Mower Recommendation

[HD]

I am asking for your ideas on a good field mower for around $2500
I have a 10 acre hay field that I no longer want to bail.
It is riddled with gopher mounds, and my haybine takes a beating every year....and is now unrepairable.....so I'm giving up...

Anyway, I'm thinking about a pull behind, either by 4 wheeler or tractor. The tractor doesn't have a 3 point hitch, so it has to be a pull behind.....or a belly mower?

But, it has to be robust enough to hit the gopher mounds. I think a finishing mower would just take a beating. Maybe a brush hog?

What do you think?

[LPS]

I have a brush hog type I got at L&M Fleet for about $600 I think.  Got it on the 10% off day.  Works good.  We have big anthills here and they darn near stop it so I go over them slow.  Mine is a 5' wide one so works good on the WD.  The Brush Hog brand was about $1200 when I got mine.  The first year I knocked down lots of little trees along the edges and it handled them good.  I haven't had to do any repairs in the 5 years I have had it.  I only mow about 4 acres of pasture with it.  I also have a mower I pull behind the wheeler.  I keep it jacked up all the way and it works great too.  I think it is a finish mower but I mow lots of weeds and stuff with it.  It only has one blade so is sort of crude for a finish mower.  For $2500 you could buy both of these kinds.

I enjoy the heck out of mowing with either of them.

[glenn57]

HD hit up deadeye!!!!!! i'd bet like LPS he can give ya some good advice!!!!!!!!

[HD]

Do you recall what the brand names of those LPS?

[HD]

Just got back from fleet farm, they have a 48" pull behind brush mower for $1699... It's got a 17hp Kohler motor on it..... I haven't had much luck with Kohler....

[Rebel SS]

They used to build a darned good engine...they are now putting a lot of them on Toro mowers/riders and other small equipment. They use a goofy long-range heat plug, that's an odd size (meaning a differnt spark plug socket than the "standard" two sizes normally used) and Kohler specific parts. Did a couple Fall tune ups/oil changes on some of them, and had to run out to find the plugs and air filter for them...and talk about spendy! I can just imagine what the bigger engines are like. I  imagine this is why.......


In 2007, Kohler created a joint venture in China called Kohler-YinXiang Ltd., based in Chongqing, China, to manufacture small gasoline engines, and intends to begin importing more of their engines, rather than building them in the US to US standards.

[glenn57]

buy some goats!!!!!!!!!!!!

seriously though, aren't you a bit concerned buying something like that from a place like menards or fleet farm for customer service, warranty versus like an implement dealer??????? guess i would be.

[LPS]

I bought my pull behind ATV mower for $500 slightly used.  It was sold by Polaris but they don't sell them anymore.  My L&M tractor one is gray colored.  But it is a 3 pt one.  Not much help.  I see L&M has a King Cutter 5' pull behind for $1200

[HD]

buy some goats!!!!!!!!!!!!

seriously though, aren't you a bit concerned buying something like that from a place like menards or fleet farm for customer service, warranty versus like an implement dealer??????? guess i would be.

You sound like the county board...they said "buy some goats and sell them to the Vietnamese" (honestly that's what they told me, don't beat me up for it)

Implement dealers have the same brands, I'm just looking for the best one I won't have problems with.

[HD]

They used to build a darned good engine...they are now putting a lot of them on Toro mowers/riders and other small equipment. They use a goofy long-range heat plug, that's an odd size (meaning a differnt spark plug socket than the "standard" two sizes normally used) and Kohler specific parts. Did a couple Fall tune ups/oil changes on some of them, and had to run out to find the plugs and air filter for them...and talk about spendy! I can just imagine what the bigger engines are like. I  imagine this is why.......


In 2007, Kohler created a joint venture in China called Kohler-YinXiang Ltd., based in Chongqing, China, to manufacture small gasoline engines, and intends to begin importing more of their engines, rather than building them in the US to US standards.

I had 2 different Kohler motors, on 2 different Cub cadets. One through a rod (had less than 200 hours on it) and the other one had a cracked head from the factory. (That one had around 75 hours on it) This last Cub cadet I bought, I had it special ordered with a Kawasaki motor.... problem solved... not an issue, and going on 3 years.

