Disc Mowers?

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jltrent

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If you were buying new what would you buy? I want one a 60hp tractor will handle.
 
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I had a Kuhn I was really happy with. Just sold it this spring to buy a MOCO trying to improve my drying ability otherwise it would still be here. It was a 9'2" cut and I think 60hp would have pulled it on reasonable ground.
 
We've been happy with our Vermeer 6040. We've pulled it with our Kubota 6800 and Ford 5030. They both do fine with it. The 5030 is a heavier tractor, so it handles the mower a little better.
 
Some good info.......thanks.. I am not real familiar with the newest disc mowers, but have heard some of the latest out the discs will shear before the gear box/bar will get damaged. I had a NH several years ago and it would really cut, but the bar locked up and then I bought an Agco and a couple years ago stripped some of the gears in it and broke a shaft. Two days of hard work, costly parts, getting that thing a part and back together, retimed was no fun. If I buy another I want one that the discs have a shear mechanism, but am not familiar with which has it and which is best. A couple of neighbors swear by the Krones and one traded his in to get the latest were the discs will shear. I know there are others, but not sure which.
 
I have a NH6730 with the shock pro hubs and I really like it. You would be able to probably go to the 6740.

The shock pro hub is designed to shear a 70 dollar piece instead of ruining a gearbox. I also like that each module is separated and has its own gear oil. No contamination if you do bust a gear and also better for working on hill sides.
 
I have a NH6730 with the shock pro hubs and I really like it. You would be able to probably go to the 6740.

The shock pro hub is designed to shear a 70 dollar piece instead of ruining a gearbox. I also like that each module is separated and has its own gear oil. No contamination if you do bust a gear and also better for working on hill sides.
I really like the sound of that. Different makes/models have different shear mechanisms and I was wondering at this point which might be better. I also like that each module is separate instead of a complete bar to rebuild if needed.
 
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I priced a Krone last fall as they had a rebate, if I remember correctly $1500 off, and decided to use what I had another year. I may take a look again and at others. That NH sounds good also and probably others. I want one more bullet proof that the ones I have had. The Kuhn, Kubota(Vicon) and Vermeer look good also as a local dealer have them in stock, but I don't know if they have the disc shear yet. A lot of knowledgeable people here with 1st hand info.
 
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That is about as easy as it gets. Only thing better is just stay out of the rocks
I tore my Agco up last year on the last round in a field when a small limb got lodged in between the discs. About a half second cost me over $1500 in parts and two days to repair. A disc shear on the newer ones and I would have been back in business in a few minutes instead of the mower torn all to pieces.

My New Holland was used for several years and I think one of the disc got bent a little (probably rock) that lead to its demise as I did not catch it in time. Again the disc shear would have saved it.
 
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Krones have a roll pin under the turtle that shears off. If you ever shear one a punch, hammer, and $2 roll pin will have you back mowing.

The shaft that the spins the turtle is also threaded, so if the pin shears the turtle will unscrew up out of the way and not hit the others. The biggest worry I have with these is if you go many years without shearing one, I think everything could rust together and you might as well not have it.

New Holland has their shock pro setup on many models, which is pretty good from what I've read, but can "domino" with a hard impact, meaning that you will break the initial hub, and possibly adjacent ones from the turtles hitting together when they lose time.

There are advantages and disadvantages to different cutterbar designs. With a single gearbox assembly, changing the oil is easy, and there is less wear because everything is well lubricated. However a loss of oil or internal failure of one part can destroy the whole thing, and you need to be careful running on slopes.

Modular bars are nice because any failure will be confined to one module, however there are several stub shafts that will wear out between them, and changing the oil/grease in all of them is a pain.

I don't believe that the shear protection is quite as important on 3pt mowers. They are light enough that they can just ride over a lot of stuff. Mower conditioner headers are a lot heavier and tend to get things jammed into the cutter bar more, plus you have the rollers that can kick things up or toss it back and forth.

We have a Vermeer MC840 and a New Holland DB313R that is a new arrival. I've never really liked the Vermeer, but the NH has been working well so far.

Vermeer and Lely are involved together somehow, a lot of Vermeer mowers have Lely cutterbars.

JL, were you looking at just a 3pt mower, or a trailed mower/conditioner?
 
The shaft that the spins the turtle is also threaded, so if the pin shears the turtle will unscrew up out of the way and not hit the others. The biggest worry I have with these is if you go many years without shearing one, I think everything could rust together and you might as well not have it.

New Holland has their shock pro setup on many models, which is pretty good from what I've read, but can "domino" with a hard impact, meaning that you will break the initial hub, and possibly adjacent ones from the turtles hitting together when they lose time.

There are advantages and disadvantages to different cutterbar designs. With a single gearbox assembly, changing the oil is easy, and there is less wear because everything is well lubricated. However a loss of oil or internal failure of one part can destroy the whole thing, and you need to be careful running on slopes.

Modular bars are nice because any failure will be confined to one module, however there are several stub shafts that will wear out between them, and changing the oil/grease in all of them is a pain.

I don't believe that the shear protection is quite as important on 3pt mowers. They are light enough that they can just ride over a lot of stuff. Mower conditioner headers are a lot heavier and tend to get things jammed into the cutter bar more, plus you have the rollers that can kick things up or toss it back and forth.

We have a Vermeer MC840 and a New Holland DB313R that is a new arrival. I've never really liked the Vermeer, but the NH has been working well so far.

Vermeer and Lely are involved together somehow, a lot of Vermeer mowers have Lely cutterbars.

JL, were you looking at just a 3pt mower, or a trailed mower/conditioner?
I want a 3pt
 
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A 9 footer without a caddy Is gonna give a 60 horse tractor all it wants in good hay. I just cant imagine a small limb causing a bunch of damage to a cutter.
 
A 9 footer without a caddy Is gonna give a 60 horse tractor all it wants in good hay. I just cant imagine a small limb causing a bunch of damage to a cutter.
I have a 90 hp tractor, but I like using a smaller tractor to get around in some of the places. IMO a 9 ft is to heavy for a 60 hp tractor to carry as I looked at a 8 ft mower and it could be all 60 hp wants. On the limb thing I could not believe it either but it happened as somehow it got between the disks as my Agco does not have a slip clutch. Talk about proud of parts as I almost junked it when the dealer told me the price, but I have used it a couple years now. Putting the disc mower back together I figured would be a breeze, but timing those gears a manual is needed.
 

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