# Disc Mowers



## clowers (Feb 11, 2011)

If you had to buy a new disc mower today. What brand and model would you buy?


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## clowers (Feb 11, 2011)

I have a Kuhn GMD 700


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## R Ball (Feb 26, 2013)

I had a NH 615 and a 616. Both seemed to be good machines, I'd buy either again.
Currently running a NH 7230 disc bine, good machine also. Just takes a lot of horse power.


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## Richardin52 (Aug 14, 2011)

I have had both a kuhn and a New Holland. I like the New Holland better. It takes less power to run and if I hit something it takes just minutes to fix a head.


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## Colby (Mar 5, 2012)

I see more new holland discbines than anything else now a days


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## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

I have a NH7230. Just bought it and wont use it for another 2 weeks. I will give my feedback. I bought it because NH is pretty legendary for making good hay tools.


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## endrow (Dec 15, 2011)

After this season Our 1431 Would be due to be replaced I will think long and hard I see more and more guys going away from Conditioning rollSi.


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## discbinedr (Mar 4, 2013)

New Holland 617 or current model.


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## Tim/South (Dec 12, 2011)

I have owned several disc mowers over the years. Vicon always served me well. I bought a Krone last year. My next one will also be a Krone.


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## urednecku (Oct 18, 2010)

I've also got a Kuhn GMD 700HD, got it used for a decent price. My main complaint is I have to go into the dealer to see a parts breakdown. Sometimes it's impossible to describe a part I need. JD has their parts on-line so you can get the part number or see how something goes back together.


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## RockmartGA (Jun 29, 2011)

I've got a Kuhn now. Had a Vicon in the past. Liked them both.

Around my area, I think you see more Kuhns than anything else.


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## clowers (Feb 11, 2011)

Tim/south what's better about the krone


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## Tim/South (Dec 12, 2011)

Kuhn, who also makes Deere, is big in our area as well.

The Krone is a beefy, well built machine. It has a shaft, no belts. The cutter bar is solid weld, not bolted together.


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## clowers (Feb 11, 2011)

I've Alwaya run kuhns. 
Know how to repair them
Intrigued by krone 
Thanks


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## hayward (Jan 26, 2012)

I've run Kuhn and vicon, vicon not really popular in this area, but I ordered a new one outa east Texas (232 extra) I like it. 3 blades per disc, welded cutter bar


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## barnrope (Mar 22, 2010)

New Holland 7450 or Vermeer 1030


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## Grateful11 (Apr 5, 2009)

Go here and take a look at these Disc Mowers. It's some videos I shot at Hay Day in NC. You'll have scroll down a bit to the Mowers when you get there.

They were runnning Massey Ferguson, New Holland, Kuhn, John Deere.

http://www.youtube.com/user/SuperHerefords?feature=


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## Dill (Nov 5, 2010)

We've got Kuhn discbines, I was impressed by the shock hubs of the New Holland but the price on the new Kuhn was much better 2 years ago. Also at the point we could still get a Kuhn with a tongue rather than a 2pt hitch. That means I can still trailer it behind the pickup which is very important.


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## endrow (Dec 15, 2011)

discbinedr said:


> New Holland 617 or current model.


I am thinking that is just a strait 3 point model Does anyone mow alfalfa and or grass for dry hay without conditioner rolls or flails


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## rjmoses (Apr 4, 2010)

Ran a Vicon for about 4 years, traded it for a NH H7230 when the hubs started failing.

I liked the Vicon because is was an easy pull, had a 3 blade cutter head, and overall did a nice job cutting. Grass shoes fit on the outside and were easy to put on/take off.

I think the problem with the Vicon hubs came from the fact that it had a common lube reservoir for all hubs and when I was mowing across a hillside, the top end would would be under lubricated since all the oil would flow to the downhill end. They were easy to replace, but expensive.

7230 grass shoes fit under each hub and are a lot more difficult to put on/take off, so I leave them on. Each hub is isolated from the others and has its own oil bath/reservoir. This means checking/changing oil 8 times. But I think its a more reliable design, especially for mowing across hillsides.

Ralph


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## discbinedr (Mar 4, 2013)

Disc mower/conditioner? For a sidepull I'd pick a New Holland 7230. Center pivot, probably
Massey 1372 or Deere 946. Massey 1359 is a nice light clean cutting 9 foot side pull. Older
equivalent would be New Idea 5209. Hard to beat for economy and clean cut.


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## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

discbinedr said:


> Disc mower/conditioner? For a sidepull I'd pick a New Holland 7230. Center pivot, probably
> Massey 1372 or Deere 946. Massey 1359 is a nice light clean cutting 9 foot side pull. Older
> equivalent would be New Idea 5209. Hard to beat for economy and clean cut.


Dude, I've heard all about you from other farmers over here in the area. . 
I would like to come up and visit you sometime!


