You would be right in some cases - but even with the deck adjusted correctly it was having issues tracking without digging in. It's not something that would show up on flat terrain, but when there are holes and ridges and the single guide wheel dips in just right, the deck plows. It's sort of a chance-happening but definitely present even when the deck is adjusted to different places.
A big utility tractor with dual wheels and ballast will mow hillsides just fine. I have one. It is a bit big for mowing in tight spaces and is an issue for mowing around landscaping. Not to mention a 6000 lb tractor will rut things when it is wet. My next mower will be a Ventrac. I will not be getting rid of the big tractor but will be getting rid of my Kubota zero turn and replacing it with a ventrac. When looking at commercial grade mowers you will find they are all expensive and similar in price. I have tried the homeowner quality items from the big box stores and find on my land they are falling apart after about a year of use. The commercial mowers last 10 to 15 years or more so the added cost is worth the investment for me. My Kubota zero turn is 14 years old, gets stuck everywhere when the ground is wet.
I know I’ll never be able to purchase a ventrac. But I’m glad they are manufactured in my home state. If I could I’d get every attachment for it if I could!
I enjoy how the ventrac just doesn’t care. I have done slopes that are WAY out of recommended safe operation (slope gauge just beeps and beeps and says warning) I need to start filming what we do just so you can see just how far you are able to push these machines. And the ventrac just could care less. Any other machine would have rolled or just spin out. Very nimble but TOUGH as nails. Ventrac are very confidence inspiring. Make you feel like you can do almost anything. We need another one already.
My ventrac 4500Z is absolutely a awesome machine! I have the tough cut mower, unbelievable how much of my property is now mowed and maintained, I still use my john deere and new holland tractors for other applications, but they brush hog no more! No comparison! Thank you, Ventrac for building this Tuff Nipple little Beast! 👍
That looks like our farm in Tennessee!!! Love my Ventrac and love sharing it on our TH-cam channel. People like to watch that machine WORK!! God Bless -JTF
My "getting bit" story was caused by a fawn bedding down in a valley behind an old outbuilding. It ran out in front of me as I was heading down hill on one of the steepest parts of my property. I instinctively jerked the wheel to the right and over she went. I don't know the degree of the slope, but I'm in the Shenandoah Valley of VA and my 28 acres deviates around 100 yards in elevation.
The only problem with ventrac is that they don’t have anything that is big. You can’t have a loader or atleast a good loader. Deere actually has a variety which is why I like them
The scariest thing that ever happened to me while brush hogging in a John Deere 8400 dueled up with front wheel assist is when mowing a steep hill and seeing the front tire come off the ground on the hill... but it was also a great learning experience to always stay calm when mowing hills
I’m a firm believe in ventrac, although I will say that it is more of a “Jack of all trades, master of some” machine. Although I can’t fairly say that, as our dealer has said he would bring a few attachments to demo, but guess who we haven’t seen since we took delivery of the tractor...? I don’t believe it cuts grass as well as our toro mowers. Well, it does cut consistently but it just doesn’t stripe like our toro machines do. Even having a very dry summer and grass not growing like it should, the toro still stripes far superior. And I’m talking about both the 84” contour deck and the 60” straight deck. A bit disappointed cause seeing the size of the rollers on the back of the decks, we thought they were going to stripe like a son of a bitch. After almost 120 hours on the machine I still find the mower deck attaching to be difficult, it’s gotten slightly easier but it doesn’t slip right on or off like in the videos. It’s still a fun tractor to operate and it definitely can go where other machines can’t.
Since the first time I saw this machine I knew it was a money maker. Years later nothing's changed except just more ways to make money. Man I'd love to have one
We do stuff like this with a kubota M5700 utility special and a Rhino three point brush chopper. The only thing we dont do with the kubota is gullies and ravines. I dont know if the ventrac could do the ravines though. I thought about trying to demo a ventrac to chop ravines and compare against the kubota
For me it's all about the front attachments. If I can't run a snow blower on the front it's not the machine for me. Everything else is just a bonus. And I always loved pivot turn though I have more experience with a Toolcats quad steer.
@@jwilliams9611 Pointing out the obvious are we? I've been a fan of Ventrac since the 90s when my school tested one at the Fair and bought to mow all their grass. Unless you are talking about the JD then great for them. My comment is not stating that it doesn't. This doesn't make me more likely to buy a JD over a Ventrac. My comment does state that I like front attachments this is where the Ventac excels at, along with the pivot steer.
It all depends on what is being compared. For example if the challenge was to load a truck with wood chip or compost, a compact tractor with a loader would be more effective. However for mowing, having the mower out front instead of trailing behind, makes a lot of sense. Jobs like fertilising or ploughing makes sense to have the the implement behind. Mowing it is better to have the deck out front.
I wish I would of video taped some of the jobs I brush mowed with my ventrac here in TN. Crazy situations I haven't seen anyone else do with a ventrac on TH-cam yet. I hit crazy steep slopes over 37° and would go all the way to the bottom into muddy wet ditches never got stuck or felt unsafe even when sliding. Unfortunately had to sell it but hope to buy another one day and with the power rake
Hey Tony, I am in TN as well. Cannot believe there aren't more Ventrac's working here in Nashville!!! Middle Tennessee is the perfect market for these things. They save lives and time. Every time someone sees mine the initial reaction is the same... "What IS THAT?!" Then I let them operate it (free labor) and they cannot believe the engineering. Hope you get another one brother...if you get bored I can put you to work on mine! ;) -JTF
@@JoeTheFarmer yea I was staying kinda busy going around doing brush mowing jobs around Robertson County and cheatham County mostly steep areas that had had been neglected overtime but to be profitable I was going to need a power rake so decided to sell the machine and put the money towards my media marketing company and hopefully buy another ventrac later with a brush mower and power rake once I can afford it again
Adjust the brush cutter properly and use chains on your top link and it will float over those bumps and holes more effectively. I guess I'm doing it wrong because I don't turn around and watch my brush cutter. I'm generally looking where I'm going. No doubt Ventrac is much better on steeper slopes but some of this seems like ya'll are stretching to make the sale.
I own 9 tractors, ranging from 22 hp all the way up to 100 hp. I've drooled over the Ventracs for a while. One thing that makes me nervous is it looks like they have about 4 inches of ground clearance? Also, with a bush hog, you need to pick the deck up a little if you're going to be going backwards, or turning while going backwards, and for god's sake, take that belly mower off!
We usually recommend this stuff: www.ventrac.com/products/accessories/15.0042-05 It does a phenomenal job of protecting against flats while keeping the tires light and high performance. It does not make the tractor ride rough or tear up turf like foam-filled can.
Like that the Jones degrees had a finish mower however you shood have taken it off when brush cutting do to the 3point and, belly mower work off the same system
@@ventrac I saw that in the video, but being attached it was smashing down the grass before cutting. Oh and I did spell it a john deere not what came out on the texted
A few years ago, an older cousin’s husband drowned in a shallow pond after his tractor flipