Walk behind Brush mower question (anyone have experience with BCS walk behind tractor

[Tim03]

Hi All

For the past couple of days I have been looking at walk behind brush mowers on the net.

The one thing I have not been able to find is a walk behind with independent rear drive wheels like a duel hydro or belt drive mower. I have been to Billy Goat's site, DR site, and Giant-Vacs site.

I assume I have not been able to find one like that is because the brush environment is too rough to allow turning like a commercial mower, I am not sure, I haven't used a brush mower before.

While looking I found the BCS walk behind tractor/ (http://bcs-america.com/). I looked over the site and it didn't have in depth details of their products.

My question is has anyone here used the BCS tractor with the brush mower attachment? Does this tractor have independent rear drive wheels like a dual hydro or belt drive mower?

Is there a walk behind mower out there that I missed that has independent rear drive wheels?

The brush mower would mainly be used on abandoned homes in the city, so using a standard tractor with a 5 foot brush hog is way too big, in fact the walk behind brush mower would have to get through the smaller gates like gate mower, and mostly on smaller lawns that should take less than 20 to do but will have lots of turning, just like a standard mower.

I have done a search here for more information and didn't come up with anything new.

Thanks in advance for your responses!

[cgaengineer]

My dealer used to carry them. From what I saw they were just a really beefed up Troy-Built and operated in the same way except the handlebars folded forward and they could take attachments.

[BarrFarms]

I purchased a 730 and 36" tiller for my grandfather, he enjoys it, I haven't ever used it though.

[Grits]

I don't know of any that operate like you want. IMO, you don't really need it. I have used the Billy Goat quite a bit and it turns easily by operator muscle.....kind of like the Quick mowers but not as easy. Get the Billy Goat and be done.
Question: Do you use a brushcutter often enough to purchase one, or could you simply rent one? They are cheap to rent.

[Tim03]

I don't know of any that operate like you want. IMO, you don't really need it. I have used the Billy Goat quite a bit and it turns easily by operator muscle.....kind of like the Quick mowers but not as easy. Get the Billy Goat and be done.
Question: Do you use a brushcutter often enough to purchase one, or could you simply rent one? They are cheap to rent.


I would be using it as a main mower on vacant homes with small lawns in the city. It wouldnt be cost effective to rent one since it would be in use 3 or 4 days a week for two or three months at least.

Whatever I do decide on, if I go through with my idea I plan on renting the mower for a day to see what its really like to work with.

[milkie62]

I have the DR field and brush mower.It is a beast.If it can push it over it can cut it.They claim up to 2 1/2 " capacity but you are a better man than me if you can push over a sapling that big without a small compact tractor.Had mine for 10 yrs no real issues yet and they are built a little better now.

[laxative]

For what you're doing a DR or Billy Goat will work you to death. Owned a Billy Goat. Used to rent a DR occasionally. Just get a walk behind with a floating deck so you can mow at the highest setting. You'll see better results with 1/2 the work. Been there, done that. Wasted a lot of money screwing around with brush cutters and "high weed" mowers and all that crap. A good 19 HP tthp or scag will do it better and can be used for pretty finish cuts too.

[Tim03]

Thanks for all the responses. I have some thinking to do.

[Green Man Enviroscaping]

I use a DR with a lawn deck for lawns (just mine, so far) and I use the brush deck for brush. I wouldn't think of using them for cross purposes.

If you're concerned a good mower will get too beat up on these properties, and you're going with a brush mower to take a bit more abuse, sounds like maybe a cheap push mower might suit your needs better.

I went that route when I moved into my house. The builder had trucked out the topsoil and trucked in a rocky mix to support his equipment. I needed something that I wouldn't mind wrapping around a rock every few minutes. I planned on using it for a year or two before having to replace it. Funny thing - that el cheapo model still works fine half a decade later, and even saw some work on a client site to trim down a narrow strip of overgrown lawn prior to clearing and tilling.

[milkie62]

A little off subject here but similar situation.I bought property back in 1983 and there were about 20 acres of it over grown.Went to a farm auction with my father spring of 84 and there was this beat up old Ford brush hog going for $225. My father said to buy it and use it for a year or two to find all the rocks then buy a better one.Funny thing 24 yrs later I am still using that same old brush hog and only this year did I ever do any repairs and that was $28 worth of slip clutch discs.