New M7060HD12...Which cutter?

[inode]

I just purchased a new M7060HD12 ROPS with LA1154 FEL, cast rear weights, 2nd set remote hydraulics, fluid filled tires and upgraded wider R1 tries. I'm excited to say the least. I waited on purchasing a rotary cutter as I wasn't sure what I wanted. I have 93 acres that is a mixture of pasture, hills, red brush with some stumps. The brush makes up about 10-15 acres and it is fairly thick (3-4" at least I say). I've been looking at everything from Land Pride, Tennessee River, King Cutter, Bush Hog and Brown.

With that said, here are my goals:

1) Purchase something that is durable and up to the task.
2) Cutter should be affordable. I can't afford $10.5K for a Brown tree cutter.
3) Be able to maneuver in tighter spots.

With that said, I don't know whether to go with a 3-point setup or a pull-behind. I hear the 3-points are harder on the tractor. However, I'm concerned with backing up with a pull behind as well as raising/lowering to a desired height. What width should I consider? I've been looking at something in 7-8' range. However, a farmer friend is recommending I go with a 12' pull behind. The terrain is pretty hilly and rocky (Mid-East TN). Thoughts?

 

[Shaneard]

1 thing to consider is do you want one gear box or 2 gear boxes. If you stay 7' it'll be one. Don't forget Woods, they have a good one as well. If you can find a used one it'll save you some money. I would stay 10' or less, if you go 12' you'll find in the thick stuff you run out of HP pretty quick.

 

[SDT]

I just purchased a new M7060HD12 ROPS with LA1154 FEL, cast rear weights, 2nd set remote hydraulics, fluid filled tires and upgraded wider R1 tries. I'm excited to say the least. I waited on purchasing a rotary cutter as I wasn't sure what I wanted. I have 93 acres that is a mixture of pasture, hills, red brush with some stumps. The brush makes up about 10-15 acres and it is fairly thick (3-4" at least I say). I've been looking at everything from Land Pride, Tennessee River, King Cutter, Bush Hog and Brown.

With that said, here are my goals:

1) Purchase something that is durable and up to the task.
2) Cutter should be affordable. I can't afford $10.5K for a Brown tree cutter.
3) Be able to maneuver in tighter spots.

With that said, I don't know whether to go with a 3-point setup or a pull-behind. I hear the 3-points are harder on the tractor. However, I'm concerned with backing up with a pull behind as well as raising/lowering to a desired height. What width should I consider? I've been looking at something in 7-8' range. However, a farmer friend is recommending I go with a 12' pull behind. The terrain is pretty hilly and rocky (Mid-East TN). Thoughts?

If you are going to be clearing land with 3"-4" brush, I would want nothing larger than a HD 6' cutter.

Stumps!? Are you going to be hitting stumps? If so, I would hire someone with a Fecon or similar machine to clear it before mowing. Farm tractors are not designed to clear stumps and 4" brush is pushing things, unless it is quite soft, e.g., Sumac.

Maneuvering in tight spots dictates a mounted cutter. Smaller is better.

Myself, I would get someone to clear the land with a machine designed for such work. Only then would I decide what rotary cutter to buy.

I use a Woods BB720X with my L6060 and a Woods BB840X with my M9960. Both mowers are heavy (not extreme) duty and are three point mounted. I'm currently shopping for a 12' -15' bat wing for the 9960.

SDT

 

[Turbys_1700]

I purchased a 10' Titan for my T4.75. It is a perfect match for the T and would match up well with your M. Rated for 3" material. Don't know how well it would stand up to continuous 3"-4" material. 125 HP center gear box and two 100 HP gearboxes. Weighs 1480# with a 7ga top deck and skid shoes.

Previously I was using a 6' Brown 472 rated by Brown very conservatively at 2" material. A 130 HP gearbox that would dwarf the 125 HP gearbox on the Titan. It had a 7ga top, 1/4" thick sides, and weighed right at 1100#.

I consider both of those cutters similar in capacity. If you have 3" and under softwoods these cutters would work fine.

I got lucky on my Brown and found it used at a great price. Kept it 4 years and got more for it than I paid. They don't have many dealers around but will sell you parts directly if you are out of a servicing dealers area. Woods, Bush Hog, Land Pride, etc...will cost more than the others but support their products well. As stated earlier I think that 10 foot is the perfect size for a 75HP utility tractor. JMHO.

 

[nybirdman]

Sounds like you need a medium duty twin spindle 8ft'er.Seven footers are kind of an odd ball.I own a Bush Hog and a Land Pride,both have been good.Ten footer may be good in open pasture but not so great in the thick stuff.

