Rotary Cutter Bush Hog Squealer SQ160

[citytransplant]

I plan on looking at a used (3 years old) 5' Bush Hog rotary cutter up for sale locally. Seller is asking $750. Is that a reasonable ask? I'm not sure if it has the (optional) slip clutch. Is it reasonable to ask seller to mount the unit on his tractor and give her a whirl to be sure it works? What should I be looking for? I've never operated a rotary cutter before. Can I rotate the shaft by hand and get the gearbox turning and blades spinning? How do I get a look at the blades? I believe that unit weighs over 600 lbs. so I'm not going to be able to flip the deck over like I do my walk behind mower. Any "kick the tires" recommendations for this newbie would be appreciated.

 

[cowboy357]

I,ve seen Them go From 300 to 800 bucks Here Latelly Depending on Condition , So I,d say thats the High end in Todays Economy , Depending on Brand & Condition .

Just My Opinion , But I Bought a 6 foot Finish mower site Unseen & Had Him Deliver it , on the Mans Word & It turned out Great with NO issues .

But I also Now have a 5 Footer for Sale & Wouldn,t even Think about Letting someone Buy it Without Hooking it Up to Show That it Works & Raise the Deck so it Could be Inspected . But Thats Just Me .

Thinks To Check Would be Leaks From the Gearbox & Underneath , Excesive rust in the Deck , Upward Play in The Blades or Damage to them . & Play in the PTO Shaft ends & the Plastic Shields are on it . Also Make Sure its The Proper Length for Your needs .

Best Bet is To Watch it Mow though if They Still Have the Tractor to hook it up to , Most issues will Show up then . Best of Luck , Bob

 

[Bird]

I agree with all that Cowboy said. And yes, you can turn the PTO shaft by hand, but not very fast, and it takes a little strength. A slip clutch is about a $100 addition to the value.

 

[jinman]

It's always good practice to offer less than the asking price. If the cutter is in good shape, I'd offer $650 to see if they would take it. However, $750 is about 1/2 the new price on that cutter, so it's still a good price if the cutter is in good condition. If they are firm on price and you like the cutter, I think you could be happy paying $750 for it.

 

[bjr]

I'd at least check with the Local TSC or equivialant on what a new KingKutter that size would cost for comparison but that sounds high to me also I'd say more like $300 for a 3 yr old unit. CCM and Agri-Supply are good units as well might have some shipping cost involved there though. Be aware that most RFM's take shear bolts, and, use the low grade bolts for them. bjr

 

[scott_vt]

Good Mornin Citytransplant,
I bought my SQ60 Bushog from my Uncle Dave in Jan of 04. He had bought it new in Jan of 98 for $950 from Salem Farm Supply. I paid $500 for that mower and have been using it without any problems since then. I dont think $750 is too far out of line, but you might make an offer for slightly less !

As the other posters have suggested, check for any gear box leaks, overall condx of the unit, condx of blades and stump jumper etc. Check the gear oil level etc...

I would buy another unit just like it !

BTW I have the slip clutch on this unit !

 

[nybirdman]

I have the same unit that I bought new 6 years ago,it has at least 400hours of working time on it.We have lots of rocks,so it has be tought going for my brush hog,it is pretty beat-up :it still works well;I have only sheared one bolt.
Definately have the person hook it up and run,check the balance of the blades(it will be excesively noisy if out of balance) when up inspect for wear.

 

[AndyMA]

I think it is a good price. I've had several 5 foot Bush Hog Squealers and sold my last one for $1000. They are better made than many medium duty cutters.

Andy

 

[Farmwithjunk]

Unless there's a problem with the mower, $700 isn't too outlandish. Of course, you'd LIKE to buy it even cheaper, so offer a little less. Someone mentioned $300. That won't buy you a rusted out, trashed antique here, muchless a name brand late model mower. As mentioned, slip clutch adds $100(+). Personally I wouldn't own a mower WITHOUT a slip clutch, but some have reasonable success without. (Shear bolts can be a nuisance)

 

[greenmule]

I wouldn't buy a used 5ft hog for that,considering you can buy a new kk 5ft for probably less than 1,000.Slip clutch on a hog ain't needed really,shear bolt works fine in most grass cutting/weed cutting things,so that wouldn't add a penny to the value to me anyways.

 

[citytransplant]

Thanks for all the good feedback so far. I spoke with the guy today and he tells me he made a mistake when he put the listing up and that the unit is actually a (5 foot) RZ60 Razorback. From what I can tell by spec sheets, the RZ60 is inferior to the SQ160 so I definitely will not pay the $750 ask. I assume much of the wisdom above (check for oil leaks, rust, play in shaft ends, condition of blades, safety shields intact) still hold true. Are there any unique concerns about this model (RZ60)? Does anyone know what approximate price new is? Thanks again and I will keep you posted. He says he can't show it to me until Saturday.

 

[shakin]

thinking back i believe the razorback is a lighter duty unit. but if it is in good shape im thinking 5' squealers go for about 1400-1500 here, not sure about a razorback remember there are other units on the market that might be cheaper but you need to compare apples to apples. personally i would take a used squealer for the over a kk even if the price was the same.

 

[greenmule]

I got a 5ft kk light duty mower,used it for 7 years or so now,works just as good as it did when new,ain't broken anything on it,[many others have same story.]

If you are just cutting weeds and grass and light brush,you don't need anything more,and you can't beat the price.

I never like to buy used anything,cause,its used,they are selling it for a reason,not saying you can't find good used things,its just that many are not good used things,and you're taking a chance,and in this case,savings for used over a new one ain't worth it.