# Homemade Bush hog



## Seth Hays (Mar 11, 2019)

Hello everyone, I am looking for a 3' bush hog to go behind a 12 HP Kubota subcompact and the prices people want for them is insane if you can find any. But I have the opportunity to buy a 5' bush hog and was wondering if anyone had bought a larger mower and cut it down to make it the size that you wanted. I would be cutting it basically in half and I wasn't sure if this was a feasible option or if I would be better off buying an already made 3' mower. Thanks in advance and hope y'all have a good night.


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## Ultradog (Feb 27, 2005)

Seth Hays said:


> Hello everyone, I am looking for a 3' bush hog to go behind a 12 HP Kubota subcompact and the prices people want for them is insane if you can find any. But I have the opportunity to buy a 5' bush hog and was wondering if anyone had bought a larger mower and cut it down to make it the size that you wanted. I would be cutting it basically in half and I wasn't sure if this was a feasible option or if I would be better off buying an already made 3' mower. Thanks in advance and hope y'all have a good night.


A rotary mower is built with a VERY heavy spinning disc underneath with two swinging blades that fold back when they hit an obstruction.
On a 5' mower the disc would be about 3' in diameter and weigh at around 100 lbs even on a lightweight unit. Unless you happen to have a well equipped machine/welding/fabrication shop at your disposal it is unlikely you could make one narrower.


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## Seth Hays (Mar 11, 2019)

Ultradog said:


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Ok, I completely forgot about that disc in the center. Thank you for the reply, I will just look for a 3' unit. Have a great day.


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## SidecarFlip (Mar 25, 2021)

Commonly called a 'Stump Jumper'


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## bmaverick (Feb 20, 2014)

Seth Hays said:


> Hello everyone, I am looking for a 3' bush hog to go behind a 12 HP Kubota subcompact and the prices people want for them is insane if you can find any. But I have the opportunity to buy a 5' bush hog and was wondering if anyone had bought a larger mower and cut it down to make it the size that you wanted. I would be cutting it basically in half and I wasn't sure if this was a feasible option or if I would be better off buying an already made 3' mower. Thanks in advance and hope y'all have a good night.


You can do it with a King-Kutter 5FT wide brush mower. There is no stump humper involved unless you order it that way. 

To keep the PTO, gearbox and the blade centered, you'll need to plasma cut out a 1-ft strip on each side of the PTO gearbox. Then weld the outer two halves back on. 

Here's the KK 5FT unit. 









Before I ever had a brush mower, I owned a 48-inch cut 3PT finish mower. I used it as a bush mower extensively. How can a person do that? Simple, raise the 3PT finish mover about 4 to 6 inches off the ground. It will take out trees up to 1-inch in diameter. After the area is done, you can finish mow if you like. 

There are plenty of 48-inch (4FT) mowers out there. The 36/39 inch mowers are very rare. There are 42-inch mowers, but those are for mid-mounting. 

You could just use the 48-inch brush mower and take only a 2/3 cut pass to equal your 3FT wide span. 
Get a mower that has the full backend as a discharge, that way the mower is not re-cutting things over and over by putting a strain on the 12Hp engine. 

Don't limit yourself nor the Kubuta 12Hp. A diesel engine provides much more torque. Torque is the raw muscle in this game. 

LandPride makes a really nice 48-inch full rear discharge, 2 bladed mower for the 3PT. Something to consider.


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## Ultradog (Feb 27, 2005)

bmaverick said:


> Don't limit yourself nor the Kubuta 12Hp. A diesel engine provides much more torque. Torque is the raw muscle in this game.


Horsepower is the derivative of torque X RPMs.
It doesn't matter if you are using gas, diesel, water power, steam or electricity to produce that horsepower a 12 hp prime mover will put out 12 hp.
A diesel will often put out its max torque at a lower rpm than a gasser but the "work" that can be done at the end of the pto shaft is not greater.
If you would like to look at some analyses of gas vs diesel engines Tractordata has charts and graphs from the original Nebraska Tests.
Click the link for some interesting info on the Ford 3000 tractors.
Interestingly enough, the 158 cubic inch gas engine would put out a wee bit more hp than the 175 CI diesel engine that was used in those tractors.


https://www.tractordata.com/farm-tractors/000/2/5/259-ford-3000-tests.html


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## pogobill (Jan 31, 2012)

Seth Hays said:


> Hello everyone, I am looking for a 3' bush hog to go behind a 12 HP Kubota subcompact and the prices people want for them is insane if you can find any. But I have the opportunity to buy a 5' bush hog and was wondering if anyone had bought a larger mower and cut it down to make it the size that you wanted. I would be cutting it basically in half and I wasn't sure if this was a feasible option or if I would be better off buying an already made 3' mower. Thanks in advance and hope y'all have a good night.


Is your tractor a B5100? If so, the width of the tractor is a tad over 3 ft wide. You should look at something that is wider than that. a 4 foot is only going to give you 6 inches either side. The Landpride FDR 1648 that bmaverick suggests would be a good fit, and the colour matches as well! For something more aggressive they make an RCR 1242, a42" unit with the stump jumper.


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