TO-20 5 or 6ft Finishing mower

Would a TO-20 be allright with a 6 ft finishing mower or should I stick with a 5 ft?

[b:e2c1a25380]Billy. [/b:e2c1a25380]

One of the guys with finishing mower experience will be along shortly I'm sure, however I did a Google search and came up with what appears to be good guide lines.

Your TO20 develops 23.9 HP at max RPM, assuming all the horses are alive and well. At 3/4 throttle, required for 540 RPM PTO output, you probably have around 15 to 18 HP to play with.

[b:e2c1a25380]Daken[/b:e2c1a25380] have a chart:

48" Deck 12 - 20 HP Max 40 HP
60" Deck 15 - 25 HP Max 40 HP
72" Deck 20 - 30 HP Max 40 HP

[b:e2c1a25380]Agmax[/b:e2c1a25380] also quote for a 1500 mm (5') deck their mower requires 20 - 30 HP.

[b:e2c1a25380]Hanmey Implements[/b:e2c1a25380] quote their 3' and 4' mowers at 15 - 25 HP; 5' at 20 - 35 HP; and 6' at 30 - 45 HP.

The [b:e2c1a25380]BushHog Manual[/b:e2c1a25380] for their 5' finishing mower requires 20 - 35 HP and for their 6' mower 25 - 40 HP.

(Click on the links)

I suspect grass density and grass height will also be major factors?

It's your TO20 but there is no way I'd hook a 6 foot finishing mower to my TEA20 - and I have 25% more HP available than your TO20. Also, I suspect the cracking in Continental engines is a result of overheating and unless your cooling system is perfect, you risk engine damage.

I run a 4' slasher (bushhog) on my TEA20 and that is about the practical limit of these machines. However, I have no experience with finishing mowers on Ferguson tractors.

Bob in Oz

I use a 5' Caroni finishing mower on my TEA2085 and find if the grass is heavy I can only run in first gear. Lighter, shorter grass can be done in second gear. For long grass (ie 18") I generally use a chain to keep the mower wheels about 4-6" off the ground for the first cut and then recut normally.

Your To-20 has approximately 20 HP available at the pto at 1500 engine rpm. I use the rule of thumb of ~4-5 hp/ft of mower.
A 6 footer is definitely out of the question except for short grass.

In my opiniona 5 footer is marginally acceptable and will cut a wider swath in moderate grass. It will also allow you to cut a 4 ft swath if the conditions (taller grass) warrant it.

A 4 footer will easily do what you want it to. It will take longer unless the grass is really tall in which case you can match the 5 footer cutting a 4 ft swath.

My "rule of thumb" is that if whatever I want to hang on the back of the Fergy is wider than the tractor track width, I don't use it. That goes for the slasher/bushhog, grader blade, cultivator, plough etc.

Probably a silly rule but works for me.

(reply to post at 13:58:07 08/30/08)

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Thanks for the chart Bob I appreciate the imput. I have a lot across the road from my house that is too small to cut for hay and a bit too much to keep up with a lawn tractor.But mowing season is winding down and Ill Mull it over during the winter. Thanks again ..Billy P

I've been using a Woods RD7200 (6 footer)for four years now on my TO20. Works like a champ.

(reply to post at 11:58:21 08/3 1/08)

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Thanks Griz.Does your 20 have a Sherman hi-lo .Mine does not and the high first gear does worry me about performance.I was not going to let the grass get too high so to avoid putting a strain on the tractor.I just dont understand why they put such a high gear for 1st on this tractor. Thanks Again Billy P

[b:f28ecfccd7]Billy[/b:f28ecfccd7].

Your Ferguson tractor speeds [b:f28ecfccd7]at 1500 RPM[/b:f28ecfccd7] are as follows:

1st 2 1/2 MPH (Ratio 78.5:1)
2nd 3 1/2 MPH (Ratio 57.0:1)
3rd 4 3/4 MPH (Ratio 41.3:1)
4th 9 3/4 MPH (Ratio 19.8:1)
Rev 3 MPH (Ratio 68.1)

With a [b:f28ecfccd7]five foot mower[/b:f28ecfccd7] (bushhog or finishing mower), your productivity will be:

1st gear 66,000 sqr ft/hr
2nd gear 92,400 sqr ft/hr
3rd gear 125,400 sqr ft/hr

With a [b:f28ecfccd7]six foot mower[/b:f28ecfccd7] (bushhog or finishing mower), your productivity will be:

1st gear 79,200 sqr ft/hr
2nd gear 110,880 sqr ft/hr
3rd gear 150,480 sqr ft/hr

If you refer to the above, assuming you need to drop to 1st gear with a six foot mower, your productivity will be [b:f28ecfccd7]17% less[/b:f28ecfccd7] than your productivity in 2nd gear with a five foot mower.

A wider mower will not necessarily increase productivity, particularly if you need to use a lower gear.

Mind you, I've seen a Ferguson TEA20 happily pull a six foot, two gang, friction driven cylinder mower (12 foot swath width) in 2nd gear - but on a manicured golf course.

Bob in Oz
'53 TEA20

My TO 20 would be fine with a 6 foot as long as I mow lawn every week or 9 days. You don't have to take the who 6 ft. cut except to get started. I have a Woods.
Some mowers may require more power than others.

Thanks for the info. Billy P

I have just the 4 speed. I generally run in 3rd gear. If the grass gets much higher than 6 inches I have to drop back to 2nd. Temp stays around 180 and oil pressure never drops below 26 psi. It is a good strong engine and the mower is a rear discharge. I have electronic ignition and a hot coil. I bumped the timing up a couple degrees and opened the plugs to .040. It is a heck of a mowing machine.

A 5 footer would work just fine for the most art.
You will get your 540 pto rpm at about 1500 engine rpm. Do not ovr speed the engine. Also,make sure you are using an ORC.

steveormary

(quoted from post at 20:28:45 09/01/08) A 5 footer would work just fine for the most art.
You will get your 540 pto rpm at about 1500 engine rpm. Do not ovr speed the engine. Also,make sure you are using an ORC.

steveormary

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What is "ORC"? Is there a list of frequently used acronyms on this web-site?

Thanks,

Jay

Jay,
ORC is over running clutch, it allows the mower to spin dowwn without spinning the pto shaft. Without it when you push in the clutch the mower will turn the pto shaft and cause the tractor to keep moving in the direction you were going.
I run a 6' woods on my 30 and it has a tired weak engine. I'm sure a 20 would handle a 6' without too much trouble.
my 2 cents,
John (Ohio)