Rotary Cutter Frontier RC2072 -- Major Problems

[Eric the Red]

I purchased a Frontier RC2072 rotary cutter from John Deere a little over a year ago as part of a tractor package. I used the cutter to mow native rangeland with occasional brush under 1" diameter. After about two weeks I noticed that the 3-point pins were pointing upwards. Shortly thereafter the entire 3-point hitch frame was noticeably bent. I took it back to the dealership where they informed me that ALL of the RC2072 cutters that they have sold within the last year have been brought back due to bent 3-point hitches. Frontier sent the dealer some retrofit supports to bolt onto the new 3-point hardware to see if that would fix the problem. I used the cutter for several months after that without any problems but then one day I was driving through the pasture with the cutter completely raised up and hit a small hole. When I looked back I saw the tire of the cutter was running along the ground and the 3-point hitch was completely twisted. The dealership ordered new parts to repair the 3-point but there was so much damage that the new hardware would not align properly. The cutter has been sitting at the dealership for over 4 months waiting for a custom fabricator to build a completely custom 3-point hitch that will stand up to normal pasture use.

I'm not sure what kind of steel Frontier is using on these 3-point hitches but it is very weak or there is a significant design flaw. Just because it has green paint does not mean that it is JD quality...

Today the dealership called and tried talking me into trading the RC2072 in for a better built cutter. They recommended either a JD MX7 or a Modern Ag Dragon Predatorrr. They also informed me that they are doing everything they can to dissuade people from purchasing the RC2072 due to an unacceptable service record.

Before you spend money on a Frontier RC2072 -- please read this post. The price difference between the Frontier RC2072 and a Modern Ag 7' Predatorrr is less than $800. I will likely take the dealership up on their trade-in offer so that I will have a rotary cutter that is ready to work when I am. Downtime is something that can be expected when you use old implements but is completely unacceptable when the implement is purchased brand new from the dealership and the equipment is not abused.

 

[beemerphile]

Everything is built to a price point these days. I've gotten to the point that I am buying the heavier implements rather than wasting money on the "light duty" stuff even if my duty is legitimately light. Weight tells the story.

 

[Eric the Red]

I agree 100% but it is sad that companies feel the need to cut so many corners to improve their bottom line that their quality suffers to this extent. I am not a rich man by any stretch of the imagination, so spending an additional $800-$1000 on an implement so that I know that it will function properly is a tough pill to swallow.

If John Deere / Frontier thinks that they can paint a piece of junk green and expect that it will not hurt their reputation they have some serious hard times ahead of them... When people purchase tractor implements they are going to use them for WORK and if there is a design flaw it will be discovered rather quickly.

Just the fact that Frontier had a retrofit kit available tells me that they have some very serious problems with this model rotary cutter. The fact that the retrofit kit failed is also a bad sign. The next question is: when are they going to recall all of these RC2072s and should I wait for the recall or just trade it in so some other poor sucker purchase this used shredder and think they are getting a good deal?

 

[kebo]

Wow! 4 months for a welding & fab shop to come up with a new 3pt bracket?? It ain't that complicated!!

As for the original parts, I'm guessing that part of the mower assy might very well have come from China and was made from recycled steel that was low grade with lots of impurities in it. But hey, if that's true I am sure the initial cost savings was great, but JD is now paying for it on the back end with customer dissatisfaction and the repairs.

Cheaper ain't always better!

 

[Eric the Red]

I guess my memory is not what it used to be... My wife corrected me on the timeline -- it has been two months since the cutter was brought back to the dealership for a fabricator to rebuild the 3-point hitch. The problem is that we have an oil & gas boom down here in South Texas and none of the fabricators are willing to do small jobs since they are covered up with large jobs for the next 6-months.

I finally called the John Deere company this morning and they will call the dealership and see if they can work out something to make everyone happy. I will post the solution ASAP.

 

[leonz]

OH BOY;

There is no excuse to cover this mess!!!!!!!


I would ask for a refund or ask them to make a price adjustment for a flail mower from JD in Moline for sure!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Runner]

Looks like spaghetti.

I know it wouldn't be a long-term solution, but I wonder why the dealer can't at least change out the "A" frame with a new Frontier part so you can at least use the thing until they come up with a permnanent solution?

 

[sweettractors]

I guess my memory is not what it used to be... My wife corrected me on the timeline -- it has been two months since the cutter was brought back to the dealership for a fabricator to rebuild the 3-point hitch. The problem is that we have an oil & gas boom down here in South Texas and none of the fabricators are willing to do small jobs since they are covered up with large jobs for the next 6-months.

I finally called the John Deere company this morning and they will call the dealership and see if they can work out something to make everyone happy. I will post the solution ASAP.

Looks like category 2 pins in the A-Frame. What HP tractor do you pull it with? Ken Sweet

 

[hawkeye08]

Would like to see a picture from the side if you get a chance. Is there a solid link from back to the toplink? does the toplink have anywhere to go when the back wheel is lifted by going through a dip or does it try and lift the whole tractor? It may be a combination of cheap steel and poor design...

I have seen some with solid links, others with chain or strap, some with pivoting toplink connection... just wondering on this one which is has.. thanks, good luck on getting it taken care of... If dealer is going to do a trade, perhaps they can get you the new unit and worry about the repair on the old one themselves instead of making you wait..

 

[sweettractors]

Here is what a hitch should look like. Flex built in the A-Frame. Selling this design for 33 years on 4-5-6-7 ft models with no A-Frame problems. New 6 ft Hawkline/International machine $1095. Ken Sweet

 

[hawkeye08]

Here is what a hitch should look like. Flex built in the A-Frame. Selling this design for 33 years on 4-5-6-7 ft models with no A-Frame problems. New 6 ft Hawkline/International machine $1095. Ken Sweet

ken, when connecting this one up, how long would the toplink be set? I see the connector up and towards back in the picture, not sure how it should look hooked up. Do you have a picture of one hooked up properly? thanks

 

[sweettractors]

ken, when connecting this one up, how long would the toplink be set? I see the connector up and towards back in the picture, not sure how it should look hooked up. Do you have a picture of one hooked up properly? thanks

It would be hooked up with the box hitch on the cutter just a little closer toward the tractor. This will allow float up and down and also lock in when you raise the cutter up for transport. Ken Sweet

 

[Deadman]

The Frontier cutter does have a floating top link, so the mower floats with the terrain. Its like a slotted mount, and the bolt slides in the slot as it goes up or down.

I have a RC2060 Flail mower that i just bought. Can you ask your dealer if the 60 inch cutters have this same problem? Thanks

 

[Eric the Red]

Wow this has been an active thread...

I'm still waiting to the dealership to call me back. John Deere called them and had their regional rep get involved. The dealership was supposed to send them photos so that they could come up with an acceptable solution.

Frontier already provided replacement A-frame components but the plate steel that connects the A-frame to the frame of the cutter is bent in an S-shape so the new parts do not align properly. The only fabricator that looked at it said they would have to start at the frame and build a completely new A-frame since the plates were bent so badly.

There is a pivot point on the A-frame but even that is mucked up to the point where it is out of alignment now - even with the new parts. If it bent before everything was out of alignment it will self-destruct for sure if things are out of whack to begin with.

I did not take photos of what it looked like after I replaced the A-frame components but basically you could see light between where every piece of steel bolted together no matter how much torque was applied due to the bent plate that everything bolts up to.

The shredder came with Cat 1 pins but my JD 5055E tractor is Cat 2 and I was sick of messing with the conversion sleeves so I put Cat 2 conversion pins on it.

Here are photos of all sides/angles.

 

[sweettractors]

Eric, That is the VERY worst malfunction I have seen on a cutter in my 33 years of doing business in machinery. I have seen new and used and never nothing to compare to that. If you can prove that you did not hit anything to abuse the cutter, I would not be satisfied until I got a new cutter. I would assume that every one they sold has malfunctioned in this same way and they are well aware of the problem. Ken Sweet

 

[swmich42]

This thread will keep me from purchasing a Fontier implement. When I look at the older cutter's, I sure have not found these type of failures. On a better note; at least JD is sending some added help, to give you options. Good luck with getting this resolved.

 

[Eric the Red]

All of the damage that you see in the photos was caused by hitting a small hole while driving through the pasture with the shredder raised all the way up. When I hit the hole, the shredder must have bounced on the 3-point hitch and due to the faulty design and weak steel it bent like a pretzel.

Tomorrow I will find out what JD is going to do. They indicated today that they will swap out the damaged RC2072 for a JD MX6 but until I have a new cutter on a trailer heading back to the ranch I will remain cautiously optimistic.

 

[Eric the Red]

Just got off the phone with the dealership and they are going to swap the Frontier RC2072 for a John Deere MX6. They then informed me that they would give me a trade-in value for the RC2072, which would be applied to the purchase of the MX6. Apparently, John Deere is going to "work with me" on the price difference between the two implements but I will not know what this means until sometime next week. I'm crossing my fingers that they are not going to ask for an additional $1800.

 

[TGF]

I have an RC2060 and have bounced it off alot of junk, and it isn't even tweaked. I wonder if JD had a bad batch of soft steel that just happened to hit the load sent to your dealership. Hope it works out for you.

 

[Deadman]

A MX6 is an expensive heavy duty cutter, so I'd expect that you are going to owe a rather large chunk of $$$$.