Rotary Cutter Rhino Rotary cutters

Robert_in_NY · Jul 22, 2007

Hi Brian, can you post a picture of the damage? It might help others on here understand just what is happening.

Personally, I have a Woods MD172 and I dispise that thing. I have had the gear box rebuilt 3 times (all covered by my dealer (two times were covered after the Woods warranty expired)). It is just built too light for a medium duty cutter. However, the one thing I do like about this cutter that might help in your situation is that the entire top link setup is a big linkage. If the front of the cutter catches a big stump it will almost stand up as the 3pt linkage will pivot until it hits the stops. It is similar to the chain setup except that it is a solid system with a solid stop to prevent damage to the pto.

If I am going thru a ditch or loading on to a trailer I do not have to adjust the top link as the mower will fold itself up some if the tail wheel hits ground. The lift arms and tail wheel hold the mower to height and the rest floats until it is needed.

I have sworn a long time ago that I wouldn't buy another Woods cutter but the new models look a lot better and I would have to consider them still as my NH/Woods dealer has been great.

Best of luck to you with this problem. Is it just the frame that holds the actual wheel to the shaft? If so could you possibly replace that setup with another brands? If this is going to be a common problem for you then it will be worth it in the end.

sandman2234 · Jul 23, 2007

Probably nothing a bunch of steel and some welding rods can't fix, but I think he would rather be out making money instead of paying someone to fix something that shouldn't be a problem to start with.
I agree with Robert_in_NY that pictures would help us understand what is happening.
David from jax

MtnViewRanch · Jul 23, 2007

[quote
I agree with Robert_in_NY that pictures would help us understand what is happening.
David from jax[/quote]

A picture would be worth a thousand words.

Farmwithjunk · Jul 24, 2007

Robert_in_NY said:
Hi Brian, can you post a picture of the damage? It might help others on here understand just what is happening.

Personally, I have a Woods MD172 and I dispise that thing. I have had the gear box rebuilt 3 times (all covered by my dealer (two times were covered after the Woods warranty expired)). It is just built too light for a medium duty cutter. However, the one thing I do like about this cutter that might help in your situation is that the entire top link setup is a big linkage. If the front of the cutter catches a big stump it will almost stand up as the 3pt linkage will pivot until it hits the stops. It is similar to the chain setup except that it is a solid system with a solid stop to prevent damage to the pto.

If I am going thru a ditch or loading on to a trailer I do not have to adjust the top link as the mower will fold itself up some if the tail wheel hits ground. The lift arms and tail wheel hold the mower to height and the rest floats until it is needed.

I have sworn a long time ago that I wouldn't buy another Woods cutter but the new models look a lot better and I would have to consider them still as my NH/Woods dealer has been great.

Best of luck to you with this problem. Is it just the frame that holds the actual wheel to the shaft? If so could you possibly replace that setup with another brands? If this is going to be a common problem for you then it will be worth it in the end.

Well, Robert, you aren't gonna like this, but here goes.

I have an MD172. I've had those same gearbox issues with it. I was talked into a BB840 when I needed a 7' mower. And my luck with it hasn't been as good as the MD172. I used the MD172 on the same tractor that now uses the BB840. (Deere 2440) The MD172 is now on a 3000 Ford. I like the top linkage on the MD172 a LOT more than the BB840. Same gearbox issues with both. You couldn't GIVE me another Woods mower. I've got a couple Bush Hog mowers too. One is a medium duty (286) like the Woods models. No issues with MORE use. Both the Woods mowers get sold this coming winter and replaced with Bush Hog mowers.

Robert_in_NY · Jul 24, 2007

What do you mean I won't like that. It just means I don't have to waste my money on another Woods chopper. I am sorry to hear you are having the same gear box issues though. I have an old 5' Ford brush chopper (I am not sure who made it or if Ford did themselves) that is around 40 years old. It came with the farm my grandfather bought (I wasn't around then) but the MF 135 that also came with the farm was only 4 years old and they tell me the chopper was older then the MF. So far the only problem I had with that mower is the blade broke (there wasn't a lot of metal left on it though).

