Implement question...

I have an 801 Ford Powermaster. I have to replace my rotary cutter (the gear box fell through the deck!). I want to make sure I get the correct model for my tractor. The current one is a King Kutter, 6', but I do not know the HP of the gear box. I have a call in to Omni Gear, hopefully they can tell me the HP. I noticed that sites refer to "cat 1" "cat 2".... etc. What Cat should I be looking at for my tractor?

"Category" refers to 3 point 'size'.Your Ford is category 1 tractor.Meaning 7/8 pull/lift pins,3/4 top link pins,26" or 28" between.Look to the left side of page.'click' on 3 point specs.Your questions will be answered.....

Thanks! I wasn't sure of the HP of my tractor either, I just know it is an 801 diesel.

Around 40 hp.Look on TractorData.com(I got them on 'speed dial' lol) find your tractor. alot of interesting info.

I would expect the smaller rotary cutters have a 50hp gearbox, bigger ones will have maybe 70hp.

The gearbox should be bigger than your tractor, so the tractor stalls out dead before something breaks - like the gearbox....

Slip clutches help and all, but....

Your old mower, can a welding shop replace the deck for you, if all the other parts are good, can just stitch weld in a plate of new metal, cheaper than buying a new bush hog. But maybe something tore up badly when it fell apart.

Paul

You have a cat 1 hitch with the smaller balls and they are not replaceable with the larger cat 2 balls as the newer 4000 tractors that replaced yours were able to have done. Then there is a width difference as well as cat 2 is wider. So you cannot just take a cat 2 implement and switch pins for cat 1

If you are shopping for a new bush hog, they come in 3 toughness ratings perhaps kind of.

Economy is made of thinner steel, lighter gearbox, just generally cheaper. A homeowner tool, they bog down in heavy grass, and giving them more power will cause things to break sooner rather than later. Might be a good value and good machine for many of us, but just know they are generally a lighter machine.

Mid range has thicker steel on the deck, a stronger gearbox, will hold up longer to rougher conditions, weigh more and cost more of course. Probably a long lasting, proper machine if you get into saplings and heavier grass now and then, want it to last the rest of your life.

Then the tough, extreme mowers, they are made stout and will last a long time. They can be quite heavy and might have to make sure your tractor can lift them! Premium gearbox and good bracing and all throughout. These will cut grass over the top of your tractor all day long, and laugh at good sized saplings and bounce over concrete blocks with little damage.

An 800 series Ford probably doesn't need the heaviest duty. A 6 foot is pretty big in heavy thick grass, a 5 foot is a little small if you are trying to do some pasture clean up mowing in a hurry, you probably want to look at a mid-duty 6 foot mower and adjust quality and size from there depending on what you are doing?

Your ~40hp tractor will do fine with any mower with a gearbox rated 50hp or bigger. If you find an extra heavy duty 6 foot mower with a 75hp gearbox, your tractor will run the mower just as well as it runs a lightweight cheaper 50hp gearbox mower. The hp rating of the gearbox is more about how tough built the mower is, not a rating of how much hp is needed....

Paul

Thanks everyone for all the information. Omni Gear called me back and the current bush hog has a 40 HP gear box. I mow 7 acres of clean pasture, so I'm going to stick with what I can afford and purchase the same type. What I am going to do when I get my new one is treat it like my 11 year old John Deere lawn tractor....keep it under cover and blow it off after I mow! That should make it last a lot longer. I might throw the old gear box on e-bay to try and make up some of my cost as long as it looks okay when we remove it. Thanks again everyone for your input!!!!