Rotary Cutter Upgrading Rotary Mower

[sandman2234]

I have a JD 2555, which is a 70hp/65pto rating. I bought an orange tractor with a Rhino batwing (15 foot). The JD had the remotes I needed to pull the batwing, so I hooked it up.
I didn't mow much, just a few acres, but I did manage to get a little too close to the pond. That is when I figured out that the extra weight of the much larger batwing did have a little more to do with pulling it, than just being able to make it cut grass. Pulling it with a two wheel drive tractor in semi soft or slick clay soils changes things. Make sure the tractor will handle the weight as well as turn the blades.
David from jax

 

[Z-Michigan]

Believe me, I'm all about mowing slower and wider. And if mowing in a timely manner is what you are after, don't throw money away on a flail

Why? I've had a 6' RC and two different 6' flail mowers (Caroni and now Woodmaxx) and both flails work as fast, and probably faster, than the RC setup did for me (and I'm using them with slightly less PTO HP). They might consume a bit more HP but they take up less space, handle bumps better and leave a nicer cut.

Thread veer, OP didn't ask about any flail, but you tossed that in there and I don't see its relevance.

 

[Turbys_1700]

I sold Woods for a while when I was in sales. The Woods BW12 was touted as using 35 PTO HP or more. We've got one on the property and run it with a 60hp tractor, cut is amazing.

That being said, on flat land in reasonable grass a 35-45hp tractor will handle that mower just fine. Hills or tall grass, get a larger tractor.

Agreed...

 

[LD1]

Why? I've had a 6' RC and two different 6' flail mowers (Caroni and now Woodmaxx) and both flails work as fast, and probably faster, than the RC setup did for me (and I'm using them with slightly less PTO HP). They might consume a bit more HP but they take up less space, handle bumps better and leave a nicer cut.

Thread veer, OP didn't ask about any flail, but you tossed that in there and I don't see its relevance.

They take more HP, so that ultimately means slower mowing and/or smaller mower.

While some strange conditions may exist that might sometimes allow a flail to cut faster....it's not the norm.

Flails are more expensive to own and maintain, and won't take the abuse a bushhog will if you hit unforseen stuff.

 

[CincyFlyer]

About your mower needs, you will not have enough available torque to run the bat wing mower. They will take your money and smile do not forget that. I would trade it in towards a new flail mower from Iowa Farm Equipment, they deliver and ship their equipment. My father ran a Ford Jubilee and a JD25A 7 foot finish flail mower for years and used it to knock down 12-15 foot goldenrod to reclaim an old 12 acre pasture.

It's power, not torque, that spins that mower at a decent clip when you are going through thick grass. A 1/10 hp motor can have all the torque you need to move a 20-ton vehicle, geared properly. But you need torque at speed, which is power.

 

[leonz]

It's power, not torque, that spins that mower at a decent clip when you are going through thick grass. A 1/10 hp motor can have all the torque you need to move a 20-ton vehicle, geared properly. But you need torque at speed, which is power.

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My father used a ford Jubilee with a JD25A to reclaim pasture with 12-15 foot goldenrod and weed trees and he also a used a 3 foot wide motorized towed lawn genie with an 8 horsepower briggs & Stratton to open up a jogging path for my mother that followed the perimeter of the 12 acre pasture many years before he purchased the Jubilee and the 25A.

I have also used my 48 inch lawn genie with 16 horse Briggs+Stratton Industrial/Commercial Engine to knock down heavy brush with no issues other than taking more time to do the job as finish cut blades are used.

Both of these units use a Hillliard centrifugal clutch to mow with so flail mowers ar very well suited for all mowing jobs and the flail crop shredders have always worked very well in many uses.

I am still using the same sharp side slicer knives that I installed in 1992.

 

[bspeedy]

I'm also looking at a tractor upgrade and wanted to make sure I get the HP needed. I think I've settled on a Kioti NX5510 open station with HST, it's rated at 55 engine HP and 43.1 PTO HP. Just FYI, the Bobcat handles the 6' J Bar just fine as long as I have it setup right.

Totally different situation with that tractor. Your results will still be dependent upon your terrain and grass height and type.

 

[LD1]

I'm also looking at a tractor upgrade and wanted to make sure I get the HP needed. I think I've settled on a Kioti NX5510 open station with HST, it's rated at 55 engine HP and 43.1 PTO HP. Just FYI, the Bobcat handles the 6' J Bar just fine as long as I have it setup right.

Don't know how I overlooked this post the first few times.

Going to that tractor.....I'd say go for it. It's a bit bigger and heavier than my MX, but similar PTO power and HST.

I wouldn't think twice about hooking to a 12' mower.

I don't because I run a business and have to travel with my equipment, which is why I stopped upsizing at a 8' mounted cutter.

Just be realistic. You are not gonna blaze along at 4-5 mph through crp ground that hasn't been touched in 4-5 years.

But maintenance mows of pastures, sodways, stuff that gets done once or twice a year...yea you will handle it fine.

And you can always take smaller bits with a bigger cutter. But you can NEVER take a bigger bite with a smaller cutter

 

[rossgtn]

Well, I'm placing the order for the Kioti NX5510 HST tomorrow. The dealer has suggested I buy a 10', 3 pt mower, he's offering a Titan 1800 series for $3,850.00. I know 10' is a lot of ground to cover in a solid span. With the batwing there could be some flex over uneven terrain that the 10' wouldn't have. I guess I'm wondering what other NX5510 owners are using and how it's working for them. Also others that have a 10' mower with other tractors, and plus and minus of 3 point vs pull type. My concerns about the 3 point mower is the stress it will place on the tractor, even though the 3 point is rated for over 3,000 lbs. and the Titan mower (which I would call a medium duty mower) weighs in around 1,250 lbs. I'm even looking at the option of going with a pull type version. At this point I don't think I want to drop down to a 8' mower. Any and All input or advice is welcomed. Looks Like I have to the end of next week to decide on the mower as that's when the dealer thinks the tractor will be ready for delivery.

 

[rustyshakelford]

Batwings follow the ground much better. Don't scalp nearly as bad but have 4 gear boxes and 3 cylinders. Pin weight is heavy and they are heavy. I pulled a 15' with my old 5055 that weighted over 10k lbs per the scale and it was not a fun experience. I felt the tractor being tossed around. Have a 100hp and it's perfect. Times I wish I had more hp but the 24/12 trans helps a lot

Brett