Will I tear up my Woods rotary mower? Or should I just buy a HD version now?

[Piston]

I have a Woods XT160 rotary mower, which as far as I've been able to find, is the old version of the BB60, so for all intents and purposes I consider them identical. I don't know too much about the mower as I haven't used it for anything more than field grass.

I will be using it to mow down anything I possibly can with it. I have a 39hp PTO tractor and will be clearing a decent amount of land in the fall/spring of this year. My wife and I bought 30 acres up in NH and the land is a mix of anything from small 1/2" saplings to sawlog sized trees. We will be living on this land and I intend to use the rotary mower for as much as I can. For initial clearing we will probably rent out a mulching outfit but even still, I will be beating up my mower in the long term.

My question is, Should I use the XT160 and do what I can with it, or should I sell it for what I can, and use the money to buy a heavy duty brush mower?

I prefer not to spend the money on a new mower, but at the same time, I don't want to tear up a perfectly good lighter duty mower using it for something it's not designed for.

I would LIKE to be able to mow 3" trees, but don't know what is available for my size tractor. I recently looked at the Bush Hog 296 but I'm worried my tractor might not be big enough for it, as far as lift capacity goes.

I envision myself getting a bigger tractor in the next couple years, so I don't mind being right on the envolope of what this tractor can do (Kubota L4610)

Will I tear up the Woods XT160 by 'pushing the limit' with it? Is it considered a light, medium, or heavy duty mower? I don't know too much about rotary mowers.

 

[tcreeley]

How does the company list it? Have you checked their site? I just tarted bush hogging this summer. I read under 29 hp- 4' bush hog, 30hp-45hp 5' bush hog, 46hp + 6 ft bush hog. There are people with more experience and who can give you a better answer.

Check out the company site for manuals: I don't think you need another rotary cutter. Read the online manual.

Go to:

http://www.woodsequipment.com/manuals.aspx?id=11629&ekmensel=41a6502d_33_0_11629_2

click on:
-Cutters - Single Spindle

click on:
XT148, XT160, XT172 (Standard Duty)

 

[mooseracing]

I don't know enough about that model but if it is in really good shape I would pick up an older one and beat it, then once your property is somewhat maintained use the newer one.

Looking at your tractor specs I wouldn't worry about the 296, just check your lift capacity on the rear arms, I know my 35hp tractor from the 50's would barely pick that up, main problem being steering. I've run a 6ft HD older woods and it was too much weight without having a loader up front.

 

[Leejohn]

(I would LIKE to be able to mow 3" trees, but don't know what is available for my size tractor)

I think I would pop them out with the loader then mow, after you pick them up.

 

[Piston]

Thanks for the link to the manual. It's a little depressing though because it lists the max horsepower rating for my model at 35hp. I'm 4hp over that at my pto.
it didn't list a max diameter but I looked up the bb60 (which supposedly replaced my model) and it listed 1.5" as max diameter.

Hmmmmmmm.......

Well.... Don't really know what to do here.

 

[bilrus61]

Ok you have 30 acres. How much are you going to clear and how much you going to leave in woods? I would just go SLOW over the big stuff and see if your mower konks out. I'm not sure a used lighter duty mower has THAT much value when you sell it as far as helping buy a new heavy duty one. You might tear it up or it might make it through. I would think it would handle most anything that you can push over with your loader if you creep over it slow. If not you can then get a heavier duty one.

Why not look at a heavy duty 5 footer? Like a bush hog 295 or 325? Since your acreage is small your not going to save all that much time a year mowing 6 vs. 5 foot mower. I had a L4200 that was 37 at the PTO and it mowed lots of heavy stuff. I find that its the stuff you don't know is there that will really test out your mower. Stumps, logs, fence posts and set rock will test it out far more than a 2 or 3 inch tree. Much depends on the tree also. Oak is tough. Pine is soft. Just make darn sure if its a slip clutch driveline that its not frozen and is in good working order.

P.S. I think your tractor is a perfect size for your new place. Don't really see a need for a larger one for 30 acres.

 

[tcreeley]

RE HP- I think it means that your tractor just won't have to work as hard with this bush hog. You can give it a little less gas and it still will have the torque to do the job. I run mine at about 1800 rpm- a bit under what some run at, but the bush hog sounds good. On this site there are a lot of good posts if you search them out on bush hogs.
If you are doubtful, sell your bush hog and buy another. I think you have a good one there ready to go. Check out a dealer selling bush hogs - ask him how to size it and what he recommends. See if it matches what you have, if not, sell yours and buy another.
Good luck.

 

[RSKY]

The bigger the mower the slower you mow. We use an older 6' Ford behind a 52-hp tractor. The mower has been welded, chained together, extra holes drilled and bolts put in, anything and everything on it has been broke at least once in the 30+ years it has been used. It still mows.

My mother managed to get the mower hung on a rear tire about ten years ago (nut off hitch pin on mower). When she got it stopped you could sit in the seat and touch the blade. The left lift arm was bent double and the mower was resting ON TOP of the left tire. Blade cut thru the left back tire three times but never hit the rim. It took us three days to beat the mower and tractor back in shape.

What I am trying to say is use your light duty mower, fix it when it breaks, and if it is torn up too bad to repair then you buy another. I don't think there is a 5-6' mower made that will mow down 3" trees all day without some sort of damage so don't try that too often.

Friend tore the gearbox completely off his light duty. Had a neighbor weld a 1/4" plate on top of the mower and mounted the gearbox on that. Went back and mowed the stump that tore it up in the first place.

Oh yeah, Mom tore it up again this week. Broke the right 3 point pin off, she said she was "coming to the house when it broke. Didn't hit anything". Sure Mom (she is 86 years old) I believe you.

 

[JimP]

I have a BB48. These are pretty heavily built units that will take a lot of abuse. As others point out its the unseen rocks and stumps that can get you. A properly adjusted slip clutch takes some of the stress off the mower gearbox and tractor. 3 inch saplings are pretty big to be mowing though. IMHO use what you got.

 

[Grandad4]

The L4610 is rated to lift 2,310 lbs at 24" behind the lift point, and the Bush Hog 296 cutter weighs 1,095 lbs. You should be able to lift it with no problem, although you might want to keep the FEL on or hang some weight up front. You'll probably give the engine a good workout mowing heavy stuff, just because of the horsepower requirement. We have an L4610 that does very well with a mid-range 6' cutter, but we rarely use it for really rough cutting.