What size tractor to run 5' mower/brush hog

[Ledgemere Farm]

Re: What size tractor to run 5\' mower/brush hog

One tractor that comes to mind after seeing one today is the Ford 2000 or 3000. They have some of the newer features.

 

[Bob_Young]

Re: What size tractor to run 5\' mower/brush hog

I'll second that Green. Have pulled a 5' Woods M5 Dixiecutter for at least 20 years with a '69 Ford 2000. It has more than enough power and quickly takes out the shear pin if I get too frisky. It's rated at 31 PTO HP and 36 Engine HP. Very good on gas too. I just loaf along at 1400 to 1500RPM when mowing while 1800 is required for 540 at PTO. Lack of independent or live PTO is maybe the tractor's biggest drawback for mowing.

Low profile made it good for getting under trees, but it would've been better with a horizontal stack. Mine's the budget version with gas engine, only 4 forward speeds and no power steering. The optional 8 speed transmission would make it alot more versatile.

Hope to start restoring this tractor next year and, if I do, going to look into coverting it to 8 speed with power steering.

 

[SteveM]

Re: What size tractor to run 5\' mower/brush hog

Depends on inexpensive. I have a 9n 5' that works great. In upstate NY a good N is $2500, give or take. If you want cheaper, I have noticed that Farmall H's and Allis WD's go for even less, and have more power. The kick is that you have to use a pull behind mower. I am considering doing this myself, as I only use the 9n for field mowing....so I am listing it for sale, with the notion of getting a bigger trike tractor with a 6 or 7' pull behind.....for even money or less.

I find that I rarely lift my brush mowers off the ground, so pull behind is fine for my uses...

 

[Soundguy]

Re: What size tractor to run 5\' mower/brush hog

Speaking of pull behind.. you jknow what I found neat. When reading the manual to my 5' KK, the directions in back show how you assemble it as the 3pt mower.. the last 2 pages however show you how to assemble it as a pull type mower using the same parts in a different arangement... actually.. leaves you a few parts left over. I wonder if the larger 6' kk mower has this option as well..

Soundguy

 

[Theowegian]

Re: What size tractor to run 5\' mower/brush hog

I had an Allis D14, gas, 34 hp tractor and it pulled a 5' bush hog mower really well. I sold the tractor for about $2300. If you look around you can probably find one for about the same $$$ and it would work fine.
dwight