Questions about BCS 38" mower?

[CENT PA]

First let me thank everyone for all of the great information on this site on 2-Wheeled Tractors. I've learned a lot and it's been real helpful in shopping for one.

I started to look for a 2-Wheeled Tractor when my wife and I decided to get a wood chipper and not have another engine to maintain. I'm figuring with a wood chipper attachment, 38" mower and tiller I would only have one engine and less hastle (after I get rid of our walk behind lawn mower and Cub Cadet rear tine tiller).

We live on a 6 acre wooded lot and only have about 1/3 acre to cut. I am hoping a BCS 740 with the 38" finish mower can replace my lawn mower. The only reservation I have is the transmission PTO on the BCS. How much of a pain is it to cut grass around obstacles with the mower deck shutting off every time you have to stop and back up? How about slowing down when you get near someplace you want to be more careful (stop, change gears, start again)? In an open field I'm sure it will work fine but how tedious is it to mow around things? Will I realistically be able to get rid of my 22" walk behind lawn mower or will I still need it to trim?

Thanks in advance

 

[Buckgnarly]

I don't own the finish mower, only the brush hog attachment, but NO WAY would I want to manuever around things/reverse with it. Great for LONG straight maybe, but I'm sure it would get tedious otherwise!

First let me thank everyone for all of the great information on this site on 2-Wheeled Tractors. I've learned a lot and it's been real helpful in shopping for one.

I started to look for a 2-Wheeled Tractor when my wife and I decided to get a wood chipper and not have another engine to maintain. I'm figuring with a wood chipper attachment, 38" mower and tiller I would only have one engine and less hastle (after I get rid of our walk behind lawn mower and Cub Cadet rear tine tiller).

We live on a 6 acre wooded lot and only have about 1/3 acre to cut. I am hoping a BCS 740 with the 38" finish mower can replace my lawn mower. The only reservation I have is the transmission PTO on the BCS. How much of a pain is it to cut grass around obstacles with the mower deck shutting off every time you have to stop and back up? How about slowing down when you get near someplace you want to be more careful (stop, change gears, start again)? In an open field I'm sure it will work fine but how tedious is it to mow around things? Will I realistically be able to get rid of my 22" walk behind lawn mower or will I still need it to trim?

Thanks in advance

 

[CENT PA]

I don't own the finish mower, only the brush hog attachment, but NO WAY would I want to manuever around things/reverse with it. Great for LONG straight maybe, but I'm sure it would get tedious otherwise!

Buckgnarly, Thanks for the reply.

That's what I'm thinking. I know the finish mower has caster wheels in front so it might be a little better to manuever but the transmission/pto issues will be the same. For my situation the 38" mower will save me time with most of the lawn (38" wide as apposed to 22") but I was hoping to get rid of the lawnmower entirely.

Anyone with the finish mower have isses with trimming/tigher areas?

Thanks!

 

[wstr75]

I have a 38" finish mower. The blades keep twirling when backing up and then immediately go back to full speed when the PTO is engaged. The 38" provides a beautiful cut and the cutting height is easy to set. I like catching the clippings in the bagger, driving over to the garden area and using the clippings as weed control (and future plant fuel!). I also have a 34" flail mower and it leaves an acceptable looking cut. Maybe not as good looking a cut as a finish mower, but if one were living out in the country and easy about yard appearance, the flail would be the ticket.

 

[farmerboybill]

Hey Cent PA,

First off, I'd recommend an 853 over the 740. The powersafe clutch is not worth the extra cost. It was only brought to the US to offset the cost of R&D for the EU standards in the European market

Second, the newer mowers no longer spin after disengaging the PTO. They are required by law to stop within something like 1.5 seconds. That is why their cost shot up dramatically 3 or 4 years ago.

