Looking for a Brush Hog. Recommendations?

[dr_clyde]

Fellas,

I have been passively looking at a brush hog for my property. I don't have a ton of field, maybe an acre or less, but I don't want to mow it with my lawn mower. It gets really overgrown and makes it hard to use for anything, so I'd like to whack it down a couple times a year with a brush hog.

I have a 1965 Ford 4000 Diesel tractor, claimed 40 some HP on the PTO. I remember using it on my dads farm and it ran our brush hog fine in the field. Stupidly my father sold all our implements when we sold the farm, except that tractor. I have the tractor now, and I've been slowly accumulating all the attachments again.

This will only be used a few times per year. I may take it to a buddy's and use it there once in awhile. I don't need the best, but I don't like buying junk.

I don't mind used, but all the stuff on craigslist here is pretty wore out junk.

I've been eyeing the King Kutter 6' hog at FF&H. Anyone have one of those? Any others worth a look?

 

[bobcatdan]

The king cutter is an alright unit for general use. I know several guys with king cutters and they work fine for simliar needs to your own. Take a ride around to different implement dealers. Most carry different brands of attachments beside their main line brand. Use the king cutter as a base line and see if a "better" one is worth the added cost.

 

[Carquest]

Really depends on your budget and what you are going to be cutting, i.e. trees and brush, or just tall grass. I had a 5 ft King Kutter that was just fine for cutting light duty, when I bought my new tractor several years ago I stepped up to a Woods brand 6 ft cutter. Thickness of the deck and the gearbox capacity are night and day difference between the two, but you are also looking at double the price for a hd cutter, fwiw

 

[WittHay]

We use Woods and Landpride, but they are the HD versions. I think if you are just cutting grass any of the lighter duty versions will work. Thinner metal so they will get dented easier if cutting brush or hitting rocks. The gearboxes are made in China now but they are interchangeable between brands. Also the blades are a fairly universal design

 

[Stuart in MN]

You can rent a walk-behind brush cutter. For something that will only get used a couple times a year that seems like a cheaper way to go, and then you don't have the implement sitting around and in your way the rest of the year.

 

[Tom White]

I've been eyeing the King Kutter 6' hog at FF&H. Anyone have one of those? Any others worth a look?

Yep. Have a KK I've used for years now, on 40 acres of property. It does a fine job and was much less expensive than "some" other brands.

More important than the brand is how you maintain the cutter. Be sure to keep the blades in good shape (and balanced), check the gear oil on a regular basis, check the shear bolt for the PTO shaft, and keep good grease in the fittings.

Keep your mowing speed (both forward speed and PTO RPM's) where they should be it should serve you well.

 

[Ole Slewfoot]

A Gearmore flail with hammer knives seems to work on everything but buried carpet.

 

[dr_clyde]

You can rent a walk-behind brush cutter. For something that will only get used a couple times a year that seems like a cheaper way to go, and then you don't have the implement sitting around and in your way the rest of the year.

Bah! That's no fun! What's the point of having some land and a tractor if you don't have the tools!

 

[yaidunno]

I picked up a lightly used Land Pride RCR1872 this spring. Very well built unit. I was willing to spend a bit more on one because it will be the first and only brush mower I will buy.

As WittHay mentioned, if you are strictly cutting grass, a lighter duty model from any brand will serve you well.

 

[Milton Shaw]

My farmer uncle borrowed a neighbors bush hog years ago was pulling it behind his Green 4020 tractor. It was rated at like 60 horsepower and the gearbox on the bush hog was much lower. He hung it up over a small stump in the field and the gearbox exploded on the bush hog. Cost just about as much as the bush hog to get it fixed. So make sure the bush hog's gear case is strong enough for the tractor you have. That makes it more expensive the first time and much cheaper from then on without having to buy gear cases again.

 

[Muzzy]

Take a look at the flail mowers from Titan attachments, their website is palletforks.com

I have the 6' version for my field and found it to be surprisingly heavy duty for the price. And it does an excellent job. It also takes up less space than a brush hog since it doesn't have the rotary blade.

 

[bob15]

Deere & Bush Hog are two good units. Landpride makes good implements, just never seen their mower.

What dealers do you have in your area?

 

[dr_clyde]

I've got a JD dealer just outside town and a NH/Case dealer about 20 miles that carries Land Pride. I think they also carry Brush Hog brand.

 

[Mgdoug3]

My farmer uncle borrowed a neighbors bush hog years ago was pulling it behind his Green 4020 tractor. It was rated at like 60 horsepower and the gearbox on the bush hog was much lower. He hung it up over a small stump in the field and the gearbox exploded on the bush hog. Cost just about as much as the bush hog to get it fixed. So make sure the bush hog's gear case is strong enough for the tractor you have. That makes it more expensive the first time and much cheaper from then on without having to buy gear cases again.

