Newbie needs advice on choosing mower for JD 5205.

have_blue · Oct 1, 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,

By "rough", I mean terrain...hillocks, bumps, rocks, and ditches. Privet and other sapplings are not a problem once bush hogged real low.

If you can't make it up to the land once every 4-5 weeks, maybe a finish mower (RFM) is not for you. However, I believe you can raise them up pretty high and take care of the thick stuff. It all depends on what grows on your land. Mowing low and frequently usually kills off the brush and fast-growing weeds and grasses, so you end up with a more manageable situation.

A good RFM is fairly rugged. Unlike a bush hog, you can usually pull them pretty fast without scalping or bouncing. Once you get up past 8 feet, RFM's are as cheap as bush hogs. I would say a 9 footer is a bit cheaper than a 10 foot bush hog, a lot lighter, and a lot easier to pull.

The "Have Blue" icon reflects my interest in high-tech military aircraft. I am X- Army.

tjkadar · Oct 1, 2005

I went back and forth on the rotary mower versus finish mower. Our pastures are cut regularly and a finish mower does a nicer job because it really does give a lawn-like finish.

Last year, when we were between tractors (old one sold, new one not in yet), I mowed 30 acres of pasture with a 72" ExMark Finish Mower. It did a nice job, but it happened more out of need then because it is what I wanted.

I think our pasture could stand a finish mower, but I prefer to leave my grass at about 5" as opposed to 3". Plus, the wear and tear on the blades made it a bit more labor intensive to mow that much with a finish mower. In the end, for my situation, I bought a bigger rotary mower.

A rotary mower can come close to a finish mower cut, yet it is a much heavier cutter. I can use it in overgrown pastures, and along woodland trails. Plus, I always have the option of the ExMark if I need to quickly mow an area for a grass Dressage Arena or something.

I would go with the rotary cutter now, and if things look good in a couple years you can always get a RFM.

felonius · Oct 1, 2005

Thanks for all the advice. Since I can't always count on a regular mowing schedule, I think I'd better start with a rotary mower. Now I just have to decide what size/type.

Not trying to beat a dead horse here but.... I'm still unclear on the best way to keep the two wet-weather streambeds mowed so more brush/trees don't grow up there. I see three possibilities:

1. Get a mower that is enough wider than the tractor (69") that I can drive along side the streambeds and hit them from either side with the mower. This would mean a pretty wide mower though (about 10') to get enough overhang on either side. I would also guess it would need to be a 3-point lift type unit, as without being suspended in some way wouldn't the thing tend to fall down into the stream bed or scalp/eat dirt on the banks? I'm not sure my tractor can handle at 10' mower with a 3-point lift however, so this setup may not be an option.

2. Get some sort of offset mower or sickle bar. Any thoughts on this?

3. Get a smaller rotary mower that I can raise with a 3-point, and see if I can straddle the stream bed with the tractor and drive straight down it with the mower suspended behind. Does this make sense at all?

tjkadar · Oct 1, 2005

Because your budget is limited to an $3,500, you are limited in what you can realistically buy. Batwings are out. You can get a heavy duty 8' mower and possibly a heavy duty 10' mower. The T-104 8' Offset Mower might be just what you need. Being 8' wide, it should be wider then your rear tire track. The total cutting width is 104" with 57" to the right of centerline and 47" to the left of tractor centerline. This might help get you closer to the stream edge without falling into it.

I'm not sure how steep or wet the banks of your streambed are nor how closely you can get to them with your tractor. If you can straddle the stream, then I would imagine you could also get your right rear tire within a foot or two of the stream bed. That should be enough with an offset mower - I hope.

felonius · Oct 1, 2005

Tjkadar, thanks for that info. I think this unit may be just the ticket. At less than 1600 lbs, it should be fairly easily managed by the JD 5205 with a 3 point hitch right? It would also give me about 2 feet of offset with which to tackle the stream beds. Plus, I like the idea of having that offset to do the fence lines where I have some overhanging trees and brush.

