Light tractor users, a question about mowers

[Hutch]

I am considering a small diesel tractor to maintain my very small acreage.  My wife does the mowing, and we have more "rough mowing" than finished lawn.  That being said, there's almost an acre of lawn.

If you were going to buy a finish mower for the tractor, would you get a belly mower, or one that goes on the 3-pt hitch?  I know I will have to get a brush mower, likely a 4-ft model.  We have a
Craftsman that was pressed into service, but the deck just won't take the rough use.  In addition, the job it did with the belly mower just didn't look even.

Thoughts/experiences?

[schutzen]

I use a rear mount finish mower to mow my yard.  I mow 5+ acres around two houses, a shop, a barn, a range, and a 1000' long lane.  I found the 4 wheeled finish mower delivers a smother, more even cut over rougher terrain.  I use a Woods brand, but my brother-in-laws use Land Pride and BEFCO machines. All are good machines and will stand up to 10 or more years’ service with little but normal servicing and blade changes.  I chose the Woods because there are more Woods dealers in are area.  The only caution I have is to make sure your mower is properly sized for your tractor.  I know one individual who destroyed his transmission but pulling too large a mower with a small tractor (used a 32 hp to pull a mower requiring 45 hp). 

[Hutch]

The likely horsepower is ~20, so I think a 4-foot mower (or bush hog) should be doable.  Why did you choose a hitch-mount vs. belly mower?

Thanks

[Regolith]

I don't have any experience with belly mowers, but it seems to me that they are going to be easier to maneuver, but are probably much harder to get on and off when you want to use the tractor for some other chore that needs it out of the way, or for maintenance.

A mower on a 3pt hitch also lets you get the mower into tighter places via backing up, such as under trees or in corners, where it might be more difficult to get a belly mower.

[Boomhauer]

Rear mount (3pt hitch) finish mower is the way to go.

easy to remove, easy to service, and still very easy to manuver and will get to fairly tight spots.

And I'd bump the tractor up to around the 30 HP range...

[Hutch]

My wife is fine with a riding lawnmower on steroids.  Above ~20hp, the form factor gets to be too onerous.  Right now, the Kubota BX2200 is the leading candidate.  4x4, PS, and hydrostatic transmission.

[Boomhauer]

My wife is fine with a riding lawnmower on steroids.  Above ~20hp, the form factor gets to be too onerous.  Right now, the Kubota BX2200 is the leading candidate.  4x4, PS, and hydrostatic transmission.

You may want to take a look at the Mahindras, Bobcats, Kiotis.

The reason I say you might want to bump it up to 30hp is I run a Kubota B21 at work...and I'm sorry to say it just does not have enough power for some jobs. My JD 955 at 33hp is only a touch larger yet does not seem to lack power for just about any job.

[Jim147]

I have an old rotary mower that pins to the draw bar. If I sharpen it up and drop it low it does a good job at finishing.

I'd like to get a small 3 point brush hog so I can lift it up when I get in a tight spot and not have to back that big thing out of a hole.

jim

[never_retreat]

You may want to take a look at the Mahindras, Bobcats, Kiotis.

What is a Kiotis? Another indian tractor?

[Boomhauer]

What is a Kiotis? Another indian tractor?

Kioti is South Korean.

[RoadKingLarry]

What is a Kiotis? Another indian tractor?

Kioti is S. Korean made, Dae Dong is the parent company. Bobcat tractors are also made by Kioti/Dae Dong.
I have a Kioti CK20s gear drive model and I'm very happy with it.
It has a foot print that is just about the same as the Kubota B series but maybe a bit smaller.




I looked at the Kubota BX2200 and 2600 and while they are good machines I just had the impression of them being slightly over built/over sized lawn mowers.
If I had gone with Kubota I'd have gone with the next size up B series.

Check out several brands and dealers. with a tractor the dealers support can be more important than the brand.

[Boomhauer]

tractor the dealers support can be more important than the brand.

So long as you don't buy a Chicomm tractor or something like one of the Russian tractors...

Stuff like the Indian made tractors (Mahindra), the S. Korean tractors (as discussed above) and the Japanese made machines is good, and of course stuff like Kubota, Deere, New Holland...

Like RKL said, check out the dealers in your area and check out parts availability.

[slugcatcher]

I'm not a fan of belly mowers.  They're a pain when they have problems.  They also won't clear heavy brush.  A 3pt gives you the versatility to do more than just mow with your tractor.  I agree with the others when it comes to HP. 30hp at the pto is about the minimum for a small tractor imo.  You can still get a relatively small tractor with that along with much more durability. 

[JonnyB]

I, too, would go with a three-point mower.

