PTO Horsepower Needed to run a 5' finish mower.

[JCByrd24]

I run a 4 footer with my 30yr old yanmar 186D (18hp rated, PTO maybe 15-16hp). My yanmar mower has very flat (low hp required) blades and isn't very heavy, maybe 250 lbs, but I don't use this for my lawn, I use it for a field that is never mowed before 6-10" tall (down to 4" not like 2.5"). In this use the tractor doesn't flinch, I am going to upgrade to a 5'.

 

[Will_C]

My brother ran a 5' RFM with a 13 hp Masey Ferguon-it worked, although slow. I rum a 5' unit behind a 19 hp Kubota and never run out of power.

Will

 

[yelbike]

My JD z465 has 27 hp gas vs my JD 2320 has 24 hp diesel. The diesel has way more torgue. Your comparing apples to oranges when you compare diesel to gas.
My JD 2320 and 2305 are both rated at 18 pto hp and they both have no issues turning my 72"RFMs, if the grass is real tall I may need to slow down but normally the only thing keeping me from mowing at full ground speed is the bumps. I leave the loaders on for counter weight.

 

[toppop52]

I wasn't comparing gas to diesel, just h.p. numbers and I realize that available torque in the rpm range I use is what spins the blades. I will buy diesel if I can, this will be a used purchase, no way I can justify paying for new for what I intend to do with it.
Thanks a lot guys, it all helps!

 

[dex3361]

My little BX1500 has a 54" MMM and does a great job, though I think this is about as big as it would handle. I want for more power in really thick spring grass in high range and flat smooth areas where I would go full speed then I notice it will start to bog the engine and I have to back off a little. The BX1500 is rated for 10 HP on the PTO at the rear and I would assume the mid PTO is the same.

 

[dkhntr04]

I ran my 6' Farm King on a B2400 Kubota with 18 pto hp. It ran the mower just fine. You couldn't go at breakneck speed if you let the grass get too long, but generally I'd say it was a good match.

I currently run it with a 24 hp pto tractor. I do most of my mowing at 1800-2000 rpm and the tractor hardly notices it. The only time I ran short on power was cutting grass that had gone about double the amount of time I should have let it go, when wet with dew, and running at 7 mph ground speed. Hardly normal conditions.

In my opinion, on flat ground, 3 hp per foot is enough for finish mowing of a lawn/yard.

 

[KubotaSam]

I run a 60" Land Pride mower behind my B7100 Kubota. Specs list 13 PTO horse power. I have no problems. If I am mowing out in my field which I only do 2 or 3 times a year I may be cutting 3' plus tall grass and small trees I need to run in low range to to keep revs up. When mowing my lawn I can run in any gear conditions allow. Someday I will get a tractor with a little more HP but for now my B7100 works OK.

 

[toppop52]

15-20 h.p. in a diesel is what I had in mind due to the size and cost. I'm not a farmer and I don't have to mow but a shade over an acre, but it beats me to death on the zero turn in the back areas and uses a lot of gas. I could use the mower for the more lawn like stuff and save the back for the tractor. I have many acres behind me that are set aside for airport security/access and can never be developed and it's a pretty meadow. I mow part of that to keep the critters down and give an extension of sorts to my back yard. I'd be a lot more incline to mow more of it with a better setup.

 

[Ed of all trades]

Lawn mower power is often over stated. I can't believe that you need even 4hp per ft. I have 18.5 pto hp and have more than I need for a 5ft deck. The tractor would pull a 6ft or even more.

 

[aczlan]

Lawn mower power is often over stated. I can't believe that you need even 4hp per ft. I have 18.5 pto hp and have more than I need for a 5ft deck. The tractor would pull a 6ft or even more.

Our B7500HST has 21 engine HP and 16 PTO HP (per Tractordata). If you push it in heavy grass with the 5' MMM or Bush hog, you WILL bog it down. Its good in light stuff though.

Aaron Z