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6ft Kodiak cutter

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pappy103
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2009-06-28          163690

Looking for review or opinions on the Kodiak brand rotary cutters

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earthwrks
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2009-06-28          163691

The nature of any RC is pretty straight-foward--have 2 blades and they rotate, and they all pretty much are designed the same. At the risk of sounding like a smartbutt LOL, to me it's like asking for opinions on a... glass of water.

That said, what are your expected input? ....

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kwschumm
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2009-06-28          163692

Over the years a few people have mentioned them but I don't think anyone has reported any problems. They may be a regional sort of brand. Since shipping of heavy equipment is so expensive there seem to be a lot of regional brands in implements. There have been some reports of complaints on various cutters, King Kutter comes to mind, but the complaints usually were in regard to poor welds, lousy paint and corresponding early rust, that sort of thing.

For my money I wouldn't consider any cutter that didn't come with chain guards and a stump jumper - and I'd recommend a good slip clutch too.

I paid a bundle for a medium duty JD MX5 and it has been awesome. It has run into many a stump and never required anything but lube and an annual cleaning. FWIW, I'd buy another even though there are far cheaper cutters. ....

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pappy103
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2009-06-29          163695

At the risk...etc. water doesn't have welds or paint quality or different guages of sheet metal.
Thanks kws (below) all the points you mentioned are in place except the chain guard and I will insist on one from the dealer. ....

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Murf
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2009-06-29          163698

One of the simplest to compare how well something "gravity simple" is made is to just look at the weight of it.

If you compare 2 supposedly identical pieces and one is 15% heavier, that translates to more metal, and likely, less corners cut.

Best of luck. ....

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kthompson
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2009-06-29          163703

I think those are built in Tennesse but not 100% sure so they really are regional. Suggest you do compare weight as Murf suggested. From what little I have seen of them (on a dealer's yard) they looked decent. No idea how how thick of metal or such they are. ....

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batman
Join Date: Apr 2009
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2009-06-30          163727

Pappy,
I recommend you look at a website for one of the name brands like Woods or Bush Hog. They will give you lots of info on rotary cutters. The thing that generally is much better on the brand name stuff are gearboxes, driveshafts, and longer warranties. Some companies back their boxes for up to 8 years. The off brands are usually 1 year or less.

You generally get what you pay for... ....

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Murf
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2009-06-30          163728

Batman brings up a good point.

Nobody builds their own gearboxes anymore, it's just too costly, that said however there's a big difference in available models too.

If you look at various manufacturers, even the 'economy' brands, you will see that some of them have a much more robust gearbox on them than others.

Best of luck. ....

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hardwood
Join Date: Dec 2002
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2009-06-30          163730

Like KW I have a Deere MX5. I don't remember how long I've had it, but never a problem so far. Deere or Land Pride would be my first chioces.
Keep them cleaned up and inside if you can, maybe even a wax job now and then and they hold their resale pretty well. ....

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kthompson
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2009-06-30          163733

I looked yesterday and they have three, 6 foot models. If you have not, take a look at their web site, specs are straight forward.

Another regional brand is Hardee and Bushog. With Bushog no sure what the new ownership will mean for them. ....

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batman
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2009-06-30          163734

Woods by far kicks butt on the others with the Brush Bulls. I have one and it is built much tougher. Take a look at the features that set it apart. Bush Hog and Rhino have since made half-hearted copies. The John Deere MX5 is over-priced but some people can only see green. Woods, BH, LP, or Rhino have lots of dealers and have been around for years and will be for the future. Buy from the dealer you like the best. ....

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kwschumm
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2009-06-30          163735

Quote:
Originally Posted by batman | view 163734
Woods by far kicks butt on the others with the Brush Bulls. I have one and it is built much tougher. Take a look at the features that set it apart. Bush Hog and Rhino have since made half-hearted copies. The John Deere MX5 is over-priced but some people can only see green. Woods, BH, LP, or Rhino have lots of dealers and have been around for years and will be for the future. Buy from the dealer you like the best.


Please define "kicks butt" using facts. What features set it apart? ....

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batman
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2009-06-30          163739

The Wood's Brushbull is the only one with these features. these apply to all three series: standard, medium, and heavy.
1.rectangular structual tubing running from the front to back with all stress points attached to the tube, not the deck like others
2. a tube bumper around the back for backing over brush
3. Quick-change blade pins instead of the large bolt style that are a bear to remove
4. large window for blade access so you can change blades from the top of the deck instead of climbing underneath
5. 4-point t-wheel arm mount
6. 6 year or longer gearbox wty which is the longest
7. I think it has the deepest deck

If you buy a Woods I should get a commission. ....

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kwschumm
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2009-06-30          163740

Tube is cheaper than thick sheet steel, maybe they need the structural tube mounting points if the deck steel is a relatively thin gauge. Not saying that is bad, just a different approach if it is the case. Sort of like unibody vs. body-on-frame. Is it a single or dual deck?

....

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kwschumm
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2009-06-30          163741

Just for fun I've attached a link to the JD MX5 cutter. ....


Link:   JD MX5 cutter specs

 
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batman
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2009-06-30          163742

The Woods is a single deck. Frame design is always better. That is why trucks, bridges, buildings, etc are framed. Unibody is a cheap and lighter way to build cars. It is more important to get the steel weight in the high stress areas and not over the whole deck plate. Dual deck plates and thick deck plates prevent rock dents but not much else. Woods offer three different deck thickness depending on the application. ....

