Pull behind mower advice

[Alexz7272]

Hello,

We just purcahsed a 1958 Ford 841. It is our first tractor, so we are pretty excited! Our reasoning for getting the tractor is that we have a lot of rebuilding, renovating, and maintenance to do. Our now homestead was foreclosed on and the previous owners were none too happy about it and did quiet a bit of damage and destruction before we moved into the property. We are looking to get a pull behind mower for the 4 acres of land that has been overrun with weeds and very tall grass. I have been fighting it wth a riding lawn mower, which gets it down but by no means is efficent! As this is our first homestead and tractor, could anyone please recommend some good brands or advice when we go out shopping for one? The tractor does have the 3 point PTO on the back. Also, does anyone know or have used a backhoe attachment on this model or a like model before? We are planning on getting a couple attachments. Thanks so much!!

[Muleman]

I am assuming when you say pull behind mower you are meaning a bush hog, not a finish mower? I would recommend a 3 point bush hog probably 5 or 6 foot. If you are planning to try and mow down larger trees and bushes, get the smaller one. I run a 6' on my 45 hp tractor and it is about as big as I would recommend. If you are planning on keeping the grass like a lawn then you may consider an actual finish mower, but I do not really recommend it as you are kinda limited to its use. As far as brands actual Bush Hog brand is probably the best, but honestly would not worry about brand in these types of impliments. I would search the local CL for a good used one in most any of the major brands and expect to pay somewhere in the $500 range for a good used one. I do have a backhoe attachment for my tractor and it has proved quite useful. I doubt you would find anything new for a tractor of that age, but there were quite a few universal type attachments made that will simply hook on to the 3 point. Just be careful in getting a hoe that is too big or trying to do to much as it can stress the tractor with alot of weight and leverage hanging off the back as a back hoe does.
If you decide to get new in any implement I would pick the nearest dealer that has service and go with them even if it cost a little more, because sooner or later you will need parts and service and having them relatively close instead of half way across the state to the nearest dealer will save alot of cost and frustration. Good luck, enjoy your new place.

[bja105]

Another option is a flail mower. It can give a finish cut with the proper blades, or cut brush with different knives. Mine is a Ford 907, 7 foot cut. With the Y blades, it cuts grass almost as nicely as a lawn mower, but it destroys Multiflora Rose, briars, and saplings over 1" thick. If you need to mow bigger trees than that, a rotary mower may be better (a brush hog.) I use a chain saw, my loader, or just a chain on the big stuff.

A flail won't throw rocks or baseballs like a rotary mower. A friend knew a man who killed a boy with a baseball, and that story really affected my choice. I have four little boys who love tractors.

I use my flail mower to clear brush to expand pastures and the yard, I clip the weeds and tall grass in the pasture, and I use it as a counter weight when I am working with the loader. I like that the flail doesn't stick out as far as a rotary mower, important in tight spots.

[Alexz7272]

Thankfully our fields are free of trees for the most part. We just have an issue with thick brush, and therefore need a mower to clear it all away so we can start getting ready to do larger food plots next year. We will definietly look into a flail mower as well, it may be abit more practical for the uses we need. All of your information was extremley helpful and I am forever grateful for the advice!