rotary cutter recomendations?????

Dale1995 · Mar 22, 2010

I am looking to purchase a rotary cutter to attach to a JD 2320 tractor, 24 HP, 18 hp pto. In my area I am able to purchase a kodiak, a tarter, and one from tractor supply. All are priced about the same, I also have some other brands but for almost double the price such as Rhino and Woods and New Holland and Frontier. I am building a new house and just want to be able to take care of the grounds 2 to 3 times a year to keep the growth to a minimum. What should I purchase a 4' or a 5' foot model? I want to be able to drive into some property that has trees and keep it cut down. What about the above models are they any good? What are your preferences.....both good and bad. Any help would be greatly appreciated, before I plop down my hard earned money

Diamondpilot · Mar 22, 2010

You pay for what you get. That being said if it is only going to be used 2-3 times a year for your own use only, no commercial mowing, I would go with a cheaper home owners unit. The biggest issue with these is finish and steel thickness. The weight savings will be a good thing for you since your tractor is so small. Just make sure you keep it in a barn and not outdoors and clean it off after using or the clippings will hold moisture and it will rust out in 5 years.

As for size the rule is 5 HP per foot so you are going to be in the 4 foot range. 5 foot would just be too much in my opinion.

I would look at what TSC caries, usually King Kutter, and the Kodiak.

Chris

RoyJackson · Mar 22, 2010

Never did figure out where the 5 HP per foot of cutter width came from, but it's been around for as long as I've been on TBN.
That said, I operated a 5' Land Pride cutter behind my Deere 670 for a couple years (before I traded up for more PTO HP...for a chipper). I did quite well with 16.5 PTO HP. The 670 rarely bogged down.
So, I'd suggest going with a 5' cutter. Not familar with the brands Dale wrote about, but any of them do a decent job. King Kutter doesn't have the quality of build a Land Pride, Bush Hog or Woods have, but KK is about 2/3rds the cost.

Nissan197 · Mar 22, 2010

I have a 5' Bush Hog and it has been great. I run it with a 32 HP tractor, 27 PTO. From the choices you mentioned I would go with a 4' TSC brand since they are all around the same price. I have a couple of implements from them and they have been okay. The finish is poor, but they get the job done.

foggy1111 · Mar 22, 2010

One thing to consider is the amount of weight you can handle on the back of your tractor. When I bought my tractor, I had a chance to by a really nice JD MX5 cutter at a reasonable price. I ended up passing on it as I felt it was too heavy (850#s if I remember right) for my tractor.

I felt it would be like the tail wagging the dog. The MX 5 was $1200...2 years used.

Instead I bought a new KK 5'er for about $550. on sale. The cutter blades were the same thickness as those on the Deere but the gearbox and deck are not near the heft of the Deere. Still....it cuts really good for my limited purposes....and my investment is LOTS less. The 550# weight of the KK is a non-event for me.

Something to consider.

TripleR · Mar 22, 2010

Check your manual and you should find a recommendation for the proper implement size. These are pretty conservative, so you can probably go up a little from there. I have a couple of tractors the same size you have or close to it and I would not use a 5 foot cutter. Yes, it will work, but I think a four foot would work better. If all you are going to cut is grass and weeds a light duty one from TSC or someplace else will work fine for many years.