Rough Cut (Bush Hog) Mowers?

[Canada_CT230]

I am looking for a rough cut mower for my CT230.

Choices I have:

1) a slightly used Tebben 60" mower w/ shear pin for $1200 + taxes.

2) an almost new Woods 48" mower w/ slip clutch and chain guards front and back for $1000 no tax.

3) an old used John Deere 60" w/ slip clutch for $1000 no tax.

The 48" might be nice for tucking in and out of the treed area that I want to mow. On the other hand, the 48" will not cover the tracks. Will also have an open area to mow too. Is this a big problem?

The 60" Tebben is more $$$, no chain guards and no slip clutch. Never heard of this brand.

The 60" John Deere is in good shape but very old (at least 25 years)...parts may be an issue.

What do you all think?

 

[azop]

I'd go with the 48 inch cut. It's newer, and has the chains for whatever you might throw out. If it was a finish mower I'd say get a 72 inch, or one that would cover your tracks...but it sounds like you need cutting power, not so much finish goodness.

 

[MESSMAKER]

I don't know prices in your area, but I think I would keep looking. I really don,t like any of the choices. You want a 60" mower, for sure. I would think you could get a decent new one for $1200.

 

[Canada_CT230]

The cheapest new one is King Cutter and is $1499 + tax and then would require a 5 hr round trip drive or a few hundred $$$ to freight ship.

 

[johnrex62]

Wow! I guess region makes a huge difference. I see 60" rotary mowers locally on Craigslist all the time between $500-$900. Some even less if you don't mind the "junk yard fresh" look in vibrant Rust (saw one for $125 yesterday and they claimed it even still works!) . I see some pretty clean looking units under $1000 almost every week and several "used but not abused" units close to the $500 mark all the time. Shipping to Canada would be a deal breaker though I would think.

Is the used market really that different?

 

[Bird]

I never heard of Tebben, but there's no way I'd want either of the other two. I had a 48" Bush Hog when I had a B7100 Kubota. That was enough to more than cover my tracks, but when I moved up to a B2710 Kubota, I promptly traded for a 60" Howse brush hog. The Deere may be good, but no way I'd pay that kind of money for one that old. I agree with MESSMAKER; I'd keep looking.

 

[Canada_CT230]

The Tebben in made in Minnesota and good quality. The only thing I don't like about it is the shear pin. If it had a slip clutch I'd buy it.

Yes, living in Canada means more $$$ for stuff. But at least I didn't have to sell my house hen I had health issues last August and spent 2 weeks in the hospital and had all the high end tests (multiple times).

 

[gumshu]

The cheapest new one is King Cutter and is $1499 + tax and then would require a 5 hr round trip drive or a few hundred $$$ to freight ship.

Wow. That's high. For that price, why not buy one in the US when you're down this way, ehy?

 

[Bird]

The Tebben in made in Minnesota and good quality. The only thing I don't like about it is the shear pin. If it had a slip clutch I'd buy it.

Can't you just add the slip clutch after you buy it? I can understand why some want the slip clutch, but I guess my land was not as rough. I never had a slip clutch on any implement and never wanted one. That just seems to be one more thing to maintain and periodically adjust. And with shear pins on tiller, 2 different brush hogs, one finish mower, as well as the neighbor's mower/conditioner and round baler, I only sheared one pin and that was on the baler, once, when the bale starter failed to fall back in place after I ejected a bale.

 

[Canada_CT230]

The problem is that I can't fit a mower in the box of my truck. I could fabricate a wood rack that would allow the mower to sit up higher than the truck box sides. If I bought a $900 mower in the USA and had to drive to get it...it would still cost me $150 - $200 in gas. Then I would still have to pay sales tax upon entry to Canada. So to save what? $100 to $200. Not worth it.

The only thing that makes me leary about the shear pin is that my neighbour has this Tebben 60" mower w/ shear pin. His tractor keeps shearing the pin upon PTO engagement. His MF tractor has an electronic engagement switch though. The Bobcats at least have the manual engagement and maybe not the starting shock.

His brother is the one who owns the implement dealership and wants to resale the mower for his brother.

Maybe I'll call him tomorrow and see if he can do better on the price.

 

[SSdoxie]

The problem is that I can't fit a mower in the box of my truck. I could fabricate a wood rack that would allow the mower to sit up higher than the truck box sides. If I bought a $900 mower in the USA and had to drive to get it...it would still cost me $150 - $200 in gas. Then I would still have to pay sales tax upon entry to Canada. So to save what? $100 to $200. Not worth it.

The only thing that makes me leary about the shear pin is that my neighbour has this Tebben 60" mower w/ shear pin. His tractor keeps shearing the pin upon PTO engagement. His MF tractor has an electronic engagement switch though. The Bobcats at least have the manual engagement and maybe not the starting shock.

His brother is the one who owns the implement dealership and wants to resale the mower for his brother.

Maybe I'll call him tomorrow and see if he can do better on the price.

I have a Ct225 and currently use 48" brush mower because that is what I had on my little Kubota before. I was seriously thinking of going to 60 or 72" with the bigger tractor to cover my wheel tracks, but after running it this weekend I decided to stay with this one for 2 reasons.
1. With it tucked inside my tire track, I no longer have the problem of occasional hooking it on a tree when cut in between some trees in the woods. While trying to watch where I'm driving and ducking limbs at the same I would catch it on a tree when it was wider than the Bota. Now if tractor fits between the trees, no problem.
2. Cutting out in the grass is a breeze with this smaller size. Put the tractor in mid-range @ PTO RPM (2250) a go full pedal stroke up hill and down. Actually reduce my mowing time about an hour from what it normally took me.