4020 is rated around 90 to 95 depending on the year and fuel. For 40 horsepower I probably wouldn't want much bigger than a 6 or 7 foot bush hog. Old Woods 3 point hitch can be found at an auction for around 600 to 1500 depending on condition and whether it's heavy duty or not.

 

[Citation]

The bush hog pto should have a shear pin to prevent issues like the one described above. My only real experience is with a 7' JD deck. Very good mower.

 

[sreeb]

If you can weld then the only thing that can go seriously wrong with one is the gear box.

I found one on ebay that hadn't been used in a couple of decades. There was still oil in the gear box and I could rotate it by hand. An older one with thicker metal will be easier to repair no matter how it looks.

 

[Olympus]

General rule is 1ft of width per 5hp at the PTO. So for 40hp, you can go up to 8ft for average use in grasses and light brush or drop down to a 7ft for heavy usage for trees wrist size and above.

King Kutter makes a solid brush hog. My dad had a 7ft King Kutter and has abused the heck out of it and it still runs great. Be sure to buy plenty of shear bolts though. You’ll want the bolts to shear to you don’t damage the gearbox.

 

[DFB]

Woods

We have a Brushbull at work tough as nails all commercial use. I had JD unit lightweight, Want cheap go with unit like TSC sells

 

[marineman]

I agree the rule of thumb is 5 PTO HP per foot but going to an 8 footer for less than an acre seems a bit overkill. 6' should be just slightly wider than your tire track on that tractor which is right where I like most implements to fall unless you're farming. Makes the tractor a lot more maneuverable with the mower attached and easier to hit tighter spots. Even with a 6' it won't take you long to do an acre. It all depends on your needs, I have trails on my property that I mow and some food plots I mow once or twice a year so I prefer the smallest I can get that covers my track width. For me it works out to a 60" that covers my width and falls in the 5hp per foot on my JD 955. As far as brand I don't think it matters much, most brands now generally have 2 models of the same size. One is a consumer grade with thinner metal and significantly cheaper and one is a pro/ heavy duty model that's quite a bit heavier, thicker metal and more expensive. Most manufacturers list the weight, I would get the heaviest one you can find in the size you want that you can afford.

 

[Gummi Bear]

I’ve owned a Hi-Co/ Howse (its lasted 30 years, and is worn smooth out)

My buddy has a Land Pride. It’s a darn fine mower. Probably what I’ll be getting soon.



I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately...

Henry David Thoreau

 

[txvwnut]

For what you want to do Land Pride or Brush Hog will serve you well.

 

[seanb02]

Land Pride on the farm here. But for light stuff I wouldn't fuss too much over who makes the best unit as you won't be pushing it hard enough to wear it out.

The one on the farm is rated at 60 hp minimum, and I think up to 90 hp. We use it behind a JD2240 that is 50 hp and JD4430's that are 120 hp. It has a clutch pack on the driveline before the gearbox so that starts slipping before you grenade the gearbox itself. I replaced the clutch disks last year after it wouldn't go through even light grass anymore with slipping and smoking. Replace the blades once as they were wore down enough to be about 8" shorter than they should have been.

But it gets used and used hard. Would venture to guess that it sees 200 acres a year and the tractor operators don't typically treat it very well.

 

[DFB]

Ha! Just got a brand new one yesterday at work a 6ft Bushog. It's now on the 5095M 95hp. I like BushHog products, I have BushHog rototiller tough as nails still the Woods BrushBull deck look much heavier.

 

[Simplytodd]

Not sure if they sell them in your area but Modern Ag makes a good bush hog. My father in law has had his 13 years and it still looks new. Mows about 25 acres with it. I have had mine for 2 years now mowing 20 acres. I run over all kinds of stuff with that thing. 3” diameter oak trees sure why not. Yaupon bushes 15’ tall no problem. We both have the super sunshine 6’ shear pin gear box.

They are the only ones doing a galvanized deck that I could find. Made right here in the good ol USA in Beaumont Texas.

 

[Roberts210]

I've used a Howse 6 foot unit on the back of my Farmall H for over 20 years. I bush hog 10 acres of brush and 5 acres of grass twice a year. The price was right too.

https://www.howseimplement.com/

 

[larry_g]

While your shopping check the price of new cutter blades. If I recall the blades for my new JD are $330 each, the old one was ~$85 each. So figure this into your buying decision. The torque on the blade bolts is 627 ft lbs, and that is going to require some tool purchases.

lg
no neat sig line

 

[WittHay]

The only thing I think I can add is the HD versions usually have a ridge or channel built on the deck. Stiffens it up but catches a lot of grass and junk. The flat top versions are easier to clean.

Pictures of 3 different kinds of mowers we have

 

[Olympus]

It also depends on what stage you’re at in life. If you’re somewhat young, you may end up with more property to mow at some point later on in the future. I would always recommend buying bigger than what you need. It gives you room to grow into.