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## sethd11 (Jan 1, 2012)

I agree with you Ralph. The 7230/7330 is a stellar design. The modular mowmax head with individual oil both hubs is a good design. Except when the drain plug falls out of the 2ñd hub and burns up. However it was apart in an hr. And in route to get parts.

On a vicon, The only thing I dont understand is a benefit of a three blade head. I can already haul ass through a field with 2. Maybe it slows the hub down a bit with three blades.


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## cannonball (Jun 23, 2012)

Kuhn...and only Kuhn....they are now all hd units....JD 265, 275, 285


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## David in Georgia (Aug 30, 2009)

I've run a Roto, Vicion, Vermeer, and a Kuhn. I liked the Vermeer but love the Kuhn and highly recommend Kuhn.


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## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

sethd11 said:


> I agree with you Ralph. The 7230/7330 is a stellar design. The modular mowmax head with individual oil both hubs is a good design. Except when the drain plug falls out of the 2ñd hub and burns up. However it was apart in an hr. And in route to get parts.
> On a vicon, The only thing I dont understand is a benefit of a three blade head. I can already haul ass through a field with 2. Maybe it slows the hub down a bit with three blades.


I'll have to keep an eye on that drain plug!
I bought the 7230 mostly because it trails centered behind my tractor down the road and the dealer seems pretty good. Price was good at just a little over 19k.
Those Krones look good, too!


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## a7smith7 (Apr 27, 2013)

Just got my vermeer tm 800 in. I like the way it's built, mowed my yard with it in about 5 minutes


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## Hand&Hand Farms (Feb 5, 2011)

Been satisfied with the Kuhn's. Just keep rebuilding them and patching holes. I'm curious how the NH's with the shock hubs hold up to ant beds. I can picture spending a lot of time resetting them.


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## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

Dill said:


> We've got Kuhn discbines, I was impressed by the shock hubs of the New Holland but the price on the new Kuhn was much better 2 years ago. Also at the point we could still get a Kuhn with a tongue rather than a 2pt hitch. That means I can still trailer it behind the pickup which is very important.


Can you post up a picture of the hitch? 
I've yet to find one. Want to pull 7230 discbine behind my 550.


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## mgilbert61 (Nov 2, 2012)

I'm just starting to LOOK OVER my new H7230. Hay all down from weather. Should be fun.....OH BOY !!

Ran a NH1411 previous years.

???? to you gurues....I want to check correct GAP setting. Heard to take aluminum foil, roll it into about 1", run it through and thickness to be of quarter.

JD3430 - MLAPPIN talked about fabbing a hitch for his H7230......I think. Would like to know how. I want to pull with my F-350. Will the hitch stay on?

WOW! Little over $19K!! ....and I thought I did OK at under $22K!


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## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

I could be wrong, but I think NH might actually make a truck hitch for the discbines.


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## kv33 (May 23, 2013)

My dad bought an old mower, do most of them just have one plug to put heavy weight oil in?


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## Richardin52 (Aug 14, 2011)

I run a 3 pt hitch NH disc mower with no conditioner. It is set up to lay down the hay wide and thin. Hay dries faster that way. I'm located in Maine where we are hard pressed to get 7 days in a row without rain.

I have a switch on the right fender of my NH tractor that will lift and lower the 3 pt hitch to a pre set height. It works very fast. I do not mow in circles but divide a field up into long straight sections when I get to the end of a section I lift the cutter spin to the right drop the bar and never even slow down. If the field is smooth I can really flatten hay fast with this set up.



endrow said:


> I am thinking that is just a strait 3 point model Does anyone mow alfalfa and or grass for dry hay without conditioner rolls or flails


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## urednecku (Oct 18, 2010)

kv33 said:


> My dad bought an old mower, do most of them just have one plug to put heavy weight oil in?


That totally depends on the mower. What kind? What model of what brand? Some have 1, some have 2, some have 1 under each blade (of a disc mower) and 1 in the gearbox.

Also, where are you located?


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## mgilbert61 (Nov 2, 2012)

Ran new NH H7230 today. WOW !! What a difference from NH 1411. Swivel hitch makes the bid diff I think. Still not sure if I have roller pressure right. Mostly fescue/orchard grass and couldn't really tell breaks.


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## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

mgilbert61 said:


> Ran new NH H7230 today. WOW !! What a difference from NH 1411. Swivel hitch makes the bid diff I think. Still not sure if I have roller pressure right. Mostly fescue/orchard grass and couldn't really tell breaks.


Great to hear. Anxious to tear into it this week. Just got to get a job done and then I'm "free" for a long time to farm hay.