Oddly enough I almost think Woods made the Ford choppers back then

Sure did come a long ways

On the bright side, one of my favorite dealers is a Bush hog dealer and I always look for an excuse to buy from them guys even though they are 15 miles away compared to my NH dealer being less then 2 miles.

Thanks for the heads up on the newer Woods mowers though. I know there are a lot of used MD172's sitting in the fence rows around here.

Farmwithjunk · Jul 24, 2007

Robert_in_NY said:
What do you mean I won't like that. It just means I don't have to waste my money on another Woods chopper. I am sorry to hear you are having the same gear box issues though. I have an old 5' Ford brush chopper (I am not sure who made it or if Ford did themselves) that is around 40 years old. It came with the farm my grandfather bought (I wasn't around then) but the MF 135 that also came with the farm was only 4 years old and they tell me the chopper was older then the MF. So far the only problem I had with that mower is the blade broke (there wasn't a lot of metal left on it though).

Oddly enough I almost think Woods made the Ford choppers back then Sure did come a long ways

On the bright side, one of my favorite dealers is a Bush hog dealer and I always look for an excuse to buy from them guys even though they are 15 miles away compared to my NH dealer being less then 2 miles.

Thanks for the heads up on the newer Woods mowers though. I know there are a lot of used MD172's sitting in the fence rows around here.

The "you won't like it" was more sarcasm than anything else. I'm with you. I'd rather learn by someone elses mistakes than by my own. I'm not totally down on Woods, just I don't think they're nearly as "commercial grade" or "AG rated" as some others. I realize these are medium duty cutters, but that IS my point. Bush Hog medium duty cutters seem to stand up to heavy use MUCH better by my experience. When I was shopping for a batwing this spring, my "favorite dealer" who sells Woods told me to look elsewhere. He didn't want me as an unhappy customer.

A homeowner or end user that doesn't pile up the hours may well be happy with their Woods mower. But look at what's hooked to the tractors doing highway/road right-of-way cutting. VERY rarely ever anything but Bush Hog or Alamo/Rhino/Shulte (Alamo Group).

My luck with medium duty Woods mowers has brought me to the point where I keep all the internal parts to the gearbox's sitting on the shelf in the shop. They just don't hold up to hundreds of hours of use like I've got with Bush Hog.

Robert_in_NY · Jul 24, 2007

I understood, should have added a

I had been leaning towards Bush Hog already as I would like to get a 7' and a 15-20'. I know I can make a few dollars if I wanted as I get a lot of people wanting to hire me to take my discbine over and cut their fields

Right now I waste a lot of time trying to keep everything maintained with 5' and 6' choppers.

Farmwithjunk · Jul 24, 2007

Robert_in_NY said:
I understood, should have added a

I had been leaning towards Bush Hog already as I would like to get a 7' and a 15-20'. I know I can make a few dollars if I wanted as I get a lot of people wanting to hire me to take my discbine over and cut their fields Right now I waste a lot of time trying to keep everything maintained with 5' and 6' choppers.

I bought a 15' batwing and realized almost right away I SHOULD have gone with a 20'er. We're mowing quite a few large tracts. We use 40 to 60 hp tractors with 6' and 7' cutters as "weed eaters" to do all the close cutting and in areas where there is obstructions. Then the batwing to mow open areas. After a summer's experience, I've found we can cut a lot more confined areas with the batwing than we first thought. The wider the mower, the EASIER they are to turn at headlands. (You don't have to turn in such a tight radius) I'm fighting the urge to buy another batwing. Not enough business YET. No plans to buy another until we HAVE to have it. Having such a good first year may be dangerous. It seems too easy.

LoneCowboy · Jul 24, 2007

I've only got one left (i'm going to start making a collection) of the first 3.
they all bend the fork (that holds the tailwheel) right below where it comes out of the neck
compare that to a bushhog and you'll see why they bend. It's about half as thick/strong.

And the next time it bends, the piece of junk gets traded at a huge loss (it's new in may, both of them) for a bushhog brand.

Sick of it.