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anouther rotary cutter question

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brokenarrow
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 1288 Wisconsin
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2004-02-22          77619

I just read thru almost all the posts on rotary cutters, that being said I will ask anyway.
I have field work for the brush cutter some woods work with it also maintaining trails and cutting down the small new growth up to 2".
I will have a tc40hp I believe it is 35 on the pto.
My dealer has recomended a woods mower for $1,195. Of course saying to stay away from KK< LOL>he dont sell them.

Now, putting all bias aside because it seems like which ever cutter a guy has is the one he recomends which would you buy if you did not own one yet?

I am looking into a 6 foot but have been told by our (training center) guys who train customers how to use our machinery (Large new holland/case tractors) IHave been told I really should have a 45hp for that 6 foot, said that tall grasses will bog it down. Since size really doesnt matter when we are talking 5 foot or 6 (one foot difference big deal, so every 5 passes I would need to make one more) Should I just stay with a 5 footer or go on up to that 6 foot? Our training guys may not be right? what is your experiances, remember I will have the tc 40?

Your thoughts on the "woods" rotary cutters?
Thank you


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Art White
Join Date: Jan 2000
Posts: 6898 Waterville New York
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2004-02-22          77623

Woods has always built a good cutter and to go to the six foot you would need a lot of front ballast! ....

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DRankin
Join Date: Jan 2000
Posts: 5116 Northern Nevada
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2004-02-22          77628

I agree with Art. You probably have a 6 foot wheel base on your tractor.

A six foot cutter is not just six feet wide but six feet long as well. And it hangs 7 or 8 feet behind the balance line on your rear axle.

Too much, I think. ....

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mscott6799
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 57 WV
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2004-02-22          77634

I'd go with a 5'KK.......comes in Blue and will take all you can give it with a 40 hp tractor. ....

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harvey
Join Date: Sep 2000
Posts: 1550 Moravia, NY
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2004-02-23          77719

BA I do not remember if you were getting a loader or not. I never use my brush cutter with out the loader on. So doing that would take care of your ballast issue.

In heavy field mowing like first cutting in mid to late July any thing is going to bog down or if you have hp enough to run it you'll start breaking things. You'd have to take it real slow.

So will 1-2 gears lower make up for extra 1'of cut. Or cut in a higher gear and only cut 4'-5' with a 6' cutter and have the width for your trails.

Happiness is trimming a nice bush... ....

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Jim on Timberridge
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 172 La Crosse WI
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2004-02-23          77741

Go with a 5' cutter for your sized CUT, particularly if you go with a "medium-duty" unit, that can weigh 600+#
Make your decision on several factors:
- Are you mowing on flat, or hills (forget the 6' on hills)
- What gauge sheet metal is used?
- How heavy is the unit?
- Does it have a stump jumper blade?
- Good guards?
- Good rear wheel, solid or composite?
- Slip clutch or shear bolt?
- Strong edge around housing, to prevent damage (you will back into stumps or trees, guaranteed !)
Summary - you generally get what you pay for.
jim ....

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horse_guy
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 5 SW Wisconsin
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2004-02-26          78044

I have a 5ft Woods Dixie Cutter, an industrial mower (yellow) that I bought used. I have used it on my Ford 2000 (38hp) my Ford 1320 (23hp) and I now have a New Holland TC29 which I havent had it on yet. It is a very tough mower with a clutch instead of shear pins. I mowed alot of prickly ash and crab apple trees up to 2in diameter with both the Fords with no problem. It did make the 2000 Ford light in the front because it didn't have a loader. No Problem on the Ford 1320 with loader. The wood cost 700.00 used but has a much bigger gear box than the Howse or King Kutter mowers. I have leveled hundreds of ant mounds, berry briars, prickly ash, russian olive and honeysuckle, it takes the abuse and has never give me a problem. I use it on steep hillsides too, don't have much flat pasture. It should work really good with the TC29 which is gear drive and has alot more power than the Ford 1320. If you are going to use it hard then go with the woods or a Rhino, you won't be sorry. Just my opinion. ....

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BillBass
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 190 North Texas
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2004-02-27          78068

I run a 6' Howse on my JD 950 at 27 PTO hp. I do mostly pasture and ditch mowing. But occasionally do some pretty rough brush cutting near my creek. My 27 PTO hp runs the 6 footer with very little problem. The most difficult is if I let my coastal burmuda get too high. Then I will have to slow down a little or take a smaller cut each pass. But if I mow normally, I can run about as fast as I want. To get a clean cut, you are going to overlap nearly a foot. So a 6' will give about a 5' net cut, a 5' about a 4' cut, etc. ....

