Any suggestions for a skid steer mounted rough cut mower?

rockyridgefarm · Jul 8, 2013

Hey all,

With 90 acres of woods chock full of invasives (honeysuckle, buckthorn, prickly ash, honey locust, multi-flora rose) on my farm, I've decided to buy a mower for my skid steer. It makes sense because my skid steer is on solid tires. Solid tires make for a much rougher ride, but I haven't had a flat in over two years.

Right now, I'm looking at a monster 72 inch 4 blade unit made by Skid Pro in Alexandria Minnesota. This monster weight 1500 lbs and has a supposed 6 inch cutting capacity. I don't NEED 6 inch capacity, but I'd rather buy too much than too little when it comes to capacity. The seller assures me I can run it on a Deere 317 with 2000 pounds lift, 57 HP, 17 GPM at 3450psi.

Anyone have something to say about skid pro, good or bad? How about any other make or model out there? This is a $6K purchase, so it's GOTTA be a good one that will last a long time...

Anonymous-0 · Jul 8, 2013

I didn't want to pay the $5K price, for a 4' unit, on my ASV RC-30.
I bought a $100 Howse, that the Deck was rotted out on. Cut the
gearbox out of it, made a box frame out of 1/8" steel, added a
Hydraulic Motor from surplus center, and my cost (not including a
couple days labor to weld it all together) was in the $1500 range.

Matt in TN · Jul 8, 2013

6 grand will buy a lot of goats...

rockyridgefarm · Jul 9, 2013

(quoted from post at 17:52:34 07/08/13) 6 grand will buy a lot of goats...

That is true, but it sure won't buy much of the fencing material needed to keep the critters in.

Anonymous-0 · Jul 9, 2013

I've got an NH LX 565. I bought an old 60" bushhog with a good, solid steel deck, stump jumper and heavy duty gearbox and went to work. Mower cost me $125 off Craigslist. Bought about $150 worth of steel plate and stout square tube, and a heavy-duty 3/8" steel skid steer quiktach mount for $300. Had an old 4.5 ci hydraulic motor laying around, and Surplus Supply provided the fittings, hose and cushion valve. All totaled I have about $1000 in it, not including a day or two of cutting and welding.

The thing's a beast. Having the mower in front of is great, and I've not really had any problem with rocks, branches and stuff being thrown into the cab. Cuts through 2-3" saplings like they weren't there. Waist tall grass no problem, though it will shake a little bit in real, real heavy stuff, but a little bracing with take care of that. Wish I had done it years ago.

If you don't weld, you could probably pay a guy for a day or two, and still be well ahead. Works every bit as good as the commercial units I've seen.

rockyridgefarm · Jul 9, 2013

I have seen the homemade versions of the skid steer mowers and agree that they can be built much cheaper than the purpose built ones. However, I don't agree that they're as strong as the model I'm considering.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWqWpT4BIdM&feature=player_embedded

Anonymous-0 · Jul 10, 2013

Depends how much steel you use to reinforce, and how thick the deck steel is to start. That one uses 2x2 steel tube, mine uses 2x3. Mine uses 2x3 side to side and front to back in a grid. That one uses bent sheetmetal front to back, and to bear lifting forces. I'd stack mine up against that one any day, and would also argue that the quicktach plate I used is much stronger. Not to say that one isn't stout, but $4K worth more stout? Not a chance.

And of course you can't see the size of the gearbox, motor or motor mount in that picture.

I designed mine with easily removable, extra heavy duty wheels up front to use to take the load off the machine boom and hydraulics when I'm reclaiming flat ground. Don't see that there, either.

Your money, spend it how you like.

bison · Jul 10, 2013

Check out a Davco 705,..takes 35 gal pump to run though,but jeez do they cut!

Any suggestions for a skid steer mounted rough cut mower?

rockyridgefarm

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Anonymous-0

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Matt in TN

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rockyridgefarm

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Anonymous-0

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rockyridgefarm

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Anonymous-0

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bison

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