 

[Will_C]

I have use my cousin's 10' twin spindle behind a JD 5525-was as handy to use as my 5' bush hog behind my Kubota. If I had the need for a cutter larger than a 6' model, I would go with a twin spindle that my tractor could handle. Wouldn't consider a bat wing unless I was mowing 10+ acre fields regularly.

 

[SDT]

I have use my cousin's 10' twin spindle behind a JD 5525-was as handy to use as my 5' bush hog behind my Kubota. If I had the need for a cutter larger than a 6' model, I would go with a twin spindle that my tractor could handle. Wouldn't consider a bat wing unless I was mowing 10+ acre fields regularly.

I bought a new Woods MDS 1260 HD 10' mounted twin spindle cutter a few years ago but sold it after less than 50 hours.

A 10' mounted cutter is too much for a 7060 in anything but ideal conditions. Even then it would need to be a light weight one and the tractor would need front weights.

It will also find all of the high spots.

SDT

 

[Herkypilot]

I bought a new Woods MDS 1260 HD 10' mounted twin spindle cutter a few years ago but sold it after less than 50 hours.

A 10' mounted cutter is too much for a 7060 in anything but ideal conditions. Even then it would need to be a light weight one and the tractor would need front weights.

It will also find all of the high spots.

SDT

I pull a 12’ Batwing Bushhog behind mine. Is weighs 3400 lbs. Not a problem for the M7060 pulling up and down hills. Especially using the constant RPM feature on the tractor. The book states it requires a minimum of 50 PTO HP. Batwings contour better with the flexing which may be a concern when you go to a wider cut. You can back it just like backing a trailer. My model is good for up to a 2” cut, but I don’t normally cut saplings with it anyway - mostly thick grass and briers.

HP

 

[JWR]

If you are going to be clearing land with 3"-4" brush, I would want nothing larger than a HD 6' cutter.

Stumps!? Are you going to be hitting stumps? If so, I would hire someone with a Fecon or similar machine to clear it before mowing. Farm tractors are not designed to clear stumps and 4" brush is pushing things, unless it is quite soft, e.g., Sumac. [Very true. The Fecon he mentions is a "forestry mulcher" used for land clearing. Someone in your area might hire out to do a one-time clearing of that bigger stuff. Make sure they cut the heavy stuff low enough that the stumps won't keep you from hogging it later on. Find someway to clear the heavy 4" stuff other than using a farm tractor bush hog.]

Maneuvering in tight spots dictates a mounted cutter. Smaller is better. [True again. All depends on your terrain, mix of trees and open spaces, Do you have many tight spots, etc. ]

Myself, I would get someone to clear the land with a machine designed for such work. Only then would I decide what rotary cutter to buy.

I use a Woods BB720X with my L6060 and a Woods BB840X with my M9960. Both mowers are heavy (not extreme) duty and are three point mounted. I'm currently shopping for a 12' -15' bat wing for the 9960.

SDT

inode: SDT has made some very solid observations and I agree generally with his recommendations. Some commentary inserted in color in his quoted text above. Welcome to this Forum ! I suggest that you let us know (by adding to your Profile) where your land is and (in the posts) a little more about your circumstances with land, etc. How much of the 93 acres do you need to cut on a routine periodic basis ? How steep is most of it ? etc. What is "red brush?"

As a data point for you, I maintain 100 acres in hilly WV. About 56 acres of it I mow regularly with a 7ft bush hog and/or 7.5 ft flail mower behind a MF2660 81HP low-profile platform utility tractor. Around 15 acres is meadow cut for hay and the rest is steep, wooded or both where you can't get a tractor over it. About 20% of what I cut is at or near 40% slope and a small amount is steeper than that.

I like the Bush Hog branded cutters which seem very rugged, rarely ever fail and if they fail the Bush Hog company stands behind them better than I even expected them to. I cannot necessarily say the same for the dealers which vary a lot. My 7ft Hog is 1460lbs and shrugs off rocks, posts and many things I did not mean to hit. Your tractor will handle a 7ft hog well. Do not be hesitant in that regard. I paid around $4600 for mine and it may be $5K by now. Had excellent experience with a JD MX6 cutter on a JD 4700 prior to the Massey. They are good too in my view. Landpride builds solid, reliable cutters. Huge vote of confidence in them when Kubota picked them up as the in-house offering. The 2672 Landpride 6ft finish mower I had was tough and heavy. BY THE WAY what the top few manufacturers call Heavy Duty is something intended to bludgeon trees to death with and very expensive. Most of us, and I guess you too probably, are better served by what they call Medium Duty (and I call heavy.) My 7ft hog is a BH 297. I would not go for the lighter economy rigs like Squeeler and other less robust stuff. I found a used flail mower at auction which I fixed up and it has turned out to be a great tool for light brush, heavy briars and tall grass, PROVIDED you stay away from rocks and larger limbs and posts, etc. that sometimes populate a patch. Now that I have been over the place many times, the worst-case loading on my hog is clusters of autumn olive bushes where you get many stems over an inch thick or even 2" thick clustered together. Most of those are around the edges where I try to expand or reclaim areas. Rarely am I ever cutting anything where the individual stems are over 3" though once in a while it happens and you can't cut that in clusters.