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kwschumm
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2009-06-30          163743

Quote:
Originally Posted by batman | view 163742
Frame design is always better. ... Unibody is a cheap and lighter way to build cars.


You could find thousands of engineers that would argue that point with you. Unibody tremendously improves torsional rigidity which greatly reduces stress at the joints.
....

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earthwrks
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2009-06-30          163746

Reading the replies-- doh!; what I dope I am.

Of course, they're all good points--even Kenny and Hardwood's LOL.

My experience is restricted to only the 5' King Kutter I have. And since I really abuse it, my comments really aren't fair to the brand. I do have to say that the gearbox has held up extremely well for the abuse it's had. ....

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earthwrks
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2009-06-30          163747

"Frame design is always better. ... Unibody is a cheap and lighter way to build cars."

KW you're right. That's why pickups were and still are the big money makers for the auto industry--less tooling/parts, easier to build, very tolerance-forgiving when the parts come together (bed/cab/frame). ....

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Murf
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2009-07-02          163768

Quote:
Originally Posted by batman | view 163742
Unibody is a cheap and lighter way to build cars.


Actually, if you want to get really fussy about it, the tube frame you were praising is a form of 'unibody' instead of running the traditional, and better IMHO, angle and bar stock that has traditionally been the choice for such applications.

Things like rotary cutters are meant to last a very long time. Just how exactly do you paint the inside of a tube?

Bear in mind, comparing a Woods "Brushbull" series of cutter to others is sort of like comparing a Chevy pickup to a Mack Truck.

There are many excellent rotary cutters out there if you compare apples to apples.

Best of luck. ....

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kthompson
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2009-07-02          163769

Pappy, so have we helped or confused or just ran around pounding our chest? ....

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earthwrks
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2009-07-02          163777

Kenny, I don't see any evidence of chest pounding--I feel this has been very enlightening (that means informative).

Speaking for myself now (wow I can't believe I said that), sometimes it's easy to take product designs for granted. ....

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hardwood
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2009-07-03          163781

Wow, I think it's time I see a shrink, I'm agreeing with EW just too much lately.
Back in my furniture plant days we used the "Torsion Box" design for lots of heavy cabinet type things where an external frame would have been ugly or just not desireable. Torsion box furniture/unibody automobile = same principle, the furniture/automoblie uses the skin of the shell as the frame. Less expensive to build, stronger tha a frame plus the cabinet/auto body. I'm not an engineer, I'm not even sure I spelled engineer correctly, just learned most everything I know at the school of hard knocks, or out behind the barn.
So chest pounding or not, that's just my two cents worth, well I gusse it costs five cents now. Frank. ....

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pappy103
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2009-07-03          163782

You all have been a big help! I decided to go with the Kodiak because my dealer Caldwell Tractor, here in Ocala carries them (along with several others) and he really sweetened the deal because I just upgraded my Kubota B7500 to a new Kioti DK45SE HST. I'm not new to this, I'm coming up on 60 and started as a kid! I stumbled across this site by accident while checking out manufacturers before I purchased my new rig.
Thanks again and I will continue to be around here. ....

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kthompson
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2009-07-05          163801

Quote:
Originally Posted by earthwrks | view 163777
Kenny, I don't see any evidence of chest pounding--I feel this has been very enlightening (that means informative).Speaking for myself now (wow I can't believe I said that), sometimes it's easy to take product designs for granted.


EW and Frank, not throwing off at anyone but had not seen any reply from the OP and wondered had we manage to run him away. But come on, we all pound out chest! :) I did today when I looked back at my rough cut mowing just finished. FYI, the dirt moving is going slow but going well.

Pappy, congratulations on the new rig. ....

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Murf
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2009-07-06          163838

Quote:
Originally Posted by kthompson | view 163801
FYI, the dirt moving is going slow but going well.


Kenny, one of the old timers I see every morning at 'coffee break' had a bit of ravine in his yard that had been there as long as anyone could remember. It had been created some time back by water running off the road out front and heading through the yard to the river out the back instead of down the ditch to where the road and river met. One day he announced he was going to fill it in and level the yard to make mowing easier and make it look better. One of the other fellas mentioned it was a big hole for his little tractor to fill and level, it was going to take a lot of dirt and take a very long time to do.

He finished his coffee and said "I suspect it will take a while, but certainly less time that it took the good Lord to make it."

Hard to fault logic like that.

Best of luck. ....

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Duster
Join Date: May 2013
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2013-05-11          186926

Hello fellas, just signed on to this site looking for Terrain King parts. But interesting thread on small cutters so I thought I'd throw in my 2 cents worth. We mow 18 acres of pasture with a 15 foot flex mower, but use a 6 foot Howse mower for trim. About 12 years ago we needed a small mower for trim, contacted Northern Tool to send me a 6 foot 3pt mower, it was a Howse. 12 years later and on the third set of blades, the mower is still in use hooked up to the little Ford 600, with the original gear box, PTO shaft etc. I'd say it'll last another few years. Just proves you don't have to pay a premium price for one to get one that will last. It all depends on how you take care of it. JMHO. PJ ....

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DennisCTB
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2013-05-11          186927

Welcome to Tractorpoint and thanks for sharing your experience with us!

Dennis ....

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kthompson
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2013-05-13          186958

duster also welcome.

You mean to say equipment needs to be cared for? A little grease along and along can mean a lot. Same for oil and washing something clean also. ....

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