I use a Woods rotary for rough mowing and have a smaller "yard tractor" (big riding mower) with a 50" deck for clean cutting. My tractor is a 43hp Deere 4600, so can drive a 6-foot rotary cutter.

Off topic, a bit...

One thing we found when shopping for smaller (28-30hp) tractors was that the Case brand tractor weight nearly 50 percent more than a Kubota of similar power. The case was 1200 pounds vs. 800-something for the Kubota. I *like* weight in a tractor, as it means traction and lifting capability.

My 4600 has fluid in the rear tires, front-wheel assist and a front-end loader. Without the loader, the front gets light when the mower is off the ground. Steerable but light. With fuel, etc, the 4600 and loader are in the 5,000+ pound range; about right for a small acreage. I mount a 7-foot, two-stage snow blower on the three-point hitch in the winter.

jb

[Kingcreek]

another vote for 3pt over belly mower. I'm only familiar with Kubota and if you are going to do anything more than mowing you'll want to look at the B series. The BX is fine for smaller stuff but if you want to add a FE loader, they are too small to be of much utility. If you plan to use a rototiller or heavier rough cut deck, etc you'll probably want hp in the 26+ range.
I use a Grand L series 4wd with FEL sometimes use a 72" rough cut deck but its bigger and heavier than you would need for 1 acre.

[Jim147]

Did you make a choice?

After today I sure want a bigger tractor. Bouncing around on a 15 acre field on the old TO-30 told me I'd like closer to 50 horse.

jim

[charby]

I mow about 5 acres of rough grass at my gunb club with a 1010 JD, which is supposedly 30hp at the PTO. I use a 5' brush hog and the tractor is underpowered for the brush hog. If I get into grass over 8" tall it bogs down somehting fierce.  I'd be much happier with a tractor over 40hp.

[zxcvbob]

I mow about 5 acres of rough grass at my gunb club with a 1010 JD, which is supposedly 30hp at the PTO. I use a 5' brush hog and the tractor is underpowered for the brush hog. If I get into grass over 8" tall it bogs down somehting fierce.  I'd be much happier with a tractor over 40hp.

Just run it in a lower gear and rev it a little higher.  (you should be able to pull that with a 22HP easy)

[Jim147]

I don't know about charby, but I'm first gear and up against the gov. I still bog down.

I'm going to pull the head off as soon as I get done with this field. I'm not sure if hardened exhaust seats were put in during the last overhaul. I may be losing some compression due to leaking valves.

jim

[charby]

Just run it in a lower gear and rev it a little higher.  (you should be able to pull that with a 22HP easy)

I have the throttle to the gov also, still bogs down, even in 1st gear.

[Tallpine]

PTO mowers take a lot of power.

We have a neighbor that I used to do a lot of work for including running her little tractor and 3pt mower.  It would get so hot that you would have to mow a while and then stop and let it fast idle a while to cool down. 

[Kingcreek]

Are we mixing talk of gas HP and Diesel HP here?
I'm running 26 HP at the PTO and a 72" deck with no problem and I use a 60" rototiller with no problem. My 30 horse diesel Kubota outworks my JD 53 HP gas tractor by quite a margin.
when mowing, I engage the PTO at idle on clear level ground and increase rpms to 540 at the PTO which is about 2900 engine, then engage forward drive at the shuttle, I adjust forward speed with the glide shift tranny to the max I can run without losing rpms below 2800 engine. I mow CRP firebreaks and pasture grass and try not to let it get taller than 12-16" and often whack sapplings up to about 1.5".
A diesel tractor running 25 or more horses should handle any 60" rough cut deck. You want a deck a little wider than your wheeltrack.
If you aren't planning anything other than mowing 1 acre, you might spend the money renting a tractor with box blade and/or disc harrow and get that acre smoother and in better shape and just mow it with a suitable riding mower. If you are gardening, clearing snow, or doing dirt work you need more iron. 

[Tallpine]

Are we mixing talk of gas HP and Diesel HP here?

The little Satoh that I was referring to is a 2cyl diesel. 

My next door neighbor has a Kubota that he does a lot of mowing with.  IIRC it is a 32 hp. 

I do think that a regular riding mower is probably better for mowing a somewhat domesticated lawn.  Not that much more than the price of a PTO deck.

My neighbor with the Satoh bought a self-powered deck to tow behind her 4-wheeler.  I haven't heard yet how well it is working for her.

[Jim147]

My old Harry Ferguson is a gas Z129 motor. Over 60 years old. I am pushing it a bit. I'm mowing DCP land that hasn't been maintained in 3-5 years. Plenty of small trees and some grass and weeds over my head when I'm sitting on the tractor.

jim

[charby]

The old JD 1010 is a 4 cyl gas engine.