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## somedevildawg (Jun 20, 2011)

Well, I guess I'm in the minority here....I have two, a kuhns (rebranded frontier) and a claas, the claas is better......
Ever changed blades on a disc mower, takes just about 10 min in the field or at the shop with the claas, also don't have to raise 3 pt to raise cutter bar to mobile, as with the kuhn, I also like the curtain better.....just a bit better designed and built, IMHO


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

No such thing as disc mowers around here, lots of New Holland discbines though. Seen one pull type with that oddball green paint on it and a self propelled JD discbine a county over. Red hay equipment rules in the three county area. Rarely even see a JD baler of any kind in the area. Have only ever seen two Claas round balers in person.

Still running a 1431, the shock hubs can be added easy enough.

Don't have the hitch to pull it with the pickup, when I'm in haymaking mode each piece of equipment has it's own tractor and the tractors stay hooked to the equipment till the last cutting is made and its stored for the winter.


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## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

mlappin said:


> No such thing as disc mowers around here, lots of New Holland discbines though. Seen one pull type with that oddball green paint on it and a self propelled JD discbine a county over. Red hay equipment rules in the three county area. Rarely even see a JD baler of any kind in the area. Have only ever seen two Claas round balers in person.
> Still running a 1431, the shock hubs can be added easy enough.
> Don't have the hitch to pull it with the pickup, when I'm in haymaking mode each piece of equipment has it's own tractor and the tractors stay hooked to the equipment till the last cutting is made and its stored for the winter.


Must be nice to be in that mode. I hate hitching/unhitching attachments anymore. 
Did 120 acres 3 times last year with ONE tractor. I bet I gonna feel a lot better with 2 tractors this year!!


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## urednecku (Oct 18, 2010)

> I bet I gonna feel a lot better with 2 tractors this year!!


You will. In my situation, sometimes my buyer only wants couple hundred bales a day. It's nice to be able to rake what I think will get what he wants, then off 1 tractor & take off on the other to bale. If I'm a few bales short, or the next day just climb on & go.


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

JD3430 said:


> Must be nice to be in that mode. I hate hitching/unhitching attachments anymore.
> Did 120 acres 3 times last year with ONE tractor. I bet I gonna feel a lot better with 2 tractors this year!!


It's nice, lowers the hours on each tractor and since your not hooking and un-hooking constantly you'll have less problems in the long run with bad connections in electrical plugs and the o-rings in your hydraulic connectors will last longer.


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## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

JD3430 said:


> Must be nice to be in that mode. I hate hitching/unhitching attachments anymore.
> Did 120 acres 3 times last year with ONE tractor. I bet I gonna feel a lot better with 2 tractors this year!!


I do the same,Leave the baler,cutter and rake hooked up pretty much for the summer.


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## foz682 (Jan 10, 2013)

Ok I'll be the odd one out here.
We use a JF GMS3200 and it works great with very little maintenance needed, quiet machine, go as fast as you safely can and it doesn't miss a beat. It hooks to the lower links, which takes a bit of getting used to but is a breeze once you've hooked it up a few times. I can make a full 360° tight turn and have a ways to go before bottoming out on anything.
If I had to upgrade I'd have to say I'd get the same mower but with the central pivot drawbar.

I have little experience with others, but I find the JD disc mowers are by far the loudest, we can hear others mowing with JD's over 2 miles away, whereas I can only hear the tractor running if my father is cutting 400 ft away until he lifts it off the ground, and even then it's not much noise.


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## Grateful11 (Apr 5, 2009)

At the Hay Day here in NC the NH was the loudest and the JD one of the quietest.

This NH had people putting their hands over their ears:






The JD was one of the quietest that day:


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

Sounds like a tight gear box on the NH, my 1431 isn't that loud, least I don't think it is. With NH your supposed to go fast enough to outrun the noise I guess. :huh:


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## somedevildawg (Jun 20, 2011)

That 625 moco is a badass.....on my "wish in one hand" list......prolly ain't gonna fill up first tho....

That NH is really loud, I agree on that gearbox being "tight", really tight....


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## bluefarmer (Oct 10, 2010)

I had a John Deere mechanic tell me stay with Nh mower they are much better


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

Somethings wrong with that NH, I checked a video I had on youtube for Tammy's family in England, my 1431 isn't no where near as noisy.


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## Grateful11 (Apr 5, 2009)

From what I understand Kubota bought Kverneland. I hope we see more of their equipment here in the US in the near future.


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## FarmerCline (Oct 12, 2011)

I have been thinking about buying a NH discbine like that next year but I have an open station tractor and I don't think I could stand to hear that discbine all day. I wonder if its something with that particular machine or if they are all that loud.


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

Grateful11 said:


> From what I understand Kubota bought Kverneland. I hope we see more of their equipment here in the US in the near future.


Don't know about that, unless something has improved drastically a neighbor had a Kverneland tedder, looked to me to be junk even when it was new.


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

Normally they aren't that loud/whiny. Feel free to skip ahead to about one minute in.


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## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

On my Vermeer it has a similar noise that comes from the gears on the crimper.Which run dry,not in a gearbox.


