Finishing Mower vs. MMM?

[CMRVA]

I have 11 acres, am buying a B or BX series this week. My real question- I want to add the 5 or 6 ft grooming or finishing mower, and a lot of you folks with the same tractors all are using mid-mount mowers. Why?

I think I would like to be able to use the tractor at my place (5-6 acres is pasture for 2-4 horses) without the mower attached when moving shavings, manure, etc. and the pull behind seems much easier to accomplish that. Plus I have a Cub Cadet riding mower for my actual lawn, which is about 2 acres.

What am I missing? Would you agree with me about pull behind being easier to disengage? Thanks, this is my first post, I am a newly transplanted suburbanite caught up in the horse thing for my wife and duaghter and I need plenty of good advice!

 

[Volfandt]

On a BX the MMM is a full floating mower which means it doesn;t contact the ground uless the anti scalp wheels hit a hill or some other obstrution. Theres been many debates on which type of mower gives a better cut and most seem to agree thata full floating mower does.
A MMM is also more manuverable around obstacles such as trees, fences and other obstructions.
A 3PH mounted finish mower also gives a good cut but is less manuverable. It is alot easier to mount / dismount.

Since you already have a finish mower (Cub), I would think a B series would be a better fit for you. A B7610 or B7800 for good basic tractor or a B2630 or B3030 for a premium tractor.
You'll get more ground clearance, be able to lift more at the FEL & 3PH and those large tires make riding over a rough pasture easier on the butt
The B series can have either a MMM or RFM but both are ground contact so theres no advantage in cut between them. The RFM would be easier to mount / dismount tho.
I have a BX23 and I know it could handle your acreage but I would recommend that you go bigger since finish mowing won't be the tractors primary usage.
Note, Even if you went with a B3030 w/a 60" RFM or 72" MMM you'll probably just park the Cub and use the Kubota

 

[Jibber]

I agree.. a B series for a plot that large.

as for the MMM.. I have the 60 and it does a great job.. no need for the "fine cut" which is available on the 54 deck. I needed the manueverability of a mmm around trees and things. Swinging a rear mounted mower wouldn't do for me.

Also.. I have an L series for the real work.. so I use the BX primarily as a mower and utility loader work like hauling soil for plantings.. wheelbarrow stuff.

 

[crbr]

B series and a MMM. I'd hate to think that I (for myself's comfort) had to look back to track a mower. Never would I subject myself to this.

Mid-mount can cover the same ground while looking in a forward direction. A finish mower would be like sitting netside at a tennis match.

Each to their own....

 

[wushaw]

B series and a MMM. I'd hate to think that I (for myself's comfort) had to look back to track a mower. Never would I subject myself to this.

Mid-mount can cover the same ground while looking in a forward direction. A finish mower would be like sitting netside at a tennis match.

Each to their own....

After a little while of mowing with a RFM you will not need to look behind you to see it tracking.

CMRVA, If you do go with a RFM........ get a rear discharge unit so you can utilize both sides of mower to get close to things without worrying about the discharge chute.

 

[crbr]

After a little while of mowing with a RFM you will not need to look behind you to see it tracking.

CMRVA, If you do go with a RFM........ get a rear discharge unit so you can utilize both sides of mower to get close to things without worrying about the discharge chute.

I feel certain that you are correct. It's all I can do to check my blind spot (without a mirror) in an automobile.

I'm not quite sure how one follows path with the RFM behind but there lies my lack of use with one.

:tiphat:

 

[CMRVA]

Great advice, keep it coming. There's zero percent financing for 36 months on all Kubota's right now until June 30th, so I am definitely going to get one. The B series you all mention- Any real difference going 3 more HP from one to another? It's less than $1,000 difference, but I still want to spend as little as I can.

 

[KubotaSteve]

I have the B-7800 with the 60" MMM (went 60 instead of 72 due to storage purposes). I can unhook the MMM faster than I can unhook the tiller from the 3pt. hitch and put it back on just as fast. I've used a rear finish mower and my current MMM. I would rather use the MMM as it seems to give a better cut and easier to watch. I take my FEL off when mowing so I have a relatively short machine then. If you use a rear finish mower, some people say leave the FEL on for counter weight and then you have an extremely long machine.
Also most of the time I just leave my MMM on when doing loader work unless I'm going to get into some heavy duty loader work then I remove the MMM.

 

[CMRVA]

Okay remember I am very new to this and 51 yrs. old. Exactly how do you unhook a MMM? Just disengage the PTO and drive over it?

Also unsure of some of the acronyms- FEH? Sorry to be a neophyte!

 

[wushaw]

Okay remember I am very new to this and 51 yrs. old. Exactly how do you unhook a MMM? Just disengage the PTO and drive over it?

Also unsure of some of the acronyms- FEH? Sorry to be a neophyte!

FEL - front end loader