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Buying my first bush hog and need advice

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Gary in Indiana
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2002-04-07          37148


I have about eleven acres I need to mow two or three times a summer with my 26 HP (20 @ PTO) Deere 4200 MFWD. The ground is pretty level and just grass and weeds. After looking at a couple of auctions at rough looking used bringing $200-$300 I think I'll be better off going new. I was offered a 5' Howse for $450 or a 5' King Kutter for $550 by a dealer who was at an auction yesterday. Neither have chain guards or slip clutch and each has a stump jumper. Are those things I need or should want? What are the pro's and con's of them? Also, what do you think of the prices I was quoted and how much should I expect to pay for a slip clutch, chain guards or any other "options" you might suggest?

I realize nothing lasts forever but I'd like to buy something that'll be what I want and need the first time around rather than sit and wish I'd done something different. Thanks for any advice you can offer.




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Buying my first bush hog and need advice

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Jim on Timberridge
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 172 La Crosse WI
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2002-04-07          37156


Gary:
with 11 acres and just grass/weeds to mow, i'd be looking at a rear finish mower, probably 72". There's dozens of manufacturers incl the tractor OEM's to choose fro, most with blades and chassis(s) quite sturdy, some nearly equivalent to rotaries. I've used a JD272 finish on some heavy growth without problems. Some of the less expensive rotaries aren't built much heavier than finish mowers.
If you're just going over the same ground over and over, use a finish. If you're tending to be adventuresome and clear off some fringe land, default to a rotary.
jim ....


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Buying my first bush hog and need advice

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Bird Senter
Join Date: Jun 1999
Posts: 962
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2002-04-08          37162


Gary, I think either of the mowers you're looking at will do just fine, and the prices sound about right. I had a 5' Howse 500 that was originally priced at $495 about 2.5 years ago. I had no need for a slip clutch and never even sheared a shear bolt myself. However, I AM a firm believer in chain guards, so I made my own for my Howse. ....


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Buying my first bush hog and need advice

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BillBass
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 190 North Texas
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2002-04-08          37163


Gary-I have a 6' Howse on my JD950 (27 PTO hp) that I am very happy with. I do mostly field mowing but occasionally I get into some light brush and have mowed down some cedars about 3' tall and 2" at the base with no problem. You do want a stump jumper for field mowing. Mine does not have chain guard. I have considered making one but have not done it yet. I have also never sheared a pin. I noticed a local dealer (N TX) advertising 5' Howse for $399. ....


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Buying my first bush hog and need advice

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bigbukhntr
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 56 flower mound, texas
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2002-04-09          37214


would a howse be similiar to a Rhino LT series brushhog?

LT is the series just below the SE series from Rhino... ....


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Buying my first bush hog and need advice

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Bird Senter
Join Date: Jun 1999
Posts: 962
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2002-04-09          37224


Both Howse and Rhino make different models and I'm just not familiar with them. The Howse 500 I had was their lightest duty one, and the only Rhinos I've seen were a little heavier duty, but I don't know the model designations. ....


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Buying my first bush hog and need advice

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bigbukhntr
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 56 flower mound, texas
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2002-04-10          37265


where did u see the howse for $399 at?.....that beats any price i have seen... ....


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Buying my first bush hog and need advice

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BillBass
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 190 North Texas
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2002-04-12          37339


Sorry for the slow response as I have been out of town.
The dealer is about 4 miles east of Mckinney TX on the north side of hwy 380. It is called Paysinger Tractor. He has been in business for many years as a used tractor and tractor salvage dealer. I have never done business with him but I have heard he is a reputable dealer. He apparently recently became a dealer for Howse as he has been advertising lately in the local paper and I have seen that he has a lot of Howse red on his lot. His ad shows the 5' is $399. ....


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Buying my first bush hog and need advice

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lpdcac
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 21 Marion County, Florida
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2002-04-12          37352


We've used a Howse 48" used rotary under some pretty horrific conditions and have never had a problem with it. We graduated to a 60" with the TC33D tractor and the combo has performed exceptionally well. ....


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BillBass
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 190 North Texas
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2002-04-15          37426


Just a follow up on using Howse rotary cutters. I have been clearing a lot of cedars from around my creek area. I had been cutting those taller than 3' or so with a chain saw and mowing over smaller ones. That was turning into a lot of work so I thought what the heck, see what the cutter will do. I started mowing over 5' and 6' tall cedars. No problem. All that is left is a small pile of mulch. I slowly back over the taller ones with the cutter raised. Then lower it and drive forward. Cedars are quite bushy but fairly soft wood. I am not sure yet that I would try that with a hardwood tree. ....