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## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

Marty thanks for the video. 
Getting ready to run NH side pull discbine here later this week for FIRST time!
Nervous as heck, but excited to not have to unplug the old haybine, too!!!!

So, in general, do I do a counter clockwise loop around field first, then just keep looping around, or should I do straight passes back and forth? I really don't know what the best method is. I'm so used to straight ahead cut on SP haybine.


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## rjbaustian (Oct 16, 2012)

So what's the point of these? They don't "condition" the hay, so wouldn't dry down be longer?


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## somedevildawg (Jun 20, 2011)

rjbaustian said:


> So what's the point of these? They don't "condition" the hay, so wouldn't dry down be longer?


I believe all of them condition, not sure if they all have rollers maybe have flails.


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## Dill (Nov 5, 2010)

I do the backwards first loop then drive in circles. Not sure if its the right way but its how I was taught. You'll never go back to a sickle bar. Mowing in the dew and the rain is great.


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## discbinedr (Mar 4, 2013)

FarmerCline said:


> I have been thinking about buying a NH discbine like that next year but I have an open station tractor and I don't think I could stand to hear that discbine all day. I wonder if its something with that particular machine or if they are all that loud.


Ran an older 1411 over the weekend and thought it was one of the quietest machines I've
ever run.


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## rjbaustian (Oct 16, 2012)

So do they condition just as good as with rollers? I just bought a JD 1219 that's in great shape. Might resell it if a disk is worth it. But I just don't understand how the condition...a3pt sure doesn't look like it does.


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## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

Conditions with rollers same way as a haybine. Discs cut hay and the rollers suck it up and spit it out. 
Looks like a wave of green water coming out the ass end in heavy thick hay.


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## rjbaustian (Oct 16, 2012)

The three point ones I looked at on the Internet don't have any rollers of any sort though....some of the pull type do I see


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## Dill (Nov 5, 2010)

Yes most 3pth disc mowers are just that, mowers. There are a couple oddball european 3pth mower/conditioners. Than the discbines,mocos etc, are pull type with rolls or fails to condtion. Just like choosing between a sickle bar and a haybine.


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## rjbaustian (Oct 16, 2012)

Ok, I follow. So that would do a worse job as far as increasing my dry down time because of not conditioning it correct? I would only be able to cut faster?


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## somedevildawg (Jun 20, 2011)

rjbaustian said:


> Ok, I follow. So that would do a worse job as far as increasing my dry down time because of not conditioning it correct? I would only be able to cut faster?


Well, yes and no... the disc mower will cut much faster than a sickle....which in turn will increase dry down because it'll have longer to dry, the rollers or flails will condition the hay by crimping the stems, thus allowing for faster dry down. You can cut just about as fast with a disc mower conditioner as with a disc mower. Think, discbine for disc mower conditioners....think, haybine for a sickle conditioner. Bothe work about as fast as their non-conditioned counterpart. What you don't have to worry about is down time due to plugging with disc mowers....hope it helps


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## Grateful11 (Apr 5, 2009)

Dill said:


> I do the backwards first loop then drive in circles. Not sure if its the right way but its how I was taught. You'll never go back to a sickle bar. Mowing in the dew and the rain is great.


My late FIL had one the earliest Haybines and he always saved the outer cut/backwards cut for last. His logic was that's where the worst crop is at and it catches most of the trash that might blow into the field. He always said run over your worst crop and use that first pass to spot most of the trash from the tractor seat.


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## FarmerCline (Oct 12, 2011)

Grateful11 said:


> My late FIL had one the earliest Haybines and he always saved the outer cut/backwards cut for last. His logic was that's where the worst crop is at and it catches most of the trash that might blow into the field. He always said run over your worst crop and use that first pass to spot most of the trash from the tractor seat.


 Yep that's the same way I mow my hay. Most the time I don't even rake the hay that's a couple feet from the woods as it will have some poison ivy and other vines that creep out into the fields a bit. I always mow it though to keep it from creeping out any further.


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

Grateful11 said:


> My late FIL had one the earliest Haybines and he always saved the outer cut/backwards cut for last. His logic was that's where the worst crop is at and it catches most of the trash that might blow into the field. He always said run over your worst crop and use that first pass to spot most of the trash from the tractor seat.


Not only that, mow that pass last and what got run over may stand back up some making it easier to cut, especially if your using a sickle machine.


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## Grateful11 (Apr 5, 2009)

Here's the Kuhn Disc Mower Conditioner(Rollers not Flail) in operation, Oats with some crap mixed in. Seems to be working quite well.


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## somedevildawg (Jun 20, 2011)

[quote name="Grateful11" post="98186" timestamp="1369924892"]Here's the Kuhn Disc Mower Conditioner(Rollers not Flail) in operation, Oats with some crap mixed in. Seems to be working quite well.

