# Triple mowers



## traden86 (May 16, 2013)

So... I've been mulling the idea of possibly in the near future seriously looking at going with a triple mower to up our productivity... Priced a lease on a Fendt 724 and looked at used 7 series Deeres. One of the largest farmers in the area and one of our customers is a JD salesman, and partly to scratch his belly I asked him to price us a new 6210R or a 7230R with front 3-point and pto. Now tonight he calls me and says his boss told him that a triple mower won't work here in our area (SW AR) that the mowers are designed for Europe and not designed for our kinds of grass.... That I'd be blowing out my radiator every 30 minutes and the back mowers wouldn't hold up on our fields... I personally think he's full of crap... He wants to sell us a self-propelled windrower instead. But, that will never work because of the many customers with narrow gates.


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## Lostin55 (Sep 21, 2013)

I don't know your area but if I were a betting man, he is trying to sell you a machine that his dealership already has on hand. 
I have never run a triple mower so I can't help you there. Good luck.


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## deadmoose (Oct 30, 2011)

Sounds like you need a new dealer. I find it hard to believe big green can't handle that. But if your guy says they can't, either he is telling the truth or lying. Either way stay away.


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## Colby (Mar 5, 2012)

What about a krone big m? Cuts out buying an extra tractor but maybe you need an extra tractor.


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## traden86 (May 16, 2013)

Colby said:


> What about a krone big m? Cuts out buying an extra tractor but maybe you need an extra tractor.


Have thought about a Big M, but the sheer size of it has kinda pushed me away.


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## traden86 (May 16, 2013)

deadmoose said:


> Sounds like you need a new dealer. I find it hard to believe big green can't handle that. But if your guy says they can't, either he is telling the truth or lying. Either way stay away.


Well that's just it... We don't do business with them at all, (although we bought a rake from them once) someone new has bought the store recently and offered our big rancher friend a full-time job. So... the only reason I would even consider buying from them (and this has nothing to do with Deere in particular) is that he puts up @ 4000 5x6's a year. We'll do up to a 1000 4x6's a year for him. Anyways, he has 2 70+ year old gentlemen doing all his hay besides what we do now. So, I was hoping to show him how serious we are about taking on all his business.


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## IAhaymakr (Jun 4, 2008)

traden86 said:


> Have thought about a Big M, but the sheer size of it has kinda pushed me away.


n

Are you worried it won't be nimble enough for small odd shaped fields? Don't let that stop you. The Big M is a machine designed to cut hay, and is very efficient even in the dumbest shaped fields. It will out cut triple mowers in every way. Triples shine for places that need the tractor for other applications in the off season, but they will never be much more than a little brother to the M. Also remember that even though the cost of a triple mowers plus a tractor capable of running them is the same or more than a Big M, the equipment is not the same. Cutting components are made lighter so that a tractor can handle them, and the whole setup will depreciate far faster than a Big M. There is a reason Krone gives you over 400 hp in their machine.


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## Teslan (Aug 20, 2011)

traden86 said:


> So... I've been mulling the idea of possibly in the near future seriously looking at going with a triple mower to up our productivity... Priced a lease on a Fendt 724 and looked at used 7 series Deeres. One of the largest farmers in the area and one of our customers is a JD salesman, and partly to scratch his belly I asked him to price us a new 6210R or a 7230R with front 3-point and pto. Now tonight he calls me and says his boss told him that a triple mower won't work here in our area (SW AR) that the mowers are designed for Europe and not designed for our kinds of grass.... That I'd be blowing out my radiator every 30 minutes and the back mowers wouldn't hold up on our fields... I personally think he's full of crap... He wants to sell us a self-propelled windrower instead. But, that will never work because of the many customers with narrow gates.


How is the grass that much different in Arkansas then Europe? Shouldn't those mowers be able to cut just about anything? He might sorta have a point about blowing out your radiator, but I would think only at first cutting where there might be seed heads and then it would only be from the front mower. Other then that with disc mowers there isn't that much dust flying around.


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## Supa Dexta (May 28, 2014)

They use tripples around here, similar grasses (thick crops as well), and alfalfa. And it gets hot here too.


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## slowzuki (Mar 8, 2011)

Triples come with flails or roller conditioners. The pottinger roller conditioner in the past wasn't as good as their flail if you are doing alfalfa this may be a consideration. Doing grass hay the flails work well. I don't know the big m at all, triples are built about the same ruggedness as pull type mowers.


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## Josh in WNY (Sep 7, 2010)

The farmer who has corn on my "extra" land just picked up a triple mower this spring... and also has a nice big JD to put it on (sorry, I'm not sure what model). The land in our area can range from flat gravel fields to rolling heavy clay with plenty of rocks in both.

One note though, all the triple mowers I've seen around here are just a disc mower with no conditioner. The guys using them are just dropping hay for chopping, not dry hay.


