Rotary Cutter Rotary cutters, medium duty vs HD?

[Ken45101]

Properly designed lighter gage steel is more effective than less well designed heavier steel. Also, major cost components are the gear boxes, rotary joints, etc. Some joints limit your turning radius. My Bush Hog is spec'd operate with the wings vertical, which is great for mowing the driveway or trails.

The other issue, if you have hills, is controlling the weight of the cutter. I have 700# of front bumper weights and my M9540 is still a bit light on the front end on turns at the bottom of hills.

 

[Gary Fowler]

1/4" side walls is needed for protection when hitting rocks, other than that, any thickness on the side would do. I had a Howse light weight model that I rounded out the sides from slinging rocks into it. Didn't hurt the cutting performance though. If IIRC there was no difference in components between the light weight and HD models as far as gear box rating, just had to pay more for the heavy gauge metal. I think that if you will just be mowing pasture and no rocks or other hard debris the Kodiak would suit you fine.

THE ONE thing that you do get with heavier metal is a longer time before corrosion rust thru happens. You can keep the top painted, but eventually you will get some rust thru from the bottom of any rotary cutter. Thicker metal prolongs the time of usefulness for the cutter.