MX5100 Rotary Cutter sizing question

[shelby5100]

I have an MX5100 (4wd, gear drive, FEL, fluid filled rear tires), and I am gearing up to use it to bush hog property in Southern VA. Most of what I will be cutting is property that was timbered about 15 years ago. No stumps or major rock croppings, BUT it is not smooth pasture, it has slopes, healthy ditches, and hills. Will be cutting through 6 months of growth that will include thickets, bushes, pine sapplings, and grass.

I am looking for a rotary cutter that can handle this ~25acres of grass and saplings. I previously bush hogged this property with a Mahindra 2555 (~4300lbs machine, 4wd, hydro, and a FEL). The machine was rated at 42hp at the PTO and it seemed to struggle on some grades and with thicker saplings. The rotary cutter was a Kodiak MD 6' unit. This tractor never felt unstable with the weight on the back end, but it defintely struggled at times with power output. I am not sure if this is a limitation of physics or of Mahindra marketing (i.e. lower PTO output than advertised) OR if the hydro would just overheat and everything would slow down....I never got any warnings, but it would seem like parking the tractor for 45 mins. would solve this issue (for a while).

I am looking at Woods Brushbulls and Bush hog 286/296 units that are for sale locally. Most of these units are rated at 45hp PTO minimum and 1100~1200lbs. The MX5100 is rated for 44hp PTO and the manual states a 1000lbs max. for rotary cutters. I prefer to run more HD impliments when possible, is this too ragged edge or was Kubota overly conservative? I don't mind running slower through heavy brush, or running smaller cut paths, but I don't want to be right at the limit of the tractor for the sake of a deal on a HD bush hog.

Thoughts, opinions?

 

[JasonW]

I ran a Kodiak HD 6’ dual tail wheel on my MX5100. My dad has it now and uses a 6’ landpride(not sure which model offhand). I would stick with a 6’ as it’s a good balance of weight and size for the HP. A single spindle 7’ is slightly more weight but a lot longer, which adds leverage.
I also have a 3pt 8’ landpride dual spindle, dual tail wheel but I didn’t run it on the MX other than very light grass once before getting a M6040.

 

[GrumpyFarmer]

Good day.

I have a RCF2772 that I use on a hilly property. When I am in the woods I am glad it’s not any wider. When I am in the pasture I wish it were wider…yes, sort of like Goldilocks, but obviously more sophisticated

I typically have a a bucket or grapple on when I mow and I’ve not found the weight to be an issue, and i think an MX could run a wider mower than 72, but might need to consider proper ballast and angle of attack on your hills…just my thought. If I did not play in the woods I’d be willing to go a size bigger…I’ve never felt the 72 was too much I guess is what i am saying.

I also mow up along barns, building and fences and wider would affect the swing when turning so maybe just need to keep an eye on that until used to it if you get something a bit wider.

I guess maybe another question is what do you plan To do with it long term? Plan to clean it up? Hay it? Or anything? Future plans might nudge you to one style or another maybe?

The final thought after reading your post is how you handle the top link…I had been doing manually for a while and last year I added a hydraulic top link and it’s really nice with ditches, streams, road crossings etc. if you don’t plan to put a HTL on and your approach and departure angles are severe enough maybe consider a flail would work?

That’s all I got.

 

[shelby5100]

I am sticking to a 6', my only concern is given most of what I am looking at is TECHNICALLY oversized (10%), am I going to be beating up my 3pt, PTO, engine, etc, etc. ?

Previously I ran a chain as a top link (on the Mahindra). Before I switched to a chain, the 3pt took a REAL beating while bush hogging. I was losing pins and bolts left and right. Eventually I ended up bolting everything together (no hitch pins) and ran a chain as a top link to allow the cutter to float. That solved 90% of my issues. I would love to add a Hydro top link, but it isn't in the budget this season.

I would love to run a Flail mower, that is my long term plan, but right now I just need to get my arms around the property and keep it from getting REALLY bad. The property will eventually be reforested, some of it will be made into walking paths, and some of it will be planted.