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Buying my first bush hog and need advice

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TomG
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 5406 Upper Ottawa Valley
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2002-04-15          37432


As a matter of fact, my dealer suggested about the same idea as an alternative to a chipper/shredder, which is an implement that I wouldn't use a lot. He said, maybe just stack brush in low piles and set a rotary cutter down on top of them. Then rake up the leavings.

I'm still thinking about it. If that were my approach, I'd probably get a medium-duty cutter, which would also handle bigger standing trees as well. I'm not sure my 1710 has the HP to power a medium-duty cutter as wide as my tire tracks (at least when cutting heavier material), so there'd be pluses and minuses to the idea.
....


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bubenberg@netzero.co
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2002-05-02          38071


how would you like to be done in 1.5 hours. here is my solution. we have a power trac 425 with its own 48" rough cut mower and trailing behind a 5 foot rough cut mower from kunz engineering http://www.kunzeng.com/. with this set-up we mow in tight areas around bushes trees and on hills.
for large open areas we use a l2025 4x4 kubota with a woods rough cut mower and the kunz machine in tow. the quality of cut is very close to a finish mowing and you are done unless you have allot of bushes (multiflora etc) in no less than 1.5 hours. ....


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Buying my first bush hog and need advice

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ATVPaul
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2002-08-01          40911


bubenberg
I noticed you said you use a kunz 5 foot rough cut mower? Which one did you buy? And from who? Online or Dealer? I am considering one for a field that is rough now but I hope to cut it about every two weeks. My concern is the finish mower won't handle it now (9 inch weed and stalks) but after a while I hope to only have grass. Any thoughts? ....


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lpdcac
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 21 Marion County, Florida
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2002-08-01          40912


ATVPaul -- If your field is a future candidate for a finish mower and you're willing to take some extra time getting it into shape, a finish mower set at its highest cut and pulled slower than normal ought to give you a pretty adequate first cut. Followup passes at lower settings will give you the result you're looking for. I'm by no means an expert on rotary field mowers, but in my experience the best you can hope for without tearing up your ground with the deck runners is about 5-6" ....


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Peters
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 3034 Northern AL
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2002-08-02          40944


It depends on how rough the ground is but I have a 7ft BH 287 that does a nice job. I don't normally let the sides drag and it has the dual wheels. I think the udal wheels provide a much better cut. I have no idea why they don't provide them as a option on a smaller cutter. ....


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lpdcac
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 21 Marion County, Florida
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2002-08-02          40949


I suspect the larger cutters are heavy enough and have enough mass that they would not remain level with just a single trailing wheel even though their supported in front on dual lift arms. The smaller decks don't have that problem. I mounted the dual wheel assemblies on the lead edge of the deck to keep the deck from digging into the ground when crossing a severe dip. Work good! ....


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Peters
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 3034 Northern AL
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2002-08-03          40950


I think the dual wheels help, but I am not sure about the weight. The larger tractor I have has a draft control mechanism. The arms of the PTO adjust based on the pressure appied at the center mount. I am not sure if or how this work but I think it is designed to keep the bars at the same height of the ground at all times. ....


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lpdcac
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 21 Marion County, Florida
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2002-08-03          40967


I think draft control is designed to function with ground engaging equipment such as a plow. Increased pressure on the upper link will cause the lift arms to raise to reduce the forces on the upperlink. I like to think of it as a "constant horsepower" input control. Position control just maintains the elevation or depth of whatever tool you've got hooked up. If any of this is incorrect, maybe someone else will chime in here to clarify and correct me.

Phil_D ....


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hickmo
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 8 fayetteville Ga
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2002-08-04          40987


Gary I have a 4' taylor way rear cutter. I use it on my Bx2200. It does a very good job. If you set it up like the manual says, it will work very good. For grinding up the discharged material, set it flat, but more power is needed. I mow about 7.5 acres mostly flat weeds and tall johnson grass. But it works well. You tractor should handle a 5 footer well. ....


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TomG
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 5406 Upper Ottawa Valley
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2002-08-06          41025


Constant HP is a pretty good way to think of draft control. I'm not sure if the PTO arms and centre mount Peters referred to is a 3ph draft control, but the description sounds like standard draft control.

Far as I know, Phil's description is right with a couple of qualifications. The draft sensor on many tractors and especially on compacts is on the top-link bracket. Some farm tractors have it on the lower links--same principal though. Draft control does respond to compression of the top-link to trigger the control valve into lift mode.

In addition, draft control replaces the poppet valve in a position control 3ph with a lowering spool. Very light draft triggers the lower spool, which lowers the hitch to increase draft. That's why a 3ph flops on the ground when the tractor stops unless the draft control lever is in the transport position.

Draft control has a draft control lever that adjusts the amount of draft needed to trigger lift and a position control lever. According to my manual, the position control lever sets the maximum the 3ph can raise. That seems backwards to me but maybe that’s because position control is the only type 3ph I've used.
....


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