Wanted to split posts up because I have a change of direction in topic now...
I've spent a fair amount of time researching rotary mowers: I've decided to go with a rotary now and hold off on a flail until a later date. I'm fairly certain that middle-of-the-road is the way to go for me- "medium duty" cutter ought to be sufficient. And when one talks about "medium duty" one has to look at the leading manufacturers to understand what constitutes "medium duty." Here is what I'm seeing as comparables:
1) Land Pride RCR2672
2) Woods BB720X
3) Bush Hog BH26
All have as standard (and these are what seem to classify them as "medium duty"):
- 10ga decks
- 1/2" x 4" blades (this may not necessarily be a requirement for "medium duty," it's just that they all have this size so I figure that's the standard)
- Cutting capacity of up to 3" dia
- Gearbox ratings of 120hp or more
- Clevis style hook-ups
- Cat 4 drive line w/slip clutch
I like the Brown 416 but they don't run full welds, so I ruled that one out: it's otherwise a nice cutter.
All of these brands have dealers near me.
The RCR2672 has chains standard. The BB720X does not.
The BB720X's blade change system/mechanism is really attractive, though I have never had to change a set of blades (just parted with my old Rankin 5' and after years the blades still had a lot of meat left on them- I didn't necessarily treat it gingerly either!), until NOW... I bought a Land Pride RCR1860 for my
B7800 and it comes with well-eaten-up blades; I am unable to get the blade bolts loose (nuts won't budge- had to buy a 43mm socket) and will be resorting to dropping the entire pan off (waiting on yet another stupid socket -36mm). So, this blade thing is kind of really starting to seem more important to me now.
Bush Hog's BH26 doesn't seem to have anything that sets it apart from the others other than its name. The only thing I can see is their "Tough Tail Wheel Beam," and while it looks better than the LCR2672's tail wheel (I'd have to give LP a negative on theirs) it doesn't seem any better than on the BB720x (which I think might be better).
Time is on my side here as we push into Fall and then Winter. I suspect that better deals will be possible off-season. I'll see what dealers are asking now. From what I'm seeing the pricing is just about a tie between the BB720X and RCR2672: $3k-ish. Not sure on the BH26, but I'll find out.
Oh, I'd talked to my Kioti dealer, who also sells Mahindra, and the 7' Super Duty Mahindra (a rebranded Kodiak) would run around $4k. This is the commercial level series, cutting up to 4" stuff (7ga deck); it's nice-looking stuff (but so then too is the higher series for the other manufacturers, though I suspect they're more expensive). I wasn't really considering a 6' Super Duty until I realized this pricing, so I think I'll see what the 6' one is running. Their Medium Duty cutters don't have the clevis pin hook ups like their Super Duty does, otherwise it would be in the running. I got rid of my Rankin and picked up the RCR1860 (I'd been watching used stuff for a long time until this one popped up) because I was tired of the hassle connecting up to just pins: on the
B7800 I've had a regular quick hitch and then Pat's quick hitch; the regular quick hitch didn't work for my box blade so that style of hitch got sold; Pat's quick hitch just kind of became a pain, nominal gains, so were taken off (and I'll look to sell them).