The 38 inch mower is a good unit. I used to mow a 1/4 acre lot with both an 850 and a 735 (depending on which was available) and 38 inch mower. Basically, I modified the yard to fit the mower. Mulch and stone borders were added to the base of trees and around yard obstacles, corners were further curved to accommodate the arc needed to mow to the edge and not have to stop, and I learned how to mow in a pattern that was most efficient for the mower. Once I minimized the need to stop and back up the machine, it got a lot better. I would mow in second for the obstacles and third in the open areas. I've since bought my farm with a bigger lawn, and sold the BCS mower to buy a Grasshopper 718 front deck zero turn.

 

[CENT PA]

wstr75 and farmerboybill,

Thansks for the responce. It sounds like you are both happy with your BCS 38" mower. That make me a little more comfortable in getting one (I haven't seen one in person yet). I hope to take one for a test drive soon.

Our lawn is about 1/3 acre and about half of that is on slopes. Combine that with the fact we live in the woods and will have to do some leaf collection I'm thinking this mower might be a good fit.

I think your comment is right on about making the yard fit the mower. That's good advice for any mower but maybe this one more so. I think I can fix about half of my mowing obstacles and stream-line things a bit. I'm not sure I'll be able to get away without the lawnmower (a big selling point for the BCS and one engine idea).

As for the 853 vs the 740 question it sounds like they are phasing out the 853. I realize the 740 is a bit more complicated but it dose have a lighter clutch pull (better for the wife's small hands) and the wet clutch should be able to take a little more abuse (with starting and stopping the mower deck). I'm waiting to get a final quote for each but the fist quote I got the price difference isn't all that great (~$200 I thought).

 

[mpapiary]

I use the 38" mower with my 735 to cut our 3/4 acre lawn and it does a fantastic job. Our grass (more weeds than grass) has never looked better than this year when I picked up a spline drive 38" mower NOS from a former BCS dealer. It turns very easy around obstacles, although most of my yard is straight cutting. I have retired my Kubota B5100 and Woods deck (which never really did that great of a job even with new blades) from mowing duties permanently. The only drawback I see with this mower is the price - kind'a steep for what it is.

 

[CENT PA]

mpapiary,

Thanks for the feedback on the mower. I agree it's kind of expensive. If it works as well as most people say it may be worth it in the long run. One of my hang-ups is I was hoping to get rid of the lawnmower and cut the whole lawn with a BCS and weed-wacker (and have one less engine to maintain). I think if I "streamline" my yard I may be able to get pretty close to that goal.

My other hang-up is being able to test drive a tractor mower combo first to see how it handles on hills. I've been asking the dealer and distributer in my area since early summer about this but keep getting the same answer ("we'll try to make that happen"). I have now doubt that the mower cuts grass, I just want to make sure that the tractor/mower isn't too much work to keep stright on slopes. I told both the dealer and distributer that I don't even need to turn the blades, I just want to walk behind one to get the feel of it. I'm going to try one more time this week to see if I can make that happen.

I'll let everyone know how it goes.

 

[farmerboybill]

Hey Cent PA,

The machine you're considering has steering brakes. As you go along the hillside, you can "ride" the uphill brake to keep you on track. I help a friend cut his 13 acre hay field on occasion and find myself riding the brake often. It helps to keep a straight line.

Since the handlebars can be swung around, the brake levers will be right (left handle actuates left brake) going one direction and wrong (left handle actuates right brake) going the other. I'd make sure the dealer has it set right for mowing. The brakes are far less important in tiller mode.

 

[CENT PA]

farmerboybill,

I took a look at both a BCS 853 and 740 at Ag Progress Days in State College PA. I was checking out the brakes for just the purpose you discribed. The ones I looked at had the brake cables set up right for the tractor in the "mowing" mode. I also spoke with one of the BCS company reps and he said another trick is to engage the differntal lock when making long cuts on a cross slope. Since most of my steep slopes (~40%) are on my sand-mound septic field (and only about 60 feet long) I see me using your brake method most.

I called the dealer this moring and spoke with someone (his wife I think) and she suggested trying out a 732 they have with an old finish mower. He is suppose to call me back later today to discuss it (along with a quote). I think this should be close enough for me to get the "feel" of how it handles.