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## slowzuki (Mar 8, 2011)

I'm only going on about pottinger because I have one (not a triple though) - The pottingers you can pull the conditioners faster than mounting the mower on a tractor. They have parking stands and you pull a couple of pins. Some folks will switch back and forth but in our area there is getting to be very little dry hay put up. Mostly balage, no conditioning. I do run the flail conditioner on mine.



Josh in WNY said:


> The farmer who has corn on my "extra" land just picked up a triple mower this spring... and also has a nice big JD to put it on (sorry, I'm not sure what model). The land in our area can range from flat gravel fields to rolling heavy clay with plenty of rocks in both.
> 
> One note though, all the triple mowers I've seen around here are just a disc mower with no conditioner. The guys using them are just dropping hay for chopping, not dry hay.


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## traden86 (May 16, 2013)

IAhaymakr said:


> n
> 
> Are you worried it won't be nimble enough for small odd shaped fields? Don't let that stop you. The Big M is a machine designed to cut hay, and is very efficient even in the dumbest shaped fields. It will out cut triple mowers in every way. Triples shine for places that need the tractor for other applications in the off season, but they will never be much more than a little brother to the M. Also remember that even though the cost of a triple mowers plus a tractor capable of running them is the same or more than a Big M, the equipment is not the same. Cutting components are made lighter so that a tractor can handle them, and the whole setup will depreciate far faster than a Big M. There is a reason Krone gives you over 400 hp in their machine.


The idea of having an another tractor around in the winter months to haul manure when it's too wet for our trucks has intrigued me. But, maybe we should more seriously look into a Big M. Now if I could just convince the dealer to let me demo one for a day....


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## traden86 (May 16, 2013)

Teslan said:


> How is the grass that much different in Arkansas then Europe? Shouldn't those mowers be able to cut just about anything? He might sorta have a point about blowing out your radiator, but I would think only at first cutting where there might be seed heads and then it would only be from the front mower. Other then that with disc mowers there isn't that much dust flying around.


My thoughts exactly... Grass is grass. He also said something to the effect that when I'd be going across the field and hit something with the back mowers they would basically be ruined on the spot. And every Tom, Dick and Harry has a 3-point mount disc mower around here. Nothing in the conversation added up at all...


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## Teslan (Aug 20, 2011)

traden86 said:


> My thoughts exactly... Grass is grass. He also said something to the effect that when I'd be going across the field and hit something with the back mowers they would basically be ruined on the spot. And every Tom, Dick and Harry has a 3-point mount disc mower around here. Nothing in the conversation added up at all...


Just know your fields and you shouldn't hit anything. Things in fields can wreck a john Deere self propelled also.


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## Braford (Jul 25, 2014)

86: Don't know how far into SW Ark you're located but Bowie Co New Holland had a new triple setup on their yard a year or so ago. Located just west of Texarkana in DeKalb so if it would run there it should work for you. You might give them a call and see how it worked out for the buyer.


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

Another option is Vermeer (and possibly other manufacturers) has a mower that either has two 9' or two 10' mowers mounted side by side on a common frame then it pivots to be transported from the end. One advantage to this option is if the tractor goes down, another with enough horsies can take its place, not so easy with a triple setup or if the Big M goes down.


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## hog987 (Apr 5, 2011)

mlappin said:


> Another option is Vermeer (and possibly other manufacturers) has a mower that either has two 9' or two 10' mowers mounted side by side on a common frame then it pivots to be transported from the end. One advantage to this option is if the tractor goes down, another with enough horsies can take its place, not so easy with a triple setup or if the Big M goes down.


I know krone has a 20 foot mower like that. The next stage in my expansion might be one of those with a bigger tractor.


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## traden86 (May 16, 2013)

Braford said:


> 86: Don't know how far into SW Ark you're located but Bowie Co New Holland had a new triple setup on their yard a year or so ago. Located just west of Texarkana in DeKalb so if it would run there it should work for you. You might give them a call and see how it worked out for the buyer.


Thanks for the info. I've actually got an uncle that lives in Dekalb. There's a big dairy not far from him that might have bought it. I guess I need to see if he had seen it around.


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## traden86 (May 16, 2013)

mlappin said:


> Another option is Vermeer (and possibly other manufacturers) has a mower that either has two 9' or two 10' mowers mounted side by side on a common frame then it pivots to be transported from the end. One advantage to this option is if the tractor goes down, another with enough horsies can take its place, not so easy with a triple setup or if the Big M goes down.


We have looked into this, but I'm pretty set on staying with conditioners.


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## RCF (Sep 14, 2009)

We run two triple mowers and a Krone 20 ft. mower conditioner. Our conditions are very different than the Europeans but, I wouldn't let stop you from owning a set of triples. I would recommend a reversible fan on the tractor but, thats mainly for late July August cuttings. We have ran Krone triples since 08 and have had very good luck with them but, I would stay away from Kuhn. i know that big dairy in DeKalb runs Kuhn but, they also replace it every few years and have no trade in. If no need for an extra tractor I would look at the Big M. Any questions feel free to contact me.


