FDR2584 Finish Mower HP requirement

[imarobot]

The manual states that this can be used on a tractor PTO HP of 15-50 HP. I am looking for a smaller, second tractor that will be kept at another property to use with this mower. What HP tractor are any of you that have this mower using. Is 15HP really enough? This thing has a 7' cut.
Grass may get 4-6" tall before I get up there to cut it. It is only about 3 acres.

 

[Sammy3700]

We run that mower behind a L3902HST mowing open school fields and during the summer we mow once a week it does great cutting on 2” setting just don’t let the grass get ahead of you or you will be creeping through it

 

[imarobot]

We run that mower behind a L3902HST mowing open school fields and during the summer we mow once a week it does great cutting on 2” setting just don’t let the grass get ahead of you or you will be creeping through it

I would probably cut to 3-4" but wouldn't be getting up there to do it every week. That's my concern about the required HP. Your tractor is rated at 30.3 PTO HP, are you saying the tractor would struggle with taller grass with your tractor?

 

[Elliott in GA]

I am sure that you noticed it weighs over 800 lbs., and the Kubota matched tractors are all larger compact tractors.

FWIW, I use an FDR1660 with my 25HP / 19.5 PTO LX SU to cut 2+ acres (not flat). Like you, we do not live at the property (~250 miles away), and I cut it every month while it is growing (MAR-OCT). Some of the grass gets to be 2 feet tall, but the tall grass is very sparse. Most of the grass only gets to be 6-8 inches (I mow at 5.25 inches), and there is a fair amount of clover (never tall enough to be cut).

With all that said, I still have to slow down occasionally in the thicker parts during the fastest growing months. My mower is rear discharge, and that is a real benefit (virtually never have visible clipping after a day).

Hope that helps.

 

[imarobot]

Good point about the weight, something else I have to consider.

 

[TheOldHokie]

The manual states that this can be used on a tractor PTO HP of 15-50 HP. I am looking for a smaller, second tractor that will be kept at another property to use with this mower. What HP tractor are any of you that have this mower using. Is 15HP really enough? This thing has a 7' cut.
Grass may get 4-6" tall before I get up there to cut it. It is only about 3 acres.

I seriously doubt 15HP will power that mower in anything but short lawn length grass. I had a 72" rear discharge on a B7200DT and that was full throttle 2nd gear in 6" grass. For reference thats creeper speed.

Dan

 

[chim]

My L4240HSTC shows 35HP on the PTO. I do run a 90" that is 100# lighter than the LandPride you mention. This match-up works well. I believe a heavier deck would work on it as well.

In the past 35 years I've run the current combo as well as 5 foot decks on tractors with 13.5 and 16 PTO HP, and a 65' deck on a tractor with 25.2 PTO HP. The weight of the decks made a substantial difference.

The 13.5HP Ford handles a 5' Caroni deck just fine, but the 5' LandPride deck was too much for it. Even with front weights the front wheels of the tractor came off the ground if the deck was raised and I hit the pedal to go forward.

The 16HP Kubota B7500 handled the 5' LandPride - but it was about the upper limit. When I tried the Caroni deck on the B7500, it felt like the tractor barely had a load.

The 25.2HP L3200 paired up well with the LandPride 6 footer. It felt like that was about the upper limit wen going up a grade. It may have been able to use a wider deck but it would need to be lighter than LandPride.

I have always removed the loaders and frames for mowing.

 

[imarobot]

I wonder if they spec it only by HP with no consideration for weight.
Kind of like when I was specing out a flail mower. HP wise I was ok, but when I looked at the weight, the one I wanted was too heavy.