Rotary Cutter What size brush hog should I get?

[mopower01]

I have a Kubota B8600 and I have been wanting to get a brush hog to mow the field behind my house. My question is what size should I get. I would like to have a 5' one, but my uncle seems to think it will only handle a 4'. I will be running this on some hills and will still need some power to climb them. What do you think? The PTO is rated at 17hp, I think, and the engine at 19hp.

 

[Citydude]

I have a Kubota B8600 and I have been wanting to get a brush hog to mow the field behind my house. My question is what size should I get. I would like to have a 5' one, but my uncle seems to think it will only handle a 4'. I will be running this on some hills and will still need some power to climb them. What do you think? The PTO is rated at 17hp, I think, and the engine at 19hp.

The rule of thumb is that it takes 5 horses at the PTO for each foot of mower. If your planning on cutting thick grass and brush, I'd go with your uncles advice.

 

[Teachu2]

My 21/17pto tractor ran fine in the hills with a 4', but overheated with a 5'. My solution was a bigger tractor....

 

[4570Man]

I run a 5 foot behind a 25 hp tractor. It handles it fine in regular mowing, but bogs down in heavy stuff. I had a little case tractor/lawn mower that was 18 hp. It ran a 4 foot ok but couldn't keep the front wheels on the ground. We sold the 4 foot cutter and just used the belly mower.

 

[Fawken]

I've been running a 5' Hico for 32 years with my tractor and supposedly it's only got 11 PTO HP. I say supposedly because the tractor has done things over the years that are impossible for so few horses. Steroids in the oil maybe? Anyway, yes, I think your machine can run a 5 foot, I'll be honest, there isn't much difference in mowing times between a 4' and 5' on a small tractor. That's because with a 4' you can move a little faster and lift it more quickly if you're about to bog down. 32 years ago all I could afford was a used cutter, and there were no used, 4-foot cutters for sale around here.

 

[HEC]

I run a 5 ft. on my 2650 which has about the same pto hp. as yours . I was very skeptical and wanted the 4 ft. but dealer let me try out the 5 ft. and was happy I did as it covers my wheel width , the 4 ft. didn't . That being said , I wouldn't want to cut really heavy material of any kind , and don't . I have a bigger tractor for that . If I was going to cut heavy hay or what ever, up some slopes etc., I would go 4 ft. , but like mentioned above you can always just go slower .

 

[AaronS]

I'd go with the 4' if it covers your tracks.

 

[tman1020]

4' is best

 

[Will_C]

Another vote for a 48" cutter.

Will

 

[Poopdeck Pappy]

The question is not only whether you have the PTO horsepower to run the 5' cutter, but also whether you can safely lift it with your 3 point lift.

Do you know what the 3 pt. lift capacity of your tractor is? Do you know how much the 5' cutter weighs? Do you have a FEL or any counterweight on the front of the tractor? Remember that a rotary cutter hangs way back there behind your tractor, so the fulcrum effect magnifies that weight. The 4' cutter will be a little lighter and a little shorter in length.

 

[4570Man]

Is your tractor a b8200? I couldn't find anything on a b8600. Unless you have a loader or front ballast you won't be able to lift the cutter. I had a case 235 that couldn't run a 4 foot bush hog. I have a b7100 now. I haven't tried to bush hog with that tractor, but I don't think it would do any better. Most of these old small tractor don't have power steering (at least mine didn't). Adding front ballast gives you a real workout steering.

 

[mopower01]

I have turf tires on it, so the 4' would not cover the tracks. I have been keeping things knocked down with my finishing mower, but I have some jaggers that I would like to cut down. It is an 8200 (typo) and there is no FEL. I have been wanting to add a ballast box, but haven't gotten around to it.

 

[4570Man]

Does it have power steering? If not a ballast box heavy enough to do any good will make it difficult to steer.

 

[GManBart]

I ran a 5' cutter on a very early Ford 8N (late 1947 production) and that probably didn't have much more than 19hp at the PTO. It ran it just fine, but I wasn't trying to win a speed contest when I mowed. As mentioned, 4ft cutters can be hard to find, and more expensive than 5' models. You might consider buying a solid used 5' cutter, give it a whirl, and if you aren't happy, you'll be able to sell it easily.

 

[vsteel]

I run a 5 foot cutter behind a John Deere 2320 which has 18 PTO hp. I have no issues running it. As others said though I am not trying to win a speed contest. I can go through some pretty good stuff though and it doesn't have any issues. Really you could run a 5' and you would be fine you will just go slower in the really heavy stuff. The biggest thing is to make sure you keep the front tractor screen clean, for me anyway bush hogging always puts crap on the radiator intake. I have to stop every so often and clean it off.

 

[Teachu2]

The tractor I mentioned earlier was fine with a 5' on flat land, but the combination of 5' and hills proved too much even in 1L. I also added 180lbs of weights to the front to be able to choose direction of travel most of the time, and still used the steering brakes on occasion.

 

[tman1020]

A four footer will be faster and more efficient easier on the tractor and safer. Covering the tire tracks should not be as big of a concern if the 4 ' will still do the job faster with much less risk and abuse on tractor. Even if you get the five footer to safely fit and be able to steer you will be pushing your tractor to the absolute max constantly.