Are Woods Implements worth the extra $$$?

[75H2]

New (1st) tractor ordered. Input from this site has been invaluable, thanks I've turned my attention to the attachments. I got a quote on a Woods back blade & I've been searching the lot of the local TSC. Their back blade is about half the price of the Woods unit. Is it worth the extra expense?

I'm getting a little 23 HP SCUT not a 100 HP farm tractor. I'd like to buy something that will last. But, I don't like to waste money. What's the consesus out there?

 

[Redbug]

Woods and Landpride make some very good implements. When I first got my tractor, I bought a 6' TSC box blade. It does the job. However, if I had to do it over again I would have spent the extra dollars and gotten a Landpride. It has thicker metal and much better made.

I would say that if the weight of the TSC is about the weight of the Woods...go for the TSC. Otherwise, try not to look at the dollars and go for the better built Woods.

 

[Z-Michigan]

Woods and the TSC brands are almost at opposite ends of the spectrum. Whether it's worth the money depends on the tasks. A 23hp SCUT won't be nearly as hard on stuff as bigger tractors, and if the TSC stuff is the right size and it looks ok, it may serve you fine. Surprisingly, of all my implements the only trouble-free one is a "Farm Force by Tarter Gate" disk harrow I got from TSC. I do think the Farm Force line is better than King Kutter.

I don't own Woods, but they are definitely my first choice for any future purchase of a new blade or a box blade, and high on the shopping list if I ever have to replace my rotary cutter. Woods stuff seems very well made, and if you shop around prices aren't too bad. I regret buying a Frontier (=JD marketing) brand rear blade* for $900 instead of a Woods for $1100. Also, their box scrapers are among the heaviest built that are easy to find in dealers. [*: some of the Frontier branded blades were made by Woods, but not the one I have - it was made by Tecnomec Agricola of Mexico, and isn't very sturdy.]

I own one implement from Landpride, a scarifier, and it is total junk. I know Landpride has a decent rep among many, but my experience is junk. And the Landpride factory rep who looked at the broken junk and acknowledged it was broken but didn't offer to replace it or even fix it, just three months after I bought it brand new from a Landpride dealer (note: 1 year written warranty), really, REALLY soured me on that company. I won't ever buy their stuff again.

 

[MtnViewRanch]

You need to keep in mind that implement manufacturers make products for many sized machines. Just because you buy a Woods or Land Pride implement does not mean that you have bought the best of that size. They make some of the same size implements, just different horse power ratings for the same implement. Example, I have a Land Pride PD35 post hole digger, rated for 75 pto horse power. They build a PD10 post hole digger rated for 30 hp. Both will dig a 12" hole. They are not equal pieces of equipment and their cost is quite a bit different. But they are both Land Pride implements.

For your size tractor, the economy brands should be fine, they might not have pretty welds or as good of a paint job, but should be all that you need for strength and durability. If you want something a little nicer, then get a Woods or Land Pride etc.

Good luck with your choice.

 

[Z-Michigan]

Mtnview - I have a 50hp MFWD utility. The Landpride implement that failed me badly was rated for exactly 50hp. The Frontier/Tenomec blade that is basically functional but weak and not wonderfully designed is rated for 60hp MFWD or 65hp 2wd. I can't guarantee that Woods would not have failed me either, but I tend to doubt it.

 

[john_bud]

Is Snap-On worth it when Harbor Freight has "the same" tool for a fraction of the price?

Lots of folks buy the TSC stuff and are satisfied. I do think the Woods products are better made, thicker metal, stronger metal, better engineered in some areas. The same can be said for Bushog, Landpride and others.

For a blade, you want it to weigh a fair amount. On the order of 100# per linear foot for a "good one". The weight will make the tool engage the ground and do a good job in a broad range of situations. Lighter blades (per linear foot), will be compromised a bit. The lighter they are, the greater the compromises. Even the lightest ones work, just not as well as the heavier ones. They are also not as reliable and easier to bend when you hit a rock or root. Like all tools, it's best to buy once and buy right for the long haul. Fighting with a cheap tool is worse than not doing the job at all. But that's just my opinion. Others will surely chime in also.