Quick question about tillers: Are the 20" and 26" BCS tillers basically the same tiller. The reason I ask is I don't want to short change myself if I decide to get the smaller tiller. At this point we only have a small garden (30' x 15') so the 20" tiller should be plenty. Am I giving up anything by going with the 20" over the 26"?

Thanks!

 

[farmerboybill]

Locking the Diff isn't a good method and i would doubt he's ever mowed a hillside if he gave you that idea. Once you lock the diff, you cannot easily make any adjustment to direction. Even with both tires driving, it will still wander downhill - though maybe a bit slower (yes, I've tried it).

Running a 732 will not help you in your decision unless it has had brakes installed. The 732 does not come with brakes.

The 18 inch tiller is 18 inch only. The larger tillers have the same gearbox. You can get a 20/26 tiller or a 26/30 tiller. If you buy a 20 inch tiller now, you can buy extensions later and make it a 26 inch. This is an expensive way to do it as the hubs are something like $75 each. If you think you'll need a larger tiller in the future, you'd be better off buying a 26 inch tiller and making it a 20 inch. You can hang the hubs in the garage for later.

 

[CENT PA]

farmerboybill,

Thanks for reminding me about the 732 not having brakes. I guess if I do test drive this tractor/mower combo it would be a worst case senario. I'll bring that up when I talk to the dealer later in the week. I bought a small Kubota tractor a few years back and it was no problem to take one for a short test drive and get all of my questions answered. It has been just the opposite with this (possible) purchase. If it wasn't for this forum I think I would have walked away from BCS awhile ago. I still haven't gotten a straight answer on a wider tire option (tires they show in their sales brochure).

Thank you for answering my question on the tillers though. I doubt I'll need anything larger than 20". I have an 18" tiller now and it gets the tilling done in about 10 min. I was just worried the gear-box may have been lighter duty or missing some feature on the smaller one. Tilling will be the least of the jobs for this equipment. Mowing will be the most used with wood-chiping a distant second (possibly a snow-blower in the future).

Thanks

 

[farmerboybill]

That is pretty disappointing the dealer won't get you a demo of what you want to buy. I sold a Grillo G85 to a Mennonite last week. I took the machine right to their place, gave a demonstration on running it, and let them all try it out right in their own garden. Up 'til that point, no agreement had been made. They coulda sent me home with my machine with a "Thanks for tilling our garden"

As far as tires go, check out Earth Tool's offerings -

Tractor Accessories

You might need to buy two sets of tires if you want turf tires for mowing. I don't think you'll be able to get them to fit in the tiller width.

 

[plumberroy]

Let me preface this by saying I have only mowed with my grillo a couple times . I have mowed a lot with a gravely 2 wheeler. On anything other than flat level ground I do less damage to the grass with tractor tread tires than turf tires tractor tread grips and goes where turf tires spin and tear up the grass . this is just my personal opinion your milage may vary .
Roy

 

[mpapiary]

That really is disappointing to hear about your dealer Cent PA, usually most owners and especially dealers love to promote these little tractors for all they are capable of. I can't imagine why they won't accomidate a request for a trial - most equipment dealers are more than happy to do one.

As for the slopes, I have several sections that are fairly steep and just feather the correct brake as needed to keep the tractor running in a fairly straight line. I too have tried the diff lock, but find most of the time the brakes are less hassle.

As for the tiller, my sugestion is to go with the 26" and just remove the extensions if you don't need them. You may want to increase your garden area once you see how easy these tractors make soil preperation.

You should have no issue getting rid of your existing mower and just using the BCS & string trimmer for the yard. I cut around everything with the 38" mower and just clean up with a string trimmer, no sweat. The mower REALLY does a nice job on the grass, you won't be disappointed. Best of all with the quick disconnect it is easily removable so you can wash the underside to keep it from rotting out after you cut. I have attached a picture of my 735/725 (I combined a 735 transmission & handlebars with my 725 tractor to make a 735) and the 38" mower. Good luck with the purchase - I'm sure you will find it a very worthwhile investment.