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## traden86 (May 16, 2013)

RCF said:


> We run two triple mowers and a Krone 20 ft. mower conditioner. Our conditions are very different than the Europeans but, I wouldn't let stop you from owning a set of triples. I would recommend a reversible fan on the tractor but, thats mainly for late July August cuttings. We have ran Krone triples since 08 and have had very good luck with them but, I would stay away from Kuhn. i know that big dairy in DeKalb runs Kuhn but, they also replace it every few years and have no trade in. If no need for an extra tractor I would look at the Big M. Any questions feel free to contact me.


If I may ask, are you from around Sulphur Springs?


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## RCF (Sep 14, 2009)

traden86 said:


> If I may ask, are you from around Sulphur Springs?


Yes


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## traden86 (May 16, 2013)

RCF said:


> Yes


Roger that. Maybe some rainy day I need to come Sulphur Springs and look at your outfits... Providing you wouldn't care that is.


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## luke strawwalker (Jul 31, 2014)

traden86 said:


> My thoughts exactly... Grass is grass. He also said something to the effect that when I'd be going across the field and hit something with the back mowers they would basically be ruined on the spot. And every Tom, Dick and Harry has a 3-point mount disc mower around here. Nothing in the conversation added up at all...


Aren't they equipped with "breakbacks" to allow the bars to swing back if you hit something?? I'd be far more worried about the front mower, since obviously those have nowhere to break back to...

I agree, I think the dealer is blowing smoke up your butt because he doesn't like the idea himself, doesn't have one to sell, and would rather sell you something else for his own reasons. None of it really adds up.

Later! OL JR


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## RCF (Sep 14, 2009)

traden86 said:


> Roger that. Maybe some rainy day I need to come Sulphur Springs and look at your outfits... Providing you wouldn't care that is.


Yea anytime. We will even let you run one all day and not even charge you.


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## traden86 (May 16, 2013)

RCF said:


> Yea anytime. We will even let you run one all day and not even charge you.


LOL! I bet too....


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## Thorim (Jan 19, 2015)

RCF said:


> Yea anytime. We will even let you run one all day and not even charge you.


Always heard Texans had big hearts, well that's what my old Army buddy and godfather to my second son always told me and he was a Texan too lol


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## slowzuki (Mar 8, 2011)

Yes the side wings have hydraulic breakbacks but they weigh a lot. If you smoke a telephone pole at 10 mph, it will be a flip in the pole breaks or the bar breaks in half. If going slow around obstacles you know about the break back works well.

Front mowers will kick back and up out of the way if its a short obstacle. If its tall the tractor will hit it too.



luke strawwalker said:


> Aren't they equipped with "breakbacks" to allow the bars to swing back if you hit something?? I'd be far more worried about the front mower, since obviously those have nowhere to break back to...


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## snowball (Feb 7, 2015)

Josh in WNY said:


> The farmer who has corn on my "extra" land just picked up a triple mower this spring... and also has a nice big JD to put it on (sorry, I'm not sure what model). The land in our area can range from flat gravel fields to rolling heavy clay with plenty of rocks in both.
> 
> One note though, all the triple mowers I've seen around here are just a disc mower with no conditioner. The guys using them are just dropping hay for chopping, not dry hay.


We tried one a couple weeks ago... It didn't work the best for us to awkward for us on hills and odd shaped fields and was not built heavy enough .. only good for chopping behind it as it would get alfalfa dry enough to bale we opted to buy a 2nd self propelled Disk mower


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## Coondle (Aug 28, 2013)

Why not go for 5 rather than just a triple:






Sure would swallow some horsepower to run this.

Need a lot of grass too, or else finish cutting early!!


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## Coondle (Aug 28, 2013)

Found some specs

45 foot cutting width, 480 horsepower and rubber roller conditioners;

And YES they are in the USA and despite the rumour put around by an alleged salesman a european machine can cut grass in at least one of the contiguous states and here it is in living colour:






One of these a couple of triple baler setups and a pair of SP Barons would keep a team of trucks and a fleet of tele handlers busy filling storage.


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## luke strawwalker (Jul 31, 2014)

slowzuki said:


> Yes the side wings have hydraulic breakbacks but they weigh a lot. If you smoke a telephone pole at 10 mph, it will be a flip in the pole breaks or the bar breaks in half. If going slow around obstacles you know about the break back works well.
> 
> Front mowers will kick back and up out of the way if its a short obstacle. If its tall the tractor will hit it too.


Well, honestly, if you hit ANYTHING at 10mph I'd expect the thing to seriously break, regardless of what "safety equipment" it has on it...

It's sorta like bullets... double the mass (grains) keep the velocity the same, the impact force doubles. Keep the mass of the bullet the same but double the velocity, and impact force goes up FOUR TIMES. Same thing is true of ANYTHING in motion... Hence the old saying "speed kills" in regards to auto accidents and such.

Later! OL JR


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