3400 vs 4400

[have_blue]

Well let me clarify just bit...I am not trying to mow 400 acres in a day..it's more about clearing out 40-70 acres a day...if it gets to high with broom weed..then it's time to break out the mower...

My real question is it worth 4k more for the 4400 hundred vs the 3400..and can the 4400 handle a 6 foot cutter (med duty)

I know your situation.

The broom weed is usually sparse, and grows slowly in the hot months, so you would have a major clearing job and light maintenance afterward.

The 4400 is perfect for a 6 foot medium duty brush hog. A 7 footer will stretch it, mostly because it's so heavy. If your land is very rough and you have to run slowly anyway, a light (<1200lbs) 7 footer would probably be OK after the initial clearing work is done.

Agree big time on the dual blades. They are lighter and require less HP.

But,,, definitely the L4400 in any case.

 

[N80]

There is always the possibility of a pull type mower. I've run a 7' heavy duty pull type mower with my 4400 with no problem. It takes more room to turn around with one, but weight isn't an issue.

 

[Gamer1524]

I know your situation.

The broom weed is usually sparse, and grows slowly in the hot months, so you would have a major clearing job and light maintenance afterward.

The 4400 is perfect for a 6 foot medium duty brush hog. A 7 footer will stretch it, mostly because it's so heavy. If your land is very rough and you have to run slowly anyway, a light (<1200lbs) 7 footer would probably be OK after the initial clearing work is done.

Agree big time on the dual blades. They are lighter and require less HP.

But,,, definitely the L4400 in any case.

I guess I am not in the know about dual blades...can you please tell me more

thanks

 

[N80]

I guess I am not in the know about dual blades..

Me either. Very curious.

 

[Gamer1524]

There is always the possibility of a pull type mower. I've run a 7' heavy duty pull type mower with my 4400 with no problem. It takes more room to turn around with one, but weight isn't an issue.

What Cutter were you using.

thanks

 

[N80]

It is a heavy old JD. There is no model number on it....since there is no paint on it. I co-own it with my B-I-L, although I never had too much tied up in it. It had a cylinder on the rear for changing mowing height. Since I used it last my B-I-L let some doofus borrow it and he burned up the slip clutch and now the gear box leaks like a sieve too. So now its sitting in the weeds.

In any case, even King Kutter makes a 7' pull type and it has the same specs as its heavy duty rotary cutter.

King Kutter Incorporated

It does not have a ram, but that's a simple install.

 

[Gamer1524]

Do you think the 4400 wil pull a bush hog 296 6 foot cutter....the lit tells me I needs more PTO HP

 

[N80]

The problem will probably not be the PTO hp. The gear box rating has more to do with how much hp the gear box can handle, not how much hp is required to run it.

What you need to look at is the weight. The L4400 is only rated to carry about 880 pounds on the 3pt hitch. I know that people have put more back there without any problems but I wouldn't exceed a 1000 pounds.

I could not get the specs to come up on that cutter but it looks pretty beefy. Why do you need that much cutter? What is the weight on that model? How big a tree is it rated to cut?

 

[Gamer1524]

The problem will probably not be the PTO hp. The gear box rating has more to do with how much hp the gear box can handle, not how much hp is required to run it.

What you need to look at is the weight. The L4400 is only rated to carry about 880 pounds on the 3pt hitch. I know that people have put more back there without any problems but I wouldn't exceed a 1000 pounds.

I could not get the specs to come up on that cutter but it looks pretty beefy. Why do you need that much cutter? What is the weight on that model? How big a tree is it rated to cut?

Are you sure you are correct about the 3 pt hitch capacity only being aorund 800 pounds for the L4400. The lititure shows to have 2870 lbs at lift point and 2310 lbs 24 inches behind LP. The cutter weight is right at 1095 lbs and is rated to cut 3 inch diameter.

Here is the link
http://www.bushhog.com/ContentFiles/Documents/Specs/RC295-297.pdf

 

[big bubba]

bet he meant 800 kg bb

 

[swampvol]

Are you sure you are correct about the 3 pt hitch capacity only being aorund 800 pounds for the L4400. The lititure shows to have 2870 lbs at lift point and 2310 lbs 24 inches behind LP. The cutter weight is right at 1095 lbs and is rated to cut 3 inch diameter.

