New Bus Hog Rotary Cutter (Brown Manufacturing)

CapnDean

Member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
L6060,ZD1211
Feb 22, 2018
184
3
18
Gulfport, MS USA
I have 2 JD MX6 bush hogs that I use in my small bush hogging business. I just experienced the infamous sheared output shaft (google John Deere MX6 output shaft failure if you want a treat). Instead of shelling out $2k to repair this one, I choked up the dough and bought a brand new Brown 416 rotary cutter. WOW! I thought that the MX6 was a tough machine. Brown has kicked their butts all over with what they call a medium duty cutter. This rascal cuts just as pretty as the JD did in grass, but the difference is there when you get into the tough stuff. You know... Bushes, small trees etc. According to Brown, this machine can cut up to 2" in diameter, I can tell you for sure that is very conservative. This unit puts the JD MX6 to shame. It weighs in at 1200 Lbs.... Beefy where it needs to be, beefy where it doesn't need to be.
 

UpNorthMI

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
L3200, L3901, MX5800, SVL75-2, KX040
May 12, 2020
850
564
93
Up North, MI
Brown make some great equipment including an open deck tree cutter, I’ve been wanting one for years! Yes their equipment is heavy duty and well made, your cutter at 1200lbs is very heavy duty.
 
Last edited:

Palmettokat

Active member

Equipment
M6800, B2710, L6060, Volvo 5 ton excavator and implements.
Apr 21, 2020
251
53
28
South Carolina
About a year ago heard a gentleman tell how he lost one of his feet with the open deck Brown cutter. He had a business of cutting trees to clear land. Even the pros made costly mistakes. Not sure the details.
 

UpNorthMI

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
L3200, L3901, MX5800, SVL75-2, KX040
May 12, 2020
850
564
93
Up North, MI
About a year ago heard a gentleman tell how he lost one of his feet with the open deck Brown cutter. He had a business of cutting trees to clear land. Even the pros made costly mistakes. Not sure the details.
Most of those Brown open deck models are rated for 8” diameter trees, I own something similar that fits to the front of my Kubota track loader and is powered by the high flow hydraulics, it will cut 8”, trees, a human foot would be nothing to these machines!

the Brown brush hog that the OP purchased are nice units for woodland trail and heavy duty brush hogging. The 416 has a 120hp gearbox.
 

SDT

Well-known member

Equipment
multiple and various
Apr 15, 2018
3,084
923
113
SE, IN
I have 2 JD MX6 bush hogs that I use in my small bush hogging business. I just experienced the infamous sheared output shaft (google John Deere MX6 output shaft failure if you want a treat). Instead of shelling out $2k to repair this one, I choked up the dough and bought a brand new Brown 416 rotary cutter. WOW! I thought that the MX6 was a tough machine. Brown has kicked their butts all over with what they call a medium duty cutter. This rascal cuts just as pretty as the JD did in grass, but the difference is there when you get into the tough stuff. You know... Bushes, small trees etc. According to Brown, this machine can cut up to 2" in diameter, I can tell you for sure that is very conservative. This unit puts the JD MX6 to shame. It weighs in at 1200 Lbs.... Beefy where it needs to be, beefy where it doesn't need to be.
Please don't tell us that you are using a 15' BW with an L6060..
Brown make some great equipment including an open deck tree cutter, I’ve been wanting one for years! Yes their equipment is heavy duty and well made, your cutter at 1200lbs is very heavy duty.
Most of those Brown open deck models are rated for 8” diameter trees, I own something similar that fits to the front of my Kubota track loader and is powered by the high flow hydraulics, it will cut 8”, trees, a human foot would be nothing to these machines!

the Brown brush hog that the OP purchased are nice units for woodland trail and heavy duty brush hogging. The 416 has a 120hp gearbox.
The Woods BB720X 6' cutter that I use weighs about 1,350 Lbs. with F & R chain shielding. It also has a 120 HP gearbox.

It's a load for my L6060, requiring front weights.

SDT
 

UpNorthMI

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
L3200, L3901, MX5800, SVL75-2, KX040
May 12, 2020
850
564
93
Up North, MI
SDT, I own 2 woods units a BB72X and last year purchased a new Woods BB60X for tight trail work on the back of my L3200, they are the model below yours fitted with 75 HP gearbox, I really like Woods equipment and the cost is fair, I see Woods just renamed their rotary cutter product range, now they are using a series type reference.
 

SDT

Well-known member

Equipment
multiple and various
Apr 15, 2018
3,084
923
113
SE, IN
SDT, I own 2 woods units a BB72X and last year purchased a new Woods BB60X for tight trail work on the back of my L3200, they are the model below yours fitted with 75 HP gearbox, I really like Woods equipment and the cost is fair, I see Woods just renamed their rotary cutter product range, now they are using a series type reference.
I currently have the BB720X and a BW50.50 15' BW.

I recently sold a BB840X (too long) and sold a MDS 1260, mounted 10.5' cutter (too time consuming getting in/out of the barn doors) about 2 year ago.

Interestingly, both of the multiple spindle Woods rotary cutters that I own/have owned were shipped with one or more incorrect gearboxes. All have been good cutters in other regards.

SDT