Tight area cutter

[SRSeedBurners]

We're looking at getting a ~40-50hp tractor package and one of the things I need to do is mow around the house above the pasture. We have a lot of trees and some tight areas. What mower/cutter would be best in this situation? We're looking at a couple of JD package quotes but the cutter they included has a back wheel that sticks way out and won't allow me to back right up to the fences. I asked about a flail mower but that thing is around $5K!!! I could buy a nice independent mower for that kind of money so it's out. I'm looking for a rotary cutter that will allow me to back up as close to the fence as possible. I have several areas where I won't be able to get to it with the side of the mower.

 

[SRSeedBurners]

Ok....digging around looking at some Kioti threads, I just happened across a flail mower that's nearly the same price I'm being quoted for the JD cutter:

FM-78 Flail Mower | Tractor Flail Mower | PTO Mower Attachment | -WoodMaxx™

 

[oosik]

Honestly - I don't think any kind of mower on a 40-50 hp tractor is going to do well around a lot of trees and some tight areas. I would consider some type of walk behind mower to cut around and in the tight areas. The tractor plus flail or rotary would then work well.

 

[boggen]

pull / trailer style rotatory cutters normally have wheels on the sides vs back. but being like a single axle trailer they can be a pain to backup. normally seen for atv/rtv with a seprate motor on them but a few are just for pulling behind a tractor with PTO.

there are some rotatory mowers that have 2 smaller rear wheels vs larger single tail wheel that stick out the back.

power-trac manufacture = everything attaches out in front. and get finish mower, rotatory, or fail mower for it plus most other attachments.

they make sickle bars for 3pt hitch, but they all extend out to the side that i can think of.

skid steer you can buy finishing mowers to rotatory cutters for them. not sure if i would want it for a mower. but *shrugs* double check max MPH they can reach, they tend to be slower than tractors.

commercial grade zero turn mower. larger deck, beefier unit overall. able to handle some taller grass.

the larger walk behinds you can get (forget name) little thing you hook on back that has wheel/wheels on it. and you just and on it. and let the larger walk behind pull you around on the little dolly.

stand on mowers. like above but room made directly to stand on.

====================
how many acres you wanting to mow?
what else do you need to do with the tractor?
is there a specific reason for 40 to 50 hp tractor?

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due to tight areas lots of trees... zero turn would be best suggestion but without other information...

 

[Slagiatt]

i mow 5ac. a with my skaggs mower,i have to nice tractors both with finish mowers 2flail mowers 1 bush hog. and a belly mower for my 1720 ford. Point is a tractor is just that. not great for getting up close to many objects found around the home#trees, fence rows, side slope on pond edges, and drive way around the cars. bought my zero turn. for my wife as she loves cutting the grass but did run in to stuff with the tractor. takes about 3 hr. to cut my 5 ac. with mower.

 

[SRSeedBurners]

====================
how many acres you wanting to mow?
Approx 2 acres

what else do you need to do with the tractor?
Besides the little bit of mowing, disc/pasture improvement, FEL work, box blade horse area, move round bales.

is there a specific reason for 40 to 50 hp tractor?
See above

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due to tight areas lots of trees... zero turn would be best suggestion but without other information...

Thanks for the replies...

We have a little walk behind which I would use to get around trees. I don't expect the tractor/mower to get in every space, just the big areas that take tons of time with a walk-behind. Even when we had a 48" ride-on mower, which I killed by trying to mow the pasture, I still had to get out there and clean up with the walk-behind. Then we've tried mowing the place with the walk-behind and said to **** with that. I figure the 2-3K I'd spend on a mower would be better spent on an implement for the tractor.

I probably need to post a separate thread asking for advice on the tractor package...we only have two acres but looking at another 8 that will need some pasture improvement with a horse boarding facility.

 

[leonz]

If your intent on doing this read the entire flail mower thread first please as you will find a sub compact with a flail mower will be what you want to use and you will not require a 50 horse power mule unless you will be clearing snow with a rear mounted snow caster.

 

[Texasmark]

A 6' Mid Mount Mower (MMM) for your 50 hp tractor would be your best bet except for your comment about backing up. 3 pt mowers swing wide on turns and are not your best bet for mowing around obstructions....they are long distance straightaway heros. Neighbor just bought a new JD4052 with their 6' mower and it is a tank. That thing should never wear out. No telling what it cost. There are many aftermarket mowers that are more cost effective if you are of a mind and want to go with a 3 pt rig.

One thing you want to do is to cover your tire tracks, whatever that takes. Having a little sticking out on the sides is really a good idea as long as you learn that it's there. On your 50 hp a 6' more than likely would be your minimum purchase. A 7' gets you extra width, but a single blade 7' 3pt mower is a benevolent hog....try trimming around trees with that thing...good luck. Twin blade would be better for that size if you can find it....probably have to go to 8' with twin 4' blades....I had a Mohawk brand like that once with dual trailing wheels...didn't work for me because I have a lot of uneven areas and the wide width was always scalping on one side while leaving on the other....on a smooth field it would have been fine.

HTH.

 

[SRSeedBurners]

If your intent on doing this read the entire flail mower thread first please as you will find a sub compact with a flail mower will be what you want to use and you will not require a 50 horse power mule unless you will be clearing snow with a rear mounted snow caster.

Aren't sub-compacts those little riding mower looking tractors? No way I could move round-bales, scrape our horse pens and FEL the piles of rock/dirt I need to move with a sub-compact unless I don't know what a sub-compact is (entirely possible).

 

[4570Man]

I don't think such a thing exists. A finish mower is somewhere in between, but I still wouldn't consider that setup a tight area mower.

 

[WVH1977]

I doubt very seriously that you will find any decent type of cutting attachment for a 40/50 HP tractor for under $ 2,000. More like $ 3,000 and up. I think you would be better off spending that money on a regular lawnmower/zero-turn for the 2 acres. I have big trees and sheds around the 3 acres I cut. I would not even consider cutting grass around my house and trees with my tractor. Save the tractor for the big work.