Buying Used Rotary Mower

[ROUSTABOUT]

If the Bush Hog is pretty old would parts still be available?

All you need is bearings and seals. Get them at a bearing store. If you keep grease in it, don't need gears. Check for slack in drive shaft. A little is just fine. I prefer ones that are 2:1 ratio.

 

[RidgeHiker]

All you need is bearings and seals. Get them at a bearing store. If you keep grease in it, don't need gears. Check for slack in drive shaft. A little is just fine. I prefer ones that are 2:1 ratio.

Roustabout, I do not know what you are referring to regarding the 2:1 ratio. Are you still talking about slack?

 

[ovrszd]

Since you guys are all talking about his new(to him) mower deck, I have a question.
Do newer mower decks spin the blades faster than the older ones?

Yeah, I know the RPM of the tractor spins the PTO at that speed, but the newer ones might have gearing inside that turns the blades even faster??

The newer Zero turn mowers has a faster blade speed than older ones, and the same is true for push mowers.

Blade speed is measured at the tip of the spinning blade. I believe it's measure in feet per minute. Stated in thousands of feet per minute. This is very valuable information and can determine the fastest effective ground speed of the implement. The tip of the blade has to be able to come back around and cut the product before forward ground speed leaves a gap in the cut. The mathematically advantaged folks among us can explain that much better than I.

 

[ovrszd]

Roustabout, I do not know what you are referring to regarding the 2:1 ratio. Are you still talking about slack?

Good question. I don't know what he is referring to either?

 

[RidgeHiker]

Looks like we may never know.....

 

[Hoobie]

Owner is asking $500. Does that sound reasonable?
Checked and gear box parts are still available for it.

I bought my bush hog in 1976 when my father died to keep the old farm cleaned up. I used it until 4 years ago mowing 20 to 40 acres a year depending on the year. Used hard. I also did some neighbours...bad idea. I hit rocks, old wood piles, even old car engines! Never do others properties as they never know what is there buried in the bushes.
My gear box was leaking bad when I used it 4 years ago so put it for sale for 500 dollars. A guy came right away and I sold it for $450. He said he could fix it no problem.
So my opinion is these old machines are tough and worth it.
I even regretted selling it.

 

[RidgeHiker]

Seems like it is pretty common around here for people to regret selling their implements and sometimes their tractors. Guess it seems like a good idea at the time. When we bought our first tractor, an older a Kioti LK3054, it came with a 5' brush cutter. We sold it because we had no need for it. Now, some years later found out I needed one and bought the one shown in the photos here. It is older than the one we sold but clearly heavier duty.

 

[ovrszd]

I gave $600 for a 6' Rhino ten years ago. I haven't used it for two years. Sits in the corner of the machine shed. I'll not sell it. Soon as I do I'd have a need for it.