Help Size My Bush Hog For My Kioti

[Highbeam]

Slip disk absolutely required. Nobody wants to be trying to replace the shear pin on a hot dusty day in shoulder high grass. Getting down, finding a pin, finding the tools, etc. Then you have the safety risk of working around a recently spinning pto shaft. I don't just shut down the machine when it is hot, will you? Use a slip disk and stay in the operator station.

I have never had chains. I believe that they give you a false sense of security. I assume that the mower is capable of pitching a baby head sized rock at the speed of sound in any direction all the time and chains won't stop that. Yes, my mower has pitched baby head sized rocks an easy hundred yards at speeds that would easily kill someone.

I bought a lightish duty mower a long time ago. It only weighs about 700 lbs. I abused it enough to bend the whole deck and also the linkage frame. I welded on additional structure and the bent deck still does a fine job. I've had to weld cracks in teh stump jumper pan and I've even broken whole blades on the mower. Through all of this, the light duty gearbox has held up just fine. A slip clutch protects it.

I don't see how weight has anything to do with performance. It does indicate that more steel is present and that the structure should be more robust. You don't see people adding weights to their mowers to make them mow better.

Brand name, well, er, uh, I don't think brand matters. Look at the specs and price. These things are fairly universal.

 

[IslandTractor]

Heavy duty rotary cutters are really only for commercial work. They are very expensive, very heavy and simply overkill for anyone else. A reasonable discussion can compare a standard vs medium duty bush hog for private use but don't even think about heavy duty.

I basically agree with Highbeam on the slip disc issue but it it crucial to spend 20-30 minutes adjusting it initially and every time there is a month or so of outdoor exposure between uses. Otherwise you can so serious damage to the tractor. If you think that sort of service is likely to be ignored then it would be better to put up with the simple inconvenience of shear bolts.

 

[boomer613]

Heavy duty rotary cutters are really only for commercial work. They are very expensive, very heavy and simply overkill for anyone else. A reasonable discussion can compare a standard vs medium duty bush hog for private use but don't even think about heavy duty.

I basically agree with Highbeam on the slip disc issue but it it crucial to spend 20-30 minutes adjusting it initially and every time there is a month or so of outdoor exposure between uses. Otherwise you can so serious damage to the tractor. If you think that sort of service is likely to be ignored then it would be better to put up with the simple inconvenience of shear bolts.

Thanks guys for the replies. Excuse my ignorance but what kind of maitenance do you do on a slip disk gearbox? Also, as for most brand being pretty much similar in quality, what is consider an affordable 'medium' duty manufacturer? I guess I assumed the top brands had better gearboxes. My dealer quoted me about 2K for medium duty 72" Woods or Rhino bush hog. I am guessing one could buy an off brand for a better value??? Any affordable brands recommendation would be great.

 

[IslandTractor]

Thanks guys for the replies. Excuse my ignorance but what kind of maitenance do you do on a slip disk gearbox? Also, as for most brand being pretty much similar in quality, what is consider an affordable 'medium' duty manufacturer? I guess I assumed the top brands had better gearboxes. My dealer quoted me about 2K for medium duty 72" Woods or Rhino bush hog. I am guessing one could buy an off brand for a better value??? Any affordable brands recommendation would be great.

Maintenance on a slip clutch is not difficult but does take some time. It takes me about half an hour start to finish and I do it every spring and then make sure I use the cutter at least once a month. Basically what is involved is that you first loosen the clutch spring plate by loosening the 8 or so bolts that combine to press the clutch plate against the drive "shaft". When loose, you pop the PTO with the motor in idle so it spins without moving the cutter blades. If the clutch is stuck/rusty etc you sometimes have to block the blades to get the clutch to break free. I don't know the official safe way to do that but practically you can either back the cutter into thick brush or what I have done is to stick a large chunk of wood (6"x6"x4feet) under the cutter and then engage the PTO. If you do something like that make sure there is no one around and that you are in the tractor seat. It will make a big bang and hopefully the clutch will then spin free.

Once you have freed the clutch, you now tighten the bolts back to the original tension (best to make some marks before loosening). You would want to err on the side of not too tight so that the clutch slips a little too often (you can tell by making some marks with magic market on the two plates). Then tighten at bit more. Too tight is that same as rusted and will put your PTO at risk of damage (as well as the cutter gearbox).

It sounds more complicated than it really is but the initial yearly maintenance definitely takes longer than replacing a shear bolt. However, as Highbeam pointed out, shear bolts only break on very hot sticky days in the middle of thick brush and doing a field replacement is one of tractorings PITA activities. Depending on what you will be mowing (thick brush vs known pasture) it may make sense to select either the clutch (frequent "hits") versus choosing a shear bolt if you are not likely to break it more than once or twice a season.

Regarding good brands of rotary cutters, there are quite a few excellent medium and standard duty cutters from the likes of Woods, Bush Hog, Landpride, Rhino and others. Those companies all make standard, medium and heavy duty cutters. The Woods BrushBull 600 or 720 is a good example of a very good quality medium duty cutter but each of the companies makes an equivalent. All the major tractor manufacturers sell cutters too, usually rebadged. JD has well known cutters. I'm pretty sure that Kioti and others just rebadge very good quality Italian brands. One less expensive brand that still has fans is King Kutter but I believe they only make a standard duty mower.

Compare weights at a given size and you will see the differences pretty quickly. A standard duty cutter is usually made of 12 gauge steel. Medium duty units are made of heavier material so weigh more.

 

[dennis52]

Island has just about covered it.

Be sure to check for heat on the slip clutch when you first start using it ( you may need to make a final adjustment) and be aware that thick wet grass will soon get that slip clutch smoking.

Also I find it convenient to have the cutter no wider than the rear tyres.

 

[TractorTidy]

I would go w/ a medium duty vs. a heavy duty. My choice would be a Land Pride RCR1872 or a 0272. The 20 series has a rounded top design which is easier to keep clean. Otherwise the same cutter.

 

[MotorSeven]

I have a 6' International rotary cutter(IM602), and consider it med to heavy duty. It has held up very well for three years and comes with a slip clutch. If you can find them their price is very reasonable:
Untitled Document

 

[boomer613]

Maintenance on a slip clutch is not difficult but does take some time. It takes me about half an hour start to finish and I do it every spring and then make sure I use the cutter at least once a month. Basically what is involved is that you first loosen the clutch spring plate by loosening the 8 or so bolts that combine to press the clutch plate against the drive "shaft". When loose, you pop the PTO with the motor in idle so it spins without moving the cutter blades. If the clutch is stuck/rusty etc you sometimes have to block the blades to get the clutch to break free. I don't know the official safe way to do that but practically you can either back the cutter into thick brush or what I have done is to stick a large chunk of wood (6"x6"x4feet) under the cutter and then engage the PTO. If you do something like that make sure there is no one around and that you are in the tractor seat. It will make a big bang and hopefully the clutch will then spin free.

Once you have freed the clutch, you now tighten the bolts back to the original tension (best to make some marks before loosening). You would want to err on the side of not too tight so that the clutch slips a little too often (you can tell by making some marks with magic market on the two plates). Then tighten at bit more. Too tight is that same as rusted and will put your PTO at risk of damage (as well as the cutter gearbox).

It sounds more complicated than it really is but the initial yearly maintenance definitely takes longer than replacing a shear bolt. However, as Highbeam pointed out, shear bolts only break on very hot sticky days in the middle of thick brush and doing a field replacement is one of tractorings PITA activities. Depending on what you will be mowing (thick brush vs known pasture) it may make sense to select either the clutch (frequent "hits") versus choosing a shear bolt if you are not likely to break it more than once or twice a season.

Regarding good brands of rotary cutters, there are quite a few excellent medium and standard duty cutters from the likes of Woods, Bush Hog, Landpride, Rhino and others. Those companies all make standard, medium and heavy duty cutters. The Woods BrushBull 600 or 720 is a good example of a very good quality medium duty cutter but each of the companies makes an equivalent. All the major tractor manufacturers sell cutters too, usually rebadged. JD has well known cutters. I'm pretty sure that Kioti and others just rebadge very good quality Italian brands. One less expensive brand that still has fans is King Kutter but I believe they only make a standard duty mower.

Compare weights at a given size and you will see the differences pretty quickly. A standard duty cutter is usually made of 12 gauge steel. Medium duty units are made of heavier material so weigh more.

Wow, thanks for taking the time covering the basics. Like you said it probably isn't as complicated as it sounds. Can you not oil the slip clutch to prevent it from rusting or freezing? Concerning the weight of the rotary cutter, does this factor in with the equation for tractor PTO hp vs. implement size? Does the gearbox hp on the bush hog make any difference in cutting power?

Also, do you guys do any maintenance on the blades or just replace them ever so often?

Sorry for having so many questions. I am still green when it comes to tractors.

 

[boomer613]

I have a 6' International rotary cutter(IM602), and consider it med to heavy duty. It has held up very well for three years and comes with a slip clutch. If you can find them their price is very reasonable:
Untitled Document

Does the 6' rotary cutter bog down when cutting real think saplings. I have literally 1000's in one of my pasture. I neglected to cut it last year and paying for it now. I should have rented a tractor last year but knew I was buying my own in the near term. I am now looking forward in seeing what the kioti can do when I buy the new rotary cutter.

 

[k0ua]

I was on the King Kutter site today and it seems to me that they have changed their designs to a domed design, better to shed the debris and help prevent rusting. They also have a Stainless Steel version. The house brand that tractor supply sells, CountryLine appears to be Just the older design of King Kutter. I have one of the older King Kutters's and it seems identical. And it does rust if you don't keep after it. As for oiling the slip clutch to prevent it from rusting shut, I would think that it would slip badly under load. I have never popped a shear bolt. Perhaps I am overly careful. I have hit some nasty rocks. and ground up some trees..but it is on its original. (sure hope it is a grade 2)

James K0UA