Brush hog and covering tractor tracks

[Chilly807]

In general, the rule of thumb is 5 hp per foot of cutter. But, like all rules, there are exceptions. What you're cutting is the biggest one, next would be weight of the cutter itself on the lift arms.

I have 30 hp at the PTO, no problems with the 5 foot I have, but I'm not cutting heavy grass and brush 4 feet tall either. Some is 4 feet, but the majority is 2 or less.

Sean

 

[JDGreenGrass]

I noticed on the bush hog at tractor supply that the blades seemed to be much shorter than the overall frame size.

In other words, the frame looks to be a big unit but the blades looked short, small....like the blades took up just 2/3rds of the overall frame size.

Normal.??

How wide does a 5' bush hog actually mow.??

I'm thinking about 48".??

 

[Transit]

If you have a cutter that loads the engine too much, you are setting yourself up to overheat the engine. Keep within the 5 HP/ft rule and be safe.

 

[Carykong]

I ran my 5' brush mower with a 15 horsepower,1953 VAC tricycle,for many years. I would not discount the value of running a mower with a width the same or greater than your tire width particulary when controlling the the border of your fields. If the mower is less than the width of your tires,your field will be encroached slowly but surely by the perimeter vegetation.

 

[savageactor7]

Tompet the size depends on what you're going to use it for...and if you have the HP to make it work.

I passed on many good used 5 footers for our 4 footer. I wanted a BH that could be maneuvered in the woods. Saved me tons of time weed whacking with a saw blade...at one time it was like a triple canopy jungle here made tree cutting difficult.

I do have broad open areas to cut but don't worry about the wheel tracks...they disappear in about 5 days or so.

 

[lilranch2001]

I used to have a 25 hp 8N and pulled my 5 foot bush hog all day long with it, and got into a lot of heavy stuff

 

[coldstream]

I pull a 5' KK brush cutter with my B2920. I'm mowing 3 ac of clear pasture up to 2' tall. Power is not problem at all and I'm pulling up hill half the time. Problem is the front end gets a little light without my FEL mounted (I don't like having it attached when mowing). I now pull it without the top link and it works great. I also pull a 5' cutter with the '54 8N and I've cut 3' tall grass with it in 2nd no sweat. I don't know how the 8N compares to the TO-20 for power......

 

[Tompet]

lilranch2001 and coldstream,
Well, both of your comments were a different perspective. I'm glad to hear an example of a 5' pulled with either of the tractors I have (your Ford and my Fergie mentioned are same power...I think). Thanks for your input.
Anyway, I looked at and got a price on a weathered stock 54" Woods Heritage for $975. which was about as good as I've found. a 4' weathered Woods Brushbull after sitting so long sold. No one around had any more 4' Brushbulls and the 5' ones looked a lot bigger than the 54" Heritage. The construction of the Brushbulls was very nice...would be about $250-300 more.
tp

 

[whistlepig]

Thanks to all for replies. As usual, people/info on this site always good. beenthere thanks for additional feedback. Based on what was said here I'll eliminate the 5' size. I'll either get the 54" heritage or the 4' brushbull both by Woods. I figure either one of these would also be a better match to my Kubota B2920.
tp

The B2920 will handle a 5' brush hog. I have a B7800 which is basically the same tractor. Disregarding covering the tractor tracks the mower will not mow close to fence. Alternative is weed eating the difference.

 

[flusher]

Hi,
I need some advice from experienced brush hog users.

I'm going to purchase a brush hog, standard duty, to run primarily with an old Ferguson TO20 with ORC (over ride clutch) and maybe run it with my Kubota B2920. A 4' seems too narrow and a 5' may be too large for some work (or tractor) but will cover tire tracks of the Ferguson (take narrower cuts when necessary make sense?). Woods makes a 54" that would be just shy of covering full track width of the Ferguson.

Anyway, my question is...how important when brush hogging is it for the cutter to be as wide or wider to cover the tractor's rear tire width?
tp

A centerline implement like your hog is going to have trouble mowing tire-flattened hay no matter if the mower covers the tractor tire tracks or not. You'll have to make partial cuts and multiple passes to get the type of cut you're looking for.

The only way around the tire flattened weeds is to get a mower that hangs off the side of the tractor like a sicklebar, disc mower, or drum mower.