[glenn57]

  really!!!!!!

i realize that but i would think them small dealerships would be a bit more personal/ helpful?????

hey good luck wit whatever you go with!!!!!

[mike89]

king cutters are good...  how about c-list??

[Rebel SS]

I think it's kind of a crapshoot....the dealers usually seem to be high (not always!) but sometimes ya haveta hunt around and look close at stuff, and ya may come out ahead. Example: When I bought my Troy-bilt rider the other year (and I'm not a Troy-bilt fan) What appeared to be the same exact rider and same price at Fleet Farm and Lowes (hate that place) had different engines. The FF one had the Troy-bilt chinese engine, and the Lowes one had a Briggs Intek OHV engine on it. I got the one with the Briggs. They make these to the company specs that buys them, so you need to look really close. Walmart also has that same rider, but it's lacking a reverse lockout switch, has a cheaper seat, and the Troy-bilt engine. Just look closely at everything on what you want...may see something you DON'T want.

[Gunner55]

Had a couple 24hp Kawasaki motors & wouldn't hesitate to buy another. L & M services everything they sell, we've had some work done there & they were very reasonable. We do have a 14 hp Kohler engine on the early 90's Craftsman mower we have & it's been good to us. I think the propane generator is a B & S Vantage. Used to work on some gears for Bush Hog rotary mowers, not sure they're even made anymore.

[Rebel SS]

Danged good engines, the Kawasaki's. Back in high school, senior year, when us "biker guys" were riding our Yamaha Enduros and Suzuki's, there actually was a not-too-bright guy who actually thought it was pronounced "Kwaski".....

[HD]

What do you think about this one?

http://www.landmsupply.com/department/lawn-garden/power-equipment/mowers/trail-mowers/swisher-60-fast-finish-145hp-finish-cut-trail-mower

[deadeye]

I would attach pictures but for some reason, it doesn't work today.

I have to "rough cut/brush" mowers".  Both are tow behind 44" mowers.  I used (and abused) the Swisher for 15 years before the moto blew up two years ago.  I go a replacement around $425.  When the Swisher blew up I bought a DR rough cut 44" tow behind from Runnings.  Last fall we used both of them and I will say the DR mower wins hands down.  There are a number of things that make it the clear winner.  Two big things stand out.  The DR has 4 wheels and can easily be moved around and backed up while the Swisher has only two and is hitch heavy and very difficult to back up because the backend digs in and stops you.  Second thing is the wheel placement.  The DR has them in front and back so it has an overall narrower foot print and you can cut right next to tree fences etc. while the Swisher has them on the out side making it much wider and you cannot cut close to anything.  Both mowers required some modifications to the hitch/towing system.  Swisher had some cockamany pin system that is cut off and put on a ball hitch.  The DR comes with a ball hitch but it has a very long articulated draw bar (to offset the mower) that make it so you need a 10 acre field to turn around on.  I cut the thing down to 4 feet and offset it where it connects to the mower. 

 


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[deadeye]

Not sure what's going on with the pictures.  I paid $1700 for the DR from Runnings last summer.



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[Rebel SS]

Like the "oil drain" mod ya did......

[HD]

My Swisher showed up, now I gotta assemble it......

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[Rebel SS]

Cool! I'll just sit and watch....

[Dotch]

I'd paint it orange first then make the wife put it together. Little inside joke there, Reb! 

[glenn57]

Swisher  that like a swisher sweet cigar??

[Rebel SS]

I'd paint it orange first then make the wife put it together. Little inside joke there, Reb! 

I caught it!  Wonder if HD will have any missing parts? I hate that.......

[LPS]

Fun project HD. 

[HD]

Got the mower assembled, and took it for a spin around the low spot in the field. Mostly pig weed, velvet leaf and swamp grass grows here.

The new mower did well.
Only a couple things that I think could be better....
#1 a faster spindle speed, would cut better.
#2 the battery box, should be bigger (had a bitch of a time getting the battery in there)

That's about it so far....

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[deadeye]

Hey, you got it dirty...

[mike89]

just have ta go slower and sharpen the blades would be good too!!!   

looks great!!  don't see why it won't be great for ya!!!

[LPS]

 

[HD]

New mower works well...kind of a kidney puncher behind the Cub cadet....(no shocks) or a thumb pain if you can hold a throttle for that long..,.......

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