Rotary Cutter for B7100

[terrib972]

I know little about tractors other than a video my husband made for me before he died 5 yrs ago explaining how to start and drive it and very basic maintenance. I have used it probably 7 to 10 times for mowing until last fall when one of the blades got wedged under the other.

I suspect the mower is larger than it should be for the B7100. My reasoning is that my husband ran water in the tires (since replaced) and had installed weight on the front bumper. Also, whenever I tried to start the mower, it seemed to really want to stall. However it did run it fine once it got going so maybe that was something I was doing wrong.

My questions are:
1. How do I know if the mower is oversized? It is 5 ft wide and pictured below. I do have the manual that says max width rear is 48", max width mid is 60" and max weight 300 lbs. Is "mid" talking about a belly mower?
2. If it is not oversized, then what is a reasonable fee for me to pay someone to fix it?
3. If it IS oversized, I want to buy a new one. Is Rotary Cutter the correct name for this mower? What do I need to know when shopping for one? Doesn't seem like a complicated piece of machinery so is there much difference between different brands?

Thank you!

 

[BigG]

You can most likely take a hammer to knock the blade out from under the other one. Do not try to do this without some help.

The problem is that mower is way to big for that tractor. The good thing is you should be able to sell it for a good price. A 5 foot mower is very common and often is in demand. Look at a web page Tractorhouse to see the prices of the mowers. Then buy a 42 inch or 48 inch mower.

This mower comes with several names. Bush Hog is a brand name but a lot of people call it a bush hog, shredder, rough cut mower, or rotary mower. You might be able to find one on craigs list. Since you do not use it often you could get a mower from Tractor Supply or Rural King and it will cost less than at the dealers. You will need help setting it up but once the mower is set for your tractor you should be good.

Check back with any questions, there are good people that enjoy helping others.

 

[procraftmike]

I run a 48" rough cut mower on my B7100 and it handles it just fine.

 

[terrib972]

Thank you for the information. That helps me to feel more comfortable making some calls.

You can most likely take a hammer to knock the blade out from under the other one. Do not try to do this without some help.

The problem is that mower is way to big for that tractor. The good thing is you should be able to sell it for a good price. A 5 foot mower is very common and often is in demand. Look at a web page Tractorhouse to see the prices of the mowers. Then buy a 42 inch or 48 inch mower.

This mower comes with several names. Bush Hog is a brand name but a lot of people call it a bush hog, shredder, rough cut mower, or rotary mower. You might be able to find one on craigs list. Since you do not use it often you could get a mower from Tractor Supply or Rural King and it will cost less than at the dealers. You will need help setting it up but once the mower is set for your tractor you should be good.

Check back with any questions, there are good people that enjoy helping others.

 

[Russell King]

You really may want to ask far advice on what type of mower to use for the task you’ve interested in doing-if you do intend to get something different.

You have the 5foot shredder since that is what you have. You may know why it was purchased or not know.

It may have been purchased to clear overgrown property that is now under control but the mower was never replaced with a more appropriate piece of equipment due to various reasons.

Please explain what you mow with this mower (grass, Johnson grass, mesquite trees up to three inches, rocky terrain or not...

There are flail mowers, finish mowers and shredders that all are attached to the rear of the tractor that may perform the task you require.

To answer your question more directly that mower is large for the tractor but it is ok on fairly flat property but you would be safer with a smaller mower. Probably the 48 inch as already suggested.

The blades pivot on a bolt and you can get them stuck as you did, but they can be fixed by the hammer method or removed and reinstalled in a better position.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[terrib972]

I live on 40 acres about 20 of which is rented pasture that I don't deal with. I have about 2.5 flat acres at the front of the property that I tried to mow a couple times a year. It is a mixture of tall thick grasses and weeds. Along the property line are old tall trees that seem to always be dropping dead limbs. Small ones are sometimes hard to see.

I pay a guy to mow a small area around the house and along the 300 ft drive which is mostly flat with the exception of the area along one side of the drive. He is sometimes inconsistent and so occasionally I'd like to knock that down myself but am not worried about a finished look for that.

