Mowers?

[Concorder]

Tony - I think the cut is just fine ... it is designed to cut grass .. not brush. $899 is the suggested retail price. Your dealer should be able to do a little better than that. This particular mower goes only behind, not in front of the ATV. What I like about though, is the ability to offset to the side of the bike. That way you don't have to get as close as the mower to the things you are cutting around. I cut my front lawn with a nice push mower simply because it is a small area with a large slope but I think this mower works great for large areas of grass.

[esears]

I used a 42" pull behind "Bush Hog" (single blade) type mower a couple of weeks ago behind my Foreman. It worked great in the old, dead, high fescue, but not worth a 5h1t in the green grass. That's really what it's made for. Grubbing. Also, I was very displeased about how it travled. It only has 2 wheels, like a trailer, and when you were changing terrain, up or down a hill, it would gouge. This is the way the TSC mowers are, 2 wheels. Every time 1 wheel went in a rut or hole, it gouged too. I am building a mower of my own now, built with 4 crazy wheels, that mounts on the front of the quad. This way you arent trying to mow over your tracks. I think that you need about 2.5-3HP per foot of cutting. So you need 12 HP for a 4' mower. I think that anything over 4', at least for me, becomes tough to manuever around trees and stuff.
Anyway, Polaris sells the 4' 3-Blade one here for $900. TSC has the same one, accept it is a different color, for about $750.

[MissouriGriz]

I just bought a 60" pull behind mower, made by Swisher (www.swisherinc.com) and sold under the Ranch King name locally. It has a 12.5 horse Briggs and Stratton I/C engine. It cuts WONDERFULLY! It cuts very even, starts easily and only cost me 1199.99 plus tax. It is 60" wide not counting the little plastic grass deflector, which I removed right away. That way I can cut right up to something on either side. The 44" mower, also made by Swisher, is still 60" wide, because it sets inside its own tires, therefore you can only get about 10" close to something since the tires are in the way. These are also the same mowers that Polaris (www.polarisindustries.com) sells and Northern Tool. They are most expensive when painted silver and sold by Polaris. The only difference is the Polaris version is the only one that is front mountable. The frame that the Polaris model hangs from has swiveling wheels at all four corners, so when it is in front of the ATV it will turn. A front mounting kit is also ONLY available for Polaris ATV's. The version I bought and the one from Northern Tool (www.northerntool.com) are pull behind only, as the rear wheels do not swivel, just the front ones. I'm about to call Swisher tomorrow and start ordering parts so I can fabricate my own front mount. You have more control of it if you're mowing around stuff, like in a yard. If you're mowing a field it doesn't matter.

[mudnsnow]

Are you mowing with turf tires or stock? How big are your machines?

2-SP500's

[TO_Y28]

Thanks,,

I went to the Northern web site and found a similar model to the one that Polaris was trying to sell to me for $900.00 and it was listed there at $730.00. And there is even a dealer about 30 miles away...
cool...now if I can just get some money...I'll be set.

[Arcosanti]

How do the stock tires work on the grass though? Do they tear up the lawn on the corners? Are you guys running turf tires? TIA.

Scott

[MissouriGriz]

They do tear up the grass a little. As the grass has gotten into its growing stage you have to look close to see where the inside rear tire has dug in. My concern is if I order more aggressive tires that they'll do real damage. I called my dealer today to see what another set of stock wheels would run and then I would have the stock tires to fall back on when I cut grass, but the dealer told me that a full set of stock wheels was over $1,000.00! Some $250.00 a piece. I told him that couldn't be right, so he's double checking.