What size bush hog for my tractor??

[JCS_in_KY]

I've got a Massey Ferguson 1533, 33HP, 26 HP to the PTO. Can I run a 6' bush hog cutter with it ok or do I need to stick with a 5'? The tractor is a little over 5' wide and I was hoping to be able to run a 6' cutter so I can cut a path that's not narrower then the tractor width is. John

 

[RoyJackson]

Personally, I'd go for the 6' cutter. There might be times when you have to make partial passes (half to 2/3rds the width of the cutter) in heavy thick brush, but you'll be able to use the full width in lighter stuff.

 

[Farmwithjunk]

No "set answer" to this one. Here's a few items to consider.

What are you going to be mowing? Just clipping pastures? Mowing weeds, Mowing brush? Or does your needs almost constitute clearing ground? That will dictate the HP requirements for a 5' or 6' mower. The 25 to 30 HP range will pull a 6' mower AT SLOW SPEED in heavy weeds. FORGET dense brush.

Then there's the weight issue. Unless you go with an extremely light 6'er, your tractor will need plenty of front weigh to deal with a 6' mower. They're typically (at minimum) a couple hundred pounds heavier than a 5'. 2 or 3oo lbs hung 4 or 5 feet behind a tractor takes double that weight on the front end to even remotely balance out the load.

I don't suggest (or even consider) a "light duty" bush hog. What's the point? When you get into what is considered "medium duty", you are dealing with a fairly heavy piece of equipment for some compacts.

So, unless you go with something really light, I'd (personally) suggest a 5'er. If you go 6', stay with light duty, and be prepared to go slow.

 

[RoyJackson]

"The 25 to 30 HP range will pull a 6' mower AT SLOW SPEED in heavy weeds. FORGET dense brush. "

Going through brush at a slow speed is a good idea no matter what size tractor, unless one is quite familiar with the acreage to be mowed.

As far as dense brush...well, if I can run over it with the tractor, I'll cut it. I went through about 3 acres of very thick brush with a 16.5 (PTO) HP Deere using a 5' cutter. Going slow was the key as it didn't stress the tractor or cutter much (plus, first time I used the cutter in the area...I had no idea what was under the brush).

With enough ballast on the front, and a modicum of common sense, I see no reason a 6' cutter couldn't be used.

I'd consider one for my Deere 790, but would rather spend the money on a 6' finishing mower (with only 3 acres of field mowing, it's not justifiable to replace my paid for 5' cutter).

 

[Farmwithjunk]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Going through brush at a slow speed is a good idea no matter what size tractor, unless one is quite familiar with the acreage to be mowed.

With enough ballast on the front, and a modicum of common sense, I see no reason a 6' cutter couldn't be used.)</font>

There's "slow", then there's S.L.O.W.

I don't mow at break-neck speeds EVEN ON GROUND I'M FAMILIAR WITH, but with a 6' mower on a 25 HP tractor, IN HEAVY WEEDS or BRUSH, you'd need to be crawling at a snails pace. That's OK if you're mowing a relatively small area. I'd rather be able to mow at apace where I'm comfortable with the speed, but still get a days work done in a day. It's all to do with what you're used to, I guess.

It's been proven time and time again that it's more efficient to use an implement sized a bit smaller, and carry a pace that's a bit faster than to overload a tractor and crawl. (High(er) HP to weight/load ratio.)

I have one tractor that's 60(+) HP. I use a 7' mower behind it. That's enough in SOME conditions. It's not even a good load in others. Point being, it's all relative to what you're doing and what you're mowing.

 

[sandman2234]

Well said Farmwithjunk.
I have a 4' behind my 13hp, and a 6' behind my 65hp, so there is no real way to justify just where a 5' fits in.
I built an 8' mower to pull behind the 13hp, but it weighed too much for the tractor to pull. The guy I sold it to pulled it with a 40 hp tractor. He only mowed a pecan orchard, so it was used for light duty. Something heavy duty would tear it up fast.
I guess my suggestion would be to talk the dealer into letting you borrow a used six footer, for an hour of mowing, so you can make up your mind. Too much mower for a tractor is just as bad as wasting time with too little mower.
David from jax

 

[MrSteve]

JCS_in_KY...

I have a 6' on the same tractor as you (not sure if you do, but I have the 8x8 trans). 90% of my grass is clean, but I think cutting green thick grass is harder on the units then going into brush (in Froida anyway). Point being I have loaded the tractor a few times, BUT it was always on the 1st pass. So all I did was take my 1st pass and make it around 4' then all the other passes were at the full cut, problem solved.

I also wanted the wider cutter "thinking" I could get up to my fence line, still the 6' can't get that close (just to close not to hit something) so I still have to take the 23hp rider and do the fence line.

I guess what I am saying, YES go for the 6'. If anything you have to take a half pass here and there. You can make a 6' mower smaller, but you can NOT make a 5' mower bigger.

EDIT...Side Note, Like I said above I have a 8x8 trans. I am in 4th gear Low range when cutting. When I am cutting, I set my PTO rpms in the HIGH yellow mark on the tac, if the tac goes down "below" 540" I shift to 3rd, far and few between am I going down one gear.

Also, My Kodiak is a light duty mower, there is NO weight problems at all. AND what is nice about the Kodiak mower, it has openings in the front and back to get rid of what ever it cuts.

 

[scott_vt]

Mornin JCS,
Boy we have beat this topic to death /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif With that said, I think everyone who has posted has some valid points. As someone else has pointed out, alot depends on what is being mowed and also what the topography of the property consists of. I use a 5ft Woods mower behind a 32 hp diesel with 28 pto hp. For most of my property I could use a 6ft mower without much problem. But on the lower side of my property the 5ft is plenty because it is pretty steep and the tractor is clawing its way up the hill in FWD. Add some fairly tall and thick grasses and the tractor RPM will drop down 200 rpm or so. Of course I always am taking a full cut. In my opinion if your just mowing grasses and weeds in the field and the property is relatively flat that machine will handle it. On the steep sections of my property I use mid-range which is about 3.5 mph in fourth gear. For the flatter sections I usually use first gear in high range, about 4.4 mph at pto speed. Hope this helps.

scotty

 

[JerryG]

If you are mowing heavy grass or brush go with the 5 foot. If you are just topping or mowing light grass go with the 6 foot.

 

[EddieWalker]

I have a medium duty 6 foot Land Pride shredder that I pull behind a 35 hp Century 4X4 CUT. It has plenty of power to cut anything I can run over. In fact, it' has more than enough power to twist the drive shaft to the mowere when I hit a stump. It's also tore apart two sets of blades and one gear box. I mow everything from pasture to saplings with it on fairly flat terrain.

For me, the biggest issue with a mower that size is weight. My tractor is around 4,000 pounds, but with NO front loader. I have weights I put in the front end to keep it down, but it's still only marginal if it hit a small hill.

The front tires will actually come off the ground on occasion and when that happens, you just cant steer anymore. I need more weight on the front end, but this happens so rarely, that I just deal with it.

Good luck,
Eddie