JD 2305 vs. 4ft rotary cutter?

[cdhd2001]

I would like to buy a 4ft rotary cutter for my JD 2305. I have done some forum searching and found a few good and bad posts on this subject.

I have 3 acres of brush I would like to gradually clean it up. My brush consists of tall grass, weeds, rose/thorny brush, and small saplings up to 1 1/2" dia. I am selectively cutting anything larger than 1 1/2" dia. with either a sawzall or chainsaw.

I have looked at several models of 4ft rotary cutters and finally decided on this one.

King Kutter XB 4ft. Advertised as "made" for smaller sub-cut tractors (like mine). I like the twin rear wheels because it should provide a smoother finish mower like cut. TSC is the current price winner at $674.

Any opinions?

P.S. I am currently building a skid plate for the hyrdo filter/fan assembly.

 

[cardenharry]

This may be the best for your tractor but I do feel that the cutter would work better if the back were open for discharge. I owned one for a while and it seemed with heavy grass and weeds that it would leave piles behind. Perhaps I was cutting too close for the condition. Nothing wrong that I could see with the quality. I soon realized I should have bought a larger cutter for my tractor so I sold mine to a friend and bought a 5' KK from TSC.

 

[Soundguy]

Probably a good mower.. but don't delude yourself that it will give you a finish mower cut merely because it has 2 tail wheels... At most. the 2 tail wheels will help with some side to side stability, and overall weight carrying ability with respect to the SCUT powering it.

Blade tip speed, blad sharpness, and front angle of the deck will be the primary controllers of the cut 'look'. Without having 4 'floating' rollers, plus proper combination of the other variables i mentioned.. you won't get true finish mower cut quality.

That said.. a brush mower set with the blades sharp can give you a decent 'shaggy lawn' cut a little lower in quality that a cheap rider mower.. as long as you don't live in a fancy neighborhood.. it's fine! (wink) one mor ething.. if I'm cutting brush.. I would not sharpen my mower blades... it'l just beat them up..

Soundguy

 

[orlo]

Just an option. I have a 2305 and a 3720 and run a 5' LX5 on the 3720. I also own (Got it first) a 30" DR Field and brush mower and the F&B mower will take down 2 1/2" stuff easily and laugh at stumps, etc. as I'll just 'hop' over them (usually).

Don't get me wrong, I love the tractors, but the Dr will let me get into, over, and under (Trees) places that I can never get with the tractors. If it's a large 'clear' area you'll be brushing a lot you can't beat the cutters, but if you are doing mostly a one time clearing then touch up you might want to consider a Dr
(or Clone). I still use my DR more than my 5' brush hog due to manuverability and the blades first design. If I run full force into a stump I'll just stall it and suffer no damage and the belts will slip enough to not damage anything.

Note that I"m talking about the walk behind Dr, not the newer pull ones. Those are rated only 1.5" I think.

The 'open' places that I've cleared with the Dr I would take the 3720 but probably not the 2305 due to low ground clearance, etc. The fact that you have to run over everything first I really don't like. I know you can back up over stuff but then it's just awkward. I haven't broken any cooling fin's on my 2305's fan, but I have 'chattered' it a few times running over loose brush.

Anyway, my .02.

 

[cdhd2001]

Not a fancy neighborhood by any means. My front yard is more than half brush.

Not looking for a finish cut, just want to beat the brush into submission.

Orlo, I am picking up some plate steel this week to finish up the skid plate. Should completely cover the underside from the loader cross bar to the rear hitch. I also have a "mini" walk behind brush cutter that is good for thumb sized stuff. Plus, have a weed wacker brush cutter too.

 

[cdhd2001]

This may be the best for your tractor but I do feel that the cutter would work better if the back were open for discharge. I owned one for a while and it seemed with heavy grass and weeds that it would leave piles behind. Perhaps I was cutting too close for the condition. Nothing wrong that I could see with the quality. I soon realized I should have bought a larger cutter for my tractor so I sold mine to a friend and bought a 5' KK from TSC.

Is the two wheeled orange model closed in the back or the one wheel yellow? I have not looked at an orange one in person, just the yellow one.

This is my other option.

 

[Soundguy]

The 1-wheel model will be cheaper.. and has an open back.. can't tell you about the back on the 2 wheel model.. but typically the XB line is more $$ for similar sized products.. etc.

Might check the pin spacing.. might be cat 0 spaced with cat 1 pins

soundguy

 

[cdhd2001]

The 1-wheel model will be cheaper.. and has an open back.. can't tell you about the back on the 2 wheel model.. but typically the XB line is more $$ for similar sized products.. etc.

Might check the pin spacing.. might be cat 0 spaced with cat 1 pins

soundguy

I believe you are right.

The KK XB is cat 0 with cat 1 pins. I have an XB series middle buster and 5 ft grader blade.

TSC lists the KK XB for $674 and the yellow one for $679. TCS has the yellow one in stock and would have to order the KK XB.

On a side note, the JD LX4 looks like the yellow model.

I do have some concern as to the durability of the KK XB and if it uses standard parts, ie. the blades.

P.S. Would a chain front guard be hard to make? I also have a left over semi truck mud flap to make a rubber guard.

 

[RalphVa]

That yellow model looks more like my LX4 I use on my 4010 (and LX4 is speced for the 2305). Looks a bit heavier duty than the other model with bolt-on side pieces. The yellow model needs some chain guards in the front. I have chains in front but open in back because I don't take it along side roads or near buildings to need the protection out the back side.

My Gravely had a one piece guard like the one shown on the other model. A one piece guard will hang up on stuff and distort.

Ralph

 

[Deadman]

LX4 is much heavier built than the ones posted.

You can buy a good used one for $600, and not have to worry about it. I cut 2 inch brush off with my LX4, and it doesn't have a dent in it yet. Just replaced the blades, and they're really thick.

 

[cardenharry]

I mentioned in a previous post that the cutter you mentioned worked ok for me with the exception that I felt the closed rear end caused thick heavy vegetation to collect underneath and come out in balls. The person I sold mine to has a smaller tractor and indicates that it works good for him. The yellow model with one wheel does have an opening in the rear. One thing to keep in mind is that with your small tractor it might not pick up the yellow model high enough to clear the ground with the big wheel in the back. After switching to the 5' yellow model KK I have to adjust pull the pin and adjust the tractor lift arm from the middle hole to the top to lift higher. My tractor is CaseIH DX 33 so don't know what your lift hight or adjustments on the arms are. In other words the lift pins on the orange model are probably lower down and will lift higher by a small tractor.

 

[cdhd2001]

I mentioned in a previous post that the cutter you mentioned worked ok for me with the exception that I felt the closed rear end caused thick heavy vegetation to collect underneath and come out in balls. The person I sold mine to has a smaller tractor and indicates that it works good for him. The yellow model with one wheel does have an opening in the rear. One thing to keep in mind is that with your small tractor it might not pick up the yellow model high enough to clear the ground with the big wheel in the back. After switching to the 5' yellow model KK I have to adjust pull the pin and adjust the tractor lift arm from the middle hole to the top to lift higher. My tractor is CaseIH DX 33 so don't know what your lift hight or adjustments on the arms are. In other words the lift pins on the orange model are probably lower down and will lift higher by a small tractor.

Good info!

I will swing by TSC today and measure the lift arm height of the cutter and compare to my tractor. All of the SCUT's have cat 1 capability, but have limited lift height.

 

[RickS]

I have the yellow 4' KK shredder. I don't attach the top pin to the shredder, just the two bottom ones. I leave the wheel in contact with the ground at all times and just raise and lower the front of the deck. Works fine for what I do.

 

[Soundguy]

Hard to make is a realative question. I have a welder, a pile of old chain, and some angle iron and a drill press. making a chain guard would be more of an 'exercise' and of sweat equity / time.. vs 'hard. If you don't have the tools or supplies I mnetioned.. the sacle moves up a bit.

I have made guards from mudflaps and utility angle iron.. usually for under 20$ and takes about 1/2 hour.. is better than notheing.. though perhaps not as good at energy disipation for medium and large projectiles as a chainguard.. however it is better at small particle deflection as well as dust controll than a chain guard... I would reccomend at least the mudguard option if you mow within 100 feet of anything of value.. or anywhere near people / confined animals... If you have a small tractor then i double reccomend one or the other, as the geometry on a small tractor can make it so that some projectiles as well as dust can hit the back of the operator.. My 8n used to ding my back with an errant wood chip now and then due to the geometry of the cutter .. My larger tractors like my ford 5000 and Nh 7610s have a much higher op platform such that debri cannot travel in a sytraight line from under the cutter to my back.. however i still like guards on them, and have factory rubber guards on front of my batwing mower.. etc. since i mow around livestock..

Soundguy

.

P.S. Would a chain front guard be hard to make? I also have a left over semi truck mud flap to make a rubber guard.

 

[cdhd2001]

Finally went to TSC to take a closer look at the 4ft yellow model they have in stock.

The yellow unit in person looks much heavier duty than the picture of the orange unit. I can barely lift the front of the unit (might have strained something). The weight (420 lbs) on the KK website might be a typo? The lift pins are 19.5" from the ground with the unit sitting flat on the pavement.

But, I remeasured the 2305 when I got home. Max height at the lift pins is 24". Is 4.5" enough lift height?

After looking over the yellow unit, I am leaning back towards the orange unit. The orange unit should be lighter and the lift pins are much lower. The orange units "seems" to be a better fit for the 2305.

But, from a durability and resale stand point, the yellow unit should be the better buy.

Now I am confused again!

 

[Backup]

I have the LX4 for my 2305 and like it a lot. I've looked at some of the sub-cut implements from KK and they seem a little under-built to me. The standard yellow KK implements seem very substantial and well-built on the other hand. The 2305 does not lift the LX4 very high, but I have not found that to be a problem. It handles it just fine, although steering can get a little light on slopes with no front weight - I prefer to have the FEL attached (empty) and that adds enought front weight. I use the quick-attach hitch which extends the rear implements a few inches, and adds leverage too.

 

[Soundguy]

Lift height seems to be the big snag. Decide if you want/need any more lift height and then make the decision. Yellow one is probably heavier too.. if you don't have front weight.. have a max lift height of 4.5" may be a 'safety' feature..

Soundguy

Finally went to TSC to take a closer look at the 4ft yellow model they have in stock.

The yellow unit in person looks much heavier duty than the picture of the orange unit. I can barely lift the front of the unit (might have strained something). The weight (420 lbs) on the KK website might be a typo? The lift pins are 19.5" from the ground with the unit sitting flat on the pavement.

But, I remeasured the 2305 when I got home. Max height at the lift pins is 24". Is 4.5" enough lift height?

After looking over the yellow unit, I am leaning back towards the orange unit. The orange unit should be lighter and the lift pins are much lower. The orange units "seems" to be a better fit for the 2305.

But, from a durability and resale stand point, the yellow unit should be the better buy.

Now I am confused again!

 

[cardenharry]

Suspect you might measure to see if your lift arms will spread wide enough for the yellow model. You can install the pins pointing in instead of out but that might be a major consideration.

 

[cdhd2001]

Suspect you might measure to see if your lift arms will spread wide enough for the yellow model. You can install the pins pointing in instead of out but that might be a major consideration.

The JD 2305 has standard Cat 1 spacing, just limited lift height.

My box blade and post hole digger are Cat 1. My middle buster and 5 ft grader blade are the orange King Kutter Cat 0 spacing with Cat 1 pins.

On a side note, my wife and I examined the "woods" again yesterday. Definetly a lot of smaller stuff to use the rotary cutter to clear. But, most of our dense vegetation is larger than 1"-1.5" diameter. Guess I need to re-evaluate the economics of this decision.

Thanks!

 

[cdhd2001]

First of all, let me say thanks to all who have given advice and helped with this decision!


Okay, after much deliberation, cussing & discussing, fussing and belly aching we finally made a decision.

Back story: Wife and I went to look at the yellow model today and decided that it would be too heavy. The yellow model requires me to build guards, so it is not "ready-to-run". TSC manager looked up the orange unit, these are out of season now and cannot be ordered until March. But, the manager did locate an orange unit in stock at a store 50 miles away (supposedly the last one left in the region). Drove over there, looked it over, and purchased it for $674 plus tax.

Biggest deciding factor was weight and pin height. I can lift the front of the orange unit (still heavy), but have a very hard time lifting the yellow model. Another plus is the closed rear and heavy rubber guard on the orange unit (I will be mowing about 50 ft. from the house).

I still need to add the gear oil and finish assembly.

Anyway, here are the pics!