What size cutter behind a TC-45D ?

GATC35 · May 4, 2006

Just upgraded from a TC-35 to a TC-45. I had been using a 5 ft. Bush Hog RZ-60 behind my 35, but would like to go with something wider. I have two 10 acre fields I'm cutting every 4 to 5 weeks and the 5 footer takes forever. It's mostly grass and weeds and never gets more than 18 inches high. No brush or trees in the fields either. I would really like to go up to a seven footer but don't know if the tractor can handle a cutter than large. I have looked at the Bush Hog SQ-840 and the Rhino SE-7. Both have min HP requirements in the 40 to 45 HP range and both weight in around 1,000 pounds. I'm keeping my old five footer for working in the woods around trees and getting into the nasty heavy brush. My local Massey-Ferguson dealer is trying to sell me on a dual spindle 8 ft Kodiak cutter. It's min. HP requirement is 38, and it weights in at 1,125 pounds. It's a beast, built like a tank. I did some measuring and it will fit on my trailer....barely. Although it is wide it's not very long. Which would elminate some of the tendancy for the front end to get light.

So guys what would you do ? Try a 7 footer, or even a dual spindle 8. Or be safe and get a 6 footer like a Bush Hog Squealer SQ-720 or Rhino SE-6 ?

Rhino SE-6 708 lbs 108 in long 30-50 min HP $1,550.00
Rhino SE-7 1067lbs 124 in long 45 min HP $2,120.00

BH SQ-720 650 lbs 108 in long 30-45 min HP $1,350.00
BH SQ-840 925 lbs 120 in long 50-85 min HP $1,890.00

Kodiak 8 ft HD 1,125 lbs ?? long 38 min. HP $2,900.00

Several salesman have told me the min. HP requirement is not based so much on the HP to drive the cutter, as it is weight to keep the front wheels from getting light. Anybody else ever heard this ?

My TC-45 is 40 PTO HP, 4WD, R-4 Tires. Front end loader always stays on..

Thanks....

NHeuro · May 4, 2006

A 72 inch is perfect i think.
When you take a smaller unit you will have problems to mow around trees or other things.
Wider isn't a good idea because you wouldn't have enough horsepower when it is some hard stuff.

Soundguy · May 4, 2006

That tc35 should have been able to pull a 6' mower.

Your tc45 is just a tad shy of really getting optimum results from a 7'.. (For just weed and pasture clipping.. it may well handle a 7' mower.. )If you had jumped to 50hp.. you would have really opened up your options in the 7 and 8 foot range.

I run a 10' mower on a ford 5000 which is 67 pto hp.. and there is ample hp available. I've seen guys pull them with a 5610.. ( 50-ish hp ) though they did not get into rough material.. just blacktops and soem pasture weeds.

Soundguy

GATC35 · May 4, 2006

Sounduy,

The deal on the 45 was just too good to pass up. Since the 35 and 45 are both class III Boomers my FEL, BH. canopy, and remotes swapped from the 35 right over to the 45. The 45 came with R-1 tires which I swapped with my R-4's. I was going to buy a 6 ft Squealer SQ720 for the 35 before I found the deal on the 45. Now like you stated I'm on the edge of running a 7 footer. Bush Hog does make a dual spindle 7 footer, a SQ840-TR Min. HP for it is listed at 25 and it weights less than 800 pounds. So I may look into one of those when I sell my 35.

So how is that big green JD batwing working out ?

Thanks for your input.

Soundguy · May 5, 2006

I just got my NH 7610s back from the dealer getting the spool pack replaced so i can actually use both of my remotes. I havn't actually 'spun' up the mower yet.. been servicing it.. getting it greased and lubed.. and a smv sign on it. Perhaps sunday morning I may get a chance to spin it up. I did hitch it up and play with the remotes to make sure I had wing and lift controls.. etc.

In the interum I hooked up the 10' mower to the ford 5000 and actually cut some grass with it... feels different than the 7610s.. but still a very stout machine.

I think if you are doing light pasture clipping.. and select a suitable gear range so as not to bog the engine down.. 7' should be fine.. You can also opt to go for a medium duty brand to save weight.. and thus put a fractional bit extra hp to the blades.. vs using it to pull a heavier unit.. especially if you will only be doing light cutting... this will save some ca$h too..

I'm very happy with my 10' howse mower. It was easilly 1000$ less than the next cheapest 10' mower, and 1500$ less than most other brands 10' mowers.. half as much as the 'big 3' brand mowers..

( ok.. now I see the reason you pm'd me... no sweat... I make tons of typo's )

Soundguy

jinman · May 5, 2006

Mark, I would buy the 7' mower I wanted and see if it didn't work just fine. You can always overlap less than the full width if the going becomes tough. There seem to be many people with less than 35 hp tractors who are pulling 6' cutters with no problem, so I don't think you will have any major issues except needing to leave the FEL on for counterbalance.

djradz · May 5, 2006

I have to agree wholeheartedly! Also, as you note, overlapping could help plus maybe even produce a better cut with a little less windrowing. Go for the 7'.