Newbie needs advice on choosing mower for JD 5205.

Soundguy · Sep 29, 2005

( 10' Flex-Wing Rotary Mower
)

Neat looking machine.. what's the price tag?

Also.. anyone else get the impression that it was a 15' mower design missing the left wing? ( modular setup? )

Soundguy

have_blue · Sep 29, 2005

Aaaaaah... 52 HP JD tractor, 52 acres, 15-20 acres... all the same. A lot of green! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

tjkadar · Sep 30, 2005

It is a modular setup. Even the eight foot machine has mounting points that are only used on the larger mowers. The company has been around a long time, but they only supplied highway right of way contractors or DOTs. Now they are starting to reach out to other folks to expand their customer base. I've been very pleased with my eight footer. It will be the last rotary mower I ever need to buy. The thing is built very heavy duty.

Because they don't have a dealer in my area, I was able to purchase the mower at a factory direct price. The price was $400 cheaper then the best price I could find on a comparable Bush Hog brand mower (which is made with lighter steel).

If you're looking for a cost-effective, heavy duty mower, then I can't say enough good things about Bush Whacker mowers.

tjkadar · Sep 30, 2005

I'm not sure if a JD 5205 can lift a 10' daul spindle 3 pt rotary mower. You're probably going to have look at the weight of the mower you are thinking of buying. Some are made heavier then others. Depending on the steel thickness, the mower can weigh over 3,000 lbs.

Soundguy · Sep 30, 2005

Very good point. I know my 10' weighs 2500#+...I hadn't thought about his 50hp tractor lifting it. heck.. even my 90 hp tractor has a huge front counterweight.

Guess he could hook up the 3pt unit sans the topling and use it is a 2pt semi- mount drag mower??.. or just get the drag version.

Soundguy

have_blue · Sep 30, 2005

( Very good point. I know my 10' weighs 2500#+...I hadn't thought about his 50hp tractor lifting it. heck.. even my 90 hp tractor has a huge front counterweight. )

Knowing what I know now, and with the 50 HP tractor and 15-20 acres to mow, I think I would hire someone to bush hog it real low and buy a 9' finishing mower. Or maybe not, depending on the terrain.

felonius · Sep 30, 2005

Have Blue,
That's a really interesting point I hadn't thought of. The pasture is a bit rough right now (some privet and other brush is scattered around), given that it hasn't been regularly mowed for several years. However, if I had someone bush hog it a few times, then could I just maintain it with a finishing mower? How high can the grass get before the finishing mower won't handle it? I'm only on the farm on weekends, and sometimes work keeps me away for a while.

What are the advantages of a finishing mower over a brush hog other than a better cut? Are they also cheaper to buy? When you said "depending on the terrain" what do you mean exactly? What sort of terrain is a finishing mower suited or not suited for?

And by the way Have Blue, I'm curious as to why you have a picture of an F-117 on your posts. Are you an Air Force bubba?

felonius · Sep 30, 2005

I apologize for my ignorance, but can someone explain the differences between the 3 point, 2 point semi-mount, and drag setups? Also, what is a "topling".

Thanks for the info.

Soundguy · Oct 1, 2005

( How high can the grass get before the finishing mower won't handle it? I'm only on the farm on weekends, and sometimes work keeps me away for a while.
)

With what yuo said there.. IMHO.. I don't think a finish mower is your answer. The first time the grass got 7" and thick.. it would work the snot out of the finish mower. Allowing for some rain.. and you might have to finish mow it every -week- or two to keep it at a height to finish mow. Rotary brush mowers are much more tolerant of grass height.

Soundguy

Soundguy · Oct 1, 2005

( I apologize for my ignorance, but can someone explain the differences between the 3 point )

3poit lift.. Most common rear attachment point in use for most SCUT / CUT / Ag tractors in use today... They come in 'sizes' refered to as category. Most tractors under 45 hp and about 17hp are category 1. Some tractors may be setup as 2 categories thru the use of interchangeable lift arm ball ends.. etc. Some tractors use the pin sizes for one category, but are sized for a lower category. An example would be a small SCUT that had cat 0 spaced arms.. but used cat 1 sized pins.. etc. This may be refered as limited cat 1 etc..

( 2 point semi-mount )

You will notice that your rear lift is made up of three links.. or 'points' the two bottom arms, and a 3rd link ( toplink )

Some implements only use the 2 lower links, and some people only hook up the lower links on some implements that were designed for all 3 links. Having the 2 lower links hooke dup on a mower would allow it to pivot and follow terain a tad better than a rigidly mounted 3pt setup.. howwever you loose the ability to lift it without the 3rd link.. and also loose any limited 'safety' advantage that the toplink might provide in the event of a backflip.

( and drag setups )

A drag setup is exactly what it sounds like. The implement is hooked to the drawbar ( usualy swinging drawbar ) and may or may not also have hyd remote lines hooked up to it to control deck height. Unit follows the tractor like a trailer.

( Also, what is a "topling".
)

That's my creative speelling of 'toplink'. One of my cats was occupying my lap and one of my hands when i typed that reply.. cat was helping type a bit too!

Soundguy