 

[CENT PA]

farmerboybill,

I've been on the Earthtools website. He has a lot of good information on there. From everything I've heard he's very good to deal with. I'm just a little leary of buying such a large and expensive piece of equipment mail order. I'll be doing my own maintenance but if there is a warranty issue (more than a 30 min fix) I'll expect it to be taken care of. That would be quite a hastle if I have to have a tractor shipped back. As for accessories or even an attachment I would certainly consider Earthtools.

plumberry,

Thanks for the advice on the tires. Mowing is what I'll be doing the most. I was figuring that a wider contact patch of a turf type tire would do less damage but with a piece of equipment that light turfs just may not have enough "bite". My other thought was a future snow blower would require chains for my steep (~15% average, 18% max) driveway. I wasn't sure how well chains will work with ag tires. My experience has been with small compact tractors. I had one with the industrial bar tires and it didn't do any favors for the lawn. They weren't that good in the snow either. I now have a small Kubota with turf tires and they have done well in all but mud. In the snow with chains on the rear it's done a great job.

mpapiary,

Thanks for the photo of your mower set-up. I appreciate the feedback on the mower. There's not a lot of information out there on them (customer generated). I'm glad to hear it can be used as an only mower for a lawn. I figure between stramlining my yard and getting used to using a larger walk-behind like this BCS I should be able to ween myself off the lawnmower.


I'll let every one know how it goes.

Thanks again for all of the replys.

 

[bbrummon]

Hi,
I am a new member here and just regested because of this thread. I have been looking at getting a 2 wheel tractor for my property. Around my home I have 1/2 of grass to cut with many trees (15). I also own a hunting camp ( 50 acres) where I have 1/2 acre around a camping area including a berm around a pond, many grassy trials and about a total of 3 acres of clover food plots. I would like one tool to cut my grass at home and at camp, snowblow in winter and mow my clover plots. My only issue is I would like to mow the clover at about 8" hight. Can any of the attachements mow at a high of 8"?

Thanks,

Bob

 

[farmerboybill]

Hey Bob,

Sounds like you want a sickle mower. If properly balanced to the engine, it will mow at any height you want to hold it, or you could modify the skids to keep it 8 inches off the ground. A sickle mower would also do a good job of mowing trails once a month and mowing the pond berm a couple times a year. It's very nice for mowing a pond edge because the sickle sticks out past the wheels and can safely get weeds growing in the water. Keep in mind a sickle mower will only cut off the material and leave it lay. It will not grind it up.

With a wider sickle mower and oversized tires, you should be able to do 1/2 to 3/4 an acre per hour. This is considering you have obstacles. If you were mowing an open field and are fit enough to maintain an ~3 mph walking speed, you should be able to do up to an acre per hour.

 

[plumberroy]

Cent PA
Since it has started raining some I have got to use my g85d with the 28" zanon deck a few times now . I have 4 tenth of an acre , with fruit trees, grape vines , gardens and drive so I mow around half that . It is an obstacle. Only faults , things that stop a self propelled push mower it will run over or climb up if the object is solid :shocked:. Even with the slow speeds of the g85d it is quicker than my push mowers. If you let the grass get a little heavy it doesn't bog it down. My last push mower went out of here via craigslist last week.
Roy

 

[CENT PA]

plumberroy,

Thanks for the feed-back on the mower attachment. I got a chance to take a brief try at a BCS 732 (no brakes) with an old 38" mower. I can see your point about it running over things if you're not careful. It's a bit of a beast compaired to a push mower. It did handle better than I thought it would though. On level ground it was no problem at all to control. On hills it wanted to dive down as I tried to mow across (cross-slope). I've been told here that won't be a problem with the 740 I'm looking at (using the brakes). My local dealer still has not done anything to get me a test drive of one with a mower. I've about given up on him and have gotten a quote from Earthtools. I'm seriously thinking of going that route. I'm still a little worried about getting such a big and expensive piece of equipment mail order though it looks like Earthtools has a very good reputation here and other places I've read. Did you get your Grillo from Earthtools. Any issues?

I'm glad to hear your mower is working well for you (and can get rid of the old one). That's the same direction I want to head.

Thanks