Are there any real disadvantages of an offset mower like this? Is the primary purpose of an offset mower for applications like mine?

felonius · Oct 1, 2005

( (

The "Have Blue" icon reflects my interest in high-tech military aircraft. I am X- Army. )

 I was just curious as I used to fly F-14's for the Navy. I'm excited to get my hands on my first tractor, as I've been jonesing to get some hydraulic power back in my hands. Should be fun, despite the fact the John Deere is tad slower than the Tomcat..... /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

tjkadar · Oct 2, 2005

I really don't know of any disadvantage of an offset mower. As long as you remember that one side is going to stick out further from the tractor then the other, you should be okay. I don't know the specs on a JD 5205, but I believe it is a little smaller then my Kubota M6800.

The M6800 doesn't have a problem lifting the T-104, but you certainly know its there. I leave the FEL on as a counterweight when using the mower. If you have a FEL on your 5205, I think you should be okay. If not, you might need some counterweight.

An F-14 driver? Now I have some concerns... you fighter jocks tend to loose your way when you're going low and slow. I think it gives you too much time to think and you start running into things. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

My Dad is a retired F-4 jet jock and he is **** on our equipment. I don't mind him financing the stuff, but when he isn't flying he likes to play farmer. That is when the trouble begins. I'm doubly worried about a Navy Pilot... they never did teach you guys how to land a plane. Ya'll tend to crash them onto a tiny chunk of moving real estate. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

All kidding aside, take a look at the specs on the T-104, get a price for it, and then compare it to other mowers. I think you'll be pleased with the quality of the mower versus the cost. Its a pretty tough beast that can tackle brush and grass easily. If you're located in the southeast, let me know and I'll give you the name and number of where I bought mine.

have_blue · Oct 2, 2005

[quoteJohn Deere is tad slower than the Tomcat..... /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif )

Yea, but they're both noisy, burn about the same fuel, and the seats are up high in a commanding position. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Tomcats don't plow too well either... Well, we just won't talk about that. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

felonius · Oct 2, 2005

tjkadar, I take it your Dad was in the Air Force and not a Marine/Naval aviator. If we tend to get lost a bit more often it's probably because we don't have a nice big runway that sits and waits for us till we get home. /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif And we do run into things now and again. I just got an email this morning from my former roomate who flies the SEALs around in an H-60 gunship over in Iraq. He said he ran into an unlit lamp post while flying at 25 feet a few nights ago and tore up three rotor blades and all four tip caps. He's a bit worried about being sent to the penalty box, but I figure he can say it was an Al Queda listening post that had to be destroyed immediately. Luckily he put the thing down safely and all 14 sailors on board are OK.

Back to mowers, do you mind if I ask what you paid for the 104? My farm is in Virginia, but I'm in the process of buying my JD from a dealer in Orangeburg, SC and shipping it back to VA since it will save me around $3,500. If the price is right, I might be able to buy from your dealer and ship the mower back with the tractor.

BTW, the JD 5205 has 56HP (50 at the PTO) and weighs about 4300lbs empty. I'm guessing that with a loader and ballasted tires it'd weigh somewhere north of 6000 lbs.

felonius · Oct 2, 2005

( [quoteJohn Deere is tad slower than the Tomcat..... /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif )

Yea, but they're both noisy, burn about the same fuel, and the seats are up high in a commanding position. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Tomcats don't plow too well either... Well, we just won't talk about that. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif )

Actually the Tomcat can be used rather effectively as a plowing implement.... though rather expensive given the fact it's only good for one pass. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

For example, a former squadronmate of mine had a fuel transfer failure while supersonic at about 150 feet above ground level in the Nevada desert. Both engines simultaneously flamed out and he had to eject. Man, you haven't seen a furrow until you've seen what a 75,000 lb triangular titanium plow can do while traveling at 1200 feet per second! BTW, he thereafter earned the callsign "Divot". /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif