Question about purchasing L4400 HST

[canoetrpr]

I have a 5 ft std duty Woods BB60 on my L3400 and would easily be able to handle a 6 ft std duty. In general most of my implements are oversized. I've got a 6 ft Woods HB72 box blade for example and it works flawlessly.

That said, I have see the Woods BB600 and BB720 and they are BEASTS!. I would not want a BB600 behind my L3400 even with the loader on so I think that you should think twice about whether you really need medium duty or not.

I think that the standard duty bush hogs from Woods, BushHog, LP etc. can take quite a beating. Unless you are going to CONSTANTLY be mowing stuff that is 3" thick, I wouldn't worry about it personally and just go with a 72" std duty.

 

[photogman]

I have a 5 ft std duty Woods BB60 on my L3400 and would easily be able to handle a 6 ft std duty. In general most of my implements are oversized. I've got a 6 ft Woods HB72 box blade for example and it works flawlessly.

That said, I have see the Woods BB600 and BB720 and they are BEASTS!. I would not want a BB600 behind my L3400 even with the loader on so I think that you should think twice about whether you really need medium duty or not.

I think that the standard duty bush hogs from Woods, BushHog, LP etc. can take quite a beating. Unless you are going to CONSTANTLY be mowing stuff that is 3" thick, I wouldn't worry about it personally and just go with a 72" std duty.

Second, going to a 5 footer has pros and cons. The weight will definitely be more manageable, but you are losing a foot of cut width. That may not sound like a big deal but once the brush is cleared you will not need the umph of a medium duty and it is just going to take you longer to mow with a 5 vs a 6. That might not be a big deal, but it adds up. Also consider that many light duty mowers are rated to 2". My JD LX-6 is rated only to 1" brush but I knock down 2" stuff all the time. So just weigh all this out in your mind and decide. Light duty will save you money and time and might even handle the brushy stuff without putting any undue stress on the tractor. Medium duty will handle the big stuff perfectly and do just as well with the light stuff, but it will cost more, take longer to mow than a larger light duty and possibly stress the tractor.

I'm leaning towards the BrushBull Extreme Standard-Duty BB72X, which has an approximate weight of 800 pounds. I would rather have to fix a mower than an expensive repair on a $20k+ tractor. I plan on going very, very slowly in the sumac and dogwood....like a snails pace. N80 and canoetrpr both make very goods points and are basically in agreement. It is true, once you clear out the heavy stuff, subsequent mowings are a piece of cake. Plus, I gain an extra foot of cutting with the 6' mower. Thanks to all of you for your very insightful comments. All your points were very well taken! I love this website!

 

[Seattle Steve]

Photogman -

I think there are two more things you should consider that weren't mentioned in the earlier posts.

The first is ground pressure. For a given combined tractor and implement weight, wider tires will give you less ground pressure (pounds weight per square inch of tire contact area). Lower ground pressure is better for soft ground and delicate plants. Most tractors have multiple tire sizes available so you should ask your dealer what you can get for your final tractor selection. In the winter, you will want high ground pressure which means narrow tires. This is in conflict with field cutting needs so you will have to prioritize and make a decision. You may want to consider getting the widest tires you can get to preserve the prairie and then try them out in the winter. If traction is limited on the snow, you could get a set of chains to solve that problem.

Lastly, ag tires with their aggressive lugs will be most likely to bite into the ground and tear it up, especially from the front tires in tight turns. Industrial type less have less bite with their modified lugs and turf tires are designed to bite the least into the ground. Most folks on this board really like the industrial type as all around favorites. I have ag tires and have to be very careful and sometimes just stay off soft or delicate ground.

Good luck!!