Any Input on a Gang Reel Mower??

[gpa311]

Hello All.
I'm considering a 58" Gang Reel Mower to pull behind my HPX Gator to keep up with the grass cutting.
Anyone have experience with these type of mowers?
Are they practical?
Can they cut around trees pretty easily?
Will they cut wet grass okay?
Will they cut the grass if it gets pretty tall?
I have 3 1/2 Acres cleared to cut, and quite a few big oak trees to cut around.
I know that's a lot of questions, but any input would be very much appreciated!
GPA

 

[Bird]

Gang reel mowers work great on golf courses. And if you keep your lawn mowed as pretty, and as frequent, as most golf courses, you may like that kind of mower. Otherwise, in my opinion, you probably will not be happy with it. I think you'll find they don't work very well in tall grass, and maintenance may be more than you like, also.

 

[Dargo]

I tried it in the past with some gang reel mowers I bought at a golf course auction. I sharpened them up, greased them, put in new bearings where needed etc. They are still tossed in the woods where they landed 8 years ago. Unless you want to mow at least twice a week and have absolutely zero twigs or sticks in your yard and nothing to mow around, they don't work. I tried to "like" them and use them for a month or more before I tossed them. I've been meaning to haul them to the dump for years now. Any takers??? Absolutely free!

 

[Kelvin]

How is the gang-reel mower powered?

I don't think that you want one. Here is my experience...

I have 7-gang reel pull-behind mower that cuts a 10' wide cutting path; the mower's turning wheels turn the reels, like the old hand reel mowers. I believe, but am not sure, that golf courses use reel mowers that are driven by the mower's engine.

A few notes about mine:

(1) It cuts really good at least 40-50% of the time.
(2) Forget cutting in wet grass as the wheels won't have the required traction to turn the reels.
(3) You have to mow really SLOW. I'm pretty sure that my 6' wide finish mower will mow my land faster than the 10' wide reel mower due to the differences in mowing speed.
(4) You have to mow REAL OFTEN, as tall grass gets pushed over and doesn't get touched by the reel.
(5) Lawn needs to be totally clear of all debris, as the smallest twig will lock up whichever reel it gets into.


Advantages:

(1) Pulling the 7-gang mower was an ideal task for my older Kubota B7100 16 hp gear drive tractor. I could mow the grass at low engine RPMs. My 12.5 Sears Craftsman mower could pull it on level ground but could not pull it up a hill (however, the Sears could pull it just fine if I locked the outer two gang reels in the UP position such that it mowed only about 7' wide or so).

(2) Lower engine RPMs equated to much less engine noise and significantly less fuel costs.

CONCLUSION: Given the frustrations of the mower, I parked it and haven't used it for about 4 years (it may be ruined now...). I would rate that mower to be the worst tractor implement that I have ever purchased (I'm embarrased to admit that I paid over $1000 for it when it was new).

Kelvin

 

[Will_C]

The school district I work at uses a set of gang mowers. They don't maintain them like they should (yet still spend quite a bit of time on them), and the cut is awful! As the other posters have mentioned, if you have a perfect lawn, and mow often, and like to maintain them, they may be a good idea. Otherwise, I'd pass.
Will