My New Tractor

[jinman]

Your "shredder" looks like a finish mower. You said that you got extra blades for it, so that sounds even more like a finish mower than a shredder. I'm just curious which it is? Also, the bar over the top of the loader's lift arm...is it a constant level device to prevent rollback when the loader is lifted? So many questions.../w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

JimI

 

[ejb]

defintely not a finish mower...the mx8 is what is often refered to as a bush-hog...does a nice job on the field but you don't want it anywhere near your finished lawn...and defintely don't want to be driving over the lawn with the 5520!

 

[jinman]

I understand, EJB. Thanks. I'm surely familiar with cutter/shredders and John Miller dropping the graphic also helped. I went up to JD's site, but I tired quickly of all the sub-menus and graphics and...well, I got tired of waiting for screens to paint./w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif (I'm not bustin' on JD, because NH, and 'bota are the same.) Anyhow, I'm guessing that the "8" in MX8 stands for 8' and that means that each set of blades/stump jumper is slightly over 4'. Considering the size of the blades on these shredders, have you ever heard of anyone buying extra blades? That seems so unusual that I had to ask to make sure RF33 was talking about a "bush hog" type cutter. ...and yes, I know that the 75hp 5520 is a "tad" too big for finish cutting. I suspect it's a bit overpowered for a 8' cutter too, but you buy a cutter based on the narrowest space through which you drag it rather than the largest size your tractor can pull. I suspect this tractor could easily pull a 15' batwing without breaking a sweat./w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif

JimI

 

[rf33]

Thanks, for the compliment Harv.../w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

JimI I agree that the MX series of rotary cutters look like finish mowers, but I have to agree with EJB, if you consider using it on you lawn, you might be a redneck.../w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif. I am also pretty sure that my wife would not appreciate me driving the tractor around the yard. With the loaded tires, I think that the tractor + shredder + loader weighs in at around 10K, so it might leave some ruts. As to finding them on the JD site, I agree that it can be a maze, but here are a few links which might be helpful

JD Equipment Quickfind

and

JD Rotary Cutters


rf33

/w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

 

[rf33]

The extra blades might not be necessary for a while, but they can get pretty dinged up by rocks and or old scrap metal which always seems to find its way under these darn things. Deere suggests a minimum recomended PTO HP for the MX8 at 40-50, but I think that some of the smaller tractors in that HP range might have a little trouble picking the mower up with the TPH. I could be wrong, but this thing has alot of weight way behind the draft links, and really takes alot to lift. I probably could have pulled a rather large batwing, but you are right in that I picked the 8 footer because of some narrow areas and trees to work around. I think that the highway dept is where most of the batwings go, as they are the only ones who seldom need to mow around tight quarters. I went with the slightly larger tractor, as I plan to cut and bale some hay next year. To answer your question about the bar over the loader, if you are referring to the green horizontal bar, that is the MSL link (mechanical self leveling) which keeps the bucket level as you raise the lift arms, the rather thin silver vertical rod, I think is a bucket tilt indicator, so if you have a narrow bucket or forks on the loader, you could see what you were doing. I hope this answers your questions.

Ron

rf33

/w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

 

[jinman]

Thanks, Ron. The MX8 really looks like an awesome machine. And who is likely to use batwings more than the highway dept.? How about airports? I look out over Dallas-Ft. Worth Airport from my office, and I can tell you that they have about 25 tractors with batwings mowing every day. I also was happy to find out I correctly ID'd the self-leveling link. Thanks for your explanations. I've never been shy about asking questions./w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

JimI

 

[rf33]

JimI, Thanks for the compliment./w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif I guess I never really thought about mowing all of that grass out along the runways. I also am not afraid to ask questions (except for directions when I am turned around (I do not get lost /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif)) if I am unsure of something, especially something as interesting as tractors.

Ron

rf33

/w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

 

[HR_Mutt]

rf33
That's a great looking setup/w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif.
And...another bookmark/w3tcompact/icons/crazy.gif to the equipment quick-finder.I wish the fine people would stop(not really!!) coming up with all those links, only chance I get to dig thru them is in the hours that I should be asleep.Is there a way to color code your favorites page setup? Thanks again!
regards
Mutt