Walk Behind as a "Trail Mower"????

[AltaLawnCare]

I saw a guy mowing with a JD 600 (or 700 series) tractor with a 5' belly mower pulling two walk behinds on either side. Someone had told me about this before, but I thought they were wrong and he was just pulling a regular trail mower.
This may be good idea, I thought of a way to set up a hitch on mine to try. I'm gonna mount a reciever on the front anyway, so I can mount attachments. I'll just make a hitch attachment for it, I can then use the tongue from the trail mower I have now until I make another.
I hope this set up may be comparable with the Dixie Chopper Pup, but you can still use the walk behind alone if wanted.
If I go thru with it, I'll post pictures. If I see that cat with the 2 walks behind, I'll get a picture of it also.;)

[AltaLawnCare]

Toro as Trailmower (http://community.webshots.com/photo/21304823/21306332PaNkVXnZZG)


Yes, thats a JD Lt pulling it.

It does well on large open flat "fields". I pull out 2 clips and disengage the belts, then hook to te JD with the tongue which has a 17/8" coupling which matches the ball on the back of the JD.

I use this set up about 3 hours per week, if it wasn't for this I'd never pull the JD off the trailer.:p

[AltaLawnCare]

Front shot:JD & Toro Front Shot (http://community.webshots.com/photo/21304823/21307199fLfQgagcxl)

This cuts about 7' in one pass. The decks have to overlap about 6" so it doesn't miss too much grass when I turn.

[geogunn]

is it worth all the trouble? seriously.

GEO

[eslawns]

I'm with GEO.

A WB mower runs at least $2k. You can get 2 48" trail mowers for the same money. If you have a more serious need for this type of mower just get a PTO driven mower for the JD. It seems to me like a lot less hassle.

[AltaLawnCare]

If it was too much trouble, I wouldn't have done it.
It took about 2 hours to make the tongue, about another 2 hours to rig the weights and get it adjusted right. The walk behind can convert in the field in less than a minute to run by itself.
I've been running this set up for over a month now - it saves me time in my particular case. I'd never buy a walk behind just to tow behind. This is a 345, it doesn't have a PTO.

This is no joke friends - it saves me time - so it's well worth it.
:angel:

[David Gretzmier]

alta- you de man! obviously you use the walk full time and running both on an open acres makes sense. I would think the walk would cut at a faster speed by itself, as it probably has a higher tip speed than the JD. On large open lots, makes sense to me. One man maximizing equipment and production. Dave g

[AltaLawnCare]

Thank ya, David

Maximization of effeciency of equipment, and man hours.:cool:

[Eric ELM]

Originally posted by AltaLawnCare
Maximization of effeciency of equipment, and man hours.

If you want to get more production, don't use a tractor. I have a 430 JD diesel with a 60" deck that doesn't mow a blade of grass now that I have 60" ZTR's. It will only mow half as much as a ZTR.

[AltaLawnCare]

I wish I could afford Z now. It didnt cost me but about 50.00 in materials. In about 2 or three years, I'l be able to get a 'Z'.

I can't get rid of the 345, because I use it with a snow blade. I was jsut referring to maximation of what I have now.:)

I figure this set up is almost as fast as a 60" Z in these big open areas.

Another thing is both fields I cut with it are very bumpy - I'm not sure a Z (even a chopper with ATV tires or farriswith suspension) could constantly mow over 3-5 MPH on this terrain.