Anyone put a brush cutter on their Patrol?

DIYs, FAQs and anything else that doesn't fit in another topic

Postby yitzac1990 » Tue Sep 08, 2020 8:01 am

So I am in the process of building a new place on 5 acres of land. I should probably invest in a brush hog of some sort, but am very new to that type of "real" agriculture. I know you need a tractor with a PTO drive and 3-point hitch to run a brush cutter, but my Patrol has multiple PTO ports on it already! I was wondering if anyone has run a brush cutter on their patrol? How did you do it? How did you attach a 3-point hitched cutter, to the back of the Patrol? and hook up the PTO shaft? Any insight helps!
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Postby jwgreen » Tue Sep 08, 2020 11:58 am

I don't think the Patrol PTO/transmission would hold up to that kind of torture. Tractor PTO's are much beefier and can operate while the PTO is engaged. I'm not sure you could engage the PTO on the Patrol and put it into a drive gear. There would be a ton of engineering involved to build not only a linkage for the PTO but also a hydraulic setup to lift and lower the shredder like a tractor does.

IMHumbleO, if you are building on 5 acres a good tractor is indispensable. Get you a 30-45 hp one with a front lift, bucket and pallet forks, and if you can a backhoe attachment. Trust me they are worth their weight in gold on acreage!!! Doesn't have to be new and fancy, actually the older ones are better without all the emissions stuff and less electronics, and seeing as how you are mechanically inclined you would be golden.
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Postby yitzac1990 » Tue Sep 08, 2020 3:07 pm

Remember, I dont have any Patrol drivettain left. The SM465 transmission has 2 PTO ports, and the Dana 18 has a PTO option as well. I wouldn't need to worry about lifting the cutter, as the land is basically flat. But i do agree, having all those functions available on a tractor would be awesome. That just means more shop space taken up by a tractor though.
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Postby moore_rb » Wed Sep 09, 2020 10:01 am

You're thinking about a drag-behind mower like a brush hog? How thick are the thickest stems you would be cutting?

Personally, if I was looking for a "tractor-less" solution to brush clearing, I'd forego the PTO, and all the associated engineering, and just get a motorized tow-behind, like a brush hog model 44.... :think:

But, I would also think long and hard about the long term... because there are only 2 kinds of property owners out there- Those who own tractors, and those who spend 5-10 years trying to convince themselves that they can do everything they need without a tractor, until the day that they finally break down, and realize that they've been doing it the hard way for 5-10 years. :whistle:

and once you have your tractor, +1 on the pallet fork idea... Best $200 I ever spent.
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Postby jwgreen » Wed Sep 09, 2020 10:28 am

yitzac1990 wrote:That just means more shop space taken up by a tractor though.


While it's nice to keep the tractor in a shop, it is not necessary. Mine has lived it's life outside since I bought it with no real negative effects except some faded paint and the seat cover. Trust me and Rob that it's an a piece of equipment that just makes life easier, especially if you get one from the jump!! My .02, and also Rob's I think.......
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Postby yitzac1990 » Wed Sep 09, 2020 10:24 pm

You guys are gonna make me spend more money than I really want to haha, but will definitely take this into consideration. However I don't know very much about tractors themselves and just don't know whats good. I know John Deere, Kubota, Case, etc, but nothing specific. Price ranges, sizes, etc...
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Postby faux40 » Thu Sep 10, 2020 12:05 am

C'mon, it's a tractor! The key is big... bigger... biggest! With air conditioning if possible! Get yourself a D-11 ;-)

maxresdefault.jpg


Okay -- so I know nothing about tractors...

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Postby yitzac1990 » Thu Sep 10, 2020 8:30 am

may be a bit overkill! haha

what about this? seems good to me, but what say you experts? apparently comes with the brush cutter AND bucket! Is this something I could attach forklift forks to?
https://huntsville.craigslist.org/grd/d ... 04481.html

or this....but no loader or forks
https://huntsville.craigslist.org/grd/d ... 35329.html

or this, no cutter, but its newer....but im not sure if I want to spend that much!
https://huntsville.craigslist.org/grq/d ... 59698.html

this comes with a finishing mower, but not good enough to just cut tall brush?
https://huntsville.craigslist.org/grd/d ... 00986.html
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Postby moore_rb » Thu Sep 10, 2020 10:33 am

Here is the reader's digest summary of my year of personal research I did before I bought mine. Others can (and probably will) disagree, but whatever- My viewpoints are free, and worth every penny.

