Best Vehicle for Topping Wet Rush?

[yeoldebarn]

Can I have recommendations on the best vehicle for driving over wet rush with a topper please? Is a quad/gator better than a compact tractor because they weigh less? The land in question is around 1.5 acres bordering a stream and hasn't had anything on it for 40 odd years, it needs a lot of work. You can walk over most of it in the summer comfortably so I think it would probably stand up to a lighter vehicle. TIA for any thoughts.

 

[Blue.]

Best would be a rubber tracked tractor,they can near walk on water.

 

[suffolksmallholder]

1.5 acres;
A Honda strimmer/clearing saw with a blade.
Time and effort well spent.
Alternatively hire a machine with a flail.
Or chems. See various posts re this.
Personally I’m in the strimmer/clearing saw camp.
You could try two of the above and watch the end results?
SS

 

[Wood field]

We adapted an old turner walk behind flail mower , as used by council of old , to a draw bar behind the quad . Painful and slow
Cheap b&m branded petrol brush cutter with a steel blade made surprisingly quick progress
A proper topper would need a pto so compact or medium tractor.
Get them cut and hit regrowth with mcpa

 

[yeoldebarn]

Best would be a rubber tracked tractor,they can near walk on water.

Thank you I hadn't thought of that.

 

[yeoldebarn]

1.5 acres;
A Honda strimmer/clearing saw with a blade.
Time and effort well spent.
Alternatively hire a machine with a flail.
Or chems. See various posts re this.
Personally I’m in the strimmer/clearing saw camp.
You could try two of the above and watch the end results?
SS

We began taking it back with a heavy duty handheld brush cutter but it's an absolute jungle of rushes, bracken and bramble. It's growing back quicker than we can cut it honestly.

 

[yeoldebarn]

We adapted an old turner walk behind flail mower , as used by council of old , to a draw bar behind the quad . Painful and slow
Cheap b&m branded petrol brush cutter with a steel blade made surprisingly quick progress
A proper topper would need a pto so compact or medium tractor.
Get them cut and hit regrowth with mcpa

Thanks, we have started with a good quality brush cutter but it is waist-high so very slow. It will need regular topping to get under control I think.

 

[suffolksmallholder]

We began taking it back with a heavy duty handheld brush cutter but it's an absolute jungle of rushes, bracken and bramble. It's growing back quicker than we can cut it honestly.

OK. Bigger machine then. Or chems.
I’m not a fan of these but as The Blenheim Estate says ‘It’s another tool in the box’
SS

 

[Fendt516profi]

A big tractor on big flotation tyres will travel better than a Grey Fergie on standard tyrea

 

[Red Fred]

Allis B and a weed-wiper?

 

[Drillman]

Ah come on folks use a bit of imagination,

what we need here is a hold my beer moment involving an upside down helicopter

 

[toquark]

1.5 acres;
A Honda strimmer/clearing saw with a blade.
Time and effort well spent.
Alternatively hire a machine with a flail.
Or chems. See various posts re this.
Personally I’m in the strimmer/clearing saw camp.
You could try two of the above and watch the end results?
SS

Second this. Did about half an acre in a couple of hours. Get a much cleaner result than with a topper too. Only have to do it once or twice if you spray the regrowth sharpish.

 

[Red Fred]

Brush cutter, then Allis B with a CDax weedwiper when it has regrown.

 

[Mur Huwcun]

A big tractor on bog flotation tyres will travel better than a Grey Fergie on standard tyrea

Yes just that the grey fergie is easy to drag out if or when it breaks through!! A 724 on 710 tyres on the other hand will need a little more than an old 50b or 3cx to drag it out!!!

I do a bit with an IH 275 and disc mower happy with the fact that the Ford backhoe will drag it out sideways if or when things go pear shaped!!!

 

[JLLM]

Remote control flail on tracks.

 

[Devil's advocate]

Meanwhile grade one veg land is been rewilded into swamps, crazy world.

 

[Red Fred]

Yes just that the grey fergie is easy to drag out if or when it breaks through!! A 724 on 710 tyres on the other hand will need a little more than an old 50b or 3cx to drag it out!!!

I do a bit with an IH 275 and disc mower happy with the fact that the Ford backhoe will drag it out sideways if or when things go pear shaped!!!

This is what I found, I used the B250 on both weedwiper and 6ft topper and on the rare occasions it sank, it was easy to pull out with the mini-digger or loader tractor. Compared to even the B250, an Allis B on big tyres has virtually no footprint and can be picked up by the loader tractor.
When I sank the 90hp loader tractor, I had to borrow a 300hp JD to pull it out

 

[scotston]

I got me one of these, bet it would do the job...

 

[quavers]

have you not seen Clarkson's farm , remote control track fail topper !

 

[Skintagain]

Spend your time and effort on draining