RK47 MMM or finish mower

[blueheeler47]

I am needing to replace our riding mower next year, I like the versatility of the sub compact to do some light bush hogging and probably a grapple to aid in some brush clean up. Would you go with the mid mount mower, or, to eliminate having to remove it for other chores, go with a three point finish mower? Could you do light bush hogging with the mid mount mower still underneath? TIA

 

[Industrial Toys]

Purpose built things always work better. Why not another riding mower? I had a JD compact MMM once, bought new. Worked OK but was a compromise and I hated that thing being on there when not cutting grass. Ground clearance pretty much zero!

 

[jethroish]

From experience, finish mower is not the best choice if your land is not pretty flat.

 

[markie61]

I am needing to replace our riding mower next year, I like the versatility of the sub compact to do some light bush hogging and probably a grapple to aid in some brush clean up. Would you go with the mid mount mower, or, to eliminate having to remove it for other chores, go with a three point finish mower? Could you do light bush hogging with the mid mount mower still underneath? TIA

In addition to what's said above:
Separate equipment - We have both a 7' 3PH finish mower on our tractor and a 5' ZTR - it seems like the ZTR mows more in the same period than the tractor. The tractor doesn't beat you up as much, plus has a/c and a stereo. A mid-PTO option (if it was available) + MMM gets me halfway to the cost of the ZTR. Your profile doesn't say where you are, but if you plan on a front mounted snowblower, then maybe I'd reconsider since it uses the mid-PTO. When one unit is serviced, the other can be used. We mow 14 acres.
Combined - only one engine to maintain, less storage, MAYBE lower cost.
Note: there isn't an RK47. According to the website specs, you cannot get a mid-PTO on the RK74 or RK55, so probably not those; the RK37 hydrostatic tractors have a mid-PTO option (I was once told it had to be ordered specially-built from Korea), but I don't see an RK-branded MMM available for it; it looks like the RK19 and RK24 come with a mid-PTO standard(?) and have 48/54" and (RK19) 60" (RK24) MMM available. These seem fairly narrow - perhaps a wider 3PH mower might have better throughput...?

 

[snymat68]

I have the RK24 (mid PTO standard) and the 60" MMM. It works for my yard, and it's not that difficult to take on and off. That being said, I still find myself not wanting to put it on to mow and sometimes just use my other, slower, mower instead.

 

[jjp8182]

I'd actually suggest looking at the price difference between a mid-mount mower and a 3pt finish mower as once it gets to be a certain size the 3pt becomes a cheaper option. While the 3pt mower may take a bit more of a learning curve

Personally I prefer a 3pt over a mid-mount as greater ground clearance can be maintained, removing it isn't different than other 3pt implement, it can be used as a ballast for loader work (though an expensive one that has lots of moving parts), getting under it to change blades tends to be easier, it can permit mowing in areas without having to completely drive through them, they tend to offer the possibility of a rear-discharge deck rather than a side-discharge deck. A 3pt also tends to permit higher cutting heights if so desired.

However, having said that there is more of a learning curve associated with mowing (e.g. easier to flow around trees/objects like water flows around an obstacle), as well as not being able to continually see the mowing deck while going forward, the entire mowing set-up gets to be that much longer, and I've yet to see a method of bagging for 3pt mowers (if that's desired).

I don't see a reason why a person couldn't do some light brush cutting with a 3pt bush hog/rotary cutter as long as it was being done in reverse and the bush hog/rotary cutter was cutting a swath wide enough for a mid-mount mower to not catch on anything. While that may not be an issue (depending on what needs to be cut) it's something that might be worth considering as I'm not sure I'd want a mid-mount mower to be pushing over (or being caught) on saplings/stumps.

Just my :2cents:

 

[brianevans]

I'd highly suggest taking off a mid mount mower if you're going to use a rotary cutter. Your ground clearance is much reduced and you're going to beat the tar out of the mid mower for no reason. A 3 point finish mower and rotary cutter could eliminate the need to remove a mid mower, but as JJP said, you might think of how long your total setup would be and how your area to be mowed is set up to decide how you'd like the mower in the rear.

 

[jeff9366]

There is no RK47 model.

There is an RK37 model. RK's web site does not show a mid-PTO available for RK37, so MMM impossible.

Few economy compact tractors have an optional mid-PTO, which is somewhat complex, therefore costly.

Subcompact tractors are primarily finish mowers so this lightest tractor class usually has a mid-PTO standard. Part of the mid-PTO price is probably recovered in high, proprietary MMM price.

 

[markie61]

There is no RK47 model.

True.

There is an RK37 model. RK's web site does not show a mid-PTO available for RK37, so MMM impossible.

If you go to the specifications chart, a mid-PTO is listed on the HST models as optional. Also, I asked the salesperson, who said it was very expensive and took a long time to get since it has to special-ordered from Korea. It appears to be of little use at this time since RK currently offers no mid-PTO implements for RK37.

 

[jjp8182]

When I was looking at purchasing a tractor I did consider mid-mount mowers, but at the time found that once the deck size when over 48" the prices between the different options started overlapping, and when deck size when over 60-ish inches the 3pt starting becoming the cheaper option.

For example: (if I'm recalling correctly) between the additional cost of a mid-PTO, and a 72" mower for a L3560, going with a mid-mount on would have ended up costing a thousand (or two) more than a high-end 3pt finishing mower. .... and looking now, I'm not even seeing the options for a mid-mount mower on the L3560 provided in the "Build your own" tool on the Kubota website (though there's still the option for a mid-PTO).

Which is why I'm of the opinion it's worth looking at both/all options once mowing deck width goes over 48" as price and utility need to be matched to a person's unique use cases & property mowing needs.