1) You are doing right by looking at used tractors that already include the implements you want. Implements are expensive, so when you can get the seller to throw them in, then that's a score. Don't worry about the clamp-on pallet forks- Like I said- you can find those brand new, all day for 200 bucks with free shipping

2) If you are buying used, then pass on any gasoline powered rigs- Jump straight to the later diesel-hydraulic designs.

3) Sizes: Like John says: Bigger is better, until it gets too big to fit where you need it to go. Mine is a tiny little 18hp subcompact (good for 2 acres or less)- I needed a 4-foot max width in order to fit through all the horse gates on our property, but it still has enough PTO juice to turn a 50 inch tow-behind tiller, and it could easily spin a 2-blade 56 inch brush cutter. The front loader on mine will lift about 500 pounds, and the rear 3-point can lift a trailer with a 1000 lb tongue weight. I use mine to move around the horse trailer, the car hauler, and my boat all the time. It's WAY faster and more maneuverable than having to hook up, and unhook from the truck

If you opt for a smaller rig as I did, then again- diesel/hydraulic drive is imperative, and so is 4wd.

4) Tractor brands- Forget it. Everyone has their favorite, and nobody agrees, but here goes mine: Kubotas offer the best long term value. Yes, better than John Deere. Need proof? Simply compare the number of old (30+ year) Kubotas out there for sale, with John Deeres of the same vintage. The 30+ year old John Deeres will all have been restored, and made into pseudo museum pieces, while the 30+ year old Kubotoas all look like death on a stick, but are still out in the fields doing work.

In more recent vintages (my Kubota is a 2016), Kubota still offers several advantages- The body panels are still all steel (most others have gone to plastic), Kubota still makes their own engines, pumps, and gear cases (On all their smaller models, Deere is now using Yanmar engines, pumps and gear cases, so you might as well just save the 30% markup for the Deere name and the green paint, and just buy a Yanmar)

Yanmars, BTW are also VERY robust tractors. again- go look at all the old ones for sale out there that are still chugging right along.

New Holland, Mahindra, and Kioti are all decent brands, but again, New Holland has a lot of plastic, and all three of these brands ship their tractors as complete assemblies (at least they did back when I was looking) so they have to come halfway around the world to get to the US, so you pay for more to cover the expensive shipping (again- Kubota has the superior US distribution channel- they crate and ship the components, which are then final-assembled into tractors, right here in the US)

Lastly- Learn about the gray market. Any used tractor being sold in the US (primarily old Kubotas and Yanmars) that has Japanese writing all over it, was probably illegally imported, and the OEM will not want to sell you parts for it (even though the parts might be easily available) - Kubota in particular plays HARDBALL in this game. You can save a lot on a gray market tractor, but you will wait longer for parts every time you need to repair it (since you will have to go through japanese parts suppliers)

And once you have your tractor, get your pallet forks for the front bucket, and then get yourself an 80 dollar Harbor Freight quick hitch for the 3 point- This thing makes dropping and swapping implements a snap:

https://go.harborfreight.com/coupons/20 ... -91165837/

a lot of older craigslist box scrapers and implements may not be quick hitch compatible, but that makes them CHEAP, and anyone who knows how to use a welder and a cutoff wheel can figure out how to modify the brackets on an old implement to make it work with a quick hitch :D :D :D
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L-R:
White 65 Hardtop L60-3-00617 (undergoing restoration)
Red 65 hardtop 4L60-002565 (scrapped for parts)
66 Hardtop "El-Bondo Patrol", L60-00511 (Restored, then sold June2020)
Blue 67 Hardtop (sold March1997)
Green 62 Softtop L60-2-00504 (undergoing restoration)
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Postby jwgreen » Thu Sep 10, 2020 10:45 am

:text-goodpost: :text-goodpost:

I have a 09 Kubota L3240 and love it.

Only complaint is I am used to larger equipment so I always feel like the front should lift a little more than it does. But other than that, rock solid since I bought it new in 09 with front loader, bucket and forks, shredder, backhoe and box blade. Have only ever changed the oils and put a new battery on her. I think this size would be great for 5 acres. I have just shy of 4 and it's awesome to have on hand.
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