 

[JasonW]

My MX5100 still has a manual top link. No issues with it as the cutter has its on way to flex with ditches and uneven terrain. Get one with a slip clutch, learn how to adjust/maintain it and go cut.

 

[Russell King]

A flail mower with the correct blades can cut down saplings in the two inch range.

Or you can rent a brush hog for the first mow and buy a flail for use afterwards.

 

[jimh406]

The general recommendation is 5HP per foot, but you do need to make sure the rotary cutter can handle the power you are sending it. My rotary cutter is "too big" for my tractor based on that rating, but my dealer suggested 6 ft to be able to go under barb wire fences.

My mower is a Land Pride CF2072 Rotary Cutter, but I don't use it very much and our grass is relatively thin. I live in a dry area and don't irrigate it. It's very heavy, but the weight isn't an issue. I went with the heavier model because it also has a slip clutch.

From the little I've looked, I believe mowers jump from 6-7 ft all of the way to 10 ft batwing. I think I'd consider going the batwing route and mow slower in L the first time. Alternatively, rent/borrow a smaller rotary cutter for that first cut.

 

[shelby5100]

I hate rental equipment....50/50 odds that it works correctly from the jump, and then 50/50 it breaks while using it. This property is remote enough (from a rental company AND from my home), I would rather a breakdown be my problem, so I can go buy parts at TSC, fix the issue, and not worry about getting paid back.
I am not worried about having to buy both pieces of equipment, the property is sized that I will find a use case for each, or just sell one.
At 44hp at the PTO, the MX5100 on paper is good for an 8' rotary cutter, but the 296 Bush hog I am currently looking at has a 130hp gear box on it, and Bush hog rates it as a min. 45hp unit.

Again, splitting hairs here, but I would prefer to have the tractor drive the impliment and not the impliment overpower the tractor. I am just looking to see if anyone has a similar experience with a similar setup.

 

[utterchaos]

Check your owner’s manual, most will list the maximum size and weight ratings for most implements.

 

[shelby5100]

@utterchaos as stated, max weight listed in the manual is 1000lbs. That is why I am asking if people have any experience running this model with an.oversized bush hog (1200lbs on a machine rated for 1000lbs) and a bush hog rated for 45hp min. on a tractor putting out 44hp.

While I know 1hp isn't a deal breaker, the point of the post is to ask if running on this ragged edge, given the terrain and brush, will I be outside of the tractors capabilities.

 

[JasonW]

@utterchaos as stated, max weight listed in the manual is 1000lbs. That is why I am asking if people have any experience running this model with an.oversized bush hog (1200lbs on a machine rated for 1000lbs) and a bush hog rated for 45hp min. on a tractor putting out 44hp.

While I know 1hp isn't a deal breaker, the point of the post is to ask if running on this ragged edge, given the terrain and brush, will I be outside of the tractors capabilities.

Yes in my first post to this thread. My Kodiak 6’ specs says it’s 1,205lbs. A few HP won’t make a big difference. And a few extra pounds won’t make a big difference either. I have also ran a 8’ 3pt disc that weighs 1,850lbs on that tractor.

There are so many variables, it’s all in how you operate it if it will tear it up.

 

[McMXi]

I am looking at Woods Brushbulls and Bush hog 286/296 units that are for sale locally. Most of these units are rated at 45hp PTO minimum and 1100~1200lbs. The MX5100 is rated for 44hp PTO and the manual states a 1000lbs max. for rotary cutters. I prefer to run more HD impliments when possible, is this too ragged edge or was Kubota overly conservative? I don't mind running slower through heavy brush, or running smaller cut paths, but I don't want to be right at the limit of the tractor for the sake of a deal on a HD bush hog.

Thoughts, opinions?

I think the key is the "45hp PTO minimum". To me that means that under ideal conditions i.e. flat and light cutting, the MX5100 with that combination will work, but as the going gets tough, the tough won't be happy. I run an RCR1884 behind the MX typically, and have cut some very thick and tall stuff with it, but that's on basically flat ground and running fairly slowly, but add in some hills and it's a different story.

