Mowing Smallest Deere - 5 foot rotary mower

[timb]

Uh Oh. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif Fast question - due to a combination of factors including my JD 318 GT suddenly needs a motor and finding out our old farming neighbor won't be working our fields this year (and there's not really any one else around available) - I've suddenly got a mowing 'situation' on my hands.

Still want to get a 4710 down the road (or 4720??) once we get better settled in but rather than put money into either the old 318 or a new GT for 'lawn mowing' I might get better utility over the next 12-18 months from a small CUT (and loader). Something small enough to cut reasonably close to the house/outbuildings but also capable of handling the 'fields'. I can always trade up later.

Not interested in used - I love old iron but it seems like every "golden oldie" machine around the place has picked this spring to act up and I need something I can expect will run without needing something fixed every weekend.

So.. with 10-12 acres to cut in 'pasture' I figure I want to run at least a five foot rotary in the field. (Also, I have access to a light five-footer at the moment).

How much tractor do I need for a five-footer? These fields have virtually no heavy brush, just grass/weeds (used to be a hayfield of sorts). Can a 4115 do it? Or would I need to go to a 4210/4310?

Tim

 

[rockyridgefarm]

4115 is rated up to the LX4
4210 is rated up to LX5
4310 is rated up to the MX5. LX6

For pasture cutting, you ought to find a real improvement on ride with the mid chassis...

 

[Hambone]

<font color="red"> 4115 is rated up to the LX4
</font>

Is that a 4' cutter? How much HP is the 4115 rated?

Just curious. Does it take more HP to run a rotary cutter versus a MMM?

 

[zuiko]

They seem to be pretty conservative in their rotary cutter recommendations. Especially since you are interested in maintaining pasture instead of cutting saplings and brush... I don't see you having a problem with that combo.

 

[timb]

Mike

I checked out the specs in the JD brochures - but I sometimes wonder if mfg. spec sheets don't list the whole range of choice possible for a tractor because they only list their own attachments.

Looking over the Woods, Howse, KingKutter etc., sites it looks like most expect 25hp or more on the PTO for a five foot cutter. However, there's a pretty broad range of what you can cut with a rotary so I was hoping they're erring on the conservative end.

New Holland lists their light 951 series 5-foot cutter as compatible with their class I TC21 which is a bit smaller than a 4115.

Tim

 

[Alan L.]

I have had great luck with my 5-foot cutter on a Kubota B2710 which only has 20 PTO HP. I supposed if the grass was really thick and tall it could bog down a little and you would have to slow down, but most of the time the tractor doesn't seem to work hard with it at all.

Having said that, if it was me, I'd go ahead with a 25HP tractor since you haven't done it yet. Basically I picked out my tractor and then the dealer's recommendation of the biggest cutter it could handle. If you start with a 5-foot cutter, this might lead you to a 25HP (PTO) tractor, and those extra 5 horses will come in handy on other kinds of projects too.

 

[rockyridgefarm]

I hope to be trying an MX6 behind my 4310 this week, so I understand what you are saying.

Don't forget, there is the pto power requirement, and there is also handling.

Will you be able to safely transport with the cutter raised?

Can you go up a hill with it?

The biggie: can you cut across a slope, without sliding...

Front ballast is a must, a loader should really help. But do you want to be able to mow with the loader removed..?

I felt the LX was TOO light duty, but a Midwest or another brand might give enough strength without as much weight....

 

[RoyJackson]

I run a 5' Land Pride cutter through some pretty thick brush. I've only 16 HP @ the PTO.
Now, I run in 1st or 2nd Low, but it works pretty good for me.

Land Priide recommends 20 PTO HP for this size cutter.

The pic shows the stuff I was cutting.

Anyway...if you want to go with a Deere, I'd give a real hard look at the 790.

 

[755inNY]

timb,

I run a JD503 (5') rotary cutter behind my JD755 with no problems. I have a pasture that goes uphill (see attached photo). I mow up and down the hill including cross slope. I have cut brush higher than the hood of the tractor and taken down stands of large saplings and bushes. If I couldn't push it over with the tractor I would back into it. The 755 did the job. Certainly I had to go a little slower in the real heavy stuff but I got the job done. I typically cut the pasture once a month and the 755 moves right through it.

The 755 is 20 HP (15 at the PTO), 1700 pounds plus another 300 for the mid mount mower which is usually attached.

The 503 cutter weighs 500 pounds. About 80 to 100 pounds of front ballast weight is helpful when the cutter is in the raised position.

Nothing runs like a Deere.

Jeff

 

[755inNY]

Another photo looking from the top of the hill with NO SNOW /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif