Kubota 2501 bush hog question

[ptsg]

A 5' rotary cutter cutting 30" dry grass (your choice) at a given speed will have essentially the same hp demand no matter whether it is a light, medium or heavy duty cutter.
Rotary cutter horsepower requirements are relevant only to the material being cut and the desired travel speed. Light, medium and heavy duty cutters will require different minimum weight tractors, especially minimum front ballast. They don't necessarily require different hp levels to cut the same materials at the same speeds.
The cutter in question weighs 785 lbs and the OP will be fine with it so long as he has a FEL installed. A heavy duty 5' cutter won't extend any further back from the tractor than a light duty 5' cutter.
An L2501 will lift 1900+ Lbs at the draft link ends and nearly 1400 Lbs 24" back from the link ends. The COM of the BH285 will be less than 36" from the draft link balls.

So in the US, the gearbox ratio is all the same across the light, medium and heavy duty cutters?

 

[RickB]

So in the US, the gearbox ratio is all the same across the light, medium and heavy duty cutters?

I did not say that.
Here's a comparison of 3 5' offerings from Woods. All have different blade tip speeds.

Compare Products – Woods Equipment

woodsequipment.com

 

[ptsg]

I did not say that.

I was just asking as I've never seen anyone discussing that on the forum but I guess with blades it's not that critical.

 

[RickB]

I was just asking as I've never seen anyone discussing that on the forum but I guess with blades it's not that critical.

I attached a comparison from Woods to post # 12.

 

[oldpilot]

My tractor is 26 horsepower and has no problem whatever with a four-foot brush hog, whether rotating it or climbing hills with it. For me, five foot is too wide to work comfortably in the woods, which constitutes most of my mowing.

 

[CoyPatton]

2 big factors
•will your tractor lift it safely? If your front end gets light, you need front ballast and/or a lighter mower
•what will you be mowing? The thicker the material, the less well the performance of the mower

 

[DaveD1944]

I have a Bush Hog SQ60, five foot, purchased about 22 years ago along with my Kubota B1700 HSD, the smallest of the Kubota compacts available then. This Bush Hog is a substantial implement and looks about like the 285. The Kubota handles it fine without any additional weight on front, although I usually run it with the loader attached for a bit of extra stability.