Tractor Sizing What size tractor do I need?

[Anonymous Poster]

Hello everyone,
I have been visiting the forum for a couple of months now and I am thinking of buying a Yanmar. I would like to be able to use a 5 foot bush-hog. I want 4-wheel drive and power-shift
would be nice. What model Yanmar should I be looking for?

 

[normde2001]

Generally speaking, you should have about 5 pto hp per foot of rotary cutter, and try to keep the cutter within the width of your rear wheels if they are reversed. This would put you in the range of a YM2610D or YM2620D. I would also consider a new Branson 2810. They are in that category and sell for about $10,000 depending on your area. They sound like the best bang for the buck these days.

 

[blackd]

Between the Y26XX and the Bransom you can consider a FX24 -FX30D for @ $1,000 - $1,500 less (with the bushhog & maybe FEL) than the Bransom. All recommendations are great choices.

 

[DavesTractor]

I sell Yanmar's and Branson's and both are great tractors. A FX28D compares nicely with a Branson 3510. The biggest advantage of the Branson is the 3-year warantee and the ROPS, plus zero hours. Is that worth a couple thousand? Many people think so.

 

[MarkStewart]

"Generally speaking, you should have about 5 pto hp per foot of rotary cutter"

If that's the case then a ym1401 would only be able to power a 3' rotary?(Is there even any 3' rotary cutters manufactured?)
Is it the same power requirement for finish mowers?
Thanks

 

[Bird]

That 5 hp per foot is not a bad general guideline, but certainly not an absolute. It depends on how heavy duty a rotary cutter you want to use, how tough (or large) is the stuff you want to cut, flat level ground or hilly, how fast you want to go, etc. The smallest PTO powered rotary cutter for tractors that I've personally know of is 42" and the smallest I've actually seen was 48", but my little B7100 handled that 48" Bush Hog just fine (and it was only 13 PTO hp).

 

[YanmarFever]

Howse makes a 36" brush hog
I have had a few of them, although they cost the same as a 48" because there is little demand for them.
Ern. <><

 

[kayssupply]

I personally have put several 5' brush cutters on YM 18xx size tractors. They worked very well cutting fescue and pasture type grass. They were not used for " brush " cutting.
I put a 5' on a YM2420D. The owner took it off and put a 6' on it. He said it worked very well, for the same type of cutting. Somewhere on the board it was mentioned that the internal gearing is the limiting factor in how big of a cutter you use. Some of the small tractors can " pull " a much bigger cutter than the gears can hold up to.

I tried another experiment by putting a 7'6" Caroni finish mower on a YM2210. It worked very well when cutting lawn grass. It was rated at 45hp min.

 

[normde2001]

I suspect that 5 hp per foot "rule of thumb" was intended for using the cutter for it's designed purpose, cutting brush. I'm sure you can pull and cut grass with a much bigger cutter, but you may have a problem lifting it and keeping the front end on the ground.

 

[diggerjim]

I use a Yanmar 2220D with a 5 ft. Bushhog brand (I think) rotary cutter. No problems with grass, fescue, weeds, light brush, small trees up to 1-2 inches across. Frontend weight would be helpful but a FEL would get in the way sometimes (but I would like to have one).
I'm sure tractor "read mechanical" life would be longer if the tractor is matched correctly to the equipment. I feel that anything smaller than 5 ft. on my 2220D would be gross overkill.
Just remember to size the equipment to cover the tracks and you shouldn't go wrong.
Jim