Rotary Cutter Questions re: Brand and Size Rotary Cutter

[GrammaBJT]

Good Morning! We have a small horse farm with about 10 acres in pasture. We were unfortunate enough to purchase a Frontier RC2060 from Barnhill Equipment, Durham, NC. We previously owned a farm in KY and had all John Deere equipment and never had any problems. I was not told by the sales rep that the John Deere green rotary cutter he recommended was NOT a John Deere cutter. We have had so many problems with it including welding it back together on the piece that the top link mount is bolted to. John Deere said it was not under warranty and wanted me to have it towed in for service. I had it re-welded instead. It is darn near impossible to attach the cutter to the tractor. I really don't know how my daughter does it! The Cat 1 pin on one side kept coming loose and/or bending. Finally, after many replacements, I looked at the parts list and discovered there should be a pin bushing inside. NOT THERE - EVER! I have read many negative comments on this cutter. I'm consider not going back to John Deere because I think they were not honest with me - and I wasn't informed enough not to know that Frontier is a piece of junk!

I'd like to research buying another brand. Our tractor is a John Deere 3005, 27.5 engine hp, Cat. 1 hitch, PTO hp 24. We mow about 10 acres regularly during the growing season - about half the year in NC. The pastures are in good shape with a few bumpy parts and gentle hills.

I'd like to be educated before I start dealing! Would appreciate any suggestions!

 

[murphy1244]

a 5 ft land pride.or 6 ft if finish mower.

 

[leonz]

Since your in the neighborhood of Agrisupply,
you should travel to one of their stores and
look at their line of Caroni rough cut flailmowers.

AS your mowing continuosly a five foot rough cut or
finish flailmower will work well.

 

[foreman Etexas]

I will second the LandPride in a 5ft. The rough cut as they say,really do leave a nice mow. I use my 8ft LP shredder on my yard and it looks as good as what the lawn mower did up next to the house,never had a bit of trouble from the LP cutter....

 

[boggen]

in your Tractor HP and PTO range. you will most likely find different grades of bush hogs, economical to industrial. economical being low usage thinner metal, low range gear box on the bush hog errr (rotatory cutter) while industrial being a heavier gauge metal it is made from, and perhaps a higher end gear box.

normally you just get a basic rotatory cutter, and it cost extra if you want any sort of "chain shields" on front and or back. to help reduce any thing flying out form under deck and causing damage to something.

you might find hydraulic tail wheel/s to help lift the rotatory cutter up off the ground for traveling on roads, and reduce front end of tractor from getting light.

speaking of above, your 3pt hitch max lift can play a roll in how heavy of a bush hog / rotatory cutter you do get. and having either front weights, or a FEL (front end loader) on tractor might be advised. to help offset the rotatory cutter. when it is in in the raised positioned when ya travel from area to area. or mowing hills. rotatory cutters are one of them implements that are heavy, but more so the weight is clear back behind the tractor. and the tetter totter effect comes into play, causing front end of the tractor to either come off ground or become light. hence front weights or FEL to help reduce tetter totter effect.

 

[foreman Etexas]

in your Tractor HP and PTO range. you will most likely find different grades of bush hogs, economical to industrial. economical being low usage thinner metal, low range gear box on the bush hog errr (rotatory cutter) while industrial being a heavier gauge metal it is made from, and perhaps a higher end gear box.

normally you just get a basic rotatory cutter, and it cost extra if you want any sort of "chain shields" on front and or back. to help reduce any thing flying out form under deck and causing damage to something.

you might find hydraulic tail wheel/s to help lift the rotatory cutter up off the ground for traveling on roads, and reduce front end of tractor from getting light.

speaking of above, your 3pt hitch max lift can play a roll in how heavy of a bush hog / rotatory cutter you do get. and having either front weights, or a FEL (front end loader) on tractor might be advised. to help offset the rotatory cutter. when it is in in the raised positioned when ya travel from area to area. or mowing hills. rotatory cutters are one of them implements that are heavy, but more so the weight is clear back behind the tractor. and the tetter totter effect comes into play, causing front end of the tractor to either come off ground or become light. hence front weights or FEL to help reduce tetter totter effect.

So true Boggen...I agree when you get the cheapest model well got to be a reason they can sell cheap only way you can do that is what material is used on it. You can get into the light/medium duty mowers with the upgraded gearboxes and decks they will be with you along time or just buy 2 of the cheap BRANDS(one for parts)....

JD3005 Rear Type: 1

Rear lift (at 24"/610mm): 815 lbs [369 kg

LandPride RCF2060 (60IN.Rotary cutter) 620LBS Recommended pto 20-65HP
Landpride RCR1260 478LBS 20-50

 

[TripleR]

I really like Land Pride and Woods after using economy brands for years. Bush Hog makes good cutters too, but I have no real experience with them. I put a slip clutch and chain shields on our LP. A light/medium cutter should be all you need, I am not familiar with that tractor, so I can't help on sizing.

Boggen makes really good points.

 

[foreman Etexas]

I really like Land Pride and Woods after using economy brands for years. Bush Hog makes good cutters too, but I have no real experience with them. I put a slip clutch and chain shields on our LP. A light/medium cutter should be all you need, I am not familiar with that tractor, so I can't help on sizing.

Boggen makes really good points.

Looks to be just a tad bigger than wifes uncle L2400 4x4 Kubota and he use a 5footer,he does have a loader but man that little tractor will work.

 

[creekbend]

Woods, Landpride, Bush Hog. My neighbor has a Kodiak and it appears to be well made also. If you go to the SEARCH section at the top of this page and type in Rotary Mowers, there are many threads and posts relating to your inquiry. Just a thought? BTW, Welcome aboard. We live in Caswell County, just above you.

 

[Baby Grand]

I've been using a Woods BB60 60 inch cutter since 2007 and I'm very happy with it's performance and build quality. It's in the middle of their rough mower lineup - not a lightweight, but not a heavyweight, either. A welterweight? My L3240 tractor handles it very nicely with the FEL removed and no additional weight on the front. It's on the edge of being a little small for my machine, width-wise. Rear tire sidewalls outside to outside is about 63 inches.