looks like it will have some slopes when done but shouldn't be too bumpy, especially considering that I'll be putting in the yard myself.

When I look for a mower how will I know what fits my unit? Are they all universal within a given horsepower range? Previous owner told me it's 28 HP. I wanna start looking for used, won't even have grass to cut till next year I'm sure so I've got time.

AndyM · May 19, 2004

I asked this question last summer when I was struggling back and forth on this decision.

I ultimately decided on a First Choice Rear Finish Mower. I wanted the RFM, because of the ease in removing it when needed, and putting it back on again.

When I'm mowing around my trees and trying to get as close as possible, I keep thinking that a MMM sure would be nice, but then I think back to all of the times I had to take of the deck on my Craftsman mower and put it back on again, and then I'm glad that I settled for the RFM.

I would think the quality of the cut is the same, but I think it's a matter of manuveurbility around object versus ease of installation.

RoyJackson · May 19, 2004

"Previous owner told me it's 28 HP"

Your 770 has 24 gross HP and 20 at the PTO. You can easily run a 60" mower and probably go for a 72" mower (72" would be my choice).

As far as the MMM...do you have a mid PTO?
Not all of the 770's did. I'm pretty sure a Deere dealer can get the kit to install one though..since the 770 is so close to the 790 as far as design (only difference is engine size).

I used a RFM on my 670 (770's little brother) and on my 790. It works great..actually worked a bit better on the 670 as that machine didn't flatten the grass as much as the 790 does.

If you have a mid-PTO (if you do, you'll have two PTO levers) and you are OK with spending the extra money a MMM will cost and you have a fairly clear area to mow (low hanging branches, etc.), then go with the MMM.

Otherwise, you'll probably be quite happy with the RFM.

Bob_Skurka · May 19, 2004

I would agree with Roy on what he wrote with one minor exception, and my exception is very conditional. I would stick with a 60" mower deck for a 20PTO hp tractor. But like I said that is very conditional.

If you live in an area where lawns get thick and lush and the grass can grow tall and fast, then I'd stick with the 60" deck. If your climate is more arrid and the grass is thinner, then you could move up to a larger deck with ease. I'm in Northern Indiana and the grass can get out of hand pretty fast, I rarely bog down my tractor engine, but it does happen. As my TC24D is a 24hp unit it is very similar to your tractor in capabilities. Again, if you don't need to worry about thick or tall grass, then 72" would be pretty easy, but if your grass grows like mine, then 60" is more realistic or you'll likely bog down the engine too often.

755inNY · May 19, 2004

<font color="blue"> My understanding is that I may not want a MMM as it will get in the way when I want to use the loader, which I think will be used often. They aren't easy to unhook either, from what I've heard.
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You need to base this on the 770 with the MMM not necessarily peoples experience with other brand or sizes of tractors. Deere does a very good job of integrating the implements and making them easy to remove. You should be able to use the loader with the MMM installed provided you are not doing work that requires extra ground clearance. I almost always use my loader with the MMM installed on my JD 755. Also, as far as removal is concerned, it takes me about 8 minutes to remove the MMM and install the FEL on the 755. No tools required.

The RFM will come off easier and it will be considerably cheaper. You need to decide if the maneuverability differences between the RFM and MMM are important for your situation. If you are unsure, I would get the RFM first. If you are not happy with it, then it is easy to sell to someone else and you can go after the MMM.

Jeff