Disc mower conditioner

Mixman · Mar 24, 2017

I am looking to by a disc mower conditioner and I need some advise. I don't do a lot about a total of 50-60 acres a year. I have heard some horror stories about this or that model with problems that cost the price of the mower to repair. I was hoping someone could steer me at a reasonable priced model that is somewhat durable

Hayfarmer · Mar 24, 2017

may depend upon the brand. Jd had 2 different conditioiners available. The roll kind and also one with chains that spun around. The chain type took less hp but I don't know that it did as good a job. I am not sure on other brands. The disc mower itself takes more hp to operate than the sickle but if you have good flat fields I think they cut better especially if your hay is down. Disc mowers do not like rocks. Most guys in my area use disc swathers, but they run over the fields with a heavy packer in the spring to push rocks down

donjr · Mar 24, 2017

Most of them are as durable as their owners make them. I had a JD 1460 for 22 years, and had only one problem the entire time. I have had a 630 for three years, and love it. Used machines- find the previous owner and ask them if you can or buy one at a farm sale where you can talk to the owner. Some machines may have had a pretty hard life, but most are bullet proof if treated right.

tomstractorsandtoys · Mar 24, 2017

John Deere 920 or 930 or newer. In New Holland the 1411 or newer. Do not buy a NH 411 as that was not a NH cuterbar and way overpriced. New Idea 5209's are good and the red ones are better. Tom

JMS/.MN · Mar 24, 2017

Like tom said about the NI 5209...I bought one new in "90, white one. Rebuilt the frame once, welded where factory had not, later versions welded there the same. Also they went to a heavier slip clutch...and improved the cutter heads on the red ones. Ran it til 2001, sold it to my son who ran it for several years on3020 and 4020. I never plugged it...point rows, whatever you put into the front, comes out the back in a new windrow. I cut weeds taller than the tractor cab, never plugged.

rrlund · Mar 25, 2017

I had bad experiences with New Holland and Vicon. I bought a new Kuhn two years ago. It's turned around my thinking on them. I love that thing.

Destroked 450 · Mar 25, 2017

I was looking for a used disc mower a few years ago, lots of JD and NH in my area but the red NI 5209 seams to hold up better with fewer breakdowns.
My biggest tractor is 72 hp and stays hooked to the baler during hay season, so all mowing is do with 50-60 hp tractors, for this reason I decided to go with a trailed mower with no conditioner.
Only Vermeer and Kuhn offered smaller 9 ft trailed mowers for my size tractors, I purchased a new Kuhn GMD2850TL because every used unit I found us within a couple thousand of new.

We mow 120 acres of hay over three farms, 9 ft mower works well with my tractors but they are also easier to transport on narrow two lane roads.

My choices if I had a tractor to pull them with.
Used disc mower conditioner = red New Idea 5209
Used or new trailed disc mower = 9ft - Kuhn, 10ft - Kuhn or Krone
New disc mower conditioner = Kuhn with steel rolls or Krone.

495man · Mar 25, 2017

How much PTO HP do you have to run it with?

I'd look for a "red" New Idea 5209 / CIH 3309 / MF 1359 (all the same machine with different decals/paint)

1411 or 1409 (1408/1410) New Holland would be good as well.

Kuhn is FC series good if you have a dealer locally.

Northvale PA · Mar 25, 2017

I bought a grey NI 5209 and run it with a 4020 or 4010. Great machine. Light and doesn't overwork my 50 year old tractors

Casey in Ky · Mar 28, 2017

Curious what your bad experiences were? Haven't really heard much bad about any of major disc mowers...JD, NH, Vicon, Kuhn, Heston, Krone, and Claas....other than maybe dealer support. Of course there's not many disc mower conditioners around here, mostly just straight disc mowers.

Casey in Ky · Mar 29, 2017

Curious what your bad experiences were? Haven't really heard much bad about any of major disc mowers...JD, NH, Vicon, Kuhn, Heston, Krone, and Claas....other than maybe dealer support. Of course there's not many disc mower conditioners around here, mostly just straight disc mowers.

Acoriz1 · Mar 31, 2017

I have a NH 463and I love it

Disc mower conditioner

Mixman

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Hayfarmer

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donjr

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tomstractorsandtoys

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JMS/.MN

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rrlund

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Destroked 450

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495man

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Northvale PA

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Casey in Ky

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