72" inch finish mower OK for B7800?

[DJG]

Hi Guys & Gals:

I'm thinking of buying a used Landpride FDR2572 finish mower for my B7800. Seems like a good deal for about $600.

My concern is that I've heard recommendations about not having a deck much wider than the rear wheels, which makes some sense. Plus, the Kubota manual seems to suggest a max weight of #500 for a rear mount cutting deck. The FDR2572 weighs #718.

However, Landpride says their 72" deck can be handled by a 15-45HP tractor and my B7800 is 22HP at the PTO.

Any opinions if this is a good match for my tractor?

Initially, I only plan to use this to cut a path I've been cutting with my riding lawnmower for 20 years, but with this deck I'd be able to save my lawnmower for just the lawn, and do the 150-acre meandering field & woods path with only one swipe rather than two. At 6' wide, this unit might snag some sapling stumps on the pater.

At a later date, I might use it to cut some larger fields and would benefit from the extra width.

Lastly - my neighbor has a Landpride 1660 (60" deck) that weighs #577 and is willing to share it with me. Sharing can be tricky - good if the folks get along but potential for trouble otherwise. I haven't worked out the sharing arrangement yet, but I do like the conservation aspect of not everyone needing every piece of farming equipment in the neighborhood.

PS - Lastly, I don't have a barn for equipment storage.

Your experienced opinions are welcome.
Thanks.
David

 

[Eric McCarthy]

I think a 6 foot might be rather to large for your tractor to power safely. Id say borrow and test drive the neighbors 5 foot mower and see how that feels. I say you'd be alot better off with a 5 foot mower. You'd be surprised how much a difference 12 inches will make.

 

[Orange Tractors]

Eric has the right idea, try your neighbors five foot mower, then try the six foot one. I remember trying to use a heavy five foot brushhog with a 9N Ford (similar HP to your Kubota) when I was a kid; it didn't work out very well.

With that said; I don't like borrowing equipment, it seems like every time I try it something breaks and I feel obliged to fix it. Of course, everything is always like new when you borrow it, even if it is a solid chunk of rust.

Robert

 

[DJG]

Thanks Eric & Robert. You both make good points. I will try my neighbor's 5-foot mower before making a decision. If it feels right, I might also just go ahead and buy my own because the potential "repairs" issue is a sticky one.

 

[ametcalf]

I recently bought a used Landpride 2572 for my BX23 for $1200. It does an excent job on my lawn. When I try to venture away from the lawn that is cut on a regular schedule to fields that are not kept as nice the machine tends to bog down until I get them under control with the bushhog. It seems as though the BX23 has plenty of power especially with the HST and the problem is that the 2572 isn't intended for real tall grass. I mow my lawn on the tallest setting and where the ground is smooth enough mow in high range and I am very happy with the results. The area we mow is kind of hilly so I take the loader off to have more weight on the rear tires and still have to use 4 wheel drive in some areas to get good traction.

 

[hillbilly]

I purchased a 6ft finish mower for my L1500. I think its only around 10hp at the PTO. As for me it does great, but I have only had it on 4 acre of damp grass thats was about 7" tall. You cant tell the difference between the finish mower and my riding mower. I bet you could move around better with a 5ft mower, but hp wise you will run better than mine. Im sure I would not be able to mow anything high, you may want to keep that in mind.

 

[DJG]

Thanks for your thoughts, Ametcalf & Hillbilly:

I tried my neighbor's Landpride 1660 and it worked fine, so I bought a used one yesterday for $1000 (new $2150 +tax). Nice, clean machine.

It's 90+F degrees here so I'm not too anxious to go cut grass, but I intend to take your advice and not try to use it as a brush hog but instead to groom our fields & woods walking trails.

The 1660 is essentially a 60" lawnmower deck - maybe a little beefier. I have used my 50" Simplicity lawn tractor for cutting the path for 20 years, and also around trees in our fields. Unless the field area is heavy grass or wet, it usually does fine but you can tell that's not what it's designed for.

