Mower Choices?

The decision to purchase a mower attachment for your compact tractor is one that shouldn’t be taken lightly. Contractors and landscapers alike encounter challenges and obstacles each day that stand between them and getting the job done — having the right equipment can make all the difference in finishing the task at hand quickly and efficiently the first time.

There are a multitude of mower attachments available on the market. Being knowledgeable about what each is designed for can help you select the right machine for your needs. For example, you wouldn’t use a rotary cutter to achieve a smooth, precise cut needed for a golf course. A mid-mount mower wouldn’t efficiently handle cutting through thick, heavy brush.

In addition to educating yourself, seeking the expertise of a local dealer is a good idea. Their product knowledge and ability to answer your questions will help you select the right machine for your needs during the buying process. Ultimately, a sound understanding of these machines and what you’re going to ask them to do on a daily basis will go a long way in helping maximize the return on your investment.

Mid-mount mowers, also referred to as belly mowers, are ideal for mowing turf and creating a professionally manicured look. These mowers are ideal for jobs in residential and commercial environments; the mower head is mounted in the center of the tractor, underneath the operator. Typically available on sub-compact or small compact tractors, mid-mount systems provide high-quality cuts and allow increased maneuverability in tight environments. The most common cutting widths range from 54 to 72 in. Mid-mount mowers not only reduce turf scalping but deliver a high-quality cut over flat or rolling terrain.

There are two different types of mounting linkage systems used with mid-mount mowers, ground contour following and full floating. A ground contour system relies on caster wheels and the tractor’s front axle to guide the mower deck across terrain, whereas a full-floating system suspends the mower deck underneath the tractor. Both of these designs provide landscape professionals, commercial contractors and homeowners with high-quality cuts for a professionally manicured look.

Ground Contour-Following System

Ground contour-following mower decks rely on four heavy-duty caster wheels to ride over terrain. The casters are connected by a common beam, which is attached to the mower housing. At the end of the beam are a series of mounting holes that allow a slight forward pitch, roughly a quarter of an inch, to the mower deck so the front is lower than the back.

Pitching the deck forward provides an increased vacuum under the front of the mower head, drawing grass in and upward for a cleaner cut. Furthermore, the increased air mixture in the baffle assembly with this setup allows for even, clean disbursement of clippings through the discharge chute. By evening out the clippings load, this design reduces the load on an engine, and subsequently increases fuel efficiency.

Combined with the front articulating axle and the ground contour-following gauge wheels, this system requires little setup time, knowledge or maintenance and provides a professional-looking quality cut.

Full Floating

Full-floating systems suspend the mower deck in the air underneath the tractor through two different types of linkage stop methods, threaded knob style and the pin-type system. The threaded knob style system allows for infinite adjustment of the linkage, allowing an operator to make deck height adjustments in increments as small as 1/8 in. or less. The pin-type adjustment allows an operator to adjust the linkage with a pin at preset height levels, with holes spaced in increments of 1/4 or 1/2 in.

There are several advantages to this deck setup. First, the mower deck has wheels at each corner and at the nose to prevent turf scalping, and it can be adjusted to establish the desired cut height. The linkage also has full adjustment capabilities, including side to side to allow for an even grass cut, and front to back to pitch the mower deck forward for an increased vacuum effect, if necessary.

With proper setup, the deck will float along the ground at the set cutting height, following the ground contour, guided by the articulation of the front tractor axle. Full-floating systems require little maintenance because the deck does not make direct contact with the ground. Three-point, or rear-mount, finish mowers are pulled behind compact tractors for jobs that require covering large, open estates or athletic fields. The machine’s three-point arm assembly allows for greater float travel, which is especially beneficial on hilly terrain. The three-point arm also allows an operator to change attachments quickly and easily.

These mowers feature the same deck adjustments as a ground contour-following deck, with casters at each end of a fabricated mounting beam. However, shims are used to adjust cutting-height settings; to tilt the deck 1/4 in. forward for an increased vacuum that pulls clippings up and provides a smoother cut, the shim size is reduced on the forward casters.

Rear-mount finish mowers are available with two different discharge options. A standard discharge chute releases waste material at the side of the mower deck. Full rear-discharge chutes release grass clippings evenly out of the back of the mower deck, ideal for when mowing commercial properties. Rear chutes also reduce cleanup time after mowing since the clippings are not disbursed onto driveways, sidewalks or decorative planting beds.

Rotary Cutter Mowers

Three-point rotary cutters are rear-mounted, powerful mower attachments ideal for jobs that require cutting through overgrown vegetation, such as heavy brush in industrial sites, pastures, public parks, roadsides and waterways. Adjusting rotary cutters is achieved through a single or dual tail wheel, to which shims are added or removed to establish the desired cutting height. Some tail wheels are attached through a beam with preset holes drilled in the beam are used for height control. Side-to-side movement is controlled by a three-point tilt adjustment, and the full float control comes from the travel of the three-point assembly. Rotary cutters are a great machine to use when trying to regain control of an overgrown area. After using a rotary cutter to mow the brush down, landscapers and contractors will be able to finish mow the property or can till the area to begin reseeding for new growth.

Standard Care and Maintenance

As with any piece of equipment, proper care and maintenance is important. Routine maintenance should be performed after each use to keep the machine operating at peak performance. Operators should examine nuts, bolts and fasteners and apply grease to zerk fittings before each use. After each use, blades should be inspected for damage. They should be sharpened at 25-hour intervals. Grass clippings should be removed from the mower deck and housings to reduce buildup and prevent excessive wear on critical parts. Checking tire pressures regularly will ensure proper inflation for an even cut. Maintenance should never be performed when the machine is running.

It’s important to always refer to the owner’s manual that was provided by the manufacturer of your machine. This will contain important safety and usage recommendations, as well as recommended maintenance guidelines and intervals.

Roger Gifford is a product marketing specialist for compact tractors at Massey Ferguson, based in Duluth, Ga.