brush hog mower size for farmall M

I have a good running 51 standard M. What is the largest bush brush hog field mower you have used with it? Could it handle an 7-8 ft mowing in 2nd gear if the blades were sharp? Right now I have a 5 ft and wouldn't mind going wider. Thanks

I have a 6ft that I run in 4th mnost of the time, and have to drop to 3rd in heavy stuff, but I fellow on here, dont recall who, was running a 10ft in second gear.

My brother-in-law has a M of the same era and he uses a Bush Hog 3008 (8' 2" cutting width) drawbar pull-type which it handles fine. In this area of Missouri the Bush Hog rotary cutters are generally used to maintain our pastures for weed control. It seems to be the perfect size for a M tractor. I have a Bush Hog 3209 which is quite a bit heavier and it seems to be a little much the couple of times he used it. Don't forget you need an over-ride clutch when using one on a M with the transmission driven PTO. Hope this helps, Hal.

Cost will be a factor also. A new Woods, 7 ft Brushbull goes out at around 2600 now 8-9-10's
exponentially higher.

Gordo

IT will do an 8 foot nicely. Changing gears from third to first as conditions change. Jim

I use a 7' Servis brush hog with my H and my M. Normal cutting is usually done in second or third. Cutting trees down is done in first and reverse. :lol:

What you can handle depends on what you are cutting. Bush Hog recomends minimum of 30 HP for 5 ft., 40 HP for 6 ft. and 50 HP for 7 ft.

Limited experience: My father ran a 5' Bush Hog with an H, and it was really loaded in heavy going (meadow weeds and thick grass). Over the years, I think it did some damage to some of the gears in the PTO train or maybe even in the transmission (never failed, but things began to have that "loose" feeling you can't really describe but can sense if you've driven the same machine for years).
Later, a Super M handled that mower with ease. I don't know what the limits are, but as some of the writers here say, "it depends" on what you're cutting. Sharp blades make a BIG difference, too.
I do agree about the need for an overrunning clutch. With the tractor in gear, the PTO will drive the tractor forward until the mower loses its momentum. Usually not dangerous, but it could be if you really needed to fetch the tractor up immediately. There is an old trick I used to use with a PTO-driven combine: blip the throttle closed, then knock the transmission into neutral while the pressure is off the gears. It takes practice to get the timing right. Works sometimes, and sometimes it feels as if you're really rubbing a little steel off the gear teeth each time you do it.