RFM on 2 foot grass

[tarious]

I am expecting my new tractor to arrive next week. Can I cut through 2 foot grass and weeds with a 72inch rear finish mower on a 3320? This would be a one-time only deal. With the arrival of the new tractor, I will be mowing much frequently.

I have also considered renting a rough cut mower, but I could replace blades on the rfm and still save some cash.


Any thoughts?

 

[billbill1]

You might try keeping the mower raised up high on the first pass and then drop down the mower to the finished height. I'd try that first.

 

[Bob_Skurka]

I agree with Bill. This is far from idea, but it can be done. It will very likely require several passes, deck up fairly high. If you can make 1 pass down the middle, you may find some better results making 1/2 overlapping passes with the discharge chute blowing your clippings into the already cut pass.

There is some danger here in that you may see the blades "find" things down in that grass that you didn't know were there, and those things can fly out at high speed. And if the deck is elevated, they can fly out in any direction, not just out the exit chute. Keep people away from where you are working!

 

[skivt]

Make sure you go real slow and prewalk the area for stumps, rocks, etc.

It should work fine. Expect to do more than one pass.

skivt

 

[garchib]

....I have a question on a similar note.....my field is sometimes close to 2 feet and will grow to that length in a couple of weeks with all of the rain we are having. I am aware of the techinique of making multiple passes with the RFM being lowered more each time. Does horsepower help ? In other words, my 20 HP JD works pretty hard at times, if I bought a 30 HP tractor, would it not work as hard mowing the same grass and allow me to make less passes ? Or is the fact that the RFM gets clogged up with grass the issue ?

 

[BB_TX]

I agree with Bill and Bob. And I think it will take several passes. If you don't know for sure what may be buried in the grass, walk every foot of it before you mow. Don't want to ruin an expensive finish mower the first time out. And you are going to have a LOT of cut grass laying on the ground. It will probably begin to ball up under the deck as you get lower and lower. Will probably be a slow process that first time.

 

[thcri]

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I have also considered renting a rough cut mower, but I could replace blades on the rfm and still save some cash.
Any thoughts? )</font>

I wouldn't go it. If you hit something yes you can replace the blades. But if you do hit something you could wreck your drive or even smash out the side of your finish mower. Me, I would rent a brush hog. You usually can find them fairly easy and cheap to rent. Right tool for the right job always makes good sense.

Now if this is something you have mowed many times before and know there is no rocks or anything maybe it would be a different story but I still wouldn't go it.

murph

 

[slowzuki]

If our 11 hp craftsman ride on and the old 2 hp lawnboy can cut our 2 ft long grass your RFM should too.

It is a long slow process but works.

 

[steveinmo]

Tarious,

Yes, it can be done. I just did it a couple of weeks ago when my 3320 was delivered. I have 10 acres but mow only about 3. It's all K-31 fescue and was 2 - 2 1/2' tall.

I have a 6' Bush Hog rear discharge finish mower that I set at the highest setting which is about 6" according to the manual. I overlapped my rows a little and didn't have any problems at all. Yes, it made somewhat of a mess but I mowed it again a week later at a little lower setting and that cleaned it up pretty good. I mowed this property last year so I knew there were no stumps or boulders to bother me.

Hope this helps.

Steve

 

[Freds]

When I first got my place the grass was well over a foot tall before I got my tractor and mowed for the first time. I mowed it with a 60" RFM, 16 PTO hp, going very slow with as high a setting as the RFM had.
I don't think you'll have a problem, but a brush hog is better suited.