Rotary cutter suggestions?

[DieselBound]

I was lucky, and bought my place when I was 32 years old,,, (1982)
back then,, a giant pry bar, and a sledge,,, and a sunny day moving rock SEEMED like fun,,, :confused2:

If I bought a place today,, I would let it grow up into a "nature preserve",, butterfly feeding area,,,WHATEVER!!

Although,, I still move some rock occasionally for decorations,,,
but, now, the backhoe, and thumb do the grunt work!! :laughing:

Yeah, it's a lot of energy to clear and to hold back entropy! I'm not looking to do it all, just some and then let animals deal with more and to maintain (I'll likely have to make passes to take out weeds that they don't bother with).

Fortunately I don't have to deal with a lot of rocks. For me it's logging debris, and I'll be looking to finally get a helping Thumb in the form of a grapple

docsfarm, I think that you're figuring it out. You might look to pick up some cheaper rotary and see how it works for you (you can usually still run the snot out of them- no need to go real expensive at first). If you think it'll do the trick then you can turn around and sell it and buy a nicer/newer unit and be good for a long time. Going the same route with a flail might be tougher as used flails tend to require a bit of catching up on maintenance and you might find yourself fumbling around more than you'd like, not getting work done.

I'll be running a 7' flail w/hydraulic side-shift off of my new NX5510. I've got a lot of tight spaces and will, in time, figure out where I can and cannot go with this setup. For places where this combo won't go/work I'll still have my B7800 with its 5' rotary mower to do that cleanup: wife says that she wants to do this

 

[docsfarm]

Hmmm... may have to rethink the flail idea... CREP requires mowing to a height of no less than 6-8" depending on the grasses involved. Now, I'm not sure that they really come out with a ruler and measure... but most flails that I see max out around 5".
Might be back to the larger rotary for the fields and a smaller HD one for the woods. Sounds now like I really need to sell the finish mower since I certainly can't get even get to 6" with it.
The research continues... Luckily I don't need to purchase until the spring so I have time to figure this out.

 

[JWR]

Dear sweettractors: in the 9/16 post Sawyer was not talking about holes to let out water. He was talking about exoskeleton structure (often angle iron) that traps water and debris on top the hog. John Deere MX series was among the first to use a smooth top with no such problems and the added strength of two layer construction. Secondly your comment said: "Most safety conscious companies stopped putting holes in the top to keep some dummy from sticking something in it while the flywheel was still turning. Ken Sweet" Sorry but that is bull. The majority of solid, well known, name-brand hogs DO have holes for access to the blade bolts. A related comment to others posting about large versus small bolts, etc. : Many cutters (my 7ft Bush Hog 297 for example) require around 625 ft-lb of torque on those bolts. Deere is similar. Service shops use "torque-multiplier wrenches." Rednecks often use cheater bars and break their socket wrenches trying to get there. Rarely do air wrenches offer that level of torque even if you could get them in position. Some who do not read the manual will also tighten these bolts to what they think is very tight using a long socket set arm and half an hour later find the blades or the stump jumper flying across the field.

 

[JWR]

I have an old cutter that must not have had a hole in the top. The previous owner used a cutting torch and fixed that problem.

I love it ! This TBN really needs a big button for "Like."

 

[JWR]

Back to docsfarm original question/situation: Over the last 15 years I have migrated to using a bush hog for any grass over 8 or 10" tall and found the finish mower useless unless i was there often enough to cut the place weekly. I mow around 50 acres of pasture a couple of times per year with side trips into heavier brush and clearing work once in a while. I find the 7ft bush hog to be ideal for that work on an 81hp tractor. I think going to larger rotary cutters is inadvisable unless you have very large land areas to mow and/or lots of cash to apply to the problem. With the 43-49 hp you are using I suggest a 6ft hog. I used them for 10 years and found a 6ft hog on a JD4700 (48hp) very near ideal.

 

[MF283]

I'm glad i live where i can cut my property w/o someone telling me what i can do. How do they cut hay if there's a 6-8" variable on cutting height?
I do agree with the sloping top to help prevent rust, i always blow my hogs/tractor off with air after cutting & one of these days, i'm going to slip an MX8 home while the wife isn't looking

Ronnie

 

[sweettractors]

Dear sweettractors: in the 9/16 post Sawyer was not talking about holes to let out water. He was talking about exoskeleton structure (often angle iron) that traps water and debris on top the hog. John Deere MX series was among the first to use a smooth top with no such problems and the added strength of two layer construction.

I get dozens of phone calls or emails annually wanting to know how to "work around" replacing a MX series John Deere gearbox. Evidently much time was spent on exoskeleton and not enough on good quality gearboxes. I own a MX 7 cutter and actually am afraid to work it for its intended purpose for fear of blowing the gearbox. Ken Sweet

 

[JWR]

I'm surprised to hear that about the MX series gearboxes. I ran an MX6 for 10 years cleaning up an old farm in WV and never had a minute's trouble with it. I've had a (new in 2011) 7ft model 297 Bush Hog doing the same kind of work but with a larger tractor (mostly clipping pastures and once in a while heavier brush, autumn olives, etc.) Bush Hog replaced my gearbox on the 297 after 4 years and commented they had had a few with that same problem and could not explain it (hairline crack near the base bolt pattern and began leaking lube.) Local dealer claimed I had abused it which was utter bullcrap. I certainly am not afraid to work the Bush Hog for it's intended purpose and I would not have any fear doing the same work with the MX7.

 

[RedNeckRacin]

I get dozens of phone calls or emails annually wanting to know how to "work around" replacing a MX series John Deere gearbox. Evidently much time was spent on exoskeleton and not enough on good quality gearboxes. I own a MX 7 cutter and actually am afraid to work it for its intended purpose for fear of blowing the gearbox. Ken Sweet

I have 3 gear boxes on my MX-10, and other than something stupid I deal that caused a seal failure, I've had no issues with it in 6 years.

 

[DK35vince]

I'm surprised to hear that about the MX series gearboxes. I ran an MX6 for 10 years cleaning up an old farm in WV and never had a minute's trouble with it.

There are several threads on TBN about the issue.
Here's a couple
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...6-brush-hog-failure.html?highlight=mx+gearbox

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...6-brush-hog-failure.html?highlight=mx+gearbox