Nice.....I like skynard in the background with some Saturday night special, my kinda tunes....


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## endrow (Dec 15, 2011)

We have widespread on a 1431 .some days in a real thick crop it really helps.. this was breast high it is laying over but you can still get it all cut


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

endrow said:


> We have widespread on a 1431 .some days in a real thick crop it really helps.. this was breast high it is laying over but you can still get it all cut


Have any problems with the wheel tracks left by the tractor drying?


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## endrow (Dec 15, 2011)

mlappin said:


> Have any problems with the wheel tracks left by the tractor drying?


YES if you don't ted it & sometimes we don't ,The hay that is in the wheel tracks rakes up greener. The attachment works super if mowing on dry ground .On wet ground we still like mow narrow and dry out the ground then ted it out . Just showed The pic Cause in the past it was asked about


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## T & R Hay Farms (Jan 19, 2012)

We love our 2 NH 617 3pt mounted disc mowers. They do not have rollers but for grass hay and ditches that we put up it works extremely well. We just purchased a Vermeer TM1400 Trailed mower. Its basically 2 9' mowers that fold out to 18'. Getting anxious to wind 'er up and start using it to cut some hay!


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## somedevildawg (Jun 20, 2011)

T & R Hay Farms said:


> We love our 2 NH 617 3pt mounted disc mowers. They do not have rollers but for grass hay and ditches that we put up it works extremely well. We just purchased a Vermeer TM1400 Trailed mower. Its basically 2 9' mowers that fold out to 18'. Getting anxious to wind 'er up and start using it to cut some hay!


I've seen that Vermeer, interesting, give us an update and let us know how it works out for ya...
You're right that 617 has to be one of the best, still find it funny that you guys make hay out of ditches, round here the bales would be full of lottery tickets, McDonald's trash, and cigarette packs, only input cost would be when ya hit a wheel that was laying in the ditch grown over by Baha'i grass, or kudzu....(not many of y'all that know what kudzu is I bet, we didn't either till about 40 some odd years ago) well maybe 50... Time sneaks along...


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## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

Probably the biggest hay contractor in my area cuts 100's of acres with a NH 3 pt mounted disc mower. 
He hooks it up to an old IH 2wd and cuts as fast as he can hold on. No conditioning rollers. 
Makes hay twice as fast as me. It's like he has no fear. That hay is baled up FAST. 
One night on way home from my fields, I probed a bunch of his bales. They all read 25-35% moisture. It's all mushroom hay as far I have been told. 
I can't wait to have his level of experience. I notice he's always on top of things.


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## FarmerCline (Oct 12, 2011)

JD3430 said:


> Probably the biggest hay contractor in my area cuts 100's of acres with a NH 3 pt mounted disc mower.
> He hooks it up to an old IH 2wd and cuts as fast as he can hold on. No conditioning rollers.
> Makes hay twice as fast as me. It's like he has no fear. That hay is baled up FAST.
> One night on way home from my fields, I probed a bunch of his bales. They all read 25-35% moisture. It's all mushroom hay as far I have been told.
> I can't wait to have his level of experience. I notice he's always on top of things.


I am still in the learning process myself but if he is continually putting up hay at 25 to 35% moisture his level of experience leaves something to be desired. I have used a 3 point hitch disc mower for the past two years up until this year I started using a haybine. I will never go back to a disc mower again. The haybine leaves a much higher stubble which helps keep the hay from laying directly on wet ground and here it seems that the hay needs conditioning. Now a discbine like you have would have all the advantages of the haybine just with the ability to mow faster since it is a disc machine.


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## AndyL (Mar 9, 2013)

somedevildawg said:


> kudzu....(not many of y'all that know what kudzu is I bet,


Ok, I'll bite. What is kudza?


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## jturbo10 (Feb 28, 2011)

I have a Kuhn 700 GMD HD...works great. Done 12 cuttings without any issues. Recommend a Kuhn


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## FarmerCline (Oct 12, 2011)

AndyL said:


> Ok, I'll bite. What is kudza?


 kudzu is an awfull vine that cover everything it touches and can smother full grown trees. You can literally watch it grown on a hot summer day. It was introduced from Japan for erosion control. I'm surprised you don't have any in Louisiana.


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## somedevildawg (Jun 20, 2011)

AndyL said:


> Ok, I'll bite. What is kudza?


Ha! I knew I'd get a bite! As farmercline eluded to...it was brought here for erosion control (thnk this was one of them gov agencies that thought up this one, maybe corp of engineers, I really have no idea) it worked purty good at covering junk yards (thnk old cars) it covers everything....it will grow about 8" a day, like cline said; you can just about watch it grow.....amazing stuff this kudzu, they tried marketing clothing, eating it, baling it, it don't care what kinda dirt, the poorer the better....it's a menace here, but easily controlled if managed, if not, watch out, it'll cover acres.....

