does size matter?

i am looking at getting a rotary cutter. the brands and price in each brand very so much. i have had dealers tell me weight matters, does it? i am looking at Howse, Landspride, woods and bush hog. each one has different quality lines? is there really a difference other then in steel thickness? and does that matter? will be cuttin grass, small bushes and 2" trees.

If it were just grass and small bushes, a lighter cutter would be okay. But you mentioned 2" trees and to me that calls for a heavier machine. My old JD mower had lumps and bruises on the sides but it was that heavy blade that got the job done.

Well, I have a heavier model of Bush Hog that I have no compliants about. It's a 6 foot model.

The thing to look for, IMO, is the cutter having a stump jumper that the blades are attached to. It lets the blades ride over most obstructions.

Taylor-Way is another good brand.

Yes, deck thickness matters. A heavy cutter runs smoother than a light one and is easier on the tractor driveline.

KEH

I bought a rotary cutter from Tractor supply 2 years ago. It works well enough to cut small trees that are 1" in diameter, shears them right off, I have also used this cutter at my neighbors house to cut bushes 1" diameter stalks. I have a 4 foot wide cutter. It was $750 I think. I doubt mine would cut 2" diameter trees, I never went over anything that large.

Yes, in my opinion size/weight does make a difference. I bought a new machine years ago and it literally shook itself apart when I got into the thicker brush. I salvaged the gearbox, tailwheel, etc. and built my own. The gearbox was like a 35-40 HP rating and has itself self distructed w/o damage to my 4610 Ford. Gearbox is a lot cheaper and easier to replace/repair than the PTO guts of my tractor.

To paraphrase someone else on here occasionally: "Your acreage may vary" lol!!

Good luck....Rick

Heck yes it matters and it matters a lot. A light built one will work but if you hit rocks, sticks etc it will not last long. When it comes to a brush hog you can not buy one built heavy enough to hold up because you never know what your going to be hitting

I've had both standard and heavy duty models. IMHO, unless all you are using it for is an oversized lawnmower get at least the HD model. Comparing the Rhino I traded in on the BH I've got now there was no comparison. Everything is better made on the heavy duty machine.

I am go'n to jump on the band wagon here and say yes it matters.

Not even going into diffrences in heavy gear boxes, thinker decks, and drive lines, just the physics of a heavy built one is a plus. Even if a lighter one is "rated" for 2" trees when you hit one with it you are going to rattle the crap out of it. The more any piece of equipment shakes and rattles around the fewer years it is going to last. Light built rotary cutters are good for clipping pasture (if the fescue ain't too thick) but if you are going to be backing it up in the tree lines and ditch banks the heaviest one your tractor will pull is the one you need.

Good luck.

Dave

Cutting 2 in trees isn't much fun. It's pretty hard on the equipment. If that is what you are trying to do, buy something heavy duty.

Oh yes there is a huge difference. I have a Woods 15ft Batwing mower. It is the HD model and it is rated to cut 4 inch softwood trees off. It takes out a 4 inch tree with such ease. It also has Dual fiber slip clutches on each wing and the center section, so if I do smoke the slip clutch if 15 minutes I change it out. Go with the heaviest Woods you can buy, you wont regret it.

Guys, Yes,, Size; Weight; Gearbox HP, and Deck thickness does matter. but it is all for nothing If you Do Not Clean Off The deck in the Fall!
I looked at perfectly good Bush Hog, 10 ft Rigid deck today! But the two front to back channels that form the back bone of the deck were rotted and hugely pitted,and had collapsed, so the deck is not worth welding on when you take into account it will be better in the long run to find another 10 ft Bush Hog that has been left for junk in some fence row,or get a new deck!, Every other component is in good shape as far as i can tell. except for needing seals and probably new U-joints Neglect can be the biggest enemy of a shredder.
I have been pulling an old SR-15M Rhino 3 swing batwing shredder w/ 150 HP gearboxes with a JD 4230. this shredder has eaten and spit out the back more material than it was probably suppose too. As far as real trees are concerned. It is one tough machine. Blade bolts are the weakest link on this machine.The way I run a machine it will be for most.
drdarren, IMO....You get what You pay for!!!!
what ever line you look at get the highest HP gear boxes and thickest decks possible. I prefer as close as possible 100 ++ hp gearboxes even on a 3 point shredder so there is no way to over horse the gearbox! with Decks to match!
In No particular order, JD, Bush Hog, Service-Rhino, Land Pride,
Hope this helps!
Later,
John A.

size does mater as well as thickness if your going to use it, that being said i didnt see what kind of tractor this is going to be used with that maters too, you can get too much hog and get too heavy for the tractor to handel with it lifted

I ran a 6' RCR LandPride for years and it would shake like crazy when I hit a tree....bought this JD MX8 last year and what a difference! No shake at all, but it weighs twice as much. I cut down 3" cherry trees a few weeks ago...had to back over them with the mower up, then slowly drop it....toothpicks flying everywhere. I got home and had a 4" chunk of wood laying between the engine and frame. Last week I cut 3" dogwoods out on a mountainside for 2 hours and never chipped a blade. Landowner said I was clearing more in a minute than he could in a day.


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