The 1660 is going to be easier to maneuver through some of my tight turns than the 2572 would be, so I'll just trade off the extra 12" of cut.

The dilemma now is to try and find the most efficient way to cut multiple overlapping paths in the shortest distance. I'm making up a drawing that I'm sending to the family "brainiac" and see if he can run the maze smartly.

Thanks again.

David

 

[b12]

I have a Sitrex 180. It is a 6 foot rear discharge.
I have used it behind my B7800 for 6 years with no problems.
If I start getting into really tall or thick grass I just slow my ground speed.

 

[hodge]

I have a Sitrex 180. It is a 6 foot rear discharge.
I have used it behind my B7800 for 6 years with no problems.
If I start getting into really tall or thick grass I just slow my ground speed.

It's kind of a moot point now, but I would have leaned towards the 6 foot finish mower-I run a 5 foot behind my B7100 (16 hp), and it pulls it fine.

 

[DJG]

Thanks, guys. The six-footer would have been good too, but it poses certain problems in making turns on the paths through the woods.

I did get a $300 shaft for an old NEW IDEA brush hog that my neighbor gave me, and it spins freely, but something is seriously out of whack because it shudders badly.
I'm going to see about removing the blades and cleaning them up.
Any ideas on freeing rusted metal that's been sitting outside for 20+ years?
Not sure I've got a big enough sledge.

Good luck mowing, gentlemen.
KubotaBall

 

[Bulldog]

Try some PB Blaster and soak them down real good and let it set over night. Still may have to hammer the back side of them some but it should break loose.

I think you did the right thing going with a 60" mower. I have a 6' Bushhog mower that I pull with my L3000 (27 pto hp) and in tall grass it really puts a load on it. Normal grass in the yard it does fine but if I miss a week or 4 it can really put it in a strain. These hot days have made me skip on mowing the lawn quite a bit this year so I just changed up and cut it with my M 9000 and bushhog. It may not cut as clean but the A/C sure made it feel better.

 

[Eric McCarthy]

Finishing mowers just dont like like tall thick grass what so ever. Anything over 3 to 4 inches in height can make a mower bogg down and put a bit of strain on things. Finish mowers are basically an over sized riding lawn mower cutting deck for the back of your tractor. They are ment to cut grass on a regualr basis and keep it down low. Some finish mowers like mine has mulching blades on there and those help to finely chop the grass clippings and reduce the size. So with a set of mulching blades that adds kinda doubble the work load for your tractor.

 

[DJG]

Thanks, Bulldog. I used some PB Blaster yesterday, some heat from my little hand-held propane torch and some sledge hammering and the blades moved some but sure don't swing freely yet. I'm going to borrow a neighbor's torch set and put some fast heat to the nuts - hoping to get them off, wheel off the rust and put back on. The local dealer says the pins are $75/each - more than new blades at $56/each - though I think I need new blades.

You need a whole metal-working arsenal of tools in order to own and operate a tractor and implements. Not that I'm complaining (and neither is Tractor Supply). I like tools, and luckily, I have friends around here who own most of what I need. It's just a hassle sometimes working out the swapping.

And Eric, you are absolutely right that a finish mower is for lightly grown-in grassy areas and the brush hog is for all the heavier stuff. My mower came with mulching blades, so I've got that going for me.

Once I get this brush hog spinning freely, the next question becomes.......... drumroll......should I plant my few acres in crops?.....fence it for cattle (love that grass-fed beef)....both or neither? I suspect doing either will call for lots more implements (and maybe even my own barn - aka mancave).

Be Well & Safe my Kubota Kin
David

 

[Bulldog]

Once I get this brush hog spinning freely, the next question becomes.......... drumroll......should I plant my few acres in crops?.....fence it for cattle (love that grass-fed beef)....both or neither? I suspect doing either will call for lots more implements (and maybe even my own barn - aka mancave).

Be Well & Safe my Kubota Kin
David

Not that having cattle is a bad thing but it won't take long to see there's a lot more to it than just some fence and a few cows. You're right though, it's hard to beat home grown beef.