I need to get a 15 ft. Bat Wing Mower . Will use to shred some good pasture but also to clean up some old ones that have 2' - 3" saplings in them. What is the best brand to get? Thanks in advance to all!

No shredder is going to like a bunch of 3" saplings. I know a bunch of guys that will shred CRP or pipeline ROW witha Deere M20 or R20.
Also I will say that Schulte makes a great product (though parts are a little harder to come by)

We have Rhino. They make different series depending on tractor size and use.

Something old and already beat to **** if you're mowing 3" stuff.

But many manufacturers have heavier equipment in their lineup... bush hog, woods, etc. You want a bad ass stump jumpers and gearboxes that vastly exceed the normal hp rating for shredding anything other than grass IMO.

And a tractor capable of handling the massive shock demands for power from the PTO without bogging down.

What species of saplings? What do you plan to do about the stumps left the next time you cross it? Seems like some expensive tire bills down the line?

Are you looking new or used? How long do you plan to keep it?

Most of the problems I've seen are from wings going to hell and not cutting even over time, or drivelines not holding up. Antmounds can be an issue too.

I've been around a couple brands (Mohawk, Bush Hog, Deere) but can't make a true recommendation as they all have issues over time. Would definitely try to stay with something where parts are likely to be available.

I would probably invest in cab protection if you have any rocks, or be prepared to replace some glass.

We had a rhino before switching to the John Deere CX commercial grade bat wing mower years ago. No comparison as the Deere is better made and has held up better. Really like the air bags and shocks on our cx 20 and this is the second cx 20 we've had. I think they have recently changed the model number as the new ones are different looking on top.
And as usual nobody else can have my parts at 8 am tomorrow morning if I order by 4 this afternoon.

Thank you for going to all the trouble to post pics! Much appreciated

Thank you to all who replied.. It has been a great help. Thanks

No problem, I just went through this same exercise several months ago. I settled on a JD 6155M and the Rhino with stump jumpers, heavier chain guards and laminate tires instead of foam filled tires. If I had to do it over again I would get the same package except I would do the double row of chain guards.

Where is your place? Nice setup you have.

Did you foam fill your tractor tires?

I was in the market for a larger batwing when I came across a used HX10 for $2k that I bought while I shopped for something bigger.

Turns out I'm not in as big a rush as I thought as the 10' has actually turned out to be more practical for brush work. If I had to do a lot of mowing I might reconsider depending on the quality of cut I was after - but I think I like having a dedicated brush cutter.

I run a 5105M with a 540 PTO. The HX has a 3" cutting capacity. My experience is binding/seizing the PTO / gearbox over uneven ground - for example 'mounds' from hog damage - has been a bigger issue than cutting capacity or slowing the blade with larger material.

good luck

My place is outside of San Diego. No I did not foam the tires, instead I bought some forestry tires for the front. A family friend who fixes tractors and the guy who runs the tractor repair shop in Alice both advised against filling the tires since the tractor weighs roughly 16,000 lbs already both said the ride and the vibrations would be so much worse with foam filled tires. I had hoped the original tires would have lasted a year but the front ones only made it a month and a half before I had to get the forestry tires. The picture with my friend and ranch manager by my Polaris is from when the front tire went flat. The forestry tires are a little more than the foam filling price.

Was the rock guard around the back window home made or is it a certain brand? I need one as I've broken the back glass twice now mowing with 6150 m. Sounds like a rifle going off in the cab.

It's was custom made by George Aguilar out of Alice. You can't really tell in the pictures but there is also a skid plate and plates protecting the gas/def tank on the left side and the battery/electronics/loader hydraulics on the right side. I ran it for a couple of months to make sure I was satisfied and the skid plate did not rub the tires before it was painted JD green.

The whole deal was $2900, Armor Cage wanted $13,000 and another company that escapes me wanted between $8,000-9000 depending on selections. Granted Armor Cage uses 1/2" for the skid plate and the front bumper/grill guard, whereas my skid plate is 1/4" and no bumper and a simple grill guard.