I do not have slip clutch on it and have never sheared the pin. I did run it over a 6" oak limb Saturday that stopped in dead, killed the tractor before it broke shear pin (no it is a grade 8 bolt, same pin that came with the shaft 10 years ago).

 

[Sabretooth]

The problem is that I can't fit a mower in the box of my truck. I could fabricate a wood rack that would allow the mower to sit up higher than the truck box sides. If I bought a $900 mower in the USA and had to drive to get it...it would still cost me $150 - $200 in gas. Then I would still have to pay sales tax upon entry to Canada. So to save what? $100 to $200. Not worth it.

The only thing that makes me leary about the shear pin is that my neighbour has this Tebben 60" mower w/ shear pin. His tractor keeps shearing the pin upon PTO engagement. His MF tractor has an electronic engagement switch though. The Bobcats at least have the manual engagement and maybe not the starting shock.

His brother is the one who owns the implement dealership and wants to resale the mower for his brother.

Maybe I'll call him tomorrow and see if he can do better on the price.

With a switch it puts the PTO at full as soon as switched on BAM Live a shear is fine for yours you can feather the implement to speed instead of BAM!!!. I run a Woods 5' rotary cutter on the 230 up/down hills 15ac with shear pin going on 2nd summer now no problems in medium only because to bumpy for high which I just did about half in less than 4hr grass/weeds 2-3 some over tractor that I did in low.
Slip is for places you are going to hit things that will mke the implement stop in its tracks which would could harm the pto.
When I am going to cut I drop rpm all the way down push in clutch put PTO to engage and slowly release the clutch and then increase the rpm to decrease the shock on the tractor and pto

On another note check part prices the Woods are more than say Bushhog,frontier and the like, just the blades on mine are a bill others are half the price also the different makes have different blade retention bolts mine is a 1-11/16" new ones think are lot smaller like 1 or 3/4

 

[MESSMAKER]

I Brush mow commercialy, so I run into some pretty rough stuff. I have done it for 3 years and have replaced 2 shear pins. It takes 10 min. tops. I would not be concerned about a cutter with a shear pin at all.

 

[LD1]

I wouldnt worry about the shear pin either.

I have an old bushhog 105 that I use primarially. It has neither a slip clutch or a shear pin (splined gearbox end) and I have yet to damage anything even running over heavy brush and sapplings.

Plus, the slip clutches require yearly maintenance so I am told.

BUT, mine has blades that mount to a stump jumper and swing free. So if you hit something immovablem the blades swing out of the way. Some mowers have rigid blades, in that case, a pin or clutch WOULD be required.

And as to your options, I agree with others, keep looking. In my area, used working bushhogs, but not the prettiest, in my area are only bringing ~300-500. And new ones can be had for what you are looking at.

 

[johnrex62]

I hear lots of folk who swear by the slip clutch over a shear pin due to the hassle. I am of a different opinion. The pin is simple to replace and takes little time. I have cut down (not on purpose however) 3.5" trees with my cutter without breaking a pin. The first (and only) pin I broke was on a clump of already cut grass I backed over. Go figure!

I worry about slip clutches because dirt rust or corrosion can change the slip characteristics of a clutch and potentially increase their holding friction to the point they no longer slip. You cannot see that and must regularly check the function of the clutch. That seems like a lot more work and worry than a shear pin.

With the pin, if it turns the pin is in one piece, if it does not then the pin is broken. Simple and takes no time at all.

 

[belah]

Above all, Get one with a slip clutch unless you want to be constantly getting off the tractor to replace a shear pin when doing moderate to heavy cutting. I have a Wood's BB720 6ft cutter with a slip clutch and have cut 3in trees without problem. In my opinion, Wood's is one of the best cutters on the market. I had a rotary tiller that had shear pins and everytime I hit a medium size root, it sheared a pin. Needless to say,Idon't have it anymore.
Regardless of the brand you choose, my advice is to get one with a slip clutch !!! Just my thoughts.

 

[lilranch2001]

I am a little unsure where the comment regarding not having to sell his house because of health issues came from.

Very few people in the states have to do that, and we also have the very best health care in the world for everyone, whether they can pay for it or not.

I think the comment was uncalled for.

He** we even have Canadian bigwigs coming to the states for our health care

Just my 2 red cents worth

 

[Canada_CT230]

So much for your "American" right of freedom of speech. I guess you don't like when people jab your system. Everytime I'm in the US I have to hear jabs about Canada and our systems. I guess you can dish it but can't take it.

Oh and seniors come to Canada for affordable medication.

Back to rough cut mowers...

 

[Tshaw]

Where abouts in canada are you, i'm in prince george bc and will be starting to look for a brush cutter soon, so i'm watching this with intrest...

As for medical systems... Neither the CdN or USA health models score very high in the world... For diffrent reasons...usa has leading edge medical and doctors but is largley in accessable to their WHOLE population (thats how they rate them) where canada is quite good and very affordable but has some VERY large deficiencies especially in terms of wait times... The top ten medical systems in the world are a combination of private services paid for by a public system... Everyone pays some thing but the government sets the rates and standards, the private practices keep it efficient and progressing forward. My .02 cents...

Its a very crazy topic and no where near as fun as talking about mowers

Now back to your regular programming...

 

[Canada_CT230]

I'm in Portage la Prairie, Manitoba (1 hr west of Winnipeg).

I merely pointed out that Canada has higher taxes and high priced consumer goods but we don't have to worry about paying for health care. Other people took it and ran off with it.

As for the mower...I don't know what to do. The used ones are too pricey. New is either a little known brand name or $1500 plus tax and shipping.