The rest at the back of my property is a mixture of hardwood and cedar trees. My husband kept about 900 ft long area to the lake mowed which is relatively flat. He also mowed trails through some of the rest of it that are NOT flat. Given my inexperience with tractors, I have let the trails go because of the slopes and ditches. The guy that rents my pastures has mowed to the lake once a year but I would like to do that once or twice more a year myself. This area is likely to have small red cedars popping up. No rocky terrain anywhere.

I travel a lot and am gone most of the summer so it's not practical for me to keep the areas mowed more often. Given the thickness and height of the vegetation and occasional cedar trees, I assumed a finish mower wouldn't work. Given the size of the area, I'd like as wide a mower as possible but not more than what the tractor is designed for. I really didn't consider a different kind of mower since it's what my husband used for about 25 years.

Thanks for your questions.

You really may want to ask far advice on what type of mower to use for the task you’ve interested in doing-if you do intend to get something different.

You have the 5foot shredder since that is what you have. You may know why it was purchased or not know.

It may have been purchased to clear overgrown property that is now under control but the mower was never replaced with a more appropriate piece of equipment due to various reasons.

Please explain what you mow with this mower (grass, Johnson grass, mesquite trees up to three inches, rocky terrain or not...

There are flail mowers, finish mowers and shredders that all are attached to the rear of the tractor that may perform the task you require.

To answer your question more directly that mower is large for the tractor but it is ok on fairly flat property but you would be safer with a smaller mower. Probably the 48 inch as already suggested.

The blades pivot on a bolt and you can get them stuck as you did, but they can be fixed by the hammer method or removed and reinstalled in a better position.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[SDT]

I live on 40 acres about 20 of which is rented pasture that I don't deal with. I have about 2.5 flat acres at the front of the property that I tried to mow a couple times a year. It is a mixture of tall thick grasses and weeds. Along the property line are old tall trees that seem to always be dropping dead limbs. Small ones are sometimes hard to see.

I pay a guy to mow a small area around the house and along the 300 ft drive which is mostly flat with the exception of the area along one side of the drive. He is sometimes inconsistent and so occasionally I'd like to knock that down myself but am not worried about a finished look for that.

The rest at the back of my property is a mixture of hardwood and cedar trees. My husband kept about 900 ft long area to the lake mowed which is relatively flat. He also mowed trails through some of the rest of it that are NOT flat. Given my inexperience with tractors, I have let the trails go because of the slopes and ditches. The guy that rents my pastures has mowed to the lake once a year but I would like to do that once or twice more a year myself. This area is likely to have small red cedars popping up. No rocky terrain anywhere.

I travel a lot and am gone most of the summer so it's not practical for me to keep the areas mowed more often. Given the thickness and height of the vegetation and occasional cedar trees, I assumed a finish mower wouldn't work. Given the size of the area, I'd like as wide a mower as possible but not more than what the tractor is designed for. I really didn't consider a different kind of mower since it's what my husband used for about 25 years.

Thanks for your questions.

Sounds like a rough cut (commonly called bush hog) rotary mower is appropriate for your work but your 5' model is much too big for your tractor.

As previously suggested, you should sell your 5' model and buy a 48" model (maximum). You will need a light duty model to stay within the weight limit for your tractor.

The good news is that it is likely that there is nothing wrong with your 5' Howse mower and used 5' models sell well. Try to find someone to help you unlock the blades (probably a minor job) before selling.

SDT

 

[Russell King]

It sounds like a shredder like you have is best for your needs. A smaller one would probably be better for your confidence and tractor stability.

I also note that you don’t have a roll over protection (ROPS) on the tractor. Kubota has a program that allows you to get one at reduced price and free installation. But they are fairly tall and hit tree limbs if the are not above 7 to 8 foot so that is a consideration for you to make. It lends safety if the tractor does turn over but since you have fairly flat property it may not be worth the effort.

Good luck and keep asking questions.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[terrib972]

Thanks everyone for your help!