Used blades that are in the pretty good to good categories can be found at auction, usually for $50-200. Getting a good 7' blade and cutting it down with a circular saw and abrasive blade works. If you go that route, try the full blade and slowly cut. Too wide is better than too narrow and too wide is easier to fix...

jb

 

[NuBota]

I'm in the same boat - been shopping for a rear blade for my BX24. I know I would do just fine for most jobs with the 60" King Kutter from TSC - but I am really hung up on having tilt. All my property is 15-20% slope, so I think having tilt will be useful. KK makes a tilt blade (RB-OT-60) for low cost, but you have to have to adjust a couple of bolts. Plus the model doesn't seem to be available from TSC normal stock. Woods and Landpride both have nice blades with tilt, but they are like twice the cost of their non-tilt versions. Howse makes their farm blade with tilt, comparable to KK in price, but I don't know anything about 'em and have no dealers nearby.

As I ramble on it hits me that you may not care about the tilt feature - so assuming that, I would definately grab the KK - lots of folks here with subcuts have 'em and haven't seen many (any that I can recall) complaints.

 

[dirt ditch]

I was in the same boat making a rear blade decision for my new 790 JD with 24 PTO hp. Looked at King Kutter but bought a Land Pride RBT1572 last Friday. Worked on a section my driveway Saturday and learned a lot about rear blades that I wish I knew before my purchase. The 790 pulled it with no problems at all. Thought I needed the tilt feature of this blade but it is too much angle. My 3pt has enough adjustment for my needs that I could have bought a heaver blade without the tilt feature. The 72 blade just covers the tire tracks when the blade is angled all the way. An 84 would have been a better choice for me. If fit and finish are important to you then the cheaper implements don't compare. But if you just need a tool to get the job done then the they are probably the way to go. Good luck which ever way you go.

 

[Farmwithjunk]

There isn't an across the board, absolute answer to this question.

Woods makes SOME good implements. Some of their products are middle of the road quality. They make lightweight, medium weight, and heavy duty models. Some of their mowers, as a for instance, are quite nice for the average user, while being far too fragile for constant duty in a commercial setting.

All depends on what you're going to be doing with it, what sort of power you'll be handling it with, which particular implement we're talking about, and even to a degree, how hard you are on equipment.

I've owned several Woods mowers. (Most recently a BB840) I much prefer Bush Hog brand mowers for operation and reliability. I've got a Woods 84" box blade that I wouldn't part with. I've got a Woods rear blade that's no BETTER, but no WORSE than a heavy duty KK blade but a little more pricey. Also have a Gill (Woods) 72" soil pulverizer that's the gold standard amongst pulverizers.

So, IMHO the answer to your question is a resounding MAYBE.

 

[newt92]

NuBota, When I got my JD 2210 I got the Frontier RB1060 blade as part of a deal at that time. It had the tilt which I thought would be neat! After I looked at it at home I found it to be useless. There are 3 settings, level, extreme left, and extreme right. It tilts way too much, if you had a cylinder or a turn buckle on there it would work better. I have learned on this site someone else takes the pin out for snow removal so the blade floats. I tried it and it works! So now I have a use for the tilt. I now have a RB1072 since I jumped to the JD 2520. Also if you are using a quick hitch, some brands you will have to modify the top point to work. If you want pictures of the tilting let me know and I will take some.

Dennis

 

[Rusty]

I got a quote on a Woods back blade & I've been searching the lot of the local TSC. Their back blade is about half the price of the Woods unit. Is it worth the extra expense?

