IM600 rotary cutter, any good?

[PHIL850]

Got a deal on a IH 500 a couple years back for $50!!! Very well used but still functional.
All I did was check the gear box for Oil and have at it. Mowed down several Sugar maples with no issues. Built lilke a tank! You can't go wrong with that brand as far as I am concerned.

 

[bullbreaker]

Phil
Real nice pic/tractor thanks for posting it :thumbsup:

Boone

 

[sweettractors]

Have any of you guys seen a 503 or a 603 International/WAC brush hog? Ken Sweet

 

[bullbreaker]

Have any of you guys seen a 503 or a 603 International/WAC brush hog? Ken Sweet

No sir,but Ken weren't those JD's back in the day that some folks confused them for WAC/Internationals(not tractor comp,) ?
Or vice/versa :confused2:

Boone

 

[sweettractors]

No sir,but Ken weren't those JD's back in the day that some folks confused them for WAC/Internationals(not tractor comp,) ?
Or vice/versa :confused2:

Boone

Actually, The IM603 was a International/WAC with 3 blades on the flywheel. We sold a lot of those 10-15 yrs ago and everyone loved them. For some reason they stopped production. Ken Sweet

 

[bullbreaker]

Actually, The IM603 was a International/WAC with 3 blades on the flywheel. We sold a lot of those 10-15 yrs ago and everyone loved them. For some reason they stopped production. Ken Sweet

I here ya !
Nope never saw one of them.
I have seen 810,900,1270 WAC/INTER. though.

Boone

 

[curdy]

Bought the mower. I haven't had the opportunity to use it yet though, but should soon. I do have to tighten down the gearbox a bit first. I'll get some pics up soon.

Thanks everyone for the very helpful advice!

 

[greg_g]

If the gear box is loose from the housing, I strongly recommend you look at the underside of the housing for an oil stain spreading out from the center. If a loose transmission is not tended to quickly, the vibrations can damage/destroy the vertical (bottom) shaft seal.

Another suggestion; my IM602 got parked in the pasture between uses. I started noticing oil stains on the deck, all around the base of the tranny. I thought "shaft seal" at first, so I bought a pair. But before actually tearing the tranny down to install them, I realized the hot summer sun would expand the air inside the housing. That pushed hot/thin gear oil past the bottom seal. So I replaced the unvented OE fill plug with a vented version. Once the internal pressure had somewhere else to go, the leak stopped. So I still have two new seals if you find you need replacements.

//greg//

 

[curdy]

If the gear box is loose from the housing, I strongly recommend you look at the underside of the housing for an oil stain spreading out from the center. If a loose transmission is not tended to quickly, the vibrations can damage/destroy the vertical (bottom) shaft seal.

Another suggestion; my IM602 got parked in the pasture between uses. I started noticing oil stains on the deck, all around the base of the tranny. I thought "shaft seal" at first, so I bought a pair. But before actually tearing the tranny down to install them, I realized the hot summer sun would expand the air inside the housing. That pushed hot/thin gear oil past the bottom seal. So I replaced the unvented OE fill plug with a vented version. Once the internal pressure had somewhere else to go, the leak stopped. So I still have two new seals if you find you need replacements.

//greg//

Sounds good, I appreciate that!

Here's an interesting thing. The 2040 is supposed to have a cat 1 hitch, but the draft links look like cat 2. The top link bracket is cat 1 and I put a generic cat 1 top link on there and it fits fine. I'm thinking someone before me put cat 2 arms on it? Would it make sense to return the cat 1 top link for a cat 2 to match the arms and then put bushings on all 3? At least then, they'd all be the same and if I ever came across a cat implement I wanted to use, I could? Although, if the mower is a cat 1, why does my top link pin seem too small? :confused2:

Looks like previous owners did a number on the support arms also...

 

[reelnative]

your going to like that im600 I just bought one last week from an old man that used it 3 times and then sold his tractor and put the bh in his barn for 5yrs and never used it, it still has most of the paint on the bottom and blades of the unit, that unit is a mid range bh it weighs in at about 750 to 800lbs, and is built like a brick sh-t house, the really nice thing about it is if you blow the gear box a new one is only 170.00 here is a link to any parts you will need for it, World Agritech Corp:Rotary Cutter:IM Series Rotary Cutters
most places that sell that bh sell that unit for 1200.00 so 500 was a great deal, the only thing bad about them and it has been changed on the new units is they didnt put a vent plug were the fill hole is on the pump and they will weep thru the seals until you vent them, you can buy a vent from napa, its like a truck axle vent just take your plug in and they will match it up for you, im pulling mine behind a tractor with around 25 pto hp and it runs it up just fine