Cheap butterfly mower

[robin banks]

Has to be good bit of power used pulling tractor and mower forgetting about power requirements of cutting grass. And with triples you have still just one tractor to pull.
Badly explained but I wouldn't think it was a straight multiple of 3.
Plus you just go slower but cover same or more ground than a set of doubles.
By keeping the existing rear mower you have best of both worlds for 5k.
Crops really heavy just use 2 mowers. Rest of time triples. Plus everything breaks so you got backup

 

[Ducati899]

Used to run reverse drive triples on a 1994 fendt 818 back in the late 90’s,still knock 150+ acres down a day back then

 

[grass man]

Remember to cover 30 ft with 3 trailed mowers with swivel heads that's 3 gearboxes times 3 passes = 9 gearboxes compared to a set of butterflies only 5 gearboxes to b turned to cover the same 30 ft. Also regardless of the power available forward speed can be a lot slower and still covering big acres and because of reduced forward speed you can run a lot less ground pressure with the mowers cause they are unlikely to jump up over humps like u get with high forward speeds and narrower cutting width

 

[Irish NZ]

Used to run reverse drive triples on a 1994 fendt 818 back in the late 90’s,still knock 150+ acres down a day back then

I was about to tag you in.

 

[Pingu]

Ran triples on a 724 and ran fine no real problems with it just slower pace of life doing 150acre a day. When was on my tractor at time a 936 I could knock down 250acre in standard day or 300+ if wanted to (long day and long fields). It’s all relative to what want to knock down in a day and aim up towards it really.

 

[Fraserb]

We have krone triples on a 6215R, I remember when we demoed them I was going a lot slower than with my usual front and back and I actually though they were a waste of time as I would be quicker with the front and backs, how ever after 3 laps of the headland and a few passes through the middle most of a 35 acre field was gone so quickly decided they were maybe actually quicker.

There is times that more power would increase output but the 6215 can knock enough down to keep the forager happy and it's alot easier on man and machine going steadier.

 

[Pond digger]

Damn cruel, mowing butterflies. You should be ashamed of yourself.

 

[Andrew]

I run 9.5m butterflies on a JCB 4220 with no real issues. More power would be helpful if I was running all day every day, but output and cost is still better than a front and rear.

 

[mushnt grummmble]

Get them bought.. Ran my first set on 170hp, steady away up hills but fast down and still easily do 12k on the flat no problem. You’ll have a great cut quality and not bouncing out the seat like you see some idiots doing with a single 10ft.. also a lot easier to see foreign objects! If one breaks just pull shaft and fold that side up then youv still got a double outfit

Good when the front goes bang

 

[Xerion]

@james ds
Back in the day I had a set

As you can see behind / in front of a 3800 made mowing fun . Great mowers when new I used to cut 800 ha 4 times a year with them clean cutting and did need a lot of power .
When they get tired , your problems start !!!!!
Check 90 degree boxes for wear,and the drive lines to the front unit .Beware of play in the discs and check the discs for lateral movement !!!
Check linkages to the front unit ( I lost one once and eat it !!!)
If you think they have not had to much work get them run up and warm then check the above they are a good piece of kit .


Max

 

[Speedstar]

Do forget the class mowers are only 8.50 meters wide & with no good GPS will only be cutting 8 meters with james& in nice light crops he will be fine but as I say our Fastrac was on its knees with them on hills & in big crops , the 10 meter Krone ones we have now were on a MF 7620 which pulled them but now on a Fendt 939 which is on top of the job 30 acres an hour is a walk in the park for it

 

[holywell farmer]

@james ds
Back in the day I had a set
View attachment 653056
View attachment 653054

View attachment 653052
As you can see behind / in front of a 3800 made mowing fun . Great mowers when new I used to cut 800 ha 4 times a year with them clean cutting and did need a lot of power .
When they get tired , your problems start !!!!!
Check 90 degree boxes for wear,and the drive lines to the front unit .Beware of play in the discs and check the discs for lateral movement !!!
Check linkages to the front unit ( I lost one once and eat it !!!)
If you think they have not had to much work get them run up and warm then check the above they are a good piece of kit .


Max

That's a mowing rig and a half

 

[Deutzdx3]

Couple of local guys run a big triple. Started it on a 6910 just did it but not at speed. Then on a nh7060 ran it last year on a fastrac 7270. Ran it just fine from what they say.

 

[james ds]

Do forget the class mowers are only 8.50 meters wide & with no good GPS will only be cutting 8 meters with james& in nice light crops he will be fine but as I say our Fastrac was on its knees with them on hills & in big crops , the 10 meter Krone ones we have now were on a MF 7620 which pulled them but now on a Fendt 939 which is on top of the job 30 acres an hour is a walk in the park for it

The 3230 is boosting to 270 at the shaft so would be a lot more than your 3220. It wouldn't be under any pressure to knock 80- 100 acres / day.

 

[Spencer]

Good when the front goes bang

Just lift it up then you’ve got a single one..

 

[mushnt grummmble]

 

[Spencer]

 

[Drillman]

I don’t know a lot about mowers but do know trundling steady away is a lot kinder on man and machine in general.

Sounds like a lot of mowing capacity at minimal cost to me.

Can’t really see any downsides.

Besides the op could always buy a biggerJD if the valmets aren’t up for it. Plenty of part ex’s in valmet dealers yards to choose from by all accounts

 

[farmer pickles]

Yes , a 3230 .

A Friend of mine is running a set of them behind a slightly turned up tm 150 and grouping everything. He's on hilly ground too so you should have no problems. He kept his old mower there but it's not needed any more unless he has a crop too heavy to group.

 

[s~~t shoveller]

The 3230 is boosting to 270 at the shaft so would be a lot more than your 3220. It wouldn't be under any pressure to knock 80- 100 acres / day.

I think it will be ok ,maybe more power better but you could say that about most mowing setups!