What kind of topper do you use?

[Marigold4]

What type of topper do people recommend? I have 5 acres to do. Gently sloping field. Some parts of the field have been left for a while - perhaps 9-12 ins high? It will be pulled by a compact Kubota with PTO and 3 point leverage. Tractor has agricultural rather than turf tyres.

I feel that I need a flail topper on skids rather than a "finisher' type on wheels. What would you experts recommend?

 

[Esmae]

We have a flail topper does a reasonable job for us on 5.5 acres.

 

[rabatsa]

We have a Teagle topper but it may be too heavy for a small tractor, our tractor is a 85 hp. It does a lovely job though.

A neighbour has the same make but half the size on a MF 135.

 

[Marigold4]

We have a flail topper does a reasonable job for us on 5.5 acres.

Hi thanks for replying. What kind of tractor do you use to tow it please? The one I am hoping to buy is 20 hp engine with 16.5 hp PTO.

 

[Marigold4]

We have a Teagle topper but it may be too heavy for a small tractor, our tractor is a 85 hp. It does a lovely job though.

A neighbour has the same make but half the size on a MF 135.

Thanks for replying. I'll take a look at the Teagle ones.

 

[rabatsa]

Mr R says that you will want an Oxdale one for a 20hp tractor.

 

[patseyr]

Wouldn’t be too familiar with smaller tractors / toppers but something like this may be good …

We use a fully offset 9ft topper but it’s on a larger tractor (100hp) the offset is good as your not crossing the grass with the wheel before cutting it,resulting in a better cut. The one in the video is partially offset so you will only have one wheel tramping the grass.

Be careful not to buy one too large or heavy especially if you are working on a slope.

 

[paddy555]

We use a fully offset 9ft topper but it’s on a larger tractor (100hp) the offset is good as your not crossing the grass with the wheel before cutting it,resulting in a better cut. The one in the video is partially offset so you will only have one wheel tramping the grass.

Be careful not to buy one too large or heavy especially if you are working on a slope.[/QUOTE]

If I was buying one I would go for semi offset at least rather than in line but they are not cheap. I didn't find any S/H and new ones, even narrower ones, for a compact are very expensive and not so easy to justify the cost for pony fields rather than a farm.

I tried our 6 foot major topper on our 24hp compact and it was too big. If I had to buy one I would go for a 4ft.



In the end I gave up on a topper and found a better way.

 

[Marigold4]

Mr R says that you will want an Oxdale one for a 20hp tractor.

Thank you Mr R. I will take a look.

 

[LEC]

I have used a small flail one on a tiny tractor which was bigger than a lawn mower but not by much and it did eat a lot of fuel and struggled with aspects of long grass. Now have a bigger tractor and topper

 

[Ratface]

For one deranged moment, I thought this was an enquiry as to the best headgear for ridden hunter classes . .
I blame the cat, who is in his best distraction mode - "Feed me . . . FEED ME . . . NOW. Etc.

 

[Marigold4]

We use a fully offset 9ft topper but it’s on a larger tractor (100hp) the offset is good as your not crossing the grass with the wheel before cutting it,resulting in a better cut. The one in the video is partially offset so you will only have one wheel tramping the grass.

Be careful not to buy one too large or heavy especially if you are working on a slope.

If I was buying one I would go for semi offset at least rather than in line but they are not cheap. I didn't find any S/H and new ones, even narrower ones, for a compact are very expensive and not so easy to justify the cost for pony fields rather than a farm.

I tried our 6 foot major topper on our 24hp compact and it was too big. If I had to buy one I would go for a 4ft.



In the end I gave up on a topper and found a better way.[/QUOTE]

Just out of curiosity, what was the better way you found?

 

[Marigold4]

For one deranged moment, I thought this was an enquiry as to the best headgear for ridden hunter classes . .
I blame the cat, who is in his best distraction mode - "Feed me . . . FEED ME . . . NOW. Etc.

Ha, ha. I hadn't thought of that ambiguity.

 

[paddy555]

I

Just out of curiosity, what was the better way you found?

I had horses and ponies which grazed separately. I always had patches of long grass in the horse's field (roughs and lawns) they refused to eat. The thing I didn't like about topping was that you ended up with dead rotting grass lying on the field. I thought it was a case of removing it or alternatively didn't like the horses eating it if they chose to.

Purely by chance I found that the ponies didn't like the grazed down fields. What they totally adored was the long grass patches the horses left. They were like little locusts. So moved the horses, put ponies in and hey presto immaculate lawn of a field. They are now my "toppers" as well as their primary job of gardening duty.

