10' Pull-type mower

[Builder]

What are the pros/cons of pull type mowers compared to a 3 pt rear mower? Looking at 10 footers. I realize you can use a bigger mower with less tractor since the mower floats on its' own wheels. So I would think I can use a smaller tractor and save money. What is the downside? I would think cleaning would be difficult since the 3pt may not be able to lift it up.

What other differences are there?

 

[Glowplug]

Man you would need a BIG-A tractor to pull a 10-foot lift cutter! I have a Rhino Turbo 120 (10-footer) pull-type. The lift-type calls for a minimum of a 60-hp tractor. But I think that would be pushing it! That thing weighs over 1800 lbs.! So you'd better have some good front-end ballast and a 3-pt hitch with a very large lifting capacity. The one big advantage to a lift type mower is that you can lift it. This would make it easier for tight maneuvering, backing up, and such. Think of a pull-type as pulling a trailer. I love my pull-type 10-footer. Not to say that I wouldn't like a lift type cutter too. I would love to have a 7-foot lift cutter but I wouldn't personally go any larger than that for a lift type. My ideal mowing set-up would be a 15-foot pull type batwing and a 7-foot lift type mower. But I haven't won the lottery. . . .yet!

 

[Builder]

Man you would need a BIG-A tractor to pull a 10-foot lift cutter! I have a Rhino Turbo 120 (10-footer) pull-type. The lift-type calls for a minimum of a 60-hp tractor. But I think that would be pushing it! That thing weighs over 1800 lbs.! So you'd better have some good front-end ballast and a 3-pt hitch with a very large lifting capacity. The one big advantage to a lift type mower is that you can lift it. This would make it easier for tight maneuvering, backing up, and such. Think of a pull-type as pulling a trailer. I love my pull-type 10-footer. Not to say that I wouldn't like a lift type cutter too. I would love to have a 7-foot lift cutter but I wouldn't personally go any larger than that for a lift type. My ideal mowing set-up would be a 15-foot pull type batwing and a 7-foot lift type mower. But I haven't won the lottery. . . .yet!

I'm looking at an M-6800 with front suitcase weights to lift it-bout 60 PTO HP. . The only thing is, I want to be able to cut some other parcels down the road, so a 10' might be too wide to pull over the backroads. Might be able to do it with flashers on in non-rush hour times. I hear ya on the batwing. I'd love to be able to fold the wings up for transport.

I'm really looking for mower ideas. I've seen a 10' with an offset batwing, but it's 10 grand.

 

[Glowplug]

Yeah the one thing I regret about the 10-foot is the transport. It is a real PITA to go down the road. Think about it, a standard highway lane width is 12 feet. Country roads are often less. That's like threading the needle! I won't even tow my cutter on the highway, let alone pull it behind the tractor. I guess it's here to stay. If I sell the land it'll go with the farm! It's also a bit of a pain to get between paddocks through the gates and absolutely impossible to get into my barn, which has about an 11 foot wide door opening.

A 10 foot offset batwing would be awesome! You could look at the new Bush Hog 2212 too (see my other thread). It's a 12 foot flex wing (3 four foot sections) for 50 to 75 PTO hp tractors.

 

[Glowplug]

The lift-type calls for a minimum of a 60-hp tractor.

Let me correct myself. Just looked it up. The lift-type Rhino Turbo 120 cutter calls for a minimum of 80 hp!

 

[Egon]

What you have to look at is PTO HP so you can do some cutting.

 

[LBrown59]

The one big advantage to a lift type mower is that you can lift it.
This would make it easier for tight maneuvering, backing up, and such.

Why I rigged up my drag like this .
http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk286/lb59/100_2318.jpg
http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk286/lb59/100_2319.jpg

 

[Farmwithjunk]

Most all the heavy duty cutters have an excessively high minimum PTO HP requirement to cover operating them in the most extreme conditions they'll encounter and/or are capable of handling. Example. If a 10' cutter is capable of cutting 3" to 4" material, that'll take a lot more hp than cutting 2' tall grass and weeds. The minimum rating will be what it takes too cut the 3" trees, and NOT what it takes to handle mowing tall grass.

I've got 3 tractors pulling 15' batwings. 1 is 95 hp. 2 are 85 hp. All 3 are more than enough power to mow in weeds and grass several feet tall. If I was shredding brush and trees, maybe not enough.

I know of several farmers in my area that mow pastures with 15' batwings behind 50+ hp tractors. One uses a 20'er behind a 70 hp tractor. They're clipping pastures and NOT mowing weeds as tall as the tractor's hood though.

3-point mounted mowers are the only way to fly with smaller sizes (8' and under) 10' rigid deck mounted mowers don't lend themselves to easy transport, and they require enough tractor that a larger batwing is usually a better choice anyway.

 

[Builder]

Sounds like I may have to do an 8' cutter to fit where it needs to fit. Problem is it'll take 20-25% longer to cut.

I don't have 10 grand for a mower.

 

[LoneCowboy]

If you aren't transporting it, a 10' mower is fine.
But getting it down the road (either attached or unattached) is a serious problem. There's a guy around here who has one, he just loads it on his trailer (it's a 10' 3 point) and away he goes...completely illegally (colorado maximum width is 8'6")

My business is transport, that's all I do, so I got an 8' 3 point. Mostly just for width, the tractor barely notices it's back there. 75hp for 8' is pretty much overkill.

I did just buy a batwing for this season (which will hopefully get here soon, where is spring???), and transport is still a 2 truck problem (unless it's really close), but it should scream on bigger acreages.

