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Belly Mower vs Rear Finishing Mower

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Michael Troth
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2000-04-02          14386

Any thoughts on the +/- of a rear finishing mower vs. a belly mower. I've always used a belly mower but was wondering if a rear finishing mower is a viable (and less expensive) alternative if I were to get a new tractor. Does a rear mower work well on hilly terrain? Does the weight and size of the back tractor tires leave larger compression lines in the grass - since they're passing before the mower?Thank you for the insight...

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Belly Mower vs Rear Finishing Mower

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Jim Youtz
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2000-04-02          14387

As long as you get a finishing mower and not a rotary cutter, I think that the rear mower does just as good a job. What is best for you depends upon how you use it and what your conditions are. I think that the rear unit is a great way to go if your property is wide open and you don't have too many obstacles. It can even be better for some things like backing up to mow ditch banks ect... where you can't drive with a belly mower. The rear unit is also far easier to attach and remove. That said - the rear unit can be a pain in the neck (literally) if your place is not open. All that looking back is tiring. And manuvering in close spots is not easy with the rear unit. My couple cents ....

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Belly Mower vs Rear Finishing Mower

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lsheaffer
Join Date: Jun 1999
Posts: 1082 Northern Illinois
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2000-04-03          14392

Finish mower is cheaper, easier to attach, less to go wrong, & not as good around trees,etc. ....

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Belly Mower vs Rear Finishing Mower

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Jack in IL
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2000-04-03          14394

Some mid-mount mowers are difficult to attach and others (e.g. most JD) are very easy requiring no tools, jacks, etc. and requires only 4-5 minutes to get on or off. When working on hills, the midmount has the advantage of providing additional weight that lowers the center of gravity of the tractor plus mower. JD midmounts are supposed to be carried by the tractor with the rollers and gauge wheels just barely contacting the ground except when passing over ridges or bumps. Some other midmounts depend on gauge wheels to determine cutting height so the lowering of the CG does not occur. It is much easier to mow around trees or buildings with a midmount. ....

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Belly Mower vs Rear Finishing Mower

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Doug Huebner
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2000-04-03          14401

The fun part of the rear mount is on turns. The mower swings wider than the tractor and small trees and other plants begin to vanish. I just tell my wife that I do not know what happened to them. ....

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Belly Mower vs Rear Finishing Mower

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JimBinMI
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2000-04-03          14403

I purchased a NH TC18 last June and bought a Woods RD6000, 60" 3 pt. finishing mower with it. I had previously mowed with a 16 hp garden tractor with a 48" belly mower. I wasn't sure about it at first but liked the idea of easy off and on to use other implements. My dealer also helped by offering full refund for exchange for a belly mower if I didn't like it. I only used it about 4-5 times last year but I really like it, took some getting used to but it does a great job. Haven't wiped out any small trees or hit any buildings with it...yet! In addition, price was about $400 less than the belly mower. Good Luck, JimBinMI ....

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Belly Mower vs Rear Finishing Mower

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JimBinMI
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2000-04-03          14404

I purchased a NH TC18 last June and bought a Woods RD6000, 60" 3 pt. finishing mower with it. I had previously mowed with a 16 hp garden tractor with a 48" belly mower. I wasn't sure about it at first but liked the idea of easy off and on to use other implements. My dealer also helped by offering full refund for exchange for a belly mower if I didn't like it. I only used it about 4-5 times last year but I really like it, took some getting used to but it does a great job. Haven't wiped out any small trees or hit any buildings with it...yet! In addition, price was about $400 less than the belly mower. Good Luck, JimBinMI ....

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Belly Mower vs Rear Finishing Mower

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Donald
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 0 pendleton,sc
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2000-04-03          14418

A belly mower on a compact tractor is like a dream come true when mowing! You don't need to worry about anything but where the tractor is, and just mow, mow, mow. But... if you buy your tractor for other uses the belly mower may be in your way. I bought a TC29D with the 914A 60" Mid-Mount mower and it mowed like a dream, but I had no clearence at all, it used my 3pt. hitch to raise & lower, blocked the underside of my tractor from view/maintenance and was just in the way. My tractor gets used about 30% for finish mowing and 70% loader work, bushhoging, scraping, pulling and other uses. After about 10 days I returned the mid-mount mower and for the same cost bought a Land Pride FDR1560 60" rear mount finish mower AND a Woods Forklift for my Front End Loader. The FDR1560 is also rear discharge, which I like alot (hated throwing grass clippings in the flowers and drive way). It mowes just as well, easy to remove, easyer to find a place to park it when removed and it also seems to help balance my loader better when moving dirt. Doug's reply about the trees was great! you do have to watch what your doing more, but it's the same with a bush hog, plus my Boomer seat turns 20 deg. left or right, helps with looking back. Didn't mean to write a book, Good luck.
Donald ....

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DC Smith
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2000-04-03          14420

I once owned a Mitsubishi 16hp 4wd with a belly mower. I used it to mow between the rows of my tree farm. Some spots in the field would become soggy and that thing would sink and get hung up on the mower. It usually took considerable time to get out. (that was a wet year) I am a proponent of rear mowers. DC Smith ....

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Paul Johnson
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2000-04-04          14425

Get the rear finish mower, I have had both and life is alot easier with the rear mount. Also get the rear discharge, that way you will not get the wind rows to clean up if the grass gets alittle long after a couple weeks of rain. ....

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Michael Troth
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2000-04-08          14578

Thank you for the wonderful insight. Based on your comments, I will seriously consider a rear mount when I get my next tractor. I do use my tractor (JD 855)for dirt work (bucket, scraper, etc) so being able to connect/disconnect from the mower would be very nice in the summer.

I just wasn't sure about how well a rear mount mowed versus a belly. Based on your comments, it sounds like it will do a great job. Thanks again. ....

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turfman
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 97 midwest
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2000-04-10          14631

I have had a 755 and a 955. Both with belly mowers and loaders. I must say that is a lot easier mowing and not a lot harder to hook up a belly mower to the x55 series. Once I got used to it could do it in under 5 min easily. Last year i rained a lot in the spring and since I have +-9 acres of lawn to mow I ws constantly putting it on and taking it off. No big deal, sometimes twice a week. Needed to do some grading too. hope you like what you get, maybe your dealer will be as accomodating as the guys above. my 2 cents. ....

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