Alltel used to be the largest cellular carrier in these parts and they had a advertising campaign that said "only one thing covers more of Georgia" the sign was partially covered by faux kudzu leaves, looked like the sign was being overtaken....purty cool ad campaign, and close to the truth, it covers 50' pines, telephone poles, lines, towers, anything in its path....why the hell did I mention kudzu anyway? Oh yea, it often times can be found in ditches as well....


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## Grateful11 (Apr 5, 2009)

FarmerCline said:


> I am still in the learning process myself but if he is continually putting up hay at 25 to 35% moisture his level of experience leaves something to be desired. I have used a 3 point hitch disc mower for the past two years up until this year I started using a haybine. I will never go back to a disc mower again. The haybine leaves a much higher stubble which helps keep the hay from laying directly on wet ground and here it seems that the hay needs conditioning. Now a discbine like you have would have all the advantages of the haybine just with the ability to mow faster since it is a disc machine.


Farmercline you mowed your Oats I think the same week we did. We had the 478 Haybine going cutting off at about 4-5" and the Kuhn Disc Mower Cond. cutting off at about 2 1/2" - 3". We couldn't tell any difference in drying time. A small amount was mowed on a Sat. and tedded on Monday morning and the rest all mowed on Monday, we don't do anymore than necessary on Sunday, baling started on Wed arounf lunch and finished on Thur. at about 6pm. Best looking hay we've ever seen, like your it looks like the color of new money. Personally I think the Kuhn cut Oats dried a tad faster. The stems were cut nice and clean and not jagged like the Haybine. I will admit the Haybine needs some work on the cutterbar and probably new stub gaurds, there's too much gap between the guards and the knives. I believe the manual says .000-.010". Come down sometime when we're cutting, we're still learning the ends and outs of the Disc mower but I can't see anyone ever buying a new Haybine here again. I guess we'll see how it does in Soybeans and Millet a few months, if they ever get in the ground, mighty wet here right now. If you mow much lower around here with a Haybine fire ant hills will plug it up. The Disc mower just destroys the hills into cloud of dust, I hate fire ants.


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## AndyL (Mar 9, 2013)

kudza Ok I think I know what you're talking about. There is one place we harvest pecans on, where they only clean up once a year, just before we move in. Vines were wrapping around the bearings and would bust the bearing pillows. We have to clean that mess out every time we dump. But we do get 25000+ lbs of pecans off that place. Gonna have to check and see if it's the kudza.


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## FarmerCline (Oct 12, 2011)

Grateful11 said:


> Farmercline you mowed your Oats I think the same week we did. We had the 478 Haybine going cutting off at about 4-5" and the Kuhn Disc Mower Cond. cutting off at about 2 1/2" - 3". We couldn't tell any difference in drying time. A small amount was mowed on a Sat. and tedded on Monday morning and the rest all mowed on Monday, we don't do anymore than necessary on Sunday, baling started on Wed arounf lunch and finished on Thur. at about 6pm. Best looking hay we've ever seen, like your it looks like the color of new money. Personally I think the Kuhn cut Oats dried a tad faster. The stems were cut nice and clean and not jagged like the Haybine. I will admit the Haybine needs some work on the cutterbar and probably new stub gaurds, there's too much gap between the guards and the knives. I believe the manual says .000-.010". Come down sometime when we're cutting, we're still learning the ends and outs of the Disc mower but I can't see anyone ever buying a new Haybine here again. I guess we'll see how it does in Soybeans and Millet a few months, if they ever get in the ground, mighty wet here right now. If you mow much lower around here with a Haybine fire ant hills will plug it up. The Disc mower just destroys the hills into cloud of dust, I hate fire ants.


 The three point hitch disc mower I had did not have any height adjustment like a haybine and I believe most discbines do. The only adjustment I had was the top link and that did not move it very much, I don't know how heigh exactly it would cut, it practically shaved the ground and since it did not have a conditioning system the hay was left laying flat on the ground. For oats I don't guess it would hurt to cut them low but for orchard grass and timothy I need to leave plenty of stubble. In the future I would like to upgrade to a discbine but I won't go back to a regular disc mower. I did notice the haybine left a rather ragged stubble in the oats however in the orchard and fescue hay I made last week it cut very clean. The only downside I see to the haybine is I have to mow a bit slower than I did with the disc mower. I wouldn't mind seeing your Kuhn sometime as I have never seen a discbine in action. We don't have fire ants up here...yet. 
How much rain have you got this week? We have had about 2.80 since Sunday.


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## Grateful11 (Apr 5, 2009)

I'll drop you note when the mower is coming out again. We've had 2.30" since the 1st of June. We only had 2.8" for whole month of May. You're lucky on the Fire Ants.