75H2: My first RB was a 6' WorkSaver from TSC. I used it behind a Ford 8N and later behind a Kubota B7500 HSD (21HP), mostly for snow removal. The RB was light duty (and light weight) and I had trouble keeping it from climbing up on packed snow and/or ice. I now have a 6' Woods that is considerably heavier and stays down against my concrete and asphalt. Both blades had skid shoes, the Worksaver shoes were fixed, the Woods shoes are the rotating (mushroom) type. Both blades were sturdy enough for me, but the Woods does a better job on snow removal and is worth the premium price to me. Best Wishes! Rusty

 

[Aquaman]

I bought a Woods M5 5' brush hog a while back for $100. Before you think I got a steal, you should know that this poor thing had obviously been abused beyond belief. The housing around the gear box had completely broken loose from the deck, and was sitting at an angle, and could be moved by hand. The deck looked like the thing had been used to quarry rock instead of mowing brush!! I think I bought it because I felt sorry for the poor thing. I took it home, and using come-a-longs to hold the gearbox housing in place, welded everything back together and added a brace to reinforce it. With very low expectations, I hooked it to my M Farmall and turned on the PTO. I can tell you that I have been using this thing for about 8 years now and it mows like a brand new machine. There is NO vibration, and the gears are as tight as a new machine. I guess the point to all of this is, if this thing survived all of the abuse it took and still works this good, it must have VERY tough gears and moving parts.

 

[MtnViewRanch]

Mtnview - I have a 50hp MFWD utility. The Landpride implement that failed me badly was rated for exactly 50hp. The Frontier/Tenomec blade that is basically functional but weak and not wonderfully designed is rated for 60hp MFWD or 65hp 2wd. I can't guarantee that Woods would not have failed me either, but I tend to doubt it.

Sounds to me like you ended up with one of those Monday built items. Truly a shame that Land Pride did not stand behind their product. Sounds like your dealer did nothing either?

I had a similar problem with MidWest on the heaviest rear blade that they sell. Bent it the 1st time that I used it, called the dealer and sent pictures, they called MidWest, sorry not our problem, your on your own. You would think that after you spend big $$$$$ that somebody would back up the stuff that they sell. I suppose that sometimes they do and sometimes they don't, maybe it depends on what side of the bed they woke up on that day?

 

[MessickFarmEqu]

I think the most important time to stay with a Woods or higher end product is when you are looking at somthing with drivelines or gearboxes. We see lots of cheap import stuff, like King Kutter, that uses odd sized PTO shafting and gearboxes which we can't find equilivant parts for if somthing breaks.

 

[rpoage]

We see lots of cheap import stuff, like King Kutter, that uses odd sized PTO shafting and gearboxes which we can't find equilivant parts for if somthing breaks.

King Kutter is imported?

 

[Z-Michigan]

Sounds to me like you ended up with one of those Monday built items. Truly a shame that Land Pride did not stand behind their product. Sounds like your dealer did nothing either?

I had a similar problem with MidWest on the heaviest rear blade that they sell. Bent it the 1st time that I used it, called the dealer and sent pictures, they called MidWest, sorry not our problem, your on your own. You would think that after you spend big $$$$$ that somebody would back up the stuff that they sell. I suppose that sometimes they do and sometimes they don't, maybe it depends on what side of the bed they woke up on that day?

The dealer didn't offer to do much either. It's not the dealer I bought my tractor from, and boy am I glad of that! But I did drop $1300 at one time to purchase two implements and I would have expected decent service. Soured me on both dealer and Landpride. The Landpride bit is because their factory rep inspected the thing in person, agreed it was damaged and then refused to do anything about it. What a load of ....

I don't think it's a Monday built item, I think it's a bad design. The main competitor uses a clevis style draft link pin and for scarifier uses I think that is essential. Oh, and the main competitor would have been $60 less brand new than what I paid for the Landpride model that had been sitting on dealer X's lot for over a year. I wish I had waited to have a different dealer special order that one!

Funny you should mention Midwest. I was interested in them at one time, but they did not return either email or telephone messages asking what dealers they had in my area. I guess they aren't interested in selling product in Michigan!!! Sounds like another one where it's just as well.

