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CUTTERS -Single action sickle bar mowers Old technology of post Civil War days-Used is the way to go here with the lowend being a Ford 501 and the highend being a NH 451- $200- $2,000 used Double action sickle bar mowers: Increased capacity over a single action mower with increased maintenance. $2,400- $3,500 NEW European MFG- also special models for compact tractors -3 Point Drum Mowers The drum mower mows just like the well known disc mower. Small 2 drum mowers are available for 20 HP and up. Drum mowers will mow any crop in any conditions, they will not clog up. They are the most durable of the hay cutters. Some model need no exterior hydraulics. Popular brands: CCM, PZ, ZTR, Galfre', Deutz, Fella, & Star- CCM and Star make drum mowers for compact tractors prices start from $2,200 and up -3 point Disc mowers Sizes range from 5.5'- 13' If you are using a 60 HP tractor or smaller then usually 9' and below are the safe options for you. Some shaft drive MFG's have disc mowers for 30-40 HP tractors Brands: New Holland, New Idea, John Deere, Vermeer/Lely, Gehl, Vicon, Krone, Kuhn, Fort, Morra, Marangon, Zeigler, Fella, Hesston, JF, Bellon, G&S These mowers range from $3,800 to $10,000
When you talk new 3 point disc mowers there are really 3 choices.
There is basically two systems of disc mowers: shaft drive and oil bath gear drive. Much of the disc mower technology started in Europe so many USA brands are rebranded European MFG's disc mowers. Most all the disc mowers will mow hay, it's the dealer service, parts availability and repair down time that differentiates the mowers.
1. Established US marketing labels: John Deere and Frontier- Both made by Kuhn in France. Oil bath design- The JD is the newer heavier cutterbar but is almost too heavy for smaller tractors. The Frontier is the GMD series that is lighter and will work well on the 40-70 Hp 2 wd utility size tractors.These mowers are made in the Czech Republic not France. New Holland- 2 series- 600 series, shaft driven, very heavy, made in the USA, HM200 series- Made by Sitrex in Italy, Comer oil bath design similar to the older Kuhn GMD design, sold as NH economy series- good on utility tractors AGCO- Hesston, New Idea, Massey- 1 Shaft driven series- Cutterbar design by AGCO but made by Comer, frame made in the USA. Good balance and weight for smaller utility tractors to larger cap tractors 2- Northern European Premium MFG that were the first to develop the disc mower technology.
Kuhn- 2 series - Oil bath design- The GMD500,600,etc is the newer heavier cutterbar but is almost too heavy for smaller tractors. The GMD-55,66,etc. series that is lighter and will work well on the 40-70 Hp 2 wd utility size tractors. Vermeer-LELY- Shaft drive- transmissions made in Europe and frame made in the USA. Good balance and weight for smaller utility tractors to larger cap tractors. Krone- Heavy duty oil bath design- made in Germany- smaller dealer network Vicon- Oil bath design- made in Holland- use distributors in the USA so their pricing is expensive- once the strongest selling in the 1980's but now a lesser sold brand Class- oil bath design- small US dealer network
3-Knock offs coming from all over the world- some much better than others- usually sold buy jockey dealers
Fort/Morra- oil bath cutterbar- made in Italy- copy of Kuhn HD cutterbar- some hitch problems but a good mower- small dealer network Maragon- Comer oil bath cutterbar from Italy- expensive for older technology- small dealer network Fella- Northern European company with a shaft design series made in Germany (heavy for small Tractors), and a oil bath cutterbar made in Italy. One distributor in the USA Sitrex, Tonutti, etc- Italian MFG's using a Comer cutterbar- older technology- usually sold buy jockey dealers
You notice I did not include Haymax because we have parts and components from around the world and make the frames in Tennessee and assemble here in the USA. Our Design is a modified Lely-Vermeer design. We have an advantage over them because we can produce the same technology as them at thousands $$$ less.
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