swing arm brush cutter

[johndeerefarmer]

I am looking at either a swing arm brush cutter for my Deere 329d compact track loader or buy a Deere 35G and put a brush cutter on it.

I mainly need to keep the trims trimmed on our 800' driveway and mow the grass along the driveway, pond banks and around fences.
My questions concern how beefy these mowers are. My 329d weighs 12000 lbs. If I happen to catch a large limb I think it's gonna bend the arm. Most I see are only 1/4" steel.
The Eterra has 1" steel in the arm but is $31,000
Not sure what would happen if I caught the brush cutter on a large limb- would it swing the machine around or would it bend the arm?

 

[LCCorp111]

I have about 1600' of bushy tree line I would like to trim up about 3' or 4' to keep the critters from hiding. I also need to trim a lot back, to try and make it straight and easier to mow the lawn. I have a Bobcat S300, but I really don't want to tear up the grass by turning and maneuvering around. I am looking to purchase a Deere 60G or a CAT 306, and I was thinking of buying a hydraulic sickle bar.

Do you think a brush cutter would do a better job? The sickle's I have looked at I think were capable of a 2" branch??? I figured that can trim the heavy grass on the ground and the hedges up higher.

 

[SkidTracks]

I am looking at either a swing arm brush cutter for my Deere 329d compact track loader or buy a Deere 35G and put a brush cutter on it.

I mainly need to keep the trims trimmed on our 800' driveway and mow the grass along the driveway, pond banks and around fences.
My questions concern how beefy these mowers are. My 329d weighs 12000 lbs. If I happen to catch a large limb I think it's gonna bend the arm. Most I see are only 1/4" steel.
The Eterra has 1" steel in the arm but is $31,000
Not sure what would happen if I caught the brush cutter on a large limb- would it swing the machine around or would it bend the arm?

I recently purchased a Swing Arm brush cutter. Unfortunately, it arrived just before my CTL went in for service.
You basically have same concern I had before buying, and still have; do to inability to test brush cutter.

I'll report back on it's sturdiness, when I finally get to try two together.

I have considered making a 45-degree offset adapter to go between CTL and swing arm brush mower. Running brush mower set at 45-degrees by hydraulic ram. Which would allow swing arm brush mower to move somewhat forwards or backwards should it catch on something unmovable. Amazing what you find in middle of fields. Offset would provide advantage of little more reach to right side. Whether extra two foot would make a 12,000 lbs CTL unstable is unknown.

 

[MX727]

There are couple of different models out there. I have what is essentially the Blue Diamond. You do have to be deliberate when moving, particularly when tracking forward with the mower off to the side. If the mower gets trapped behind a tree or a stump you didn't see and you track forward, it will torque the pivots. The hydraulics don't have enough force to really do any damage, it's just when you are tracking that you need to pay attention to what you are doing.

You just need to keep your head on a swivel and be very deliberate with it particularly with it off to the side.

It works great for clearing ditch banks and trimming overhangs along roads. However, if you have a mini-ex, there are better attachments for those jobs. I prefer saw blade type attachments for trimming trees. Much cleaner cuts.

 

[SkidTracks]

Finally got to try 335 P-Tier with CID (Ironcraft) Swing boom brush cutter.
Kept 335-P in snail mode at 50% with engine at 2,350 RPMs.

Took one precaution, set swing boom about 8-inches back from far right padded stop.
Precaution paid off, when cutter head caught on a stump hidden under tall weeds. Giving me split-second of extra time to stop.

Word of caution for first time users of Swing boom brush cutter when mowing along pond banks. Make several passes, to get weeds and brush chop down. Mowing say, half width of mower head each pass. You may find weeds and brush are hiding a washed out area along bank as I found.

In answer to OPs question. Having caught a tail-wheel, mounted on side of box-blade going past a tree, I doubt the boom of swing boom cutter would spin a skid steer around. More likely, boom would be badly bent. In my case, side of box-blade was bent, along with structural square tubing, and tail-wheel mount itself was ruined.

In regards to mowing ditches and pond banks. Affordable Swing boom brush cutters lack ability to tilt boom of cutter down. Put another way, when boom is set to right, boom is level with ground. You can only tilt head of brush cutter down. Which may leave head well off slope.

To bad, Swing boom brush cutters main pivot for boom is not mounted at slight angle. To where boom would slope further down as boom was moved further to right side. Machine'ss rollback and tilt could adjust brush head to be flush.

 

[SkidTracks]

For those with John Deere P-tier machine with newer Joystick layout / controls. I found following 14-Pin to CID Swing boom brush cutter electrical connections to be user-friendly.
Function-2's buttons are vertical on right edge of right joystick.
Function-4's buttons are horizontal on bottom of right joystick.

John Deere 335-P 14-Pin to Joystick buttons and CID wire colors
Pin A Ground = CID Black Wire
Pin C = Right Joystick Function 2(-)B = Head tilt back or up = CID Red Wire
Pin G = Right Joystick Function 2(+)A = Head tilt away or down = CID Blue Wire
Pin H = Right Joystick Function 4(-)A = Swing boom to Left = CID Orange Wire
Pin F = Right Joystick Function 4(+)B = Swing boom to Right = CID Yellow Wire
With CID brush cutter turning clockwise (hydraulic flow - normal).

 

[cogniz]

Skidtracks, what is the best tool to cut creek banks (tilt down)?
For the money of some skid steer attachments I can buy a used tractor with a boom mower. This is for a farm so not heavy use.

 

[cogniz]

Tried deleting duplicate post.

 

[MX727]

Skidtracks, what is the best tool to cut creek banks (tilt down)?
For the money of some skid steer attachments I can buy a used tractor with a boom mower. This is for a farm so not heavy use.

An excavator with mower attachment

 

[cogniz]

I was afraid of that. Now to convince my wife I NEED another piece of equipment.

 

[foton]

if you have a 3 pt. tractor could you go old school with a sickle mower,there is some that have a hydro cylinder on the to adjust lift on blade.

 

[cogniz]

Foton,
I’m leaning toward the 3pt options. I’ve seen boom cutters for them. I’ve got a TS110 but it’s size is problematic getting close to creek bank edges, around trees,etc.

I’m tempted to try a cheap chinesium skid steer “side arm” mower.

 

[foton]

well if you do ,lets out a post and let us know how it does. I just bought a standard flow stump grinder pretty much in the dark because of a lack of videos about this brand (mechmaxx) .It was priced right and I rolled the dice. It is ok as operating goes , seems well enough build. just a little slower than I would have thought.

 

[cogniz]

well if you do ,lets out a post and let us know how it does. I just bought a standard flow stump grinder pretty much in the dark because of a lack of videos about this brand (mechmaxx) .It was priced right and I rolled the dice. It is ok as operating goes , seems well enough build. just a little slower than I would have thought.

Will do.
There are a few coming for auction in the next few weeks. An example https://www.proxibid.com/Heavy-Cons...Loader-Side-Arm-Mower/lotInformation/95455155

 

[brianNH]

I bought a CID articulating side arm cutter last fall for trimming back brush that creeps in on my trails. It arrived too late in the fall to use. I had a Cat 246 skidsteer to run it, but after receiving it, I found out my 8-pin electrical connector wouldn't support it (need left-right, up-down). I was going to add a manual rocker switch and add it to the connector, but I ended up getting a 277 MTL that has more stick buttons, as well as more weight and better traction. We are still in the depths of winter here, but soon I will be hooking it up and trying to get it to run. It has been a LOT more trouble to get going than I ever imagined. I'll let you all know what I find out.