Here is the link
http://www.bushhog.com/ContentFiles/Documents/Specs/RC295-297.pdf

Actually, if you look in the Kubota owners manual it lists maximum implement weight...and it is way lower than the actual lift capacity.

 

[N80]

Actually, if you look in the Kubota owners manual it lists maximum implement weight...and it is way lower than the actual lift capacity.

That's correct. The specs talk about weight at the lift point and 24 inches behind the lift point. So sure, you could handle a 1500 pound box blade with ease, but a considerable amount of a mower's weight is way beyond 24" behind the lift point. All that weight out there puts a lot of stress on a 3pt hitch, especially when its raised and you're bouncing down the road. Look at pages 4 and 5 of your manual. They lay it all out.

I personally would not put an 1100 pound mower on my L4400. Other's here may have a different opinion. Some contend that if the tractor is balanced properly then the extra weight is okay. I'm still not 100% convinced. You still have to consider the lift components and hydraulics too. I just recently got a disk that weighs just shy of 800 pounds. The hydraulics lift it but you can feel the tractor 'squat' when you do, yes, even with the loader on the front. When you make a turn, you feel that weight 'wag the dog' too.

I personally would consider a lighter mower.

 

[krackerjack9]

I just had a guy try to clear out some Texas sage by my place with one of those dual mowers and things went pretty good cutting some thick grass, but when he started hiting that brush well things didnt go so well. I have a L4400 with a Rhino 172 brush mower, and it dose a far better job than the dual mower he had.. the tractor was a JD Im guess a 55hp so I know it wasnt the power that was the problem. As long as I keep the rpm at 1800-1900 and stay in 2nd low or high im good on anything pretty thick.

 

[Gamer1524]

sorry for asking but I still don't know what you mean by the term dual mower...

I was also looking at the squeerler line 6 foot mower..it's about 200 pounds less and about 1/2 the price of the bush hog 296..but you sure can tell it's alot lighter duty...I would hate to spend 1300 on a cutter only to hit a rock or two and dent the thing...I am open to other brands..but perfer a medium duty cutter

 

[N80]

Apparently BH makes an 8' mower with two gear boxes and two sets of blades. But, it weighs 1100 pounds and is only rated to cut 2" material. It does, however, come in a pull-type.

I've gotten by quite well with a light duty mower with a tiny gear box...although its deck thickness is decent at 10 gauge and it has guard chains and a laminated tail wheel. It is only rated to cut 1" material but I've cut lots of 2" pines, gums and persimmons. I've hit my fair share of rocks, stumps and ant hills too.

I'm not trying to convince you to buy a light duty mower but you may want to look around and find the lightest weight medium duty mower you can find.

Check out this Rhino, it is under 1000 pounds:

260

Oops, that's a five footer. The 72" is close to 1200 pounds. Sorry.

 

[N80]

Have you looked at the BH 286? That's a medium duty and weighs in at 942 pounds and has a gear box rated to 110 hp. I'd go that direction, or something similar to it. The JD MX series is close to 1100 pounds.

 

[Gamer1524]

My two issues with the 260 Rhino are as follows are
one it's only a 5 foot cutter and two the top of the deck is not smooth...I am really sold on a smooth deck for ease of cleaning. it weighs 998 pounds and that is only 100 less than the BH 6 footer cutter

 

[Gamer1524]

Have you looked at the BH 286? That's a medium duty and weighs in at 942 pounds and has a gear box rated to 110 hp. I'd go that direction, or something similar to it. The JD MX series is close to 1100 pounds.

Thanks for the info...I did not know they made another line in-between the squeeler and the 296 series...this looks alot more of what I am looking for...will call dealer and see what the cost is on this

 

[N80]

...will call dealer and see what the cost is on this

You better be sitting down.

 

[Gamer1524]

sitting down was right..talked to dealer today..they tell me the 286 is a new cutter...only 200 less than the 296..and not much lighter...and they have no idea when they can get ....and I was told it would be red even when they get it