Bush Hog Size for BX1800 Kubota - noob question.

[Randy_Leo]

I've searched through the forum for the answer to this and am coming up empty-handed. Help!

I'd like to buy a small bush hog for my Kubota BX1800 to mow the ROW and other areas on the farm that are either too rough for the BXs' belly mower or won't be mowed by the neighbor who has the hay lease on my land.

What's the right size bush hog for my little compact?

 

[RonR]

My guess is your manual will say 4 foot.

I have a 2200 and if/when I buy one, I plan to buy a 5ft, if the 3PH can lift it. I won't be mowing anything very heavy.

By the way, welcome to the forum.

ron

 

[KiotiJohn]

Ideally you should use a 4 ft. mower, mostly because of the PTO HP you have with that tractor. If you were to use a 5ft, it may be a little too heavy, or the PTO HP may not turn it well enough in high brush, tough woody material.
I have a 4ft on my CK20 (15.5 hp at the PTO), and I do know that I could use a 5' for most places I cut, but it may be too hard with much higher material and tougher material.
John

 

[Henro]

Ron,

I am pretty sure the recommended size for the BX1800/2200 is a 42" brush hog.

Personally I would not go bigger than 48" on a BX. I do have a 5' woods BB60 and there is no way I can see that it would be a good fit for my BX. At least not if there are any hills involved. I should sometime try to hook it up to the BX just for fun...

"Has anyone run a 60" rotary cutter on a BX" is a follow up question I would ask to anyone reading this thread...I for one would certainly like to hear how it worked and what terrain it was done on...

 

[thcri]

I think at 4ft your pushing it. But it is duable. I have a TC29D that has 24 hp at the PTO and I am thinking 5' is about as large as I want to go. But to me anything bigger than the 4'ft and you won't be able to keep the front end of the tractor down even with a loader on it. Just me thinking that is all.

murph

 

[JerryG]

A 42" would be perfect, a 48" would work good. I know that I have bogged down tractors with 2-3 the amount of horsepower that the BX has with a 5' brush hog in heavy thick grass not even talking about heavy brush. Don't let want of size get in the way of what your tractor can really handle.

 

[bdog]

I asked a similar question a while back and a good reply I got was 5hp per foot of shredder as a rule of thumb. So in order to run a 5' shredder in all conditions you need 25hp.

 

[Slamfire]

When I blew a hole in my Oliver's engine block, I had a 6 ft towable cutter. I bought the Mistubishi pictured because that was the best deal available. It would operate the 6ft cutter, but you couldn't start the blade and the tractor's wheels at the same time. I picked up a 5 ft 3 point cutter and am quite satisfied with the performance. The tractor has 18 hp, but I run it at the torque peak instead of the hp peack.

 

[RalphVa]

The JD 2210 and 4010 are speced for a 4' bush hog for their 1400#. I've a 4010 (18.5 hp), and it has plenty of power for the 4' (without a rear guard). Haven't bogged it down at all in either brush or high grass.

An acquaintance has a B7400 and uses a 5' bush hog with it. He had to load his front tires (no FEL) to off weight the bush hog on the back. However, it has plenty of power for it. Think he even said he has a rear guard.

I'd not go bigger than a 4' bush hog with a BX just because of the weight vs. the tractor's. A 4' one weighs 400-420#. A 5' one adds at least another 100#. They hang out there quite a ways. Could have the cart directing the horse on slopes.

I've also a 12 hp Gravely. Some Gravely owners use a 50" deck on them. I've only a 30". Almost never have bogged it down. Really high and thick bamboo grass will bog it some.

Ralph

 

[dooleysm]

I just got my 5 foot Woods bushhog fixed to use with my tractor. I had to lower the mounting points so my L3000 could lift it. Previous owner had a taller tractor.

Anyway, that 5 foot bushhog gave my 30 hp tractor everything it could handle yesterday. I was mowing tall grass (hadn't been cut yet this spring) over moderately hilly ground. Even in 4wd and with a FEL I could definitely tell that bad boy was back there, wanting to pull my rear end down hill. I had to run very slow, in 2nd gear, over most places. I bogged down in a few places, but was able to lift the mower slightly and keep going. I can't imagine a 5 foot hog on a smaller tractor. You'd have to go soooo slow and maybe make smaller width cuts that you'd lose any size advantage over a 42" or 48" bushhog.

Just my opinion, though, and I've been wrong a time or two in the past, so take it for what it's worth.