I have posted my negative experiences with two different models of the John Deere MX series in the past but other seem to have better luck with them. I would never buy another one.

Heavy duty Bush Hog.

First thing I think of anytime someone mentions a batwing

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I'm not trying to sell anyone on a Rhino, but I am saying that thus far it's been a helluva machine.

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You certainly got my attention. Two or three questions ...

1. How many HP at the PTO for that kind of work?

2. What's the equipment protection when you hit a 5" trunk instead of just a 3" trunk?

3. Is there some kind of dampening coupling to protect the tractor's mechanical PTO from the shock loads of hitting big stuff like that?


Thanks. It looks like you've got yourself a very productive and effective setup there.

I have an older 15' I would part with for $5000

I runs great. I have video of it running last week

Just looking to upgrade to a new one

Bush hog maker

I was actually going to paint it this coming weekend
I can send you pics and video

Located in Abilene

Drarringtondpm@dr.com

I'll second the recommendation of a medium or heavy duty rhino. I've had one for 15 years on my place in Burnet County. I shred using my 95hp Kubota tractor w/cab (Don't shred without a cab!). We have abused it keeping our food plots & roads shredded. It will cut a 2"-3" cedar easily but not a 5" limestone rock.

I looked at buying a new one 2-3 years ago, but knew it would also get beat to hell so I spent +/- $4500 having dealer replacing gear boxes, blades, hoses,,etc. I wound up with new guts in it and it cuts again like brand new. In 4-5 more years, I'll probably have to recondition it again but feel it has been a great investment.

1. How many HP at the PTO for that kind of work?

155 hp on JD 6155M supposed to be close to rated hp

2. What's the equipment protection when you hit a 5" trunk instead of just a 3" trunk?

Slip clutch and 6 year gearbox warranty is what I'm counting on. The worst for me is not the big stuff but persimmon and guajillo where there's a maybe 5-10+ 1-2" stems coming out of the ground, that'll bog it down. In the heavy brush I'm in A 1-4, in lighter stuff like sage and more open areas I'll run in B 1-2

3. Is there some kind of dampening coupling to protect the tractor's mechanical PTO from the shock loads of hitting big stuff like that?

Some JD person can maybe answer that.

I hope that helped.

Look at the bat-wings from www.nacironworks.com, they are on Hwy 59S of Nacogdoches. Unbelievably strong, they always have the parts you need and sell used units they have taken back on trade. They just replace the worn parts and repaint. The trades look like a brand new one because they haven't changed much about the design in years, a mower that rarely brakes doesn't need many modifications.
There is also a sister company, Crockett Iron Works, Hwy 7 West in Crockett, Texas.

Thanks again to all. Narrowed it down to a HD Rhino or HD JD.

Thanks for all the trouble and very impressed.

Got to push the Rhino here. It's a tough machine.

Anybody know anything about a brand called Land - Pride? I went out to see if I could look at some units and the dealer in my town handles Rhino and Land Pride. He was really pushing the Land Pride brand but was also being a salesman because he had one in stock and would have to order the Rhino.
Any comments welcome. Thanks again.

Land pride is now owned by kubota, they're ok but I would order a rhino if that's what you're choosing between.

I am leaning that way. I had it down between John Deere and Rhino. John Deere dealer said it would be 2 months before he had one. (I need it before then) so looks like I am going to order a Rhino...they said they could get it in two weeks. Thank you for replying.

Whatever unit you get make sure you add stumpjumpers.

JD05AG said:

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I know a bunch of guys that will shred CRP or pipeline ROW with a Deere M20 or R20.

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I looked up the specs on that JD R20 you mentioned.

Cutting capacity: 4" (5" with 'hammer' blade)
Weight: 7500 pounds

That's a serious shredder there. I see a used one advertised for $30K. I'm sure it was 'babied' by a little old lady who only shredded her buffalo grass on Sundays!