Would a John Deere 606 at about $600 be better than a newer brush hog?

[botemout]

So I'm strongly considering buying the John Deere. I haven't seen it yet but the guy says that he's replaced the slip clutch and that the owner before him rebuilt the gear box and replaced the "stump jumper." He says the blades are only "ok." One of the supports are missing so I'll need to get some metal and weld that up.

But, would I be better served by getting a 5" TSC deal (I think they're about $700-800). I suspect the newer ones aren't very well built but ... they are new. I've got about 40 acres which I'll be using it to mow. It's not been taken care of for years so it has PLENTY of multi-flora rose, wild apple, etc.. so I'm going to be using it hard.

thanks

 

[dgl24087]

The 606 is a heavy duty hog, the TSC hogs would be light duty.

 

[IslandTractor]

As noted, one is a heavy duty model but on the other hand it sounds like it has had a full life already. If a heavy duty mower has already undergone gearbox replacement as well as the other parts mentioned, you can assume it has had either a long or tough life or both.

If you are mostly mowing pasture after clearing smallish less than 2 inch brush, you might actually do better with the new light duty mower.

 

[botemout]

If you are mostly mowing pasture after clearing smallish less than 2 inch brush, you might actually do better with the new light duty mower.

Unfortunately, it'll be used hard by me. I have 75 acres, but only about 40 of them will need to be mowed. There are large quantities of very large multi-flora rose (if you're unfamiliar with them here's a picture: http://www.emmitsburg.net/gardens/large_plant_images/multiflora rose.jpg). Some of them have trunks that are probably only rarely over 1.5" but a large plant might have 15-20 that size.

Never having cleared land like this before, I suspect that it's going to be pretty tough work. I suspect that I'll use the following strategy:
- push over what I can with the front bucket (I've tested this and it, sometimes, works great. You just put the bucket at ground level, drive forward and, sometimes, the whole bush is pulled from the ground with all the roots.).
- back into some of the large bushes with the brush hog high off the ground (with the back higher than the front and no one else anywhere in the area).
- rinse and repeat.

I hear what you're saying though. I'm concerned about the rebuilt gear box. Is it the case that all gearbox rebuild usually put the box back to an almost new state or do they vary dramatically depending on skill of builder, parts used, etc...

Also, though welding the bar in place seems straightforward, I don't have a welder, don't know how to weld so getting someone to do that might add another $50-75 to the cost of the unit. Since the price will be $650 (delivered), I'll be up to about $725. Seems that I'm out of the realm of "screaming deal." ;-)

 

[BarryinMN]

40A is a lot of mowing. Sounds like a weeks long job. A slip clutch is mandatory and protecting the bottom side of tractor will help keep field repairs down.

Might consider adjusting your budget upwards 4-5x. A cheap shear bolt mower would work fine maintaining the area once it has been cleared.

 

[IslandTractor]

I agree you will want a slip clutch but those can be added to any mower for about $70-80 (Agrisupply).

Regarding mowing down multiflora rose, I have done similar work using both a light duty Bush Hog Squealer and a medium/light duty Caroni flail mower. It can be done with light duty equipment (remember we are talking light duty tractor equipment not gardening equipment). I'm still leaning towards a new light duty bush hog (or flail mower) rather than a beat up and partially renovated heavy duty rotary mower.

What size tractor and FEL do you have? I would recommend that you consider at the least adding a tooth bar to your bucket to do this sort of work as you will then be able to more easily uproot the bushes. Even better would be to add a grapple arm to the bucket and best is to replace the bucket with a light duty 48 inch root grapple. The grapples will not only make it easier to uproot the brush you cannot mow over but also allow you to cart if off efficiently without dismounting.

 

[Farmwithjunk]

My farm was over-run with multiflora rose when I first got the place. Trust me on this one....You DON'T want a light duty mower. Well established multiflora rose will turn a light weight mower into shrapnel in a heartbeat. That is mean cutting stuff.

If the Deere mower has been fixed RIGHT, I'd give MORE for it than a KK mower. If it HASN'T been fixed right, you have about the same chances with it as you would with the KK. The 606 Deere is a good HEAVY duty mower. All depends on how the repairs were done.

 

[IslandTractor]

I will defer to the master.

 

[botemout]

My farm was over-run with multiflora rose when I first got the place. Trust me on this one....You DON'T want a light duty mower. Well established multiflora rose will turn a light weight mower into shrapnel in a heartbeat. That is mean cutting stuff.

If the Deere mower has been fixed RIGHT, I'd give MORE for it than a KK mower. If it HASN'T been fixed right, you have about the same chances with it as you would with the KK. The 606 Deere is a good HEAVY duty mower. All depends on how the repairs were done.

I'm going to go see it on Friday. Any simple way for a rookie to tell what is "fixed right" and what ain't?

I'm glad to hear from someone that's dealt with multiflora. I spent $65 early this spring to rent a billy goat with a 30" deck. I spent a weekend and barely made a dent in my front pastures which are almost completely free of the stuff! The back, where an individual bush might be 12' wide by 8' high AND, I don't think I've mentioned this before, on pretty hilly ground, is going to take a while to clear. (Of course, I don't have to have it done in any hurry. I'll get some time in each weekend and have it done in 3 or 4 years! ;-)

 

[botemout]

What size tractor and FEL do you have? I would recommend that you consider at the least adding a tooth bar to your bucket to do this sort of work as you will then be able to more easily uproot the bushes. Even better would be to add a grapple arm to the bucket and best is to replace the bucket with a light duty 48 inch root grapple. The grapples will not only make it easier to uproot the brush you cannot mow over but also allow you to cart if off efficiently without dismounting.

I could, I guess, add a tooth bar (great idea!), but this FEL doesn't have hydraulics to tilt the bucket. It has an old, mechanical drop handle. Because of that I don't think I could use a grapple.

But with a tooth bar, I could see it catching on the bottem stems much better. Thanks.