3 point mounted disc mowers -HP requirements

SHALER

Member
Doing some research on these mowers, specifically the 6, 7, and 8 rotor or disc models. First off, they all look almost identical as if they are all built at the same factory and just received a different paint job as a final step. That brings up my question, looking and various spec sheets, there seems to be a decent variance in stated required HP. Taking a 6 disc model for example, Kuhn says 45, New Holland also says 45 but their mower is a foot shorter than the other models here. New Idea says 40, Vermeers 6040 says 60, and they spec drawbar HP for some reason? odd. For those of you that use 6 or 7 or 8 rotor models, what HP would you recommend for rolling terrain? I would think also about the affects of the crop being harvested- if you are chugging through wet first cut hay you will probably need more HP than the book states.
I also see many questions here on HP requirements for smaller round balers. For example , maybe a Vermeer 504 requires only 50 HP. So some guy with a Kioti compact close to 50 HP thinks he can use it, but out in the field its like the tail wagging the dog once there is a full bale in the chamber. Does the same apply here when you have a small tractor that can meet the HP requirements but could be dangerous to hitch to disc mower?
I guess what I may be looking for here is something like- ?I have an 8 disc Kuhn that I use with my Oliver 1650 diesel and its Ok? or ?my Ford 5000 gets a good workout with my 7 rotor Vermeer and I would not feel comfortable using anything smaller on it? etc.
 

Gear bed disc cutters such as Kuhn,JD & early model NH require a little more HP per ft of cut than shaft drive such as Lely,Vermeer & later model NH disc cutters. I've pulled a Vermeer 9'2'' cut Vermeer with a 45 pto HP tractor. I think the reason manufactures advertise higher HP required is for more stability because implement is attached to 3 pt hitch.
 
Agreed, weight and stability are a bigger factor than horsepower. If you try running around
on hilly terrain in transport position you will very quickly understand that! I have moved a
couple around that scared me on level ground.
 
I have run an 8 foot Vicon CM 240 disc mower and later an 8 foot Lely Optimo 240C mower conditioner behind a Massey 168 ( 66 engine hp, 59 PTO hp ) and it handled either without a murmur. However I am talking about working on level ground and I notice the newer the mower the more metal they seem to put into them.
 

You need a tractor with WEIGHT to handle one safely, not only in the field, but on the road.

As far as HP required. I run a NH that requires 40 PTO HP with a 42 PTO HP tractor. The tractor plays with the mower, but makes it work. Only hay that I had to slow down for powerwise was 4 foot tall with clover underneath....

I run a 5 disk gear drive, but some of the shaft drive 6 disk models called for same HP.
 
I have an 8 ft, 6 disc mower and my 55 hp. John Deere 2510, will mow with it, but not real fast. You need front end weight for a disc mower.
I much prefer the 4020.
 
My Ford 5200 (tall 5000 with the 60hp engine) works real well with the 7 disc NH mower I got last fall. In heavy wet grass hay, I mean stuff the sickle would not have gotten through at all, I noticed the engine pulled down a bit in 6th gear (out of 8).

This is the havier tall row crop version of the 5000, and I have 3 front weights on it. And I wouldn't want any less, the front is almost light as it is. It would be squirrelly without the weights up front.

The tall version of the tractor will be interesting on road ditches. There is a -lot- of weight hanging off to the side and rear of the tractor. I wouldn't mind a lower tractor to put it on, I sure wouldn't want a lighter tractor.

There are three disc designs, one all the discs are spun by gears inside the same big oil bath, these can be a bit tougher to fix when things go to heck, and if you now ditches with the blade angled up for a long time all the oil runs to the bottom, the top may get kinda dry.

The other design is shafts running individual oil bath compartments per disc. I've heard these are slightly better - maybe.

I believe a few of the big names switched manufacturers a few years ago and so don't assume the same big name has always used the same design?

The third design I'm not familiar with which it is, but they have 3 blades per disc. A little different.

Paul
 

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