Rotary Cutter Size Question.

First off thank you guys for all the previous help. I know this question is probably pretty common. I do know you go by pto hp. About 5hp per foot. Weight is my concern. I bought a Ford 4610 4x4. I would really like to run a 10' pull type cutter, but at the same time I dont want one made out of pop cans. Lol primarily will be used for just for pasture use. I do wanna creep a little deeper around the edges. I see alot of used heavier duty cutters around me. I just hate to buy something that I can't use or regret not buying something a lil bigger. Lol. I do have some steep ground not straight up and down, but steep. I can only afford to buy one so, kinda wanna get it right this go around. You guys on know more than I do so let's see what we come up with.

What is the heaviest that you'll be cutting ? There are some variables in both the conditions and the level of mower you'll want to match up for the work. I have not run a pull type, just mounted, but lots of years going back to when I was young.

I can tell you that in tall, heavy thick grasses, that actually would make great hay, a 6'-0" wide model behind my 4630 is all it wants at full cutting depth, taking a full width cut. That is with sharp or new blades and it properly adjusted to the tractor.

If the worst you'll cut is pasture grasses, multiple times per season, then it's easy to cut, young, supple plants vs heavy, tall grasses, or other thick vegetation, brush weeds etc. I would have no problem going to 7', say mounted, with twin tail wheels, possibly 8'-0". Interesting thing is like on Rhino's website, the match up and the light to heavy models & HP requirements, some would make you think you need more HP, yet per their ratings would be fine for the same tractor, so I get the research and buying the right one the first time. If by chance you do go mounted, you'll need the front weight kit for even the 6'-0" mower, say medium duty.

I would think a 10'-0 wide model would work, but you'll be cutting more often, there's no way that size would work well in thick conditions unless you had more HP, at least from what I can tell based on all the different types of vegetation and brush I have cut with the 4630. I could not use the tow behind type here, would not make sense at all, terrain varies too much and there are places I have to back into with it to cut.

I was going to say the same thing as Billy, get
weights for the front, I got the weights and bracket
for my 4610 at a tractor salvage yard, I run a 6foot
3pt brush hog, for mowing pasture, in tall thick
grass and weeds it works the tractor, when I
mowed the pasture 3-4 times a year in the past, it
was like cutting a lawn, I could run the 6? mower on
my 28hp smaller ford. If you mow many times a
year 10? may work, if not maybe stick with 8?!

I pulled a 10 ft Howse pull type mower with my 4000 for several years before purchasing a 15 ft batwing to pull behind my 6610.
Find a medium weight 10 footer or if you can afford it go with a 12 ft batwing.
If the grass is thick just move over and adjust the swath width to what the tractor will handle, then in light grass you can take a full wide cut and getter done a lot quicker.

You can pull a 10' pull type cutter if just clipping pasture, not too thick, not too close, and not too fast but not if you hope to cut heavy grass.

You should stick with a HD 6' mounted cutter if you plan to cut heavy grass and hope to cut at any speed. Nothing more than 7' mounted, and you will need front weights.

I use a Woods BB720X, HD 6' cutter with a 53 PTO HP hydrostat with front weights and it's all it wants in heavy stuff.

I also have a Woods BB840X, HD 7' cutter that I've used with both 60 PTO and 90 PTO HP tractors. I'm not fond of 7' cutters but this one cuts and clears well. I would prefer an 8' twin spindle cutter rather than a 7' single spindle one but you will be HP limited with either in heavy grass.

I once had a Woods MDS 1260, HD mounted 10 1/2' twin spindle cutter that I used a bit with an 85 PTO HP tractor but did not like it and sold it a couple of years ago.

Dean

Hook my 10ft Sidewinder to your tractor and you'll be regulated to cutting flat land over grazed horse pastures.Get into some real brush hogging and you couldn't run slow enough to keep it from choking.

I would never atempt more than a 6' in your conditions. I had a 5' pulltype and just mowing along side a drive it would kill the engine and the 4000 put out 60 HP on the dyno. Double overbore. At the fertilizer plant I used a 2020 Deere with a 7' mower. Deere rated at 55 HP on PTO. All it wanted just mowing the plant grounds on level.

That's a really nice looking tractor. I'd go for a 10' & if the grass was too heavy just
take a 5 or 6' cut. Then, in lighter grass take the full 10. Shallow deck mowers have
trouble getting the grass out from under the mower, that is what eats up the hp. Like others
have said, frt. wts. for sure.

The city (MI) I retired from had a 1984 4610 2 wheel drive that we did roadside cutting with. We had a 7' brush hog on it and it
would work it hard on grass we cut 2 or 3 times a summer. As other said, unless your grass is whisper thin or you are cutting
every 2 weeks, I think 10' is too much. If your cutting frequently, you might be happier with a finish mower.

We have an 8 foot, two spindle heavy duty LandPride, that we tow with a 65 hp tractor. It is very heavy and
would take a 100hp tractor to use it as 3 pt hitch. In heavy grass or golden rod and light brush, it takes
all 65 hp. We run a 6 ft 3 pt hitch med duty on a 50hp Compact 4x4 with bucket for balance.

Your tractor would probably handle a 7 ft med duty 3 pt hitch mower.

Bill

I have 8 ' bush hog 3 point on 2155 J D pulls it with no problems. Most people want to mow in third or fourth gear. Mow at 2.5 mph and 540 rpm in heavy grass and Weeds
with no problems.

I have not seen a bat wing of any size on less than a 150 hp tractor and that includes the state and county road mowers. This includes the single sided bat wing.

Wow guys, thank you for the input! Kinda wish I got a series bigger tractor. Lol I really did want a 5000 series, but it's hard to find one not beat to death and 4x4. Looking for 16.9 x 30 dual wheels at the moment. Gonna load the inner rear tires as well. So I couldn't run say a rhino ts12? Says min 35 pto hp. But I'm sure its heavy prob like 3200lbs.

Don't be afraid to pull a TS10 or TS12 batwing with your 4610, it'll handle one fine, you don't even need dual rears wheels, just widen out the wheels for better side stability, fluid all 4 tires and you won't need weights.
I've lived on this Ky hillside farm my hole life, I know what type of grass your dealing with and how steep the hills can be, I've had my 10 ft fixed deck mower on some pretty steep hills behind my 4000 2wd. Don't bother with a 3 point mower, 6 ft is about all you'd want on that tractor. A 3 point raised takes weight off of the front axle reducing steering control, a pull type adds 700+ lbs to the rear like adding wheel weights but takes very little off of the front, this increases steering control and provides increased traction on 4x4 tractors like yours.
I've ran 5 ft 3 point mowers on 800, 3000 Fords and 7 ft 3 point behind a 5600, after purchasing my first 10 ft pull type to use behind my 4000 I'd almost rather take a beating than to use a 3 point mower again.
I have a neighbor that's been using a TS12 behind his 4630 2wd for years, you shouldn't have any problems pulling one with your 4x4. If your concerned about the weight of the TS12 look at a TS10 it's 500 lbs lighter.

We pull a 15 foot batwing with a 100hp 2 wheel drive every summer no problems with traction or horse power