What size rotary cutter?

SMOKEEATERFF · Feb 21, 2012

Well I am about to purchase a new rotary cutter and I am trying to decide what size. I had a 5 ft but it has kicked the bucket. Should I stay with a 5 ft or go up to a 6 ft? Right now I have a Ford 4000 tractor with front weight. May purchase a new tractor on a few years around the same hp. I am looking for a medium duty cutter, I have narrowed it down to Rhino, Land Pride and Woods.

Hollow · Feb 21, 2012

A 4000 will handle a 6' just fine. I run a Bushhog 286 behind my NH TT45 (about 10hp smaller than yours) with only 4, 44lb weights on front and love it. The cutters you mentioned are all great mowers and I'm not trying to talk you out of them, but is there a reason your not looking at a BH?

SMOKEEATERFF · Feb 21, 2012

I had looked at a bh286 online and they are comparable. I went to a dealer yesterday and he priced a squealer for $2k which is a lighter duty. He also said it was 7 ga deck I thought the 286 was 10 g so the squealer should be lighter duty.

jdtractor · Feb 21, 2012

You should be fine, you might want to be little cautious on hills.I know several guys who run the same set up as you described.Im partial to woods, md172 3pth, and john deere. just my 0.02 cts.

Hollow · Feb 21, 2012

SMOKEEATERFF said:
I had looked at a bh286 online and they are comparable. I went to a dealer yesterday and he priced a squealer for $2k which is a lighter duty. He also said it was 7 ga deck I thought the 286 was 10 g so the squealer should be lighter duty.

I think 286 has a 10ga top deck with 1/4" sides. SQ's are 10ga all over. There all good cutters, you can't go wrong with any of the brands you listed.

WM75Guy · Feb 21, 2012

I run the 6' Bushhog SQ172 Squealer behind my Boomer 8N with 2 100 pound weights on the front without any problems. I cut 2" trees without difficulty backing up into the brush. The only time I break a shear pin is if I bottom out on mowing pasture.