Rotary Cutter Sizing of Brush hog and Gear Box HP Help

   / Sizing of Brush hog and Gear Box HP Help #1  

bmartin47

New member
Joined
Aug 12, 2010
Messages
3
Location
Oklahoma
Tractor
Kubota L series
I am currently trying to upsize my tractor to a 50 HP. I am also looking at buying a 6 or 7 foot king kutter heavy brush hog but I am concern that the larger brush hog will need a larger tractor. I am also not sure I under the gear box sizing in HP. Can someone explan what the gear box sizing is used for. Thanks
 
   / Sizing of Brush hog and Gear Box HP Help #2  
When looking at the gear box rating of a mower it is the input HP that the gearbox can handle. So you can run a 60HP gear box with a
30 PTO HP tractor. But you wouldn't want to try to run a 60HP gearbox with a 75 PTO HP tractor.
 
   / Sizing of Brush hog and Gear Box HP Help #3  
I think what you are asking is what is the Hp rating for the hogs gear box? Ok, the PTO Hp is about 15% less than the engine HP. A 50 Hp tractor will have a PTO output of about 42.5 Hp and so a 50 Hp or larger gear box well do fine.
Next are the TPH lift capacity and the hitch category 1 or 2?
A 6 to 7 foot hog will weigh about 800 to 1,000 pounds, not only will the hitch need to lift the hog, you do not want the tractor to be tipsy or too light on the front wheels. Ballast weight in the FEL will fix that.
 
   / Sizing of Brush hog and Gear Box HP Help #4  
Can someone explan what the gear box sizing is used for. Thanks
There are typically 3 general grades of rotary cutter; standard duty, medium duty, heavy duty. I suppose someone might come back with an example of a light duty rotary cutter, but to me that's simply an oxymoron. Anyway. Each grade is progressively stronger - both in terms of construction and input torque capability. The rougher the stuff is you're going to cut, the higher grade of RC you want. And this is usually commensurate with the size of tractor that you'll be working the rough stuff with. So standard duty RCs will typically have transmissions rated in the 40-60hp range, mediums in the 60-100 range, heavy 100+. I just bought a 60" Kodiak a few weeks ago. The SD60 (standard) had a 40hp rated tranny, the MD60 had a 90, and the HD60 had a 110 (or so said the salesman). My larger tractor has 45 PTO hp, so I bought the MD60.

Bottom line: determine the PTO horsepower of the tractor you intend to buy. Select a rotary cutter rated for MORE than that number. Any less, and it likely won't be able to handle the excess input torque.

//greg//
 
Last edited:
   / Sizing of Brush hog and Gear Box HP Help #5  
Theoretically, you can run a 40 HP gearbox behind a 60 hp tractor, IF, you use the correct shear bolts or the slip clutch is adjusted correctly. Ken Sweet
 
   / Sizing of Brush hog and Gear Box HP Help #6  
Yeah, but in my case I mow aggressively - not theoretically

//greg//
 
 

Tractor & Equipment Auctions

UNSUED AGT MX-CRT23 STAND ON SKID STEER (A51243)
UNSUED AGT...
2017 Ford F-450 Crew Cab Mason Dump Truck (A50323)
2017 Ford F-450...
2012 DODGE (A50323)
2012 DODGE (A50323)
UNUSED AGT SDA-140W WHEEL LOADER (A51243)
UNUSED AGT...
2011 Ford F-350 Service Truck (A51692)
2011 Ford F-350...
2018 GENERAC MAGNUM PORTABLE S/A LIGHT TOWER (A51243)
2018 GENERAC...
 
Top