Topping a field with a Jeep

arctictree

Wonder if I could get some advice here.

I have a two acre field that I hire someone to top a few times a year.

Was thinking of buying one of these:

http://www.donedeal.ie/for-sale/machinery/1481747



And connecting it to the tow bar on the Jeep (Toyota Landcruiser) and topping the field myself.

Do ye think this would work?

Thanks!

pajero12

In one word..No.That topper is built for a quad! A quads hitch is alot lower to the ground. If you put that on a jeep the blades won't go near the ground..Suppose you could modify the tow bar though

maidhc

Get a clean MF135 for €2000 and a topper for €500 and bobs your uncle.

bogman_bass

pay a neighbour a few bob to do it. would be much cheeper

arctictree

What if I got a 6' drop plate for the tow bar. Would work then, wouldn't it? Just trying to avoid the expense of having to buy a tractor aswell!

maidhc

arctictree wrote: »

What if I got a 6' drop plate for the tow bar. Would work then, wouldn't it? Just trying to avoid the expense of having to buy a tractor aswell!

You would get a tractor and topper for less tbh.

GERMAN ROCKS

how much are u paying the fellow doing it now.

arctictree

maidhc wrote: »

You would get a tractor and topper for less tbh.

Yep, I know, but surely a tractor at that price would be in bad nick and could potentially cause me a lot of trouble since I dont know much about them?

charityboy

if you were paying your neighbour 100 euro a year for the price of the new topper you could get him to cut it for the next 25 years and let him worry about breaks etc

Muckit

It doesn't say how wide it cuts. But I like your idea.

Buying a tractor is a waste of time as it sounds like you don't need one. Comparing a €2000 SECONDHAND tractor and a €500 SECONDHAND topper to this deal is not comparing like with like.

Your planning to buy a NEW topper that shouldn't cause you any bother (you should get at least a years warranty at any rate) Plus it looks like a relatively simple machine (a large lawnmower really ) Keep the engine serviced and your on the pigs back.

I'd say go for it, as you say you will have to modify the hitching for your jeep. I'd modify the topper drawbar though, rather than modifying the jeep as you'I still want to hitrch trailers etc to jeep

Also one last thing, just make sure your jeep is up to travelling oin the ground you want to top at the times you want it topped ( only you know the field and how wet it gets and how much of a slope etc it has, if any)

Best of luck. I love to see lads trying something different

maidhc

Muckit wrote: »

Buying a tractor is a waste of time as it sounds like you don't need one. Comparing a €2000 SECONDHAND tractor and a €500 SECONDHAND topper to this deal is not comparing like with like.

Something a Ford 3000 or a 135 will last forever and be useful for odd jobs.

That "topper" in my opinion is a waste of time and very expensive for what it is.

How about something like a Kubota diesel ride on?

Pacoa

Thats a flail topper isn't it? Not sure that theyed have the best cut and it only looks about 4ft wide or maybe 5ft. You'd be a long time topping 2 acres with just 4ft.
Far easier to just get someone with a disc mower to do it. How much would it cost?
100 euro a year? As charity boy said it would take 25 years to get a return at that rate and thats excluding fuel and breakdowns, maintainence etc.

reilig

has anyone got one of those toppers or seen one in action?? I have seen this model working and have seen a few of the Quad -x models in action (Not the quad -x shredder) and in my opinion, they would be more suited to mowing your front lawn than topping a field. In reality, the companies that manufacture these rely on people with more money than sense to keep their sales figures up. You'll never recoup the money that you spend on it and it would be much cheaper for you to continue to pay the neighbour to top it.

Muckit

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sz6QDafI_4E&feature=related

Not the same product, but something similiar. After seeing the clip i think I've changed my mind! It looked alot bigger in the photograph posted! (wideangle lenses were a great invention:D!)

maidhc

Muckit wrote: »

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sz6QDafI_4E&feature=related

Not the same product, but something similiar. After seeing the clip i think I've changed my mind! It looked alot bigger in the photograph posted! (wideangle lenses were a great invention:D!)

It is a 13hp engine. My rideon lawnmower has 12.5 and is underpowered with wet grass.

johngalway

I've no expierence of these machines, but watching the YT video, I think that yoke is crap. Seems to me it's leaving large clumps behind it, damaged but uncut. After spending that much change on one I'd be very very unhappy. Would prefer a machine that'd kick the snot out of those rushes properly.

vanderbadger

look at the speed he is going, you would barely have the jeep ticking over to go that speed and next thing it would be spinning, they you would have to speed up and the lawnmower i mean mower would cut out if hitting rushes fast..sorry not trying to be negative but its a crazy idea, you would only be abusing your jeeping and probably burn the clutch out of her

DaNiEl1994

my advice is keep paying the guy who does it for you we have a mf 265 with a conor 6ft semi offset topper this WILL DESTROY any type of rush you have its a beast

the aul lad has had many experiences with mowers and toppers had alot of fingerbar mowers and has seen these and they are crap

http://www.conoreng.ie/product.php?product_id=16

its a great topper never had a problem

johnmcdnl

can someone tell me what that thing is actually designed to cut - golf courses or something like i suppose - don't even consider that yoke though for your needs - 2 acres would literally take half the year to do

give paddy joe the 16 year old down the road 50 euro to cut the 2 acres and he'll take it - 50 years cutting for the price of that thing

everyone's happy

tabby aspreme

how much petrol would it use too cut 2 acres ?