Which rotary cutter to buy

[Hurst238]

I'm going to buy a 6' cutter and have narrowed it down to the Brown 416 and the Bush Hog B26. The price is exactly the same and I'm having a difficult time choosing, so other than flipping a coin what do you guys think? What are the ups and downs of each.

 

[Piston]

It's a win win situation. You absolutely can't go wrong either way, and any differences in specs you find are insignificant.

I have a Brown 472 (predecessor) to the 416, and would (will) stay with Brown Manufacturing. They're customer service is excellent (which really doesn't matter with an implement like this but still nice). They're background is in super heavy duty long lasting commercial mowers.
Unfortunately, they no longer use USA made gearboxes, but at least they were the last of the manufacturers to switch. They held out as long as they could.

BH is excellent also. Keep in mind, BH sells a light duty version which I wouldn't give you a dime for (the squealer models). Brown doesn't even offer a light duty version. The 416 is they're lightest duty and is a lifetime long mower purchase.

What is the price you are quoted, and is it with front and rear chains?

My next purchase from Brown will be this cutter....
TSG-2 Tree Saw with Grapple | Brown Manufacturing | 8-633-899
Again, nothing they make is light duty.

 

[dirtdonthurt]

I bought a Brown 416 after doing my research. Had it about 2 years. Very good investment and well built. The guy at brown talked me out of the rear chains.

 

[Hurst238]

The Bush Hog has front chains only and the brown has the front rubber only. I can buy either for $2400

 

[Hurst238]

What was his reasons about not wanting the rear chains?

 

[dirtdonthurt]

I requested front/rear chains. Ended up with front only and I'm satisfied. Don't like rubber. Sounds like about what I paid. I had a BH 296 in the past (which is comparable) the 416 seems like it has a heavier stump jumper/rotating mass and cuts trees better.

 

[Hurst238]

Thanks for the info, I thought that I may add the chains later if I go with the brown. I'm currently running a Kodiak MD6 and it doesn't have chains or rubber but it's just not heavy enough for the cutting that I get into.

 

[dirtdonthurt]

The cutter gets rid of debris better without the rears (says Brown Mfg) and it saved me a couple hundred $$. It will chunk stuff pretty far out the back though. If you're around houses or anything I'd get em.

 

[Piston]

Thanks for the info, I thought that I may add the chains later if I go with the brown. I'm currently running a Kodiak MD6 and it doesn't have chains or rubber but it's just not heavy enough for the cutting that I get into.

That was my reasoning as well. I very quickly mangled my Woods brand mower (light duty not heavy duty) and was very unhappy with it. The brown mower has surpassed my expectations altogether.

 

[Hurst238]

How does your Kubota L4610 handle the weight of the Brown, your tractor and mine are similar in weight, I do have a FEL on mine whitch will add some front weight. I do have some fairly steep hills to mow. I am in East Tennessee and don't know anywhere around here that doesn't.

 

[dirtdonthurt]

Makes the front of my Kubota M5140 light without the loader (all 4 tires filled). Quick hitch pushes it out a little and adds to the leverage though. My guess is you'd have to jeep the loader on or put some suitcase weights on a compact tractor.

 

[Hurst238]

That's what I was thinking but I never take my FEL off anyway although I have ran without the bucket on some to make it a bit easier to get around.

 

[Piston]

My 4610 handles it good with the FEL on. I definitely know it's there, and it certainly is heavy, but it works well.
The best way I've found for it to work when doing heavy thick brush, is to put my top link in float (or use a chain for instance) and have all the weight of the mower on the two lower links of the 3 Pt hitch and also the tail wheel of the mower.

Without the FEL on, and the mower raised off the ground, I will lift the front wheels off the ground until the tail wheel hits the ground. I only did that once and now never remove it.

As a side note, the advantage to having a hudraulic top link with a heavy duty mower like this, is that you can raise the rear end of the mower a few feet off the ground, and back slowly into a tree to shred it. I do this all the time for trees that are too large (strong) to lush over by backing into them (they just stop the tractor if the back of the mower hits them at ground level while backing up).
I've cut some large trees this way.

 

[Turbys_1700]

I've owned my 472 Brown for over a year and the cutter has performed flawlessly. Two weeks ago I cut some overgrown pasture that had not been tended to in over a year. With this cutter if I can run over it I can cut it. Bush Hog is good too if you buy comparable duty units.

A friend that I attend church with worked years ago hogging right of ways and they used Brown's in the 600 series and tree cutters. Very harsh conditions. The cutters never gave any trouble. They are very heavy built and I doubt you will find a more robust cutter on the market.

I was somewhat concerned about lack of dealer support but Brown will sell you anything you need if a dealer is not in your area. My 472 is the best cutter I've ever run.

My dad sold Bush Hogs and I've run many 305 and 306 in my years. The Brown is just as good IMHO.

 

[Hurst238]

Great info guys, keep it coming if you think of anything that I need to know that I'm not thinking of. I think that I'm going to check out for the night and I'll check back tomorrow. Happy Fathers Day.