 

[ebbkubota]

I've got a LandPride RCF3696 that's been a beast on a 7040HDC. This cutter has gearboxes rated for 210 HP. I've knocked down locust and other brush up to 3-4" in diameter by backing the cutter into it.

 

[Cavjock22]

I am pulling a deere 709 shredder with my M6060.. Never cared for 3pt cutters.. I like towables..
The Deere 709 is built very tough.. If I can run it over, the 709 doesn稚 hesitate..
I知 actually considering very hard switching to a 12 batwing.. I maintain ranch roads and about 140 acres of open pasture..

 

[SDT]

I am pulling a deere 709 shredder with my M6060.. Never cared for 3pt cutters.. I like towables..
The Deere 709 is built very tough.. If I can run it over, the 709 doesn稚 hesitate..
I知 actually considering very hard switching to a 12 batwing.. I maintain ranch roads and about 140 acres of open pasture..

Be advised that all of the 12' BW cutters currently on the market are quite light duty in order to keep the weight down. All that I am aware of have 1 1/2" cut capacity.

Land pride has just released the 3712, a heavier model with a 3" cut capacity. There are a few at dealers but I have not yet seen one.

SDT

 

[art]

What is the worst part is the only time you will get the 3-4" stock is if you let it go!! Sounds like you are going to mow it every year and you will never see them again!!! Buy something that will take 2" and go cautiously the first time and don't worry about it!

 

[inode]

Thanks for all of the input. Some have asked for more information about the type of land and where. The land is between Nashville and Knoxville, TN and is fairly hilly terrain on the front of it (20 acres is ~30-40% grade). The other 40-50 acres is flat cow pasture and ranges from decent grassland to a rough area that the original owner cleared at one time and let go for several years. The area with the 3+ growth probably equates to 8-10 acres. The remaining 20 acres is woodland with trails cut through it that need to be maintained for trail/ATV access. The goal is for me to get this in shape where I can mow it a couple times a years and for it to become better grassland. I forgot to mention that with this eastern eastern TN, there is a fair amount of rock here and there. I just purchased this place earlier this year and I'm still getting to know the land and its features.

With that said, can I mow at higher heights with a pull-behind like I can with a 3-pt? I'm leaning towards a 8' pull-behind for the simple fact that it would induce less strain on the tractor (my opinion). I'm really eyeing the Tennessee River Implements as I like the thickness of their decks and rated gearboxes. I've also been looking at buying used (and expendable) until I figure out the land, rocks etc. and then buying nice later.

 

[JWR]

Tks inode -- we have a much better idea now of what you are dealing with. In a "new to you" place with probable rocks, debris (and maybe even sink holes!?) I like the idea you mentioned of picking up a used but still functional bush hog to beat up while you find out how bad the rocks are, where the obstructions are, etc. With a year or so of experience with the place you can then buy a newer/better cutter with confidence. Makes great sense to me. Might consider a 6ft hog for the temporary solution as they are MUCH easier to find used than a 7ft or larger. During that first year you'll find out in the school of hard knocks whether you really need a bigger/wider cut, what features matter to you and which ones don't, etc.

About 3pt vs pull-behind: Full disclosure -- I do not like pull behinds and find them very cumbersome in tight places, getting over/around larger obstacles, etc. It is about analgous to driving your pick up with a trailer hitched to it everywhere you go. Many pull behinds have hydraulic cylinders that allow you to raise and lower the wheels in the back of the cutter primarily for transport. You COULD use the hydraulic raise/lower feature to raise the hog and clear rocks, small stumps, etc. For my 2 cents the pull behind is a constant nuisance.The only justification I have ever seen for a pull behind is when the cutter is too big to lift using the 3 pt (such as bat wing mowers, ones more than 8ft wide, etc.) About size, 3pt hitch 7 ft hogs are maybe only 5% of the market or less compared to 6ft. while 8ft 3pt hogs are rare.

True, the pull behind puts less strain on the tractor as you said, but the tractor is made to do exactly that kind of work and support those loads. A 3pt 6ft hog would be a light load and very easily handled on your M7060. I think you can handle a 3pt 7ft hog. The Tenn River 7ft Medium Duty only weighs 910lbs by their literature. I use the 7ft Bush Hog brand medium duty (which weighs 1460lbs.) on my MF2660 . I feel sure you can handle a 910 lb 7ft hog on your 7060. Not an overload.

Cleaning up and improving an old farm is quite a project. Good luck with it !