The cost is about the same as a 8' dual spindle. Batwings make the price go up a lot.
BTW, all cutters are up a lot, steel, shipping (!!!), etc. Like 10 to 20% over last year for new.

 

[Richard]

We've got a 10' HD Rhino and a 15' Woods batwing. The 10 is pull type.

This was my first experience after using a traditional 5' sized.

One thing I do NOT like about them is you've got to be aware of your turning angles.

If your setup isn't adjusted properly for each other, I've been told that you can turn too sharp and essentially, force the U-joint beyond its design and maybe damage it.

Second, I was cutting with it, backing into some stuff, hit a stump and before I knew it, the mower took on a VERY contorted position as it was essentially, jacking up on me.

Turns out that little oops, screwed up something on the part that attaches to the PTO (which we already replaced)

Seems I could convert this 10' to a 3-point unit with some hardware (using on a 85 HP or so, Internatinal...I think an 899 or 988?)

Personally, I'd like to do that so I can use my turning brakes every now & then to tighten up a turn and not fear folding the U-joint into too tight of an angle.

I might be worried about nothing but on the 15' batwing, if I get too tight, the shaft will hit a piece of the protective cover and gently go "whump whump whump" until I straighten out.

Never had any of those issues with a 3-pt mower.

That said...would I prefer to cut the 100+ acres with the 5' 3-pt mower or deal with the angles & whumps of a 10' or 15' mower?

(easy question!!!!)

pull mowers all the way baby!

 

[hdbikercouple]

maybe he means a real type mower

 

[Soundguy]

I would think cleaning would be difficult since the 3pt may not be able to lift it up.

What other differences are there?

why would a person even considder buying a 10' 3pt mower if their tractors 3pt couldn't lift it? Youd have a 10' pasture drag then?!?

A 3pt mower swings with your tractor when you turn.. IE.. you turn left.. mower swings out right.. On a pull type, you turn left.. mower starts turning left.

backing up.. 3pt mower back up straight.. and can even hang out over a bit of a grade on the back or side. If you have to back-up alot.. 3pt is easier..

I use both a 10' 3pt mower and a 15' batwing (drag) mower.

soundguy

 

[Soundguy]

'Big enough' is all you need.

here's my 1975 ford 5000 and a 10' 3pt mower. She mows like a dream. i have (4) 80# pillow weights on her and (2) 50' suitcase weights as well.

soundguy

Man you would need a BIG-A tractor to pull a 10-foot lift cutter! I have a Rhino Turbo 120 (10-footer) pull-type. The lift-type calls for a minimum of a 60-hp tractor. But I think that would be pushing it! That thing weighs over 1800 lbs.! So you'd better have some good front-end ballast and a 3-pt hitch with a very large lifting capacity. The one big advantage to a lift type mower is that you can lift it. This would make it easier for tight maneuvering, backing up, and such. Think of a pull-type as pulling a trailer. I love my pull-type 10-footer. Not to say that I wouldn't like a lift type cutter too. I would love to have a 7-foot lift cutter but I wouldn't personally go any larger than that for a lift type. My ideal mowing set-up would be a 15-foot pull type batwing and a 7-foot lift type mower. But I haven't won the lottery. . . .yet!

 

[LoneCowboy]

One more thought for ya.
a pull type throws a lot less crap on you/your tractor than a 3 point.
Mostly because it's further back.

 

[Farmwithjunk]

One more thought for ya.
a pull type throws a lot less crap on you/your tractor than a 3 point.
Mostly because it's further back.

That one sorta puzzles me. None of my mowers, be it the 3-point OR the pull-types, throw anything forward on the tractor or operator. Both types will stir up dust in dry conditions, with the amount of that dust relative to conditions and size of mower.

 

[Builder]

'Big enough' is all you need.

here's my 1975 ford 5000 and a 10' 3pt mower. She mows like a dream. i have (4) 80# pillow weights on her and (2) 50' suitcase weights as well.

soundguy

When you're on a schedule like mine (2 younger kids in 4 sports of which 2 I coach, 2 businesses, and now possibly 15-20 acres of pasture to cut and a small farm to maintain) "big enough" is too small.

I want to get the mowing done fast. I have other things to do than sit on a tractor all weekend pulling a "big enough" mower.

 

[LoneCowboy]

That one sorta puzzles me. None of my mowers, be it the 3-point OR the pull-types, throw anything forward on the tractor or operator. Both types will stir up dust in dry conditions, with the amount of that dust relative to conditions and size of mower.

so, when you are cutting on an open platform, are you covered in dust/grass/weeds/seeds/bugs/etc after a full day or not?

certainly
and with a pull type, that stuff is further behind you, so less of it gets on you/the tractor.

That's all i was saying.

 

[Builder]

I think the pull types that fold are the ticket. You can pull a bigger mower with less HP and you can fold it for transportation. Blade maintenance, cleaning & servicing must be eaasier, too.

Problem is the $$, they're spendy.

 

[North Dakota]

Advantages to pull type

I would think that a pull type mower would let you mow closer to obstacles such as trees since the pull type tends to follow the tractor around the obstacle instead of swinging away from the obstacle like a three point mower would. Know matter how you turn with a three point mower you can not mow in one complete circle around a tree and stay close to that tree with the mower.

Follows ground contours better if you have alot of uneven ground with small swales.

Disadvantages:

Moving them from lot to lot unless the tires are rated or big enough for tractor road speed.

Backing is not as easy but still can be done with out much problem. This is assuming the back wheels on a pull type mower do not swivel.