Rotary Cutter Rotary brush cutter

jb tuggers · Jul 11, 2009

I'm looking to buy a 60 inch rotary brush cutter to cut at least 3 acres of high grass and small saplings on a hilly property. What would be the best brand to get?

I've looked at Woods, Bush Hog, and Land Pride. The Woods and Bush Hog are pricy. I'm wondering if it is worth the extra money. I'm looking at the models with the slip clutch and Woods and Bush Hog have it. Woods is $1,650 and Bush Hog is $1,550.

What do you guys think?

Thanks

Chuck_Lind · Jul 11, 2009

I've had a LandPride 2572 rotary cutter that I've used on my farm for the past 5 years cutting around 80 acres of hay/weeds/small saplings every year...sometimes twice a year.

It's never failed me; today I finally placed new blades on it. All I've ever done was grease it and kept it clean.

It has a slip clutch vs. a shear pin; I prefer the slip clutch because I end up hitting groundhog dirt mounds on many occasions which bog down the tractor. I'm sure I would have sheared a pin everytime I hit one of dirt mounds.

Good Luck!!!

whistlepig · Jul 11, 2009

jb tuggers said:
I'm looking to buy a 60 inch rotary brush cutter to cut at least 3 acres of high grass and small saplings on a hilly property. What would be the best brand to get?

I've looked at Woods, Bush Hog, and Land Pride. The Woods and Bush Hog are pricy. I'm wondering if it is worth the extra money. I'm looking at the models with the slip clutch and Woods and Bush Hog have it. Woods is $1,650 and Bush Hog is $1,550.

What do you guys think?

Thanks

If you are going to buy a brush hog that is going to last forever Woods, Bush Hog, and Land Pride are worth the extra money. I have been brush hogging for thirty years with out a slip clutch. I used to mow vacant lots for realtors. I have mowed bed springs, tires, concrete blocks, stumps, and rocks as big as basketballs. I have never sheared a pin. Not saying that a slip clutch isn't a good idea.

Soundguy · Jul 12, 2009

IMHO.. if it's not going to be weekly cutting.. or for hire.. the cheapies like howse and Kingkutter do a pretty good job for about half the price of the big guys. Sure the big boys are heavy duty.. and you pay for it.. but for an average guy with small acerage.. I think you could get buy with the economy models.. my 5' KK is going on a decade old with no signs that it's in any worse shape.. other an faded paint, than when I bought it. 500$ well spent..

soundguy

GreenLawnFarm · Jul 12, 2009

i have a LP and use it to mow and as a chipper to make mulch. welds busted apart from heavy use, but cheap repairs. no problems with shear pin breaking and i hit some big stumps. slip clutch would be nice though.

Gary Fowler · Jul 12, 2009

I bought an economy Howse mower and it has mowed some pretty tough stuff in the 2 years that I have had it. I only wish that the sides were a little thicker as I have hit a lot of large rocks which ricocheted off the sides and left sizable dents which dont hurt the mowing, but look funny. It was $800 and I cant say that I would buy it again, probably get a medium heavy one next time, but definetly nothing wrong with the Howse for most mowing jobs. I have used my to basically clear sweetgum thickets with trees over 3" in diameter and never even sheared a pin. It is one tough little BH. I have a 45 HP tractor and the economy model has a 65 HP rated gear so it is up to the task. When I have some time, I am going to hammer out the dents and put on some thicker side plates and maybe stiffen up the top deck like the medium heavy ones are. I might then have $1200 invested so it will still be way less than the $2695 that my brother in law's estimate for a 5 foot Bush hog brand from the local NH dealer.

jb tuggers · Jul 12, 2009

Thanks for all your input. Yesterday I came across a used Bush Hog 285 medium heavy duty at a rental place. It looks in good shape, the blades are straight, no big dents, just surface rust and it's about 5 years old. The guy wants $750. It's a 60" cutter. What do you think about that deal instead of a new one since I'd only be mowing 2-3 times each year?

jenkinsph · Jul 12, 2009

I would try out the unit and listen for problems with the gear box. If it sounds good I would buy it.

Steve

Soundguy · Jul 13, 2009

ditto that.. remember.. lots of people learned how to drive a tractor and use a mower on that rental mower.

soundguy

bjr · Jul 13, 2009

That's not a good deal for a used mower, maybe half would be fair. buy a medium duty KK or CCM about that. A fellow I work with wants $200 for a nearly new 4' generic cutter and he hasn't sold that yet. bjr