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Landguy
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 1 Central Kentucky
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2004-02-27          78069

I have 2 bush hogs, a 5 foot Woods Dixie Cutter like Horse Guy that I have used for 15 years & run over everything you can think of & it still mows like it was new. I gave $750 for it new. This past summer I bought a used King Cutter from a neighbor for $200 and it works just as good. I can recomend either one. Go for the cheapest one. ....

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brokenarrow
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 1288 Wisconsin
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2004-02-27          78121

Thanks for all the fine answers. After going thru my finances (after buying the tc 40) I think I better watch my play money a bit. I went over buget on the tractor to make sure I had it set up exactly right. The 8N I was planning on selling to cover the other expenses, (well lets just say I decided to fix her up and keep it also) LOL
Just cant seem to part with it! I think I will be buying mostly KK, I will be buying "heavy duty" on all impliments that they offer. Hopefully I will have mostly good experiances with KK, I have examined a few of their items and they seem to look decent and the weight is definately there. Thanks again for everything. ....

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brokenarrow
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 1288 Wisconsin
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2004-03-06          79063

I have no idea when I became a (non impulsive buyer) but as you will see with my posts I seem to lose sleep all the time now a days. Here goes anouther question (same question just narrowed down)
King Kutter (lightest duty) 5 footer no slip clutch, 40hp gear box, around 500 bucks.
King Kutter heavy duty slip clutch stump jumper (really a heavy built imp.) Looks like it will last a long time!!
65hp gear box $1,120.
Woods, (their light duty rig) stump jumper, slip clutch,
dont look much heavier built than the light duty KK but the woods comes with a 3 yr warrentee on the gear box. The woods name on it and it sells for $895 my price.

So it comes down to these 3 brush cutters, Like I said before, I dont plan to do much new trail cutting at all maybe a few re-do's of trails but mostly field mowing probably (tall stuff) too. After the first few months I wont be going into uncharted territory so rocks and stumps will only come into play once in awhile. Do I pay a bit more for the WOODS? you get the great name (quality impliment) and a 3 year warrenty, or do I go all out and get the KK heavy duty ,
or save some bucks buy the light duty KK and spend the other 3-5 hundred on anouther badly needed impliment and if I plan to do any rough brushing rent one (my buddy told me he gets em for 25 bucks a day, (I could use his card anytime) cause of the skid loader he bought from a dealer 3 miles up the road from me).

How important is the slip clutch??? An the stump jumper??? ....

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hardwood
Join Date: Dec 2002
Posts: 3583 iowa
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2004-03-06          79067

Brokenarrow, I've been pulling an MX5 Deere with my 4310. In real tall dense (tall as the rear wheels) type stuff I cut it fairly high then wait a day for the cut grass or weeds to dry then go over it again at regular heigth. Trying to cut it short on the first pass produces too much clippings to get out of the deck and does tax the tractor for power, so 40 hp with a 6 ft. probably would put you in the same situation. I'm not familiar with king Cutter so I can't comment, but I know that Woods has built excellent products for years. I've never had the loader off the 4310 ao I don't know if front weights would be needed, Frank. ....

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brokenarrow
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 1288 Wisconsin
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2004-03-06          79071

So you think the woods (basically light duty up to 1 inch) would be my best choice for $900 ?.
How important is the slip clutch vs shear pin?
Also, can anyone explain how a stump jumper works, or what it is???
Thanks again ....

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hardwood
Join Date: Dec 2002
Posts: 3583 iowa
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2004-03-07          79092

Brokenarrow, I can't say anything bad about a King Kutter because I've never saw one, while Woods products I've owned and used in the past and my experience has allways been good. The heavy duty King Kutter might be just a bit too heavy and bulky for your tractor, it's amazing how much more awkward a 6 footer is to turn around in tight spots than a five fotter especially if your tractor gets light on the front end. There is nothing wrong with a shear bolt other than you have to stop and replace a cut one, if you know you'll not be doing much work in uncharted territory the shear bolt will serve you fine. My MX5 has a slip clutch, but they do need to be serviced, because over time the clutch plates will stick together and it won't slip. As for stump jumpers the older machines just had the blade attached to the gearbox shaft like a lawnmower,where now most all have a saucer shaped disc 18 to 24 in in diamater fastened to the shaft with the blades attached to the edge of it to protect your gearbos shaft from stumps, rocks, etc. Lots of surprise objects you never dreamed were there can come rocketing out from under a rotary cutter so also check out the shielding attachments offered for the machine. The MX5 uses a curtain of chains to slow things down a bit as they come out from under the machine. I've saw rubber flaps or chains on different brands, I don't really know which is best, but saftey is important too, so be sure to check that out. Hope this helps, Frank. ....

