What size of finish mower for JD 4100 HST

[coloradotrout]

I see a nice 72" NH finish mowe for sale. Would a 72" be way too big for my JD 4100 HST?

Mostly I'll be mowing fescue that's around the house.

I have a Sears riding mower now that's a 42" cut and maybe a 12HP B&S engine that keeps my bluegrass just fine.

But we are moving to larger acreage and need to put my JD to work.

Thanks,
Kevin

 

[IslandTractor]

I believe the JD4100 is only 20hp. If so then 72 inches is a bit big. 60 would be more like it. I'm sure the tractor could run the 72 but you'd have to go very slowly or mow very frequently to make that work effectively with that HP.

 

[Runner]

Also, the 72 rfm will push the machine around on hills. I have one on a 2520 and it needs 4WD all the time to handle the hills. Loaded tires would be a good thing.

Powerwise, 21.5 PTO hp seems to work OK for this mower.

 

[coloradotrout]

So 72" might be pushing this 20HP unit. The property is pretty hilly, so maybe a 60" would be better.

How do this finish mowers compare to the zero turn front mount mowers? I already have the tractor, so was going to pickup a used finish mower for around $1000 instead of buying a $5000 + mower.

 

[IslandTractor]

The zero turns are quicker in general but as you noted, it is a lot cheaper to just buy a rear finish mower if you already have a CUT.

 

[coloradotrout]

Old thread -- but thought I'd post my results.

I found an old Arts Way 60" rear discharge. The CUT has no issues spinning the 60". Typical mowing is a breeze. I sometimes even run the CUT in High on the HST and fly right along. I can even mow heavy stuff w/o much trouble at lower speeds of course. The rear discharge is the only way IMO -- for what I do. The 3 pt rear attach is excellent -- allows me to back into some tight areas.

The CUT would spin a 72" -- and if it was mostly flat, that would be fine. But I have some hills and need to navigate around trees and such, so the 60" is better for me.