Not possible for everyone I know. I also have a strimmer and go round any bits which are left. These are usually at the edges or on rough ground where a topper wouldn't work so well.

I have a fullsize tractor and had a 6ft topper (which I sold). That topped the fields with no problem but I always wondered/worried about dead rotting vegetation and horses. Not sure if anyone else does?

The jury is out a bit with me on topping.

 

[Tiddlypom]

For one deranged moment, I thought this was an enquiry as to the best headgear for ridden hunter classes . .
I blame the cat, who is in his best distraction mode - "Feed me . . . FEED ME . . . NOW. Etc.

Me too, and I can't even blame the cat ?

 

[Esmae]

Hi thanks for replying. What kind of tractor do you use to tow it please? The one I am hoping to buy is 20 hp engine with 16.5 hp PTO.

20hp John Deere hydrostatic. Not sure of the model. (that piece of info has been a mystery since we bought the tractor)

 

[PurBee]

I use this particular flail mower on 8 acres— its a beast of a thing, in terms that it will cut 3 foot clumps of rushes and mulch all the material into tiny pieces, so the rotting down and regrowth is faster than other non-mulching mowers.

We use the 4 foot flail mower with a 19hp PTO.

We’ve had it around 6yrs now and its just recently had new belts fitted. Very minimal maintenance. Replacement flails easy to get if you accidently hit large stone buried boulders etc

Its height adjustable, and has a roller bar, so its good for tall long rough fields or for just cutting a field to ‘lawn look’.
Go slow if going over very dense rushes, with engine on full power - using a small tractor.
It’ll even cut and mulch small sticks about 1 inch diameter. ….so very handy for field edges of bushes growing over/into grass.
I use it for all cutting jobs, rough and neat

https://www.danelanderonline.co.uk/product.asp?strParents=92&CAT_ID=104&P_ID=422

 

[scruffyponies]

I have a 6ft teagle semi-offset on my MF35. If I'm topping really overgrown rough stuff, like 5ft tall weeds, then it struggles and I have to raise it to take the load off the engine. Topping anything that remotely resembles grass it does fine.

A flail would be better, but have you seen the price of them?!

 

[eggs]

I have a Logic flail mower which I tow with a quad bike. I do about 14 acres with it. Not as fast as the farmer with his tractor and topper but does a good job.

 

[PeterNatt]

We use a 'Cut and Collector'.

 

[Marigold4]

I use this particular flail mower on 8 acres— its a beast of a thing, in terms that it will cut 3 foot clumps of rushes and mulch all the material into tiny pieces, so the rotting down and regrowth is faster than other non-mulching mowers.

We use the 4 foot flail mower with a 19hp PTO.

We’ve had it around 6yrs now and its just recently had new belts fitted. Very minimal maintenance. Replacement flails easy to get if you accidently hit large stone buried boulders etc

Its height adjustable, and has a roller bar, so its good for tall long rough fields or for just cutting a field to ‘lawn look’.
Go slow if going over very dense rushes, with engine on full power - using a small tractor.
It’ll even cut and mulch small sticks about 1 inch diameter. ….so very handy for field edges of bushes growing over/into grass.
I use it for all cutting jobs, rough and neat

https://www.danelanderonline.co.uk/product.asp?strParents=92&CAT_ID=104&P_ID=422

 

[Marigold4]

I use this particular flail mower on 8 acres— its a beast of a thing, in terms that it will cut 3 foot clumps of rushes and mulch all the material into tiny pieces, so the rotting down and regrowth is faster than other non-mulching mowers.

We use the 4 foot flail mower with a 19hp PTO.

We’ve had it around 6yrs now and its just recently had new belts fitted. Very minimal maintenance. Replacement flails easy to get if you accidently hit large stone buried boulders etc

Its height adjustable, and has a roller bar, so its good for tall long rough fields or for just cutting a field to ‘lawn look’.
Go slow if going over very dense rushes, with engine on full power - using a small tractor.
It’ll even cut and mulch small sticks about 1 inch diameter. ….so very handy for field edges of bushes growing over/into grass.
I use it for all cutting jobs, rough and neat

https://www.danelanderonline.co.uk/product.asp?strParents=92&CAT_ID=104&P_ID=422

Thanks - that looks just the job!

 

[Asha]

We have one of these
https://www.zarosmachinery.co.uk/winton-wfl125-pto-flail-mower

It’s adjustable so you can mow longer grass