Rotary Cutter PTO Brush cutter vs Walk-Behind

[memmons]

HI - I own 10 acres of mostly wooded land. Its not super hilly but there are a few spots and a few holes throughout the property. I am ready to buy a brush cutter to help maintain the areas I have cleared and clear other areas.

With the said I like the idea of getting a PTO one seems like less overall engine maintenance but the walk-behind seems like I could get around trees and up and down hills safer.

Does anyone have any experience with either? Any recommendations?

Thanks,
Marc

 

[Dave Pee]

My 5 ft pto is big, slow, clunky and hard to maneuver. It does a mediocre job on the grass, but is good for chopping up all the fallen oak branches.

I can't imagine a walk behind for multiple acres.

When my ship comes in, I might buy a ZTR, but good ones are expensive.

 

[bcp]

Welcome to TBN.

A BX with loader and cutter is about 18 feet long. Lots of room needed for turning.

It replaced a walk-behind string trimmer that I almost never use any more. I mow only some roadside and some trails in the property. The brush is mostly left in place for privacy.

Bruce

 

[Cat Farmer]

I just got done brush mowing the back of about an acre and a half with a Land Pride RCR1248 inch brush mower behind a BX23S. 4 ft tall grass, and 1 1/2 diameter alder saplings that sprung up after when we logged of the back yard in Lynnwood. I was suprised at how well it took down the saplings. I ran the loader about a foot and a half off the ground to bend over the saplings and ran in 4 wheel drive. I would recommend the BXpanded Under Armor or Bro-Tek skid plate to protect the trans fan before you start trying to start working the tall stuff. I did the Under Armor, which seemed kind of flimsy when I first looked at it, and then realized that it fine, and I wasn't crawling over rockeries, so it works good. Also took about 5 minutes to install, just two bolts with bushings and washers in existing holes and drops off in a few seconds to put the mid mount mower deck on. I have a QH05 quick hitch and it works great. Before I got the brush mower, I did suck the mid mount mower deck up against the frame and drove around mowing the 2 ft grass to make sure I didn't have any big rocks to contend with. If you don't have the dealer install the mower the first time, be sure to check the PTO shaft length and make sure it wont bind. Mine needed a couple inches pulled off it and I had the tools. also if you are thinking about a quick hitch, you might want to get it before or with the mower as it moves the deck back about 4 inches, and on rototillers and short PTO shaft tools, the engagement would probably be too short after you got the hitch.

 

[Coyote machine]

If you're a young Arnold with wicked strong back muscles, then a walk behind for numerous acres MIGHT work. Otherwise forget it. Brush hog on back of tractor, or sickle bar on side could work best IF you can afford it. No matter what its a lot of annual maintenance. They make ATV/UTV tow behind mowers and such for fence lines, etc., too.
I have a 6' brush hog on my 40 HP Kioti tractor, and a 42" Dr. Brush mower with metal blade and HD string cutter attachment, that seldom gets used anymore, once I got the brush hog. I have a Samurai sickle bar attachment for my tractor loader's flat front QA plate - also seldom used because I haven't yet gotten it attached as I want it to be; angle and closeness to the ground surface, etc.

I'd suggest posting pics here of what you have to cut and borrowing or renting what is suggested here on TBN, then see what works best for you. To each their own...

 

[ericm979]

My wife wanted a BCS with flail mower, thinking that it'd be easier to now weeds and small brush than with the string trimmer. We got to try out the neighbor's BCS and it was too much for her to handle. It's difficult for me to handle. I mow with a brush hog on the tractor and use a powerful Stihl brush cutter/string trimmer on the parts I can't get the brush hog in to because it's too steep or too close to fence lines.

The DR trimmers on wheels have engines that use splash lubrication, so they can't be operated on significant slopes. A couple people in my area discovered that the hard way.

 

[oosik]

A friend of my sons loaned me his DR walk behind. I did not have to use it very much to see that I was not the MAN for that unit. It was beating the crap out of me. If I ever decide to trim the field grass and deer brush - I'll get a heavy duty Bush Hog or Brown or Land Pride or Rhino - PTO driven rotary cutter.

As I first used the DR - I had no safety glasses( REALLY stupid) - then came the safety glasses - then came the face shield - then came the loading it back into the pickup to return to my sons friend. When I hit the deer brush with the DR - it shot out small, short chunks of stem like a full auto crossbow. I was impressed and a lot of the stuff, that hit me, did hurt.

I just don't know - that DR project was many, many years ago and I just don't know if I really need to mow anything. My property is typical of the scab rock lands - ancient gigantic Ponderosa pines, bunch/field grass, deer brush and, in the very, very few spots - a lush green meadow. I've not mowed because it I cut it all - its just me and the pines remaining.

I'm also concerned that if I cut all the low stuff - when the winds blow - even more Mt St Helens volcanic ash will get stirred up and become airborne.

Any time I see a wind here of 30mph or more - the air becomes absolutely "volcanic ash grey" and visibility is probably 15 feet or less.

There is still enough of that darn ash hanging around from the 1980 eruption to create these conditions.

 

[Doofy]

HI - I own 10 acres of mostly wooded land. Its not super hilly but there are a few spots and a few holes throughout the property. I am ready to buy a brush cutter to help maintain the areas I have cleared and clear other areas.

With the said I like the idea of getting a PTO one seems like less overall engine maintenance but the walk-behind seems like I could get around trees and up and down hills safer.

Does anyone have any experience with either? Any recommendations?

Thanks,
Marc

Walk behind brush cutters are tiring and a lot of work. My DR is a 30" 17hp and wears my tail out on any brush larger that about 1.5". It would allow for closer work but your money would be better spent on a 3ph brush hog. My DR cost $3200 15 years ago.

 

[coobie]

I own both.Walk behind Billy goat cutter beats the H-LL out of me, wear long sleeve shirts and pants.Wish I was younger.LOL.

 

[Doofy]

The walk behind brush cutter leaves about a 2-3" mangled stub that usually disappears in a year or so. More mowing helps speed up the process until fairly soon there are no stabs left. Still, way to much work for old farts unless you are my FIL...84 and absolutely loves working that DR.