Rear Finish vs Rotary

[dalola]

Trying to decide which would be a better choice.

Advantage I see with the finish mower, I can also get my son to help mow our "good" yard, along with me on the ZTR. Can't do that with a rotary. I think it will also work for the "rough" mowing, as it's really not that rough, just taller, stringy grass that I only mow a few times per year. Nothing thick, trashy, or brushy.

Anyone have any experience with rear finish mowers, on non-high quality turf?

 

[Oldoak]

Yep, from what you describe and speaking from personal experience here, a finishing mower would be your best fit. I have a Woods 72" rear discharge finishing mower which I maintain my 3 acre orchard with plus another acre or two of vacant ground, all which was once an old hay field. Sometimes the old grass and weeds get knee high before I mow it. Always run the PTO at 540 RPMs and slow tractor speed to match the conditions, usually 4th gear with my L4200GST. I like the rear discharge because it doesn't wind row the clippings like a side discharge mower does.

Purchased my Woods RD7200 finishing mower in 1997. Still using the original belt. Routine maintenance, cleaning and greasing and sharpening the blades once a year is all I have ever done to it. Of course when not in use it has always been stored in my pole building out of the weather.

 

[RedNeckRacin]

what size tractor? what size mowers? How much mowing? How much HD mowing do you do that would wear down the edges of a rotary? (acres) I wouldn't want to try and knock down foot tall grass with a finish mower, you are going to burn up belts if you try and mow at any decent speed with that high of grass.

 

[Bird]

I agree with both of the above posters. A finish mower will do for your use if you don't try to mow the rough stuff too fast. I used to have both the rotary cutter and a finish mower myself, but in my pasture mowing, I might hit small mesquite bushes and sometimes small limbs that had fallen from trees; wouldn't have wanted to use the finish mower in those cases.

 

[dalola]

what size tractor? what size mowers? How much mowing? How much HD mowing do you do that would wear down the edges of a rotary? (acres) I wouldn't want to try and knock down foot tall grass with a finish mower, you are going to burn up belts if you try and mow at any decent speed with that high of grass.

Thanks for the opinions folks! Specifically, hoping to land a Kubota BX2380 in the next week or two, looking at the 48" size mower, I have 4 acres of quality finish mowing I normally cut with my 61" ZTR, looking to supplement with the tractor for my son. Just don't feel good about him on the ZTR, pretty dangerous machine for the inexperienced. Also, have maybe 2-3 acres of "rough" mowing, consisting grass lanes, and thin pasture-type conditions, nothing thick, trashy, rocky, etc.., but some challenging hilly terrain. This is my primary consideration for the rear finish mower. Don't want a belly mower, and the BX will have a FEL also, for other chores. Just seems the bonus of being able to help finish mow is a big advantage, vs the rotary cutter, which would be rough only.

 

[LD1]

Gonna have to go at a snails pace in the rougher stuff with a finish mower. So agree with above, it all depends on how much of each type of mowing you have.

While more expensive and higher maintenance than a rotary, you could consider a flail.

 

[Msamt]

I mow approx 4 acres of pasture (reclaimed horse pasture) with a 72 inch rear discharge finish mower. It's pretty much all grass now, still some Timothy and wildflowers. Does a fantastic job, and real happy with this choice in mower.

 

[Will_C]

I mow 3-4 acre behind my pole barn with a RFM. It is always to wet to mow until around this time of year-so the first mowing is done with a rotary cutter. After that, I have no problem mowing every 2-3 weeks until fall with the RFM. It handles 6-8" grass as fast as the field allows me to go.

Will

 

[dalola]

Gonna have to go at a snails pace in the rougher stuff with a finish mower. So agree with above, it all depends on how much of each type of mowing you have.

While more expensive and higher maintenance than a rotary, you could consider a flail.

Did some flail research today....I like the concept, but really limited choices in the ~48" size. The bigger ones are just too heavy for my future tractor (BX2380 or 1025R) Woodmaxx appears to be releasing a 54" later this summer that seems a good fit for a SCUT. Worth waiting to see? Dunno yet...

 

[ehenry]

Not sure how old your son is but If you trust him driving a tractor with a pto finish mower on the back I don't see the problem with ztr mower. Mine cut his mowing teeth at the age of 12 on a Scag 3-wheeler with a 54 inch deck in the front! It was way more dangerous than any ztr. Any outdoor equipment is dangerous ya just got to teach to respect it.