Drum mower question

[Idaho cowboy]

I am looking at replacing my older and getting tired New Holland swather with a Reese model 2070 HL drum mower, (NOT A DISC MOWER). I am curious as to how they work in Timathy and grass mix hay. Most of my ground consists of smaller fields that are fairly flat, but a couple fields are on sloping ground however not real steep. The manufacture recommends at least 45 hp. My tractor is a Ford 4610 with 53 hp. I was told that if the hay is laid down that the drum mower will pass over it without cutting it. I usually don't have an issue with down hay, so this doesn't really concern me. What experience have you fellas had with drum mowers, and do you think the Reese 2070 HL would be worth serious consideration? Thanks, Steve

 

[showcrop]

I am looking at replacing my older and getting tired New Holland swather with a Reese model 2070 HL drum mower, (NOT A DISC MOWER). I am curious as to how they work in Timathy and grass mix hay. Most of my ground consists of smaller fields that are fairly flat, but a couple fields are on sloping ground however not real steep. The manufacture recommends at least 45 hp. My tractor is a Ford 4610 with 53 hp. I was told that if the hay is laid down that the drum mower will pass over it without cutting it. I usually don't have an issue with down hay, so this doesn't really concern me. What experience have you fellas had with drum mowers, and do you think the Reese 2070 HL would be worth serious consideration? Thanks, Steve

I used a Fahr drum mower for a few years. It was a two drum. It worked well and always cut clean. The only drawback was the weight. Transport position was to the rear and it made the front of my 43 HP DB Case too light. Later I had a Zetor three drum. It was too heavy on my 71 HP DB Case

 

[charlie n]

I am looking at replacing my older and getting tired New Holland swather with a Reese model 2070 HL drum mower, (NOT A DISC MOWER). I am curious as to how they work in Timathy and grass mix hay. Most of my ground consists of smaller fields that are fairly flat, but a couple fields are on sloping ground however not real steep. The manufacture recommends at least 45 hp. My tractor is a Ford 4610 with 53 hp. I was told that if the hay is laid down that the drum mower will pass over it without cutting it. I usually don't have an issue with down hay, so this doesn't really concern me. What experience have you fellas had with drum mowers, and do you think the Reese 2070 HL would be worth serious consideration? Thanks, Steve

I bought a Tar River a few years ago. 5'6 cut on a 60 hp Kubota. 5'6 works perfect for a 2 basket tedder. It 'll cut as fast as you can run. 20 acres in 6 hrs. Only draw back is they cut close. Good Luck.

 

[MJMJ]

I’ve yet to find grass my drum mower won’t cut well. I mow a good bit of wind flattened grass (mix of fescue, timothy, canary grass, etc…) and it does wayyyyy better than my old haybine. I would assume whoever told you that has never actually used one.

 

[Destroked 450]

Drum mower will cut or leave the same downed hay any other mower will cut or leave
Don’t know anything about the Reece but cut with a 8 ft Claas trailed drum mower for several years, would purchase a new one today if they still made them

 

[Texasmark]

I bought a Tar River a few years ago. 5'6 cut on a 60 hp Kubota. 5'6 works perfect for a 2 basket tedder. It 'll cut as fast as you can run. 20 acres in 6 hrs. Only draw back is they cut close. Good Luck.

Ditto. I primarily use mine, same size and brand, to cut neglected fields and does a super job with no problems pulled with a Ford 3910. You need extra weights to keep the left front tire on the ground on the smaller/lighter tractors. The discs run at a very high RPM and I have yet to plug one up with high, thick, grass. They leave a 70% wide windrow in the center but I like that as my tractor tires run on cut stubble, not on crop lying down. I thought I would use mine in my haying tasks but the close cutting and lack of a crimper caused me to go back to a MOCO sickle bar for that task.

 

[Destroked 450]

Ditto. I primarily use mine, same size and brand, to cut neglected fields and does a super job with no problems pulled with a Ford 3910. You need extra weights to keep the left front tire on the ground on the smaller/lighter tractors. The discs run at a very high RPM and I have yet to plug one up with high, thick, grass. They leave a 70% wide windrow in the center but I like that as my tractor tires run on cut stubble, not on crop lying down. I thought I would use mine in my haying tasks but the close cutting and lack of a crimper caused me to go back to a MOCO sickle bar for that task.

I see these mowers swing back for transport so there are limits one could tilt the machine, but lengthening the top link to tilt the mower back some would lift the front of the drum for a higher cut
1 1/2” cut height is crazy low, I had my drum mower and present disc mower set for 2 1/2-3” cut height

 

[showcrop]

I am looking at replacing my older and getting tired New Holland swather with a Reese model 2070 HL drum mower, (NOT A DISC MOWER). I am curious as to how they work in Timathy and grass mix hay. Most of my ground consists of smaller fields that are fairly flat, but a couple fields are on sloping ground however not real steep. The manufacture recommends at least 45 hp. My tractor is a Ford 4610 with 53 hp. I was told that if the hay is laid down that the drum mower will pass over it without cutting it. I usually don't have an issue with down hay, so this doesn't really concern me. What experience have you fellas had with drum mowers, and do you think the Reese 2070 HL would be worth serious consideration? Thanks, Steve

A huge difference between these and earlier disc mowers is that drum mowers don't have their gear boxes running on the ground. Modern disc mowers are better protected but they are susceptible to rock damage either direct to the gear case or indirectly through a twist. You can slam rocks all day with a drum mower and you will dent the bottom plate that rides on the ground but you won't hurt gears.