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plots1
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 563 mo
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2004-03-07          79145

KK,I run a 5 footer behind my 790 ,and have run through my over grown field (6 foot tall weeds)and through a two acre sapling patch with no trouble. thing is tuff, then buy the other impliment you wanted, Others here on the board use them and all seem real happy........ REAL TUFF FOR THE BUCK. ....

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StephenR
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 230 New Tripoli, Pa.
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2004-03-07          79186

Horse Guy,
I have a similar situation. I have a TC33 and steep hills. I too am contemplating getting a 6' over a 5' mower. How steep are your hills? I have +/- 45 degree hills that I'm wondering how to approach. Any advice? ....

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brokenarrow
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 1288 Wisconsin
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2004-03-07          79187

STEPHAN
I am gettin a tc40 and have been told by many (even the training center guys at CNH) that even with the 40 it would be pushing it with a 72" Add hills like your talkin about and the less hp and your more than likely over doing it with the 33hp. No practical experiance here though just an opinion. ....

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brokenarrow
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 1288 Wisconsin
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2004-03-07          79188

Plots1
Is the KK you have a standard duty? I see they have different gear boxes on the 66" and 60" offered. would you know off hand which gear box you have?Thanks
If the darn snow would ever melt. I would stop asking all these questions and go buy the darn impliments.
The (HOHH) AKA CEO of house hold operations is eating up my impliment overtime money that is being aside each week.
Not spending it on unnecesary items but she is constinatly telling me she needs anouther hundred, today it was for the kids lunch accounts $150 to finish off the school year!
I am starting to wonder where she got the money for these things all year long, untill now (that I am saving for the impliments) she has done just fine without too much help. Guess the kids are going to have to cut back on food so I can buy my toys!!! I bet that one gets ousted from the board meeting if I suggest that!!! LOL ....

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hared1112
Join Date: Nov 2003
Posts: 25 Marshall, Mo.
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2004-03-18          80288

"How important is the slip clutch vs shear pin?"
Slip clutch will save you from replacing shear pins if you are in rough ground and hit rocks, stumps, or overtax the cutter. Get it if you can afford it, but you must keep it adjusted correctly so it can slip if needed.

"Also, can anyone explain how a stump jumper works, or what it is???" Picture a stump jumper as a bowl shaped object that sits under the cutter where the blades attach to the gearbox. Due to its shape, if you hit a stump, it will ride up over the stump rather than catching on it and breaking the gearbox.
....

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plots1
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 563 mo
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2004-03-18          80326

brokenarrow , It is just a standard duty. ....

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Jim on Timberridge
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 172 La Crosse WI
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2004-03-19          80434

How do you adjust a slip clutch ? (2 posts mention this). My JD516 manual has no mention of this.
jim ....

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brokenarrow
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 1288 Wisconsin
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2004-03-21          80568

Well I ordered the Woods 5 footer for $895. It goes against all my past history (consider I am a Walmart shopper) LOL. My daughter wont spend more than $14 on a pair of jeans, seems I rubbed off abit on her too!
Anyway; The a few of the deciding factors were: I live 300 miles from the farm/hunting ranch, I want to use the brush hog when the dealer shows up with my tractor. He is giving me training on it when he gets their so I dont make some common mistakes right off the bat. We still have snow and it looks like I wont get to my place before the weekend that it is delivered, I am on 60 hours a week right now and for me to take a Sat. off it would cost me 300 bucks in wages plus $60 in gas.
I would think there is some assembly required (with the KK) that takes time along with driving the 55 miles one way to pick it up. I am paying no tax thru the dealer. The woods standard duty has a 50hp gear box instead of the 40 on the KK. Anyway that is a few reasons for spending the extra 400 bucks. Does that sound stupid? You all gave me great advice and I did listen to each of you and consider all the outcomes. Thanks
The woods comes with 2 rubber gaurdings front and back. I have heard that these may clump up the cuttings vs the chain guards, is this a problem? Also I had read that the Woods had a very bad reputation recently for the paint blowing off this unit, has anyone experianced this or would you know if they fixed their problem yet?
Thanks
Tom ....

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Billy
Join Date: Oct 1999
Posts: 975 Southeast Oklahoma
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2004-03-21          80570

Jim

If you have the same slip clutch as I have on my 616, there ain't no adjustment. ....

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Jim on Timberridge
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 172 La Crosse WI
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2004-03-21          80640

Billy: thanks for the response. Happy spring; now we only have 2 more months before Wisc is dried out and warm enough to get to work.
jim ....

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brokenarrow
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 1288 Wisconsin
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2004-03-21          80647

Jim
And 2 more months before we may need hook up the snowthrowers. ....

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