Any suggestions for a skid steer mounted rough cut mower?

[farmerboybill]

Hey all,

I don't wanna get in trouble for naming names that aren't sponsers, but I'd like to know if anyone has any experience with Skidpro skid steer mowers. I'm about to order the 72" 4 blade model. I asked a few times if the guy thought my 317 standard flow skid steer (57 hp, 17 gpm @ 3450psi, 2000 lb lift, 5500 tipping, 6200 lb operating weight) will handle it on steep slopes and he was supremely confident that I'd be fine.

Any advice? Any alternatives?

 

[blades]

Skidsteers and steep slopes do not play together well. as far as the mower can't comment there. I have only run Woods units on the back or belly of tractors. Belt drive on the belly units, pto shaft drive to gear box to belts for blades for the back units.

 

[leon]

brush mower a la skid steer.

Hey all,

I don't wanna get in trouble for naming names that aren't sponsers, but I'd like to know if anyone has any experience with Skidpro skid steer mowers. I'm about to order the 72" 4 blade model. I asked a few times if the guy thought my 317 standard flow skid steer (57 hp, 17 gpm @ 3450psi, 2000 lb lift, 5500 tipping, 6200 lb operating weight) will handle it on steep slopes and he was supremely confident that I'd be fine.

Any advice? Any alternatives?

Skidsteers and steep slopes do not play together well. as far as the mower can't comment there. I have only run Woods units on the back or belly of tractors. Belt drive on the belly units, pto shaft drive to gear box to belts for blades for the back units.

Hello Bill,


Dont yell too loud BUT.

The issue is traction more than anything.

You should look at a hydraulic powered flailmower for your skid steer.

Reason one is because it creates a smaller foot print and is closer to the skid steer.

Reason two is that the mower SHOULD NOT BE WIDER THAN THE SKID STEER.

Reason three is working slopes is a real no no because the very second you back up (simply because it is second nature) the skid steer is going to want to roll over backwards, HENCE why you back up slopes and drive down them. BEEN THERE but was lucky enough to recover before it went NASTY.

Reason four is that you could or should invest in a set of Bridgestone Blizzard rubber tracks to give you a bigger foot print or a set of steel clamp on over the wheel tracks which would be better of course for weight and traction.


I am not trying to spend your money Bill, I want you to be around for along time and skid steers will roll over like a forklift before you realise it and you are on your side with the engine running and you may have been given a concussion and then it will affect your thinking before you potentialy lose consiouosness.


Look at a hydraulic flail for your use Bill, and at least fill the tires on your skid steer with windshield washer fluid to 80% full.

 

[blackdogon57]

Looks like a big attachment for a mid sized machine with wheels. I would worry about getting stuck and not having enough flow to run it properly. What exactly are you planning on doing with it ?

 

[farmerboybill]

I guess I should have given more info -

I have 12-16.5 solid tires on the skid steer. This makes the skid steer 68 inches wide. It's 63 inches wide with the stock 10-16.5 tires. I'd prefer a mower 66 inches wide, but my options are 60 and 72. While I'd prefer a track type skid steer for this application, I just can't justify owning one for now. My 317 is my farm skid steer - it loads manure, unloads skids, digs dirt, pushes snow, etc. Dunno if it's true, but I've heard track types hate snow...

My hillsides are indeed very steep. I was planning on attacking them from the bottom and working my way uphill, not along the hill, so that I have an escape plan (backing back out). I was pushing buckthorn down with the tooth bucket yesterday and there were plenty of times that I had to dig myself back up the hill. That won't be an option with a mower.

 

[philoshop]

Sounds pretty dicey, but I'm not very brave anymore. I grew up running a tricycle JD like you have in your avatar. I was 12 years old and I learned darned quick what not to do with that thing.
Be safe.

 

[farmerboybill]

Sounds pretty dicey, but I'm not very brave anymore. I grew up running a tricycle JD like you have in your avatar. I was 12 years old and I learned darned quick what not to do with that thing.
Be safe.

That's my 1955 John Deere 60. I bought her sitting in a fencerow with a four row front mount cultivator as my first tractor back in 2004. I got her running, put new rubber on her, cultivated my corn for a couple three years. I've since gone to 6 row 30. I still use her from time to time, but my wife like her least because of the tricycle front. Thinks I'm gonna kill myself in the hills...


My concern really wasn't rollovers. Dad had a Bobcat 643 back when I was very young. He put it on its side twice in the woods. We then had a 753 that was also tippy, but less so. It was never on its side. I bet I put a thousand hours in that 753 by myself as a kid and an S160. The Deere 317 is very stable, especially with the wider, heavier tires dished out, and counterweight kit. I've done pretty wild stuff with her with a grapple or a tooth bucket. Those tools are used with weight high in the air at times. Now with a 1500 lb mower down low on the front, I can't see how I could possibly roll it. Last week, I ran a Bobcat 773 for a neighbor. It felt far tippier than the 317....

I was more concerned about lacking power to run it and cover the ground...

 

[farmerboybill]

I'm gonna find out

Hey all,

Well, it'll be here tomorrow. If i can't run it, I'll have an excuse to run out and buy a bigger tracked skid steer, right?!?


On my back back from buying another skid steer, I'd better find me a good divorce lawyer and a place to rent... This is gonna get expensive!

 

[cre10]

Get a CID Mid Flow cutter.

 

[farmerboybill]

That's a nice rig, but I wanted something without a push bar so I could sneak under fences. I also liked the idea of a direct drive mower versus a motor into a 90 degree gearbox. Mine is reversible so I can run the rotor backward and forward - keep one side sharp for grass and leave one side dull for brush.



I got it yesterday and went out to play. So far, so good! I used it for four hours and do not yet regret getting the 6 foot model. It's just the right width versus the skid steer. It doesn't feel front heavy or too much for the skid steer as far as weight. It felt absolutely stable on steep hillsides - the wider solid tires dished out really help. I can see where I could get in real big trouble real fast, though. There's no way to dig myself out if I end up nose down in a hole or against a tree on a hillside.

I was taking down Black Walnut saplings to 5" diameter, and it seemed a few more GPMs would have been nice. I also had to take it easy in tall grass. I watched the hyd oil temp a lot and didn't see it get above 194 degrees.

One thing that got me was fuel consumption. I burned through most of a tank of fuel in 4 hours (16 gal fuel tank). Now, most everything else I've done with the skid doesn't involve it being pegged to full throttle, so this shouldn't be surprising... 4 gallons per hour really isn't terrible on a 57 hp skid steer, I guess.

The jury's still out on whether I like the rigid mount. Seemed I was often digging on one side and too-high on the other, or I'd nose dive it into the ground over really rough running. I almost think it'd be nice if it would pivot at the mounting and allow 10ish degrees tilt front-to-back and the same side-to-side.

Dad come and borrowed my Skid Steer for haying, so I didn't get pics - but I will.