Rotary Cutter for tractor question

Ugahunter2013

Senior Member
I’m looking at a J-Bar 6ft “Premier” mower , which is one of their heavier duty models with 75hp gear box, slip clutch, and 7 ga steel. I have never bought a rotary cutter and have a few questions i was hoping yall could help me with.

I have a JD 5310 which is 57hp to the pto i believe. I assume it will run this cutter being the gear box is rated for 75hp

My tractor is right at 6 1/2 feet wide. I dont have any large pastures or anything to cut. Mainly along the roads and i will be going in tight places from time to time in pine rows. Will i be better off with a 6ft or 7 ft?

The 6ft is 850lbs and the 7 ft is 1,300 lbs.

I called J Bar and they do not sell directly to the customer. Have to go through one of their “dealers”. So i call 3 dealers and only 1 of them has the 6ft and none have the 7ft. Also, the price of the 6ft has gone from $1,250 to $1,450 in the last week....lucky me. I originally saw it listed on a Facebook ad for $1,250 a few weeks ago. Today i happened to see a dealer in NC advertising the 6 ft for $1,350 so i dont know?? Even at the increased price its much cheaper than most of the other mowers with thicker steel, slip clutch, etc. I think the 7ft is around $1,850.
 
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Evergreen

ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ
Gear box just means your not supposed to run a way higher hp or way lower hp tractor with it. Your tractor should be fine with either mower in normal conditions, I wouldn't treat it like a brown tree cutter or you'll be fixing the mower and possibly the rear-end in the tractor
 

NE GA Pappy

Mr. Pappy
that tractor will pull the 7ft with no problems. I believe that I would go with the 7ft. That way you can cut out your tracks as you travel. I pull a Rhino 10ft with a 4630 Ford, and if you are not in real heavy thick stuff it does just fine. If I have to pull thru some thick areas, I just move over and don't cut the full 10ft there, maybe only 7 or 8ft.

You won't regret getting the thickest deck and heaviest gearbox you can.
 

Lilly001

Senior Member
I don't like a mower wider than my tractor. I snag to many fence post.
If you aren't mowing close to trees or fence post the wider mower can cut under roadside brush without driving the tractor off of the road.
 

NE GA Pappy

Mr. Pappy
I don't like a mower wider than my tractor. I snag to many fence post.
If you aren't mowing close to trees or fence post the wider mower can cut under roadside brush without driving the tractor off of the road.

if you ever pull a wide mower, you learn to offset the tractor from anything you don't want to hang. That mower would only extend 6inches from either side, and if that hangs anything, you were probably to close to start with
 

Lilly001

Senior Member
if you ever pull a wide mower, you learn to offset the tractor from anything you don't want to hang. That mower would only extend 6inches from either side, and if that hangs anything, you were probably to close to start with
Yeah, if there is one thing I am good at it's operator error.
 

NE GA Pappy

Mr. Pappy
Yeah, if there is one thing I am good at it's operator error.

I'll post the picture of my right hand fender on my 4630 sometime. I tried to go under a wild cherry tree that grew over at an angle after about 3 or 4 ft of straight trunk. I was looking at the ground, and cleared that fine, but hung that fender on an 8 inch limb and about ripped it off the tractor.
 

Lilly001

Senior Member
I'll post the picture of my right hand fender on my 4630 sometime. I tried to go under a wild cherry tree that grew over at an angle after about 3 or 4 ft of straight trunk. I was looking at the ground, and cleared that fine, but hung that fender on an 8 inch limb and about ripped it off the tractor.
I've spent enough repairing my big tractor (JD 5065e big to me) to buy a nice smaller, older one.
 

NE GA Pappy

Mr. Pappy
I've spent enough repairing my big tractor (JD 5065e big to me) to buy a nice smaller, older one.

yep. That fender was 180 bucks, and I still have to paint it and put it on the tractor.

Last time I was bush hogging, I just about totally wrecked the aluminum grill in my tractor. I still haven't figured that one out. I was in some high brush and stuff, but nothing that should have torn the grill up like that.

I need to finish my shop and turn a rainy day into a bumper to protect the front of my tractor anyway. If it ever stops raining
 

Ugahunter2013

Senior Member
There is a Jbar dealer in McDonough, I bought my mower and harrow from there.

Yea they were the one that had the 6ft’r in stock. I asked them when they would have a 7 ft’r and they said they had no idea. “Just whenever J Bar sent them some more”.

How do you like your mower?

I have heard the parts and all are foreign and not US made.
 
I haven’t had a problem with it, it only a 5’ being I only have a 30 horse jd, but it’s the heavy duty holds up well so far and I put it to work, 2 years running worked well thus far.
 

davidhelmly

Senior Member
I would get the 7’ for sure, it just makes mowing easier when your mower is at least as wide as four tractor.
 

ucfireman

Senior Member
There is a Jbar dealer in McDonough, I bought my mower and harrow from there.
Did you have them add the stump jumper? I was told that was an option on their mowers.
I was looking at the 6ft premier too and wanted the stump jumper. was quoted 1375 I believe.
I have seen some other brands that advertise a pivoting top link to follow the round better. Would like that but?
Not happy to hear the price went up but not too surprising.
 

Ugahunter2013

Senior Member
Did you have them add the stump jumper? I was told that was an option on their mowers.
I was looking at the 6ft premier too and wanted the stump jumper. was quoted 1375 I believe.
I have seen some other brands that advertise a pivoting top link to follow the round better. Would like that but?
Not happy to hear the price went up but not too surprising.

Was that quote with the stump jumper?
 

JustUs4All

Slow Mod
Staff member
I would go with the 7 footer too.

Don't want to derail the thread but somebody ought to start a "look what I did with my tractor" thread. On the way to the house trying to beat the rain on a narrow farm road with the harrow up. Hooked a pine tree the right size to wedge between the disks and stop the tractor. Lots of bent stuff on the harrow and I had to walk about a half mile home in the rain. LOL
 

aabradley82

Senior Member
I don't like a mower wider than my tractor. I snag to many fence post.
If you aren't mowing close to trees or fence post the wider mower can cut under roadside brush without driving the tractor off of the road.
I can cut closer to the fence with a 15’ batwing than I can a narrow mower. You can see it over there and put it right on the fence.
 

aabradley82

Senior Member
That 5310 will handle a 7’ mower just fine. I would get dual tail wheels if possible and the heaviest you can afford. 3pt bush hogs just beg to be backed into nasty places.
 
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