For example, I bought a small 23hp tractor that was perfect sized for my 6 acre property that I live on. However, 5 years later that 6 acre property turned into a 106 acre property! And that tractor and all my implements were vastly undersized for my needs and left me wishing I would have bought a tractor and implements that were bigger. I had to sell everything and buy all new tractor and implements in a bigger sizes.

 

[DFB]

Points related with the recommendations in posts #26 and #27. the Woods Brush Bull has a really smooth deck IMO. We have the BB60 pictured here, and when it comes to changing blades you do from the deck top.

Its a slide collar retainer (with locking bolt) and a big pin, a long flat tip drift and big hammer will set it free!

 

[alexb2000]

Not sure if they sell them in your area but Modern Ag makes a good bush hog. My father in law has had his 13 years and it still looks new. Mows about 25 acres with it. I have had mine for 2 years now mowing 20 acres. I run over all kinds of stuff with that thing. 3” diameter oak trees sure why not. Yaupon bushes 15’ tall no problem. We both have the super sunshine 6’ shear pin gear box.

They are the only ones doing a galvanized deck that I could find. Made right here in the good ol USA in Beaumont Texas.

I also have a Modern that I got at an auction after 10 years of HARD municipality use. It works great and has eaten up some big brush.

If you have a straight clutch tractor like my New Holland, then make sure and add an overrunning PTO clutch to your driveline for mowing.

 

[Bretny]

Dont get a rotory cutter like a brush hog. They can swirl the grass and make a crappy cut. Get a flail mower, horizontal shaft with knifes on it. You actualy get a good cut and they have a wide roller on the back so differing terain is not a problem.

 

[DFB]

Curious to what's the smallest flail one can get? Ours at the orchard is Cat 2 and one big unit always run it on a 85-90hp machines. Won't fit the smaller Cat 1 JD 4320 40HP we have.

They had a Ford 4000 SU (gas) there when I started...they had trashed it was sitting in the weeds. I wanted to resto it but never could get a straight answer on what was actually wrong with it but they let that go for $1000 to a local tractor shop

 

[WittHay]

Ferri, a Italian company makes a wide range of flail mowers. Lot of their models will work on compact tractors. I have used the neighbors machine, it had Cat 1 hitch, little small for a JD 65 hp tractor. Pictures are off the net

 

[Olympus]

If it’s just grass he’s mowing, why not get a used finish mower?

And it’s not true about rotary brush hog cutters just swirling the grass. If that’s happening, then the blades need sharpened. My dad has 20 acres that he cuts with a Land Pride batwing and it looks like a manicured yard after he’s done.


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[dr_clyde]

I'm not sure a flail is what I'm after. I don't know if my tractor has the ponies. I might be able to get away with a finish mower, but I can't garauntee I won't be taking out some scrub or cutting a trail in my woods.

 

[DFB]

I'm not sure a flail is what I'm after. I don't know if my tractor has the ponies. I might be able to get away with a finish mower, but I can't garauntee I won't be taking out some scrub or cutting a trail in my woods.

I think you had yourself covered well enough in your first post. KK should do you fine for your limited usage. They may be a little rough looking even when new with welds and paint but the price is right. And you should be able to get any parts you need from where you are going to buy

I usually find the best prices on equipment with "off brand names" and from independent tractor shops. The bigger dealerships most often have the best known names in equipment and although it's top quality they also carry premium pries.

I used to mow my own field with a JD rotary cutter and was very satisfied with the finish look, yup looked like a half decent lawn to me Ground speed is important go too fast you leave a rougher cut. Breathing protection can be important too if conditions are dry and dusty. The owners son chronic cough all the time from dust and pollen bushogging and haying all summer. The orchard alone is 50 acres. Its a chore with all the trees too.

 

[BukitCase]

I have a couple older 40-45 horse tractors, just under 10 acres, similar intentions as you mentioned - didn't like the brush hog idea, so bought a Caroni TM1900 (6' width flail) from ASC - either tractor runs it fine, in anything from 3' tall grass to medium sized brush - brush over maybe 1" wood I just slow down a bit -

https://www.agrisupply.com/caroni-flail-mower/p/30837/

I run quick hitches and hydraulic top links on both tractors - upside is the hydraulic top link lets me rest the rear roller on the ground and "dial in" the cut height with the top link - downside is that for some reason, Caroni thought the toplink height should be Cat2 spec and the bottom links Cat1, so I made an adapter rather than butchering the toplink frame -

I like that it's more manouverable than a brush hog (doesn't stick out the back as far)

I went thru the original set of belts fairly quick (first season), ordered a set from ASC, then started looking for Kevlar replacements - found a set, but already had the stock replacements on so don't know how much better the kevlar will last -

I'm pretty sure the original belts were largely a casualty of "learning curve" - as in, "don't use it as a shallow rototiller" - once I learned to use the rear roller/toplink combo for height setting INSTEAD of the skids, the results LOOKED better (no skid marks) and belts seem to be holding up better -

Anyway, here's a few pics of mine on the 40 horse Long 460... Steve