We're thinking of rebuilding the whole cutter bar area new cutter bar, hold-downs and guards. I just wonder if off brand stuff is as good as New Holland. I figure it's going to cost about $550 for the parts from NH. Even if the Haybine is slower with both running it sure gets things done faster ;-)


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## T & R Hay Farms (Jan 19, 2012)

somedevildawg said:


> I've seen that Vermeer, interesting, give us an update and let us know how it works out for ya...
> You're right that 617 has to be one of the best, still find it funny that you guys make hay out of ditches, round here the bales would be full of lottery tickets, McDonald's trash, and cigarette packs, only input cost would be when ya hit a wheel that was laying in the ditch grown over by Baha'i grass, or kudzu....(not many of y'all that know what kudzu is I bet, we didn't either till about 40 some odd years ago) well maybe 50... Time sneaks along...


Yea, I cut a little ditch last night and it is awesome! First time is always a new experience. Going around the road signs may be interesting and a learning curve.

But we do mostly ditch hay along with large drainage ditches. We also do a few 40 chunks of ******* that farmers do not want to take the time farming. I hope we never have to experience KUDZU!

Let you know more in a few weeks how the Vermeer is running!

Thanks,

Richard Lewis


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## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

T & R Hay Farms said:


> We just purchased a Vermeer TM1400 Trailed mower. Its basically 2 9' mowers that fold out to 18'. Getting anxious to wind 'er up and start using it to cut some hay!


The Vermeer Rep was trying to talk me into going with the TM1400,and their tedder.Instead of the 1030 mower/cond.I think it would be cats meow in grass hay.


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## somedevildawg (Jun 20, 2011)

T & R Hay Farms said:


> Yea, I cut a little ditch last night and it is awesome! First time is always a new experience. Going around the road signs may be interesting and a learning curve.
> 
> But we do mostly ditch hay along with large drainage ditches. We also do a few 40 chunks of ******* that farmers do not want to take the time farming. I hope we never have to experience KUDZU!
> 
> ...


Ok now I'll bite.....what the hell is a ******? (Ya did that on purpose didn't you)

Thankfully kudzu is near tropical, it loves some heat.....

Nice to hear bout that "diggin Dutchman" like to try one out, driveshaft, no belts?


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## somedevildawg (Jun 20, 2011)

AndyL said:


> kudza Ok I think I know what you're talking about. There is one place we harvest pecans on, where they only clean up once a year, just before we move in. Vines were wrapping around the bearings and would bust the bearing pillows. We have to clean that mess out every time we dump. But we do get 25000+ lbs of pecans off that place. Gonna have to check and see if it's the kudza.


Lol, ur killn me Andy, it's Kudzu....I always thought about that little guy on the Jetsons (some may or may not know who that was) the little fella that showed up levitating, think his name was kazoo, I always thought they musta made that name up from kudzu, (most likely from the musical instrument)

I'm surprised y'all don't have much in la. Perhaps the Mississippi is a natural containment, or maybe the Alabama river. I know there's a heap of it here...prolly was brought in to the ports at savannah back in the day...you'll know if ya see it, huge leaves and a large strong vine, stand there long enough and you can see it grow....


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## T & R Hay Farms (Jan 19, 2012)

somedevildawg said:


> Ok now I'll bite.....what the hell is a ******? (Ya did that on purpose didn't you)
> 
> Thankfully kudzu is near tropical, it loves some heat.....
> 
> Nice to hear bout that "diggin Dutchman" like to try one out, driveshaft, no belts?


I may have done that on purpose. It is a tributary to a river that always has water in it and gently slopes up to the farmers field. We hay the part that farmers do not like to farm, since sometimes after a large rainfall it will flood. (very rarely does that happen though)

I am sure in other areas of the country/world they are called by a different name.

example: pics below. (the pics make me anxious to get cutting and baling again!)





  








****** 2




__
T & R Hay Farms


__
Jun 6, 2013











  








****** 1




__
T & R Hay Farms


__
Jun 6, 2013


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## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

Typically called "Buffer Strip" here


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## R Ball (Feb 26, 2013)

Makes about everything I cut a ******.


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## jturbo10 (Feb 28, 2011)

Kuhn 700 GD HD...great mower.


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## somedevildawg (Jun 20, 2011)

Now I know, thanks....looks like some great grass, fairly smooth, I guess it was graded like that at some point. Looks like good hay land....


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## FarmerCline (Oct 12, 2011)

What's that stuff that is growing to the right of your rolls of hay in the first picture? It looks like there is some in the second picture along the stream also.


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## deadmoose (Oct 30, 2011)

FarmerCline said:


> What's that stuff that is growing to the right of your rolls of hay in the first picture? It looks like there is some in the second picture along the stream also.


I can't zoom in well on my phone, but it looks like canary grass to me from afar.


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## FarmerCline (Oct 12, 2011)

I don't believe we have canary grass down here as I've never seen it before. Is it a good grass for hay?


