New disc mower

[kenny thomas]

Thinking about a new disc mower. 7 or 8ft. Our local dealer has Kubota and Vermeer.
Some friends have Kuhn. They like them.
Currently using a New Idea 5407 that has cut a lot of hay.
Whats good and bad as im looking?

 

[jltrent]

Krone is good. I would get one that has some kind of shear to limit the damage that can happen. I know Krone has it and maybe NH, but not sure about any others.

 

[kenny thomas]

Krone is good. I would get one that has some kind of shear to limit the damage that can happen. I know Krone has it and maybe NH, but not sure about any others.

It shows Krone is partnered with Kubota. Are they the same machine except for the name?

 

[jltrent]

It shows Krone is partnered with Kubota. Are they the same machine except for the name?

I think, not sure, but Kubota is a lot like a Vicon. The Kubota has three blades to each disc and will really cut good, but it does not look, at least to me, near as heavy built as a Krone. Vermeer's look heavy built, but not sure if it has any shear if it hit something. Both Vermeer and Kubota would be good from what I know as they may have a shear now.

 

[Son of Butch]

A question I often ask to determine which can take more abuse or is better built:
What's the shipping weight?
If there's a significant difference it's often something harder to see like a heavier frame covered by the same tin.
Paint and color can trick the eye, but weights don't lie.

I read a couple decades ago that white was a favored color for auto makers, because it was a color that would trick the eye
and didn't easily show vehicle manufacturing errors such as trunks or hoods out of alignment. Whereas it would be very noticeable on a red vehicle because the eye can follow the seams better.

 

[SmokinM]

You talking a trailed model with conditioners or just straight 3 pt. style? I had a Kuhn 3pt. and as long as you didn't have to hook it up much it was hard to beat. Krone makes a good one also. I have a NH MoCo now and it is ok. Maintaining 8 pods is a bit of a pain but I see where having them separate has advantages. Probably would buy a Krone if I had it to do over.

 

[kenny thomas]

Im looking at 3 point hitch type.

 

[Atimm693]

Hard to beat Krone if you've got a good dealer nearby.

 

[SmokinM]

Kuhn or Krone would be my choice in that category.

 

[jltrent]

Kuhn use to be like a NH as we had one. Don't know if they have changed, but you can do a lot of damage in a hurry on one. I think JD was like them at one time also as I know a couple that got locked up. I am not real familiar with the latest ones out though. I have talked with several people that have Krone and my son has used one a few times (wife's family have a couple). He said it worked good but didn't particularly like how it worked on 3-point and hooking up was no fun like all 3-point disc mowers. Claiborne coop is a Krone dealer as I priced one 2-3 years ago as they had a special running ($1500 off), before everything went crazy. At the time could have got a pretty good deal.

 

[BFE]

Lots of Krone around here, as the neighbor's Case IH dealership also carried Krone for many years. They're pretty good, don't know about the others.

 

[Walker's Ridge]

We have a local Vermeer dealer near by so there is a good bit of Vermeer equipment being used. People seem to really like their mowers. I almost bought a Vermeer 3pt mower. When the dealership orders one for a customer they get 2 as they come packaged 2 to a crate. They wanted to sell it so the price was very good. Ended up with a used John Deere instead.

IIRC the Vermeer cutter bar uses a Sheer Ring under the turtle shells.

 

[Son of Butch]

When the dealership orders one for a customer they get 2 as they come packaged 2 to a crate. They wanted to sell it so the price was very good.

Reminds me of a machinery salesman friend who has passed. He would joke, we screw the other guy and pass the savings
on to you.

 

[jltrent]

We have a local Vermeer dealer near by so there is a good bit of Vermeer equipment being used. People seem to really like their mowers. I almost bought a Vermeer 3pt mower. When the dealership orders one for a customer they get 2 as they come packaged 2 to a crate. They wanted to sell it so the price was very good. Ended up with a used John Deere instead.

IIRC the Vermeer cutter bar uses a Sheer Ring under the turtle shells.

The Q3 cutter bar has this (Trail Behind), but I could not find it on the 3-point cutter bar as it may have it. I will keep reading.

 

[Lazy M]

I looked at them all last year when our 616 NH finally wore out (17 yrs old). Really liked the krone but went back to NH..

 

[Stickney94]

Kuhn are very popular in SW MN. Kuhn also made JD mowers. Not sure if they still do. Older Kuhn 3-pt are a pain to hook up -- but I'm told the new ones have a redesigned storage support.

 

[Hogfarmer10]

I'm on my second Vermeer. 1st one mowed many thousands of acres and lasted 16 years. Current one is about 4 years old. Tickled to death with it. The new ones have a quick hitch bar that's really nice. Makes hooking them up look almost fun. Almost.

 

[kenny thomas]

I'm on my second Vermeer. 1st one mowed many thousands of acres and lasted 16 years. Current one is about 4 years old. Tickled to death with it. The new ones have a quick hitch bar that's really nice. Makes hooking them up look almost fun. Almost.

I looked at the Vermeer and the quick hitch. Sure makes it look easy.

 

[Hogfarmer10]

I shouldn't admit this, but someone mentioned about shear hubs, etc. Mine is a 9'. Always mowed with a 90 pto hp tractor. I've hit way more rocks and stumps than I care to say. Never had any damage to a hub or gear. Only broken a couple knives. 30 seconds to replace, and back at it. 2 days after I bought my current one, dad decided to mow off a 5 strand barbwire fence, including 2 steel t posts. That took a while to get cleaned out, but only broke 1 knife. I feel like the shear hubs are more for people using big tractors at high speeds. Around here, you just don't have that.

 

[Atimm693]

I shouldn't admit this, but someone mentioned about shear hubs, etc. Mine is a 9'. Always mowed with a 90 pto hp tractor. I've hit way more rocks and stumps than I care to say. Never had any damage to a hub or gear. Only broken a couple knives. 30 seconds to replace, and back at it. 2 days after I bought my current one, dad decided to mow off a 5 strand barbwire fence, including 2 steel t posts. That took a while to get cleaned out, but only broke 1 knife. I feel like the shear hubs are more for people using big tractors at high speeds. Around here, you just don't have that.

I also think trailed mower conditioners are far more likely to incur severe damage, a lot more weight above the cutterbar, a 3pt mower is more apt to just hop over an obstruction.

I've broken many gears in our Vermeer MC840, no shear protection in it. And a couple shock hubs in our NH DB313.