Rotary Cutter Rotary cutters - Rhino vs. King Kutter

TBrown · Apr 11, 2005

I'm looking to buy a 48" rotary cutter. The dealer I bought my tractor from sells Rhino implements, and I purchased a 48" box blade from him his winter. It's a nice unit and I'm happy with it so far, but I visited my local TSC this weekend and took a look at the 48" King Kutter box blades... to be honest, they don't look all that different.

My dealer gave me a price of $875 for a Rhino 48" rotary cutter and the King Kutter is just under $600 at TSC. Is the Rhino worth the added $? The Rhino has a thicker top deck, 11 guage compared to 12 guage on the KK, but the KK has a stronger gearbox (40 hp vs. 30 hp). The Rhino comes with a molded tire, the KK has a laminated tire. The Rhino has rear deflectors (rubber flaps, not chains), the KK has none.

I want to support my dealer, but $275 seems like an awfully big price difference.

BTW, it should be noted that I'm certain to be hitting alot of rocks. Once I get away from my yard, there are hardheads poking up all over the place. No matter how careful I try to be, I'm bound to hit some.

Gatorboy · Apr 11, 2005

Rhino hands down is the better mower.

gamble77 · Apr 11, 2005

Rhino is the better mower, I agree. I tell all my customers that if all they are going to be doing with the bush hog is cutting pasture than KK are great units. We have a large field behind the shop that we have keep cut with a KK for the past 6 years and it has done fabulous. However, if there are times when you want to do some actual "bush hogging" and know your going to be in areas of rough terrain and/or rocky terrain then something stronger than a KK would be desirable.

EastTexFrank · Apr 11, 2005

( it should be noted that I'm certain to be hitting alot of rocks. )

Rhino is by far the better mower, especially since you're not going to be very nice to it.

I think you can get by with a lighter bush hog if you're cutting stuff that isn't too thick or dense without too many thick saplings but it sounds as if you are going to be doing some major "landscaping" with yours. I hired a guy to cut my pasture the first couple of times and his equipment took most of the major abuse. After that I can maintain it fairly easily with my junky 4' mower. I still get him to cut once a year because he can goes into places and on to slopes that scare the cr**ola outta me on my little B2400.

Freds · Apr 11, 2005

I'm not sure where Florence is, but I'm about 1-1/2 hours west of Buffalo, in PA, and have a used 4" KK that works and looks good. I could email you pics if you're interested.
I now have a 5' Rhino and it doesn't look as heavy duty as the KK.

KENB · Apr 11, 2005

I would go with the Rhino. I just bought a Rhino SE6, and it works really well, and it is amazingly quiet, not as noisy of a cutter as my Howse rotary cutter.

KennedyDiesel · Apr 11, 2005

Rhino is likely a better piece, but the skid mowers (less that 30 days on the lot) that I looked at had the paint peeling off already...

Soundguy · Apr 12, 2005

I've used and abused my 5' KK mower for years now.. nothing more than a scratch or two on it.

I'm currently using and abusing a HD120 10' howse mower. Both are 'economy' mowers and working great.

for the price of the rhino.. you can replace your KK in half the time ( life of the unit ) and still be equal money wise, and have a new mower half way thru.

Soundguy

Alan L. · Apr 12, 2005

I have a Rhino SE5, 6 years old and has really been abused clearing my property. It has been great, and still works like a new one.

Tom_H · Apr 13, 2005

Not sure how accurate this is, but I read in another post that RCs, regardless of cutting diameter, come in 2 forms, light/med. duty-which is primarily for cutting just an open hayfield, and heavy duty-which is for thick weeds, saplings, etc. I'm under the impression the HD has thicker guage steel body, frame, and greater mass in the blades so that the kinetic energy can simply "break" anything it hits. This could account for a price difference. You may want to look carefully at the frame, skin, and especially examine the blade thickness, width, etc. I have noticed that different models appear to my eye to fit one of these 2 categories, yet that one post is the only place I've ever read that these "categories" exist as official designations.

I have a 42" GearMore rc on my BX2200. It appears to me to be the HD type and it will cut anything. I've even been tempted to use it as a stump grinder. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif It was $699