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## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

FarmerCline said:


> I don't believe we have canary grass down here as I've never seen it before. Is it a good grass for hay?


Lol.....most guys here don't think so, but I have about 40 acres of it and the cattle that eat it sure seem to like it!


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## R Ball (Feb 26, 2013)

I have some of it also. Cattle and horses here will both eat it. Like anything else it will get stemy in maturity.


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## T & R Hay Farms (Jan 19, 2012)

somedevildawg said:


> Now I know, thanks....looks like some great grass, fairly smooth, I guess it was graded like that at some point. Looks like good hay land....


Well, 20 some odd years ago, there was a road that wound around the ****** and then that disappeared and then the farmers farmed up to it, hence why it looks smooth. It is very smooth until you get to the tall canary grass...when mowing that, you better slow way down.


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## duramax (Dec 18, 2010)

I've had a Vermeer tm1400 and done under 1000 acres. Had a gear box fall off, the four outside turtles are banging blades together, had another gearbox go out on the cutterhead. Being told Vermeer doesn't have any spare gears right now. Been in the shop for five days and counting. WTF are they thinking, no spare parts? Can't right now justify telling anyone to buy one.


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## somedevildawg (Jun 20, 2011)

duramax said:


> I've had a Vermeer tm1400 and done under 1000 acres. Had a gear box fall off, the four outside turtles are banging blades together, had another gearbox go out on the cutterhead. Being told Vermeer doesn't have any spare gears right now. Been in the shop for five days and counting. WTF are they thinking, no spare parts? Can't right now justify telling anyone to buy one.


Wow.....


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## DSLinc1017 (Sep 27, 2009)

R Ball said:


> I have some of it also. Cattle and horses here will both eat it. Like anything else it will get stemy in maturity.


Here too, horses eat it right up. It gets very tall and thick, makes for good bordome hay.


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## 8350HiTech (Jul 26, 2013)

Dill said:


> We've got Kuhn discbines, I was impressed by the shock hubs of the New Holland but the price on the new Kuhn was much better 2 years ago. Also at the point we could still get a Kuhn with a tongue rather than a 2pt hitch. That means I can still trailer it behind the pickup which is very important.


I run a 2pt Vicon and would never run a drawbar after owning the 2 pt swivel. So for something like 80 bucks I had a welding shop make me a receiver insert that fits the discbine. Of I need to put it behind the truck, no problem. Well, none other than it not having a jack


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## cannonball (Jun 23, 2012)

urednecku said:


> I've also got a Kuhn GMD 700HD, got it used for a decent price. My main complaint is I have to go into the dealer to see a parts breakdown. Sometimes it's impossible to describe a part I need. JD has their parts on-line so you can get the part number or see how something goes back together.


look up a jd 275 and it is same thing


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## singleshot (Aug 1, 2013)

I have owned a Krone 283 for about 10 years. It has been an excellent machine. they are direct drive, no belts at all. the cutter bar gears are larger than Kuhn and new holland, and thus quieter operation. I recommend using a disc mower caddy with it.


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## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

8350HiTech said:


> I run a 2pt Vicon and would never run a drawbar after owning the 2 pt swivel. So for something like 80 bucks I had a welding shop make me a receiver insert that fits the discbine. Of I need to put it behind the truck, no problem. Well, none other than it not having a jack


Do you have a picture of the receiver? I'd like to make one for my NH so I can tow behind my truck.


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## 8350HiTech (Jul 26, 2013)

JD, let me dig it out of the shed and get back to you. It's a handy hitch if necessary, but now that I have my Valtra with the 40k trans, I can't imagine much reason to ever need it again. Never know. Sure not throwing it on the junk pile!


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## Colby (Mar 5, 2012)

singleshot said:


> I have owned a Krone 283 for about 10 years. It has been an excellent machine. they are direct drive, no belts at all. the cutter bar gears are larger than Kuhn and new holland, and thus quieter operation. I recommend using a disc mower caddy with it.


X2. Krone makes the best fold down disc cutters. They are QUIET and with the shaft driven, no slipping belts


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## RWA12 (Jul 17, 2013)

Think disc mowers are the future for many/most hay producers. Much easier to maintain, longer life (get two knives per replacement & easy to change out), works with conditioner (roll or flail). Like the MowMax cutter bar with individual drive shafts (in case of rock strike, etc) to minimize such damage.

We favor New Holland discbine type mowers. The older versions (like 1400 series) can be kit converted to individual drive shafts, and they come standard in the later model 6000 and 7000 series. They've been in the business forever, and parts are typically easy to come by.

Bob


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## Airport hay guy (Nov 8, 2016)

Bought a used kuhn gmd 700 ii hd disc mower. Turns out the cutter bar has big cracks under the first disc.... looks like a couple of gears, bearings, and a bar. Or can it be welded? Any help with a parts source, maybe used, would be appreciated!!


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