belly mower on b7500?

eadstennessee · Feb 28, 2009

thinking about selling my 6' finishing mower, and installing a belly mower on Kubota b7500. Tractor having a hard time pulling the finishing mower (temp) on hot summer days, also tired of pulling it. Cutting 3-4 acres w/hills. Would a belly mower be easier on my tractor, & will it handle a 6' or do i need to go with 5'? Or would you not recommend at all on belly mower. Thanks for you info.

kebo · Feb 28, 2009

In what way is it having a hard time pulling the 6ft mower?? If it's a weight issue then you should be ok with a 6ft belly mower. It will be centered underneath the tractor and and balance out nicely with a low center of gravity, plus I think a belly mower will weigh a tad bit less than the same size 3pt hitch mower will.

If it's a "too little HP" issue, then going to a 6ft belly mower won't make it any better. It sounds like you need to drop down to a 5ft regardless.

53gravely · Mar 1, 2009

I would actually like to go the other direction on my 7610--from Belly to RFM. I have a 5'.

I get to my house in VT every 2-3 weeks. The grass is quite long by that time and the fact that you're pumping a 5 foot swath worth of grass out of a 18" discharge chute leaves a "windrow" 6 inches deep by 2' wide. Verry unsightly...actually it's a 10' swath worth of grass if you go down and back. A RFM with rear discharge would disburse the clippings more evenly.

I added GatorBlades and removed the discharge chute...this helped substantially but I still wish I bought a RFM. MMMs are 3x the cost and a PIA to get off and back on.

Is your place smooth enough for a gang reel mower?

Me Gyver · Mar 1, 2009

I use to get a "windrow" too. So I added a bolt to the chute that I used to jack the chut up a little. You have to be careful not to adjust it to high as you might throw something you don't want thrown. I was able to adjust it so the grass spreads out evenly out to 3 or 4 ft.

whistlepig · Mar 1, 2009

I have always used a RFM. I prefer them over a MMM. Rear discharge mowers used to be the worst for leaving a mess behind the mower. My first RFM mowers were side discharge because of this problem with the rear discharge. They have their act together on the newer rear discharge mowers now and that's the way to go. I have had three RFM mowers. A Caroni 6' side discharge, a Woods 6' side discharge, and my present RFM is a Woods PRD7200 6' rear discharge. The Woods PRD7200 is one of the finest pieces of equipment I have ever owned. I have a ten acre yard.

WilliamBos · Mar 1, 2009

I prefer the 60" MMM, easier to maneuver, no looking back. Would not own a RFM, unless it was Large flat open acreage, then t would be a bat wing.

whistlepig · Mar 1, 2009

WilliamBos said:
I prefer the 60" MMM, easier to maneuver, no looking back. Would not own a RFM, unless it was Large flat open acreage, then t would be a bat wing.

After you run a RFM a bit you don't have to look back. You know where the rascal is. Most implements on a tractor aren't mid-mount. And I don't like looking back either.

Egon · Mar 2, 2009

Tractor having a hard time pulling the finishing mower (temp) on hot summer days,

You might/will have the same problems with the same sized belly mower. Maybe think of down sizing in mowers.

Belly mowers are nice for lawns and obstacles to get around. For just mowing the rear one will probably be more versatile.

How low do you mow and how high is the grass you are mowing and how fast do you mow? Would adjusting these factors help alleviate the overheating problem.

Oldmax · Mar 3, 2009

Finish mowers aren't made to cut high grass they are made to cut a lawn. The belt drive on then will not take the load cutting high grass puts on them . If you want to cut high grass use a Rotery Cutter or "Brush Hog as they are Called in these Parts".

theboman · Mar 3, 2009

A MMM I'd think weighs more than a pull behind...could be wrong.

HP.How much hill?
Temp? Clean that screen and radiator off. Compressor with a blower attached works wonderful.

I mow a lot with my B7500. Happy with the cut, it could be better, but it's 6' at a time and not 48", so I can live with that. I mow up, down around. The temperature always stays in the normal range just as long as I keep the screen and radiator cleaned off.

700 hours or so on my B7500 and I'd bet 550 or more are from mowing.

easygo · Mar 3, 2009

You mentioned a 6' MMM. Kubota only makes a 54" and a 60" belly mower that would fit the B7500. The 72" is only available for the 30hp or stronger tractors.

biffo · Mar 10, 2009

Oldmax said:
Finish mowers aren't made to cut high grass they are made to cut a lawn. The belt drive on then will not take the load cutting high grass puts on them . If you want to cut high grass use a Rotery Cutter or "Brush Hog as they are Called in these Parts".

Hello, don't intend to hijack this thread but there are some terms I don't understand, hope it's ok to ask a couple of questions?

Hello Oldmax

You wrote " Finish mowers aren't made to cut high grass they are made to cut a lawn. The belt drive on then will not take the load cutting high grass puts on them . If you want to cut high grass use a Rotery Cutter or "Brush Hog as they are Called in these Parts".

I'm from the UK and don't understand what the difference is between a finish mower and a "Rotery Cutter" or "Brush Hog" . I thought a finish mower is a rotary cutter with several blades, and although I have heard of the term "Brush Hog" I don't know what it means.

Is there any chance of an explanation? Many thanks indeed

biffo

theboman · Mar 11, 2009

Finish Mower are made to cut, mow lawns, yards, grass...

Rotary Cutters, chops, slices, dices, bruises, busts etc., by blunt force. It'll cut grasses but it won't look like a yard should. Sapplings, oh yeah, 31 fescue/KY bluegrass, it'll shorten it too.

Bush Hog. A very popular brand name for a rotary cutter. Kleenex, Q-tip.... a bunch of others are on the market, you the picture.

GreenWannabe · Mar 11, 2009

A rotary cutter or brush hog is also known as a slasher in GB and Australia.

teach · Mar 11, 2009

RE: belly mower on b7500
I have a b7500 too and in my opinion a 6' rear mower is too much for the tractor. I mow brush with a 4' brushhog and I think even a 5' mower, although it would work, might be pushing it.
Teach

zzvyb6 · Mar 11, 2009

I've used a 72" mmm on my 35hp JD1070. Its a pain to get it on and off. Cuts great and easy to adapt a leaf vacuum to. However, I went to an 84" rear finish mower with rear discharge and am very happy with the results. I put the Gator blades on it and the lawn looks great. Because the thing is so much wider than the tractor, I offset the lower links so that its even with the tractor wheels on one side. I have the tractor's front & rear track set equal by adjusting the wheel spiders. So, the mower goes where the wheels fit. The problem with rear and mid mowers is still that you trample the grass before you cut it. I finally settled on a 72" front mower. In fact its the same basic mower deck as my mmm so I have lots of redundant parts.

BTW: I also use the 84" LandPride as a field mower by setting the hight up at 10" or so. It will take on saplings and thornapples just fine. Keep the blades sharp. A dull blde is a pretty big power absorber....

Oldmax · Mar 14, 2009

Hello biffo
A Rotery, Rough Cutter is for cutting small brush and tall heavy grass. Such as cutting off pasture fields, for maintance of bushes. They have heavy blades that are mounted on a large disk and swing free , when hitting something they will swing back and not break. the smaller ones 8' & under only have one blade , the larger ones have more. Hare is picture of mine . first picture is of cutter , next picture is of it on tractor & the last picture is of it in use. I know us Americans don't use correct English so please bare with us.

crbr · Mar 14, 2009

What do tell is such a pain in getting a MM off and on the tractor? I have a 60" mid on a B7800. I can have it off or on in less than 3 minutes. No problem at all. I suspect that some may be sliding the MMM out the side. That is where I aborted and bought a hoist to lift the front end up just enought to pull the deck right out (in any forward direction) and also back on. Other than the connections, that's all there is to it unless I am missing something that should pain me and doesn't.

biffo · Mar 15, 2009

By Oldmax - I know us Americans don't use correct English so please bare with us.

Oldmax, you don't realise just how much many of us English born admire the American way of describing something with sparkling accuracy using a new or single word what we may need 10 words to describe the same!

Thanks to everyone who responded, we do not have this type of forum in Europe with such usefull hints, tips and opinions. The only trouble with so much information is it's obvious that one mowing machine alone wont do all the various jobs around a varied 5 acres of land.

Jamie

sandman2234 · Mar 15, 2009

For most parts, a single mower won't do everything on 5 acres of land here either. Most use a lawnmower for areas around the house and a tractor with a finish mower to do the wide open spaces, and some change out to a bush hog for the back part of the property. Very few keep the whole five acres cut like a lawn, and even then having to mow around SWMBO's flower gardens can be a chore for a full sized tractor.
David from jax