 

[MJMJ]

I see these mowers swing back for transport so there are limits one could tilt the machine, but lengthening the top link to tilt the mower back some would lift the front of the drum for a higher cut
1 1/2” cut height is crazy low, I had my drum mower and present disc mower set for 2 1/2-3” cut height

This is exactly right, the cut height is easily adjustable with the top link. I don’t think many people realize how much it can be adjusted. I don’t cut any lower with my drum mower than I did with the haybine.

 

[Texasmark]

A huge difference between these and earlier disc mowers is that drum mowers don't have their gear boxes running on the ground. Modern disc mowers are better protected but they are susceptible to rock damage either direct to the gear case or indirectly through a twist. You can slam rocks all day with a drum mower and you will dent the bottom plate that rides on the ground but you won't hurt gears.

I shopped used discs prior to going to a drum and every one I looked at had casting braze work done on more than one cutter gearbox . My first drum offered a 1" extension which I installed; not a Tar River the other cheap popular mower. That extension didn't hold up well in rough terrain and wound up tearing up one of the drums and scrapping the mower.

I realize that you can tilt the top link causing the front of the mower to raise and increase the height of cut somewhat........but yon aren't going to get to the 4" recommended for haying sorghum-sudan haygrazer type crops where you are expecting follow on cuttings as the season progresses.....and I have proven that this recommendation is accurate. The regrowth starts with the contents of the stubble stem....no stem, retarded or no regrowth. Also you need to be moving when you start the PTO and keep moving forward, otherwise the rear of the drum's 3 blades will shave the grass at ground level.

Another beef I have with discs is the parts count. The drum has an oil partially submerged gear shaft that runs across the top of the mower, supported by oil immersed ball bearings at each end of the shaft, providing PTO power to each geared drum shaft....2 right angle gear interfaces, one per drum. The drum shafts have sealed ball bearing (2 per) shaft supports. The bottom drum floats (spins freely) and is not connected to the shaft like the top drum disc housing the 3 reversible, low cost blades. Very robust.

The drum has a hydraulic lift kit, rear hydraulic remote operated (I made my own with parts I had on hand), that you can install that allows you to raise the tip of the mower so that you don't have to get off your tractor and move the mower from the mow position out at the side, to the transport position straight out the back which takes some getting used to if working alone as I do. It lifts the tip some 45* which is adequate for road transport and most farm gates.

 

[Destroked 450]

I’m only familiar with the older drum mowers
I could till my Claas trailed drum back to about a 3” cut before the blades started cutting on the back side
A friend has an old Unifarm 3 drum 8 ft 3 point mower he no longer uses, you could till it back about the same without issues
My present Kuhn trailed disc mower will only adjust for up to 3 inch cut, they make a lift kit for 3-6 inch cut but cost around $450 per module to add on, one would want to spec that option on a new machine to save on the cost
I don’t do sorghums but even common hay grass’s will have quicker regrowth when cut above 3”, I pretty much lost a stand of Orchard grass/ Timothy before realizing my new mower was cutting to low

 

[Keith Molden]

This is exactly right, the cut height is easily adjustable with the top link. I don’t think many people realize how much it can be adjusted. I don’t cut any lower with my drum mower than I did with the haybine.

I agree, I've used drum mowers for several years. The key to mowing height is to set the mower level front to back and side to side. I have never had any problem mowing any type of hay .

 

[Jerry/MT]

I shopped used discs prior to going to a drum and every one I looked at had casting braze work done on more than one cutter gearbox . My first drum offered a 1" extension which I installed; not a Tar River the other cheap popular mower. That extension didn't hold up well in rough terrain and wound up tearing up one of the drums and scrapping the mower.

I realize that you can tilt the top link causing the front of the mower to raise and increase the height of cut somewhat........but yon aren't going to get to the 4" recommended for haying sorghum-sudan haygrazer type crops where you are expecting follow on cuttings as the season progresses.....and I have proven that this recommendation is accurate. The regrowth starts with the contents of the stubble stem....no stem, retarded or no regrowth. Also you need to be moving when you start the PTO and keep moving forward, otherwise the rear of the drum's 3 blades will shave the grass at ground level.

Another beef I have with discs is the parts count. The drum has an oil partially submerged gear shaft that runs across the top of the mower, supported by oil immersed ball bearings at each end of the shaft, providing PTO power to each geared drum shaft....2 right angle gear interfaces, one per drum. The drum shafts have sealed ball bearing (2 per) shaft supports. The bottom drum floats (spins freely) and is not connected to the shaft like the top drum disc housing the 3 reversible, low cost blades. Very robust.

The drum has a hydraulic lift kit, rear hydraulic remote operated (I made my own with parts I had on hand), that you can install that allows you to raise the tip of the mower so that you don't have to get off your tractor and move the mower from the mow position out at the side, to the transport position straight out the back which takes some getting used to if working alone as I do. It lifts the tip some 45* which is adequate for road transport and most farm gates.

I have a Galfre 190 and I ordered it with additional spacers that allow it to leave 3 inches of stubble with the spacers flat on the ground. Adjusting the three point can get you more. It has a "black hole" set of blades on the drums that don't leave a windrow.