By the way, the RCR1884 behind the M6060 is a completely different story. Very similar PTO hp numbers on paper only.

 

[SDT]

I have an MX5100 (4wd, gear drive, FEL, fluid filled rear tires), and I am gearing up to use it to bush hog property in Southern VA. Most of what I will be cutting is property that was timbered about 15 years ago. No stumps or major rock croppings, BUT it is not smooth pasture, it has slopes, healthy ditches, and hills. Will be cutting through 6 months of growth that will include thickets, bushes, pine sapplings, and grass.

I am looking for a rotary cutter that can handle this ~25acres of grass and saplings. I previously bush hogged this property with a Mahindra 2555 (~4300lbs machine, 4wd, hydro, and a FEL). The machine was rated at 42hp at the PTO and it seemed to struggle on some grades and with thicker saplings. The rotary cutter was a Kodiak MD 6' unit. This tractor never felt unstable with the weight on the back end, but it defintely struggled at times with power output. I am not sure if this is a limitation of physics or of Mahindra marketing (i.e. lower PTO output than advertised) OR if the hydro would just overheat and everything would slow down....I never got any warnings, but it would seem like parking the tractor for 45 mins. would solve this issue (for a while).

I am looking at Woods Brushbulls and Bush hog 286/296 units that are for sale locally. Most of these units are rated at 45hp PTO minimum and 1100~1200lbs. The MX5100 is rated for 44hp PTO and the manual states a 1000lbs max. for rotary cutters. I prefer to run more HD impliments when possible, is this too ragged edge or was Kubota overly conservative? I don't mind running slower through heavy brush, or running smaller cut paths, but I don't want to be right at the limit of the tractor for the sake of a deal on a HD bush hog.

Thoughts, opinions?

As always when sizing rotary cutters, the most important factors to consider are, what do you plan to cut, how often do you plan to cut it, how fast do you plan to move while cutting, and terrain.

From your description, it appears that you plan to cut in severe terrain. Doing so is hard on mechanical items, e.g., hitch, tail wheel, etc.

I once used a Woods BB720X (BrushBull), 6' HD cutter with a GL6060 on various terrain, some of which was severe. This HD cutter was heavy, about 150+ lbs. above the Kubota rated cutter weight for the 6060 with front and rear chains installed. Over the course of a couple of years, three tractor hitch components broke and were replaced. I do not believe that Kubota is overly conservative regarding implement weight, and I do not recommend using implements that weigh more than the manufacturers recomendations. The days of overly conservative, seat-of-the-pants design are mostly over. I would recommend nothing larger than a 6' cutter and one that is not above the weight rating for rotary cutters for use with your MX5100 in your conditions. I would not even consider a 7' cutter in your situation and for multiple reasons.

I would not question the manufacturer's advertised PTO HP ratings, whether Kubota, Mahindra, etc. Fudging such numbers causes trouble for manufacturs in the litigious society in which we live.

What many folks do not realize is that it takes much more HP to cut heavy grass than it does to cut tall weeds and brush. My 53 PTO HP L6060 wanted nothing more than a 6' cutter in heavy grass and the stall guard (if turned on) would often reduce ground speed to zero in tough spots, even on level ground. Yes, I cut close (skid rails just above ground) but I also kept the blades lawn mower sharp. Hills and weight, e.g., ballast, overweight cutter, etc., require HP, reducing available PTO HP.

The PTO HP of your MX5100 is rated the same as the Mahindra that you have used in the past. I would expect similar performance but added weight will be noticed.

 

[SDT]

@utterchaos as stated, max weight listed in the manual is 1000lbs. That is why I am asking if people have any experience running this model with an.oversized bush hog (1200lbs on a machine rated for 1000lbs) and a bush hog rated for 45hp min. on a tractor putting out 44hp.

While I know 1hp isn't a deal breaker, the point of the post is to ask if running on this ragged edge, given the terrain and brush, will I be outside of the tractors capabilities.

Yes, you are on/beyond the ragged edge.

See below.