 

[napabavarian]

I think Aquaman and MessickFarmEqu nailed this one on the head, I would always prefer to buy quallity tools used than junk new because the used tool will last longer, that being said I live in an area where tractor implements are hard to find and severely overpriced, along with everything else, when they do come arround, so I am pretty much forced to go new on anything I buy, this year I need a tiller, smaller mower, and a backhoe, the tiller and mower will be KingKutter and Caroni because I can use them for a couple years and then buy a Vrisimo flail mower and Land Pride reverse rotation tiller, I do comercial work and these tools will help be build the buisness, but I can't fit all the quallity tools on the credit card right now, so in my case it works, tiller + mower are arround 3k vs 10k for quallity.

It really is a tool by tool chioce, if you need to use the tool for one job then cheap may be logical, if you want something that will be arround with repair parts availible in 20 years buy quallity is better, if you use it rarely then the pitfalls of inexpensive equipment may be worthwhile for the money saved, if you use it regularly then the pitfalls can be quite frustrating, 10% of the job is the tool, 90% is the opeator, but good tools make the work easier.

 

[schmism]

i love my landpride rb3572.... would i ever pay the cost for a new one.... not likely.

would i be statisfied with something less.... probibly not.

cant beat a KK tiller.... would never pay for the woods when the KK is as good as it is.

am i happy with my cheep bb...not really, but it was 1/3 the cost of a woods/LP... can i make my cheepy bb work for me... shure, just need to weld some plate on it to make it heavier.... (which is what you pay for in the first place)

plenty of inexpensive brush hogs out there.... for my use, a cheepy would work fine... for someone who has a buisness of cutting, i wouldnt bat an eye at getting a woods....

 

[GinNB]

I've had fairly good luck with Woods rotary mowers.

One 5' M5 Dixie Cutter was way too light and got beat up pretty badly, but it wasn't tough enough to stand up to mowing granite I guess... Deck is buckshotted pretty badly, the frame cracked a few times and got rebraced, and finally the whole deck let go and the gearbox almost parted company with the rest of it.

We've got an R106 6' that's had tons and tons of use and abuse and would still be going strong if the gearbox hadn't been reassembled improperly after a relatively minor repair. I think the dealer did it wrong but with others using it and our own mechanics working on it sometimes so I'm not positive. We yanked the gearbox from the M5 and installed it on the R106 and it's working just fine again.

We got a new Woods BrushBull 7200 with stumpjumper this spring that I'm not terribly happy with so far. Apart from a few minor problems (bolts loosening up, bent support rods from the a-frame to the deck, hitch pins wiggling loose, etc), we've managed to break TWO sets of blades. In all my years of mowing I've never broken a blade before. I've bent a few, worn out a few, and one of the fellows lost one when the pin fell out, but between everybody on the farm we've never broken one before. The BB7200 (their really heavy duty model) even has shorter blades than the R106, so they should be LESS prone to breakage. When they shatter, they've got what looks like a thin hardened layer on the outside of the blade and "foam" on the inside. It looks like either shattered cast or fatigued steel. I mentioned this to the dealer and all he'll say is "You must have hit something". Well duh... I've been running mowers and "hitting things" for 16 years and the only blades that have broken are on this BB7200, their "heavy duty" model. I don't think we've put a hundred hours on it yet.

 

[jarbill]

Could I chime in with a slightly different question? I have noticed that some companies offer the option of a slip clutch instead of a shear bolt on their mowers. I was wondering which was better, if either one. I haven't seen any posts about any preferences of one over the other. I don't even know if one costs more than the other, but it sounds like the slip clutches would be better as far as not having down time, especially when you break your last shear bolt mowing on Sunday afternoon and no one is around to sell you any new ones.

I'm getting ready to buy a rotary cutter, and I have a lot of flat rock on my property that I am concerned about hitting when I mow, at least until I get them all removed.

Any thoughts from anybody one way or the other?

Jerry in Texas