2515 HP Gain

[Cablefed]

Let me ask this. I own a mobile home park with 10 acres. I use this tractor like a swiss army knife for many applications. The PTO is only used for finish mowing and brush hogging. Would switching to a flail mower help with my HP requirements vs. making a tractor change? I've read that a Flail mower requires less HP due to the amount of rotating mass that has be slung around by the gearbox on the mower itself.

 

[Jchonline]

Let me ask this. I own a mobile home park with 10 acres. I use this tractor like a swiss army knife for many applications. The PTO is only used for finish mowing and brush hogging. Would switching to a flail mower help with my HP requirements vs. making a tractor change? I've read that a Flail mower requires less HP due to the amount of rotating mass that has be slung around by the gearbox on the mower itself.

How big is the finish mower? How many acres do you mow? What about a Zero Turn mower?

 

[Cablefed]

I mow approx. 2 acres on one side and 6 acres on the other side. I hire a mowing service for most of the park but take care of the septic fields with the finish mower and brush hog. The finish mower is 60 inches and the brush hog is a 4 foot unit. I'd pay my mowing service to cut the septic fields but they are kinda ruff for a zero turn.

 

[ericm979]

Rotary cutters (rough and finish) have fairly low inertia. Flail mowers would have more. But that's only an issue when starting the mower turning. Once the mower is turning at full speed it does not matter.

Flails would take more hp per foot in the same grass than a brush hog since they recut the grass.

If you're mowing on a hill you could mow 2ft wide (or whatever lets you stay in middle range) when going up hill and cut the full width when going down.

 

[JonnyRed]

I bought a 2515H in January 2021. I put 180 hours on it in 8 months. I realized I had the wrong size tractor when I attempted to run a 5 foot tiller in the tough Georgia clay and the PTO HP deficiency raised its ugly head. It is possible that running 4 foot implements would have yielded a different result but I didn't want to do that. Also, the "C" or "High" range of the transmission is basically useless as I couldn't even muster enough power to start off from a standstill on flat ground in high road gear. If you are only running 4 foot implements or doing loader and box blade work then the 2515H is probably going to work for you. The loader is awesome with respect to lifting ability, especially with loaded tires and a heavy implement on the 3 point. I sold it and moved into a 4815H. The tractors looked almost identical but the "power" was very noticeably different. I could start off in high gear on a flat surface and go up a hill in medium gear without much groaning from the HST. A geared 4815R would be a little beast if you can talk yourself into a geared tractor. I sold the 4815H and currently own a 5835R, power is no longer any concern.