which topper to go for

Bscan86

Hi all,
At present we have an Abbey side-mounted topper and while it's a martyr for punishment, even set down at it's lowest it doesn't cut tight enough to the ground nor does it mulch weeds and strong grass. Can anyone suggest a topper which shaves tight plus leaves the field like a lawn (mulching wise).
Thanks to all in advance.

Timmaay

Will any topper properly mulch weeds? How high does it leave the grass now set at its lowest point? I've a side mounted 8ft major, set to the very lowest point. I keep the bales shape enough and I'm very happy with the cleanout on the paddocks, does as good a job as a mower. I'd thought about buying a mower, but 8k or so, against my old yoke which is worth about 600e in a trade in and no fear of doing 1000s worth of damage to ha.

Milked out

9ft semi offset perfect here, does.the job fine as timmay said have to keep the blades sharp tho. If I have to change tho I would Def look at a mower, only issue here is the heavy ground rarely stays very suitable for a mower

Muckit

Sharpen the blades or consider a new set. They are not dear. Will make the world if difference.

I said

Keep the blades sharp I've a semi offset belmac does the trick

patsy_mccabe

I have a single rotor Belmac topper. It works fine but one thing I don't like about it and these type of toppers in general is, if you should hit something substantial like a big rock, the whole vibration goes back to the tractor gearbox in the tractor. There is no protection apart from the shear bolt.

Compare that to say a disc mower and the only spinning part that hits the rock is the blade itself.

Bscan86

Blades are often edged and replaced also, it's mainly regarding thistles and rushes it just doesn't seem to turn these weeds to dust which would rot quicker. A lad said to me a short while ago about how he saw a guy topping once with a twose topper and he was raving about how it leaves weeds in dust. Plus he said grass was ip in a shout.

9935452

patsy_mccabe wrote: »

I have a single rotor Belmac topper. It works fine but one thing I don't like about it and these type of toppers in general is, if you should hit something substantial like a big rock, the whole vibration goes back to the tractor gearbox in the tractor. There is no protection apart from the shear bolt.

Compare that to say a disc mower and the only spinning part that hits the rock is the blade itself.

Does the topper have bolt mounted blades, they take a shock .
Personally id say the topper has a lot more protection than a disc mower.
Hit a rock and you have a blown shear bolt or at worst a 200 euro gearbox
I knew a lad mowing silage and hit a stone and he burst 2 discs on a 1360. i hit a stone the size of your fist with a 1365 and it needed a new bed afterwards.

Bscan86 wrote: »

Blades are often edged and replaced also, it's mainly regarding thistles and rushes it just doesn't seem to turn these weeds to dust which would rot quicker. A lad said to me a short while ago about how he saw a guy topping once with a twose topper and he was raving about how it leaves weeds in dust. Plus he said grass was ip in a shout.

Would it have been a flail mower/topper that he was using?

smokey-fitz

Major and conor toppers have the twin blades on their toppers. They cut longer grass or rushes alot better, they chop a bit more than a standard single blade. Flails are the job in fairness but they are slow, require more power and alot more diesel.

whitetail

Fleming 8ft fully offset heavy duty with twin blades very tidy cut and little material after it