rear mounted disc mower/conditioners

[ddivinia]

Glad you brought this up. I thought the caddy was used for transport -- I see I was wrong. I would be interested to hear your take on the advantages of using a caddy. Those given on the Kelly site didn't make that much sense to me.

2 real advantages:
Ease of hook up
Easier on your tractor (for us with smaller tractors).

Disadvantages:
Easier to break out windows on your tractor (mower is farther back - less protection from the right wheel).
$$$

It is one of the best inventions every - it makes life a lot easier.

D.

 

[jimg]

I know this is theory but in the dealer lot none of the disc mowers looked hard to hook up. They all have stands and what not. Certainly no more difficult than a brush mower. How are they difficult to hook? I see the small tractor issue tho. I suspect it also precludes the need to ballast too. What sizes are your mower and tractor? I guess it must be the case that the combination of disc mower/caddy is less costly than a trailed mower? I have a TN75 and thought Id look at models about 7'.

 

[ddivinia]

I know this is theory but in the dealer lot none of the disc mowers looked hard to hook up. They all have stands and what not. Certainly no more difficult than a brush mower. How are they difficult to hook? I see the small tractor issue tho. I suspect it also precludes the need to ballast too. What sizes are your mower and tractor? I guess it must be the case that the combination of disc mower/caddy is less costly than a trailed mower? I have a TN75 and thought Id look at models about 7'.

I am running a Krone 323S. 10' 6"

It weighs in at 1500lb.

I don't think the Krone has a stand.

What is the stand moves or shifts?

You will want telescopic links for sure.

I have a John Deere 5525 Cab. 75 PTO

This mower is the highest load implement I own. I can tell by how much fuel it sucks. I thought my HX-15 batwing was a load - this sucker is pretty impressive. Website says it takes 68hp

My tractor probably would not handle this mower as well without a caddy.

If you have to change implements often - caddy is a no brainer.

Are you going to hay with more than one tractor? I use my 5525 cab for cutting and baling. I have a JD 4520 cab for raking.

D.

 

[slowzuki]

I don't think a caddy could pick up a Pottinger Novacat. I'm almost certain it would tip it. I'm pretty sure it couldn't even handle it set down. The centre suspended disc mowers leave a lot of weight on the tractor so they don't drag so hard.

Also, topping skids which raise the mower bar up to 4-5 inches are available for pasture clipping.

 

[jimg]

OK, so Im curious then. Why didnt you go w/ a trailed mower? Was it less expensive to go the caddy/rear mower route?

Yes, I see your point about shifting on the stand. My tractor does have telescoping links...and am real glad of that too.

As I said Im looking at 7' and smaller so that puts me easily in the hp range and weight as well. My primary reason for considering a disc is so I can mow fast(er) w/o plugging. Secondary considerations would be small profile/maneuverability. Its hard to see how a caddy would fit into that.

I own but one tractor and cant (at this point) justify another.

 

[jimg]

Also, topping skids which raise the mower bar up to 4-5 inches are available for pasture clipping.

How do those work?

 

[slowzuki]

I didn't go with a caddy, and I would have gone trailed, a 5209 disc mower condition in either colour would have been just perfect for me.

But cost is the issue. For what I paid for the 2003 NovaCat I could only buy an early 80's trailed model, and likely only an unsupported brand. I ate the savings in buying a bigger tractor to run it, so I sure hope it works out well.

Edit:
Topping skids just bolt under the cutter bar and space it up so it isn't smacking into rocks and such. The ones I saw looked like springy u-shapes pieces. Quite wide, rounded nose in front.

 

[jimg]

Same here...cost is a big issue. I need something faster/better than a haybine but a disc moco just isnt in the budget. I havent yet decided how its going to go and, kindly, my neighbor has said I can try his disc mower. So, as soon as I get a few good days in a row Im going to give the disc mower a try. My main concerns are losing a day in the process and plugs. So, its an experiment but not costing me a machine just yet.

re topping skids...you could though accomplish the same thing by messing w/ the top link?

 

[slowzuki]

The bar still slides on the ground when you just adjust the toplink, the topping skids get it up out of the rocks.

 

[chh]

Jimg What kind of hay are you cutting?

I don't use a caddy and generally end up putting at least one mower on or off of a tractor every other day when we are haying. They are not hard to hook up after the first couple of times especially with telescoping links. The first time you do it however and figuire all the adjustments out is like anything else, you really wonder what you got into. I mowed quite a bit with one of my 9' mowers last year on a Montana T7074, 70 hp tractor. It did very well and I would think that you tractor could handle a 9' mower(in most brands) pretty well. The last I check there was not much of a cost difference between the 7' or 7'6" mowers and a 9'. There is usually a pretty good price jump though from the 9' to the 10'6" models.
The stand on the Krone models(and Fella's if I remember correctly) is built into the bottom of the frame and is fixed in place. Some other brands have a stand that folds down usually off of the 3pt frame. I can't tell that there is really an advantage/disadvantage with either style.
From what little pricing I have done of trailed mowers, you can buy a new caddy and new disc mower much cheaper than a new trailed mower and a caddy will probably outlast 3 or 4 of the disc mowers. One of the advantages of a caddy is also supposed to be that you can cut a square corner. Mowers mounted on the 3 pt usually leave a strip on every sharp corner that you have to "run out" to finish a field.

BTW. From what I have read on topping skids, they are meant to allow you to run the mower level and cut at that fixed height(no crazy cutting angle on the machine). I don't think they are really meant for general hay cutting, just to take off the tops 6" or so off of the ground. But, I have never seen a set used or for sale locally though.

 

[jimg]

Ill be cutting a new stand of Timothy and Timothy/OG.

Given the discussion about caddies I dont think Ill be buying one. Theres just no enough gain to justify it.

Ah, one other requirement is being able to be able to cut negative angles. I think some of the budget units will do all positive angles to 90deg.

"Mowers mounted on the 3 pt usually leave a strip on every sharp corner that you have to "run out" to finish a field."

Not sure what youre saying...whats 'run out'?

 

[chh]

Basically you end up with a large X of uncut strips on square field. You have to cut out the X at the end (usually 1 pass up and back) to finish a field. Not a big thing IMO, but it does look odd if you don't realize it is going to happen.
There are 2 basic types of cutter bars. Oil bath and segmented bar. The oil bath has all the gears, bearings. ect in a common bar. The segmented bars have a rod that drives the individual rotor units and they generally have to be greased yearly. The segmented bars I would think would cut at most any angle. The oil bath because of its design I would be reluctant to run 90 degrees up(or probably any extreme up angle)for any amount of time do to lubrication isssues. As far as I know, all styles will run at angles(up or down) found in your average hayfield. I have cut around pond dams, with the bar angles up or down depending on whether I am on top or at the base of the dam and have not had any problems.

 

[ddivinia]

Ill be cutting a new stand of Timothy and Timothy/OG.

Given the discussion about caddies I dont think Ill be buying one. Theres just no enough gain to justify it.

Ah, one other requirement is being able to be able to cut negative angles. I think some of the budget units will do all positive angles to 90deg.

"Mowers mounted on the 3 pt usually leave a strip on every sharp corner that you have to "run out" to finish a field."

Not sure what youre saying...whats 'run out'?

You can certainly add one later if you want it. I got my mower and caddy used. I could not imagine not having a caddy. Another nice aspect of having a caddy is I can put the mower in transport mode and move it around with my truck, etc.

D.

 

[jimg]

Im also buying used if possible. Like anything unfamiliar its hard to see utility until you get to using it. I do appreciate your input on the caddy...and yes it can be added later. Initially I thought caddies were for roading mowers and that in itself might be worth the cost. Running my tractor up county jus to move the mower would be an awfully long ride!

 

[ddivinia]

Im also buying used if possible. Like anything unfamiliar its hard to see utility until you get to using it. I do appreciate your input on the caddy...and yes it can be added later. Initially I thought caddies were for roading mowers and that in itself might be worth the cost. Running my tractor up county jus to move the mower would be an awfully long ride!

Agreed- where are you located? My dealer has one coming in on repo. Cutter in a caddy, etc.

Here are some pics of my setup from my first time using it, etc.

D.

 

[chh]

As a comparison here are some shots of mine last year on the Montana and on the MF 5455. Darin's mower is bigger as he mentioned. I have been told several times that if I would try a caddy, that I wouldn't go back to using them on the 3pt. That expense is not currently an option this year however.
A couple of months after I bought my mowers, one came up at auction locally on a caddy. The exact same setup that Darin shows and only 1 year old and only used on a few acres(owner had a heart attack). The whole setup only brought around $7000, which was a steal.

 

[slowzuki]

I was gonna mention too Fella has a really nice semi mounted model. Fella SM-401 and SM-311.
http://www.tarversales.com/index_files/image17701.jpg

The semi mount lets a smaller tractor carry a mounted mower that can swing to the rear and cut up tight like a mounted.

 

[ddivinia]

As a comparison here are some shots of mine last year on the Montana and on the MF 5455. Darin's mower is bigger as he mentioned. I have been told several times that if I would try a caddy, that I wouldn't go back to using them on the 3pt. That expense is not currently an option this year however.
A couple of months after I bought my mowers, one came up at auction locally on a caddy. The exact same setup that Darin shows and only 1 year old and only used on a few acres(owner had a heart attack). The whole setup only brought around $7000, which was a steal.

View attachment 129049

View attachment 129050

View attachment 129051

They look good on there. You got such a smoking deal on those mowers - you could afford to have 2 of them!

Used caddies don't come up very often. There are a lot of options in the caddy market. Prices are not cheap - I am glad I got my setup used.

D.

 

[jimg]

Agreed- where are you located? My dealer has one coming in on repo. Cutter in a caddy, etc.

Here are some pics of my setup from my first time using it, etc.

D.

Im in E TN. Thanx for the pics. Do you know how long the cutter is?

 

[jimg]

I was gonna mention too Fella has a really nice semi mounted model. Fella SM-401 and SM-311.
http://www.tarversales.com/index_files/image17701.jpg

The semi mount lets a smaller tractor carry a mounted mower that can swing to the rear and cut up tight like a mounted.

I was looking at that one too but figured it was going to run almost the price of a trailed mower. Also I dont think anyone has one around here to look at. Did you price it and have you seen one?

ETA: Road transport seems like to would be very easy.