$ on used bush hog batwing

Indydirtfarmer · Jun 12, 2005

It's all relative to what you're cutting. Mowing a right-of-way that gets maintained on a regular basis won't require the same power as a field that gets cut once ever couple years. I've been at it for 33 years now. (Contract mowing) I have a 105 HP and a 130 HP machine that BOTH get used on a 15' mower as the need dictates. I've been in conditions that tax the 130 HP tractor, and others that don't even kick in the governor on the 105 HP unit. Under MOST conditions, 85 HP will be more than adaquate for a 15'er. Never hurts to have more power than is needed.

Soundguy · Jun 13, 2005

( If I ever run a 15' batwing again, it will be with 100hp or more. It's just not worth the strain on the tractor and the operator to use less.
)

Of course.. you can do what you want.. but that just sounds like overkill. I calledmy dealer today and asked him in plain real terms what my 7610s with 89? pto hp will do.. he said he sold those with 20' schulte finish / sod mowers, or 15' rough rotary cutters.. either bush hog or rhino. This is the NH dealer that sold me the tractor.. etc. I've bought other tractors / implements from him before, and don't believe he'd lie... seems like an honest fellow.. gave me top dollar on my trade in i feel.

Soundguy

MMM · Jun 13, 2005

I think it's all relative to use. If you're custom mowing, you'll need enough tractor to get through the worst possible scenarios. Many farmers here pull 15' with less than 50ptohp 4000s, JD2020s etc.. This is mainly springtime clipping of pastures and they know that's all they'll ever use it for.

gabby · Jun 13, 2005

( I calledmy dealer today and asked him in plain real terms what my 7610s with 89? pto hp will do.. he said he sold those with 20' schulte finish / sod mowers, or 15' rough rotary cutters.. either bush hog or rhino. This is the NH dealer that sold me the tractor.. etc. I've bought other tractors / implements from him before, and don't believe he'd lie... seems like an honest fellow.. gave me top dollar on my trade in i feel.

Soundguy )

I used to run the BH 315 bat wing with my Ford 7600 that dyno'd at 91 pto hp when it was new. Yes, it did fine 80-90% of the time with the bat wing, but in thick grass you either have to creep along slowly or raise the mower. You can take that to the bank.
gabby

slowrev · Jun 13, 2005

Soundguy,
My friend runs a 15" batwing on his 5000 Ford, works great. His 5000 has an add on turbo though so it is like a 6000. Probably about 70 some HP. Good tractors, lots of hours on his and still does great. Uses virtually no oil.

Ben

Soundguy · Jun 13, 2005

If I recall.. the 5000 was 63 hp, and turbocharged to 72. The tractor mechanic in town also sells a 5000 now and then and will sell them with 15' mowers.

Soundguy

Soundguy · Jun 13, 2005

Here's an update. I went and looked at the tractor.. Last time I had looked thru a fence at it. Also talked to the salesman. The info I was given earlier was for a different mower thaey had already sold.

This one is an older rhino.. perhaps an old flex15.

Here is the info, I want honest opinions.

Hoses good, rear wheel rocker has been replaced.. wheel bearing good.. the 4 boxes don't have any 'drip' leaks.. though there is a small residue around the shaft seals. I tried jiggling the shafts and detect no discernable movement.

The center blade gearbox has been apart at one time as there is old gasket goop extruded out of the rear cover surface. Looks to be an old repair as the good has some of hte old mower paint on it.

Pto shafts still have shields.. they are aged, but intact. 1000rpm pto hookup collar moves smoothly.

The drawbar hitch is beaten up pretty good.. has mushroomed the metal in a few places.. but overall is still structurally intact.. very beefy metal.

I found -0- welds on it. A minor dent or two.. No blade grooves ont eh decks.. stump jumpers were solid.. no sign of lower shaft leaks.. and no play in stump jumpers to output shafts.

the metal on each wing, right at the fold is rusted thru right at the place where the flat of the deck hits the square that makes the 'hinge'...say.. about 18" on each side., Metal 1/2" fromt he rust thru is solid again. All the world looks like you could buy a 3' piece of 1.5" angle iron.. cut it in half.. lay it in place and burn a rod up and down each side and call it 'done'.

No evidence ov leaks at the wheel lift cyl, or the batwing cyls.

Price is 2700$.. plus I'd have to get the 1000rpt conversion shaft for my tractor pto for another 330$

I looked it up and down for an hour. The rust outs didn't thrill me.. then again.. they look like a 1 hour fix. The drawbar hitch is beat.. but doesn't show any sign of giving up before any else of the tractor does due to the thickness of the metal used.

Real and honest Opinions.

Financially.. I've determined that I can throw it on a credit card, and I won't have to eat hot water and ketchup or anything... Wife could go either way.. left it up to me ( great... /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif ). I already have a 10' mower.. so time savings on mowing will be 33% or less.

My mind tells me this is not a 'deal'.. but not a ripoff either.

I'd prefer to have this in 6spline 540rpm pto.. but have been told that 1000 is actually better for the big stuff.. so I guess i will defer to that info.. as I have -0- experience ont he big mowers and 1000rpm pto.

Ok guys. Do I pick it up.. or pass it by?

Soundguy

hudr · Jun 13, 2005

Soundguy, that sounds like a fair price for what you are getting... But.... I have never run a 1000sp tool behind a 540 tractor. I have gone the other (540 tool behind a 1000sp tractor w/ an adapter) and we had to just creep along so as not to break the thing. Will you be able to spin the shredder fast enough to cut? Or am I looking at this from the wrong angle? I will admit I have little experience with 1000sp equipment. Seems I remember a neighbor having to "turn" one of the gear boxes around to make something like this work.

OOPS... sorry, didn't read the whole post... I see now where you will be getting an 'adapt-a-kit" for your tractor. How much modification will that require on the tractor or shredder?

EastTexFrank · Jun 13, 2005

gabby,

I checked some literature I had left over from 2 years ago, for Rhino and Landpride, and they both state that 50 hp is the minimum for their 15' mowers. Now, I agree, that is probably under ideal, non-testing conditions and a few extra horsepower wouldn't be amiss. I think they both come with gearboxes rated up to 180/200 hp so they obviously think that they will used on tractors with a lot more power than the minimum.

gabby · Jun 13, 2005

( Price is 2700$.. plus I'd have to get the 1000rpt conversion shaft for my tractor pto for another 330$

I'd prefer to have this in 6spline 540rpm pto.. but have been told that 1000 is actually better for the big stuff.. so I guess i will defer to that info.. as I have -0- experience ont he big mowers and 1000rpm pto.

)

Hey Soundguy,
I have a 1000 ropm shaft for my 7600 that I bought online for less than $100 including shipping. It's just a stub shaft that pops into the rear of the tractor. What are they quoting you $330 for?
gabby