Tractors with side mounted (articulated) mowers....

[Richard]

"The farm needs a haircut" Lots of branches encroaching into the fields and all....

I debate every now & then on attaching a side mounted mower to my International.....or buying another tractor with it mounted like you see cutting the right of ways.

I think I've primarily seen New Hollands. I have nothing against the brand nor for them. Totally agnostic.

Couple questions....

Irrespective of the brand one might buy.... Do people (Municipalities) generally buy these kind of machines already "tricked out" by the manufacturer or, does the owner (Municipality) buy raw tractor....raw mower, put things together and build the safety cage/screen on the tractor?

If someone ends up with a machine like one of these, can that SAME machine pull say, a 15' flexwing mower behind it such that you can merrily cut your fields and when you want to push the tree line back a bit, you change controls....... or, does it mandate a second machine?

My recollection is that the hydraulic pumps that might be on these are rear PTO mounted so unless you have a front PTO, I'm guessing you can have one or the other but not both? (why not plumb both into same pump system but have operation switchable to either/or mower?)

Who "makes" these? (makes as in takes the raw parts and creates a finished side mowing machine that is ready and safe to use)

 

[rademamj1]

Our county road service used that unique mower this summer, they used a very large JD tractor and a front mounted skid steer attachment, with a swing boom mower in place of the loader. It was completely hydraulic powered, and the boom would first mow the road shoulder and then swing up and rotate to trim back the brush and tree limbs. Tractor moves up 20 feet and then boom swings down to mow the shoulder again. I should have taken a photo.

Operation Techniques: Boom Mowers - Tech Tips - Diamond Mowers - YouTube

 

[oosik]

Our county and state highway depts have those things. Large JD tractors and the 3-point articulated mowers are yellow. Never caught one standing still so I've never asked questions. I've seen them cutting grass/brush down off the side of the ROW and from the pavement to the ROW dropoff. They will also rise up and trim the roadside brush and trees.

The tractor part doesn't seem to be anything special - just a fairly large( 100 to 150 hp ) unit with a standard cab. They ALWAYS have the slow lane blocked off with traffic cones.

The mower part has all sorts of interesting parts. Large rectangular box attached to the 3-point arms containing - ???. Then the hydraulics that control the articulated arm and the hydraulic hoses going out to the cutter. The cutter head can articulate also.

If they will be trimming a longer section with brush, limbs and small trees - all traffic will usually be stopped in that lane and may even be "pilot carred" thru the area. They obviously have experience with the cutter head, cutting the throwing stuff - just like shrapnel.

I never remember seeing one of these units with a FEL frame. There will be suitcase weights hanging off the frame in the front.

 

[oosik]

So ....... there are, at least, two types. Texas has them up front where the loader/FEL would be and around here in Ea WA they are on the 3-point.

A quick Google search = Orsi & Lane Shark.

 

[RjCorazza]

They appear to me to be single purpose machines, some with significant counterweights.
For ditch, brush, and stream mowing I am considering a small articulating flail mower. Backing my rear mount mower over the stream bank 7' at a time is getting old.

 

[Michael In Tennessee]

Here just south of Knoxville, they contract the service, so the muni just writes a check.

I would imagine that one would purchase these machines configured correctly from the dealer due to the complexity and heavy weights involved. You would need a gantry crane or such for some components.

 

[Beaver Cove Deere]

I have an Alamo-McConnel PA92 with a flail head that was used to cut back the woods growing into the fields and up tight to stone walls. I also used it for cutting over the wall to cut the brush back and it was extensively used for mowing the slope around the pond and a long drainage ditch. 3 point hitch mounted so not a dedicated machine. The town next to me has one with a sickle bar head and before we bought this I subbed it out to a guy with a rotary mower attached.

It's been a very good unit.

 

[workinonit]

I can say from experience if you are serious about one of these stay away from the 3 PH mounted ones unless your work is limited to your farm and you aren't going to be using it constantly. The units that are permanently mounted are the way to go. They are built with either dual wheels or serious counter weights or both. They have a much longer reach than the 3 PH mounted unit. Most of the time you see these mounted on a 150 HP machine or larger. There is one actually two on the sale I'm going to tomorrow. The nice one is on a JD 6115R tractor and has the ditching attachment that goes with it. I suspect it will bring upwards of $100K but it is really nice. There is also a well used one there. I don't have much experience with the FEL mounted ones but I can say that my opinion would be they don't have the strength and stability a side mounted unit would unless the tractor is very large and has a stout loader. Those mowers take a beating. They can be had with 3 or 4 blade rotary heads or flail. And you can get all sorts of other attachments for them. They are all electrohydraulic now so they are simple to operate with a joystick control. I couldn't see $16K for a 3 PH version no more than I need it and buying a used one of those is generally buying someone else's problem. Oh, and no. You would not be able to do anything else with the tractor and you it's not a quick detach.

 

[Richard]

Let me throw a curve into the conversation.... (I'm guessing this is 100% not going to work just so you know my thoughts up front.....but....you never know until you ask!)

I have a JCB 1550 industrial backhoe/loader. Is there something that could be attached in lieu of the front bucket or, in lieu of the backhoe bucket?

Heck, removing the front bucket alone drops something like 1,500 pounds if I recall.

 

[JethroB]

I've noticed some frame mounted (?) county side mowers have a large hydraulic reservoir mounted on the left to act as counterweight. 125 hp or greater I believe. Sure would like to borrow one for a day. Hmmm, they do leave them roadside overnight or on weekends sometimes.

 

[kirkawilson]

Recently hired a fellow who used a skid steer (Bobcat) with a front mounted rotary brush cutter (bush hog) to knock back tree limbs and brush around my place. He turned the deck straight up and just drove in and out around the edge of property letting the cutter blades chop the branches. Did not reach high branches but cleared enough for me to cut the grass much closer to edge.

 

[AbbiesFarm]

This one has been for sale for a while in our area. If consider it if it was 4wd.
JOHN DEERE 63 TRACTOR WITH TIGER BOOM FLAIL MOWER - farm & garden...

 

[BCuz]

So ....... there are, at least, two types. Texas has them up front where the loader/FEL would be and around here in Ea WA they are on the 3-point.

A quick Google search = Orsi & Lane Shark.

Just to be sure Texas has the side mounted variety also. Our county (East Texas, Tyler County) has a large Kubota with the side mounted arm and counterweights . Quite wooded here with heavy annual rainfall amounts which equals heavy plant/brush/tree growth. I've also seen them using a NH tractor but that was a few years back.

Lawyer friend of mine that attends my church was planning on buying one but haven't seen much of him since the plague. A man could have a decent side business with one of those things.

 

[Texasmark]

My county uses a cab, probably 100+ HP sized JD with the mower attached "midship" with a huge counter weight on the opposite side. They too do roadsides and ditches up to the landowner's fence (maybe 3 trips for that) and come back and trim the trees up to maybe 15 feet with a couple more trips....high enough for an 18 wheeler to get down the road without hitting wood. In talking with the operator, he said he loves to work my area as it's peaceful and quiet without much traffic and commotion. He does do a thorough job!

 

[Texasmark]

My county uses a cab, probably 100+ HP sized JD with the mower attached "midship" with a huge counter weight on the opposite side. They too do roadsides and ditches up to the landowner's fence (maybe 3 trips for that) and come back and trim the trees up to maybe 15 feet with a couple more trips....high enough for an 18 wheeler to get down the road without hitting wood......all with the tractor's tires on the hard surface of the county road. In talking with the operator, he said he loves to work my area as it's peaceful and quiet without much traffic and commotion. He does do a thorough job!

 

[jd870]

major manufacturers of side boom mowers are tiger,diamond and alamo.

 

[LouNY]

The majority of the road side boom mowers in this area a mid mounted,
the pumps for the hydraulics are either hung off the pto or are tank mounted to the 3 point arms.
Most of the large ones that look to be three point are actually mounted to a heavy sub frame.

There are smaller units available for three point usage;
Betstco has three point boom sickle and flail mowers, they are kind of light duty looking,
FH-BRM Boom Sickle Hedge Cutter | Betstco Sales, Parts, and Service:

And occasionally you can find mid sized units on the used market;

My 4 foot flail and it's a handfull at times on my tractor which tips the scales at around 10,000 without the mower,
you get booming up and out it will bounce the tractor quite easily.

 

[jonsstihl]

messicks has a great video on youtube about how they mount on a tractor. they actually change out the fuel tank on the kubota they used in the video.