Rotary Cutter Rankings for 5' Medium duty Brush Hogs?

[Bearsixty7]

I would also consider the top decks exterior bracing design too. I suspect most mowers that are stored outside die of rusted out top decks. Corners collect rain, chafe, and moisture. Keeping the top clean goes a long way.

All 3 of these are made very similar so that they don't retain debris and moisture.

 

[Bearsixty7]

... A leaf blower is wonderful at blowing debris from a mower and the tractor.

While I do have one that attaches to my Echo Weedeater power unit, I would probably just use my air compressor as that's what I use after almost every mowing on the Zeroturn, edger and push mower and to flush the tractor radiator.
That and currently the only place I'll use it is at the deer lease, so it will some what get blown off when trailered back home.

 

[JethroB]

I tractor mow mostly Bahai grass. Very bad idea to clean off the tractor/mower in the yard. Ask me how I know. :smiley_aafz: Kudzu has nothing on Bahai.

 

[TerryR]

Mowers stored outside should be covered with a permeable cotton tarpaulin.

Jeff, what's your thinking about using cotton traps? Doesn't that just insure the top is always wet? How is that better than leaving it uncovered?

If you buy 18 ounce canvas no need to apply bungee cords.

Really? It stays on with 75 MPH gusts, which we get every winter? I'd have to see that to believe it. <g>

 

[jeff9366]

Jeff, what's your thinking about using cotton traps? Doesn't that just insure the top is always wet? How is that better than leaving it uncovered?

Are canvas tarps waterproof?
Canvas tarps are water resistant. They are treated with oil & wax to make them water & mildew resistant. Thus, if canvas tarpaulins are pitched or angled properly the water will run or slide off the cover.

Are canvas tarps breathable?
Canvas Tarps Are Breathable: Canvas is a very breathable material even after being treated for water resistance. ... Once again, the breathability of canvas prevents moisture from building up underneath.

I live in Florida where we have regular torrential rain. 18 ounce canvas keeps rain off the equipment, especially the exposed gearbox and tail wheel. No puddling. I store my mower on parallel, level railroad ties protruding about 2" from the soil. This allows air to circulate under the mower keeping the blades and bearings dry. With 1,000 pound mower uniformly flat, it it is easier to mount on the TPH. Canvas tarp prevents very strong Florida sun from bleaching Kubota orange paint on my Land Pride mower.

Paint looks like new after four years.

An 18 ounce canvas tarp is pretty heavy, dry. Wet, an 18 ounce canvas tarp is very heavy and molds somewhat to the shape of equipment. My tarped implements go through hurricanes without the tarps blowing off. Large wind blown tree limbs have dropped into equipment area yet tarps remain in place.

In hot, humid Florida canvas tarps last four to five years. I use gallon size plastic milk cartons and/or TSC rubber feed dishes to mask sharp points on TPH towers.

I use my equipment shed to cover my MF 1755.

It is periodically said here and worth repeating: You pay for covered equipment storage whether you have it or not.

 

[tmc_31]

I have been running a Rhino SE7 that I bought new almost 20 years ago. I have abused the heck out of it, mowed customers properties under all kinds of conditions. It' not pretty any more but still going strong.

Tim

 

[Bearsixty7]

Update: Purchased the Bush Hog BH215 yesterday. Once I made sure they were equally equipped, slip clutch and chains front AND rear. The BH215 was about $250 less than the BB6030 and no 2 week wait, Rhino needed chains frt & rear added was even more.
I pulled the backhoe off and hooked the BH215 up, leveled it side to side, front to back with a slight tilt forward, greased it (didn't appear dealer greased it to make ready) and test drove it around the back yard engaging the pto a few times.

 

[nybirdman]

I have a five ft.Bush-Hog branded tiller that was purchased in 2004 (shear pin) used on three different tractors over the years;must have 3000+ hours on it with no problems.

 

[Zebrafive]

Your first post said you could get them all for about the same price. For $250 savings, I would go BH too.

 

[Bearsixty7]

Your first post said you could get them all for about the same price. For $250 savings, I would go BH too.

They were relatively close I guess. Once I realized most didn't come with rear chains standard I had to contact each dealer and verify front and rear chains, and BH could have shear bolts. Rhino and Woods were slip clutch only.
So once I got solid prices for units equipped with slip clutch, chains front and rear, Bush Hog was more affordable.

I used it right at 3 hours this past Saturday reclaiming the lane where I deer hunt. I could not believe how grown up it was! I was definitely cutting some 2" trees! I kept the loader bucket at about 8-10" of the ground and it knocked some of the bigger ones down and some it flat out dozed them out of the ground. I'd raise the BH full height and ease it down on those big ones and it would just shred them up nicely. I was almost done and cutting around the feeder when I realized the left front tire was going flat, I put a dime size stick into it. I limped to the clearing where I could get the trailer to it and loaded it up. Inspected the BH yesterday and it all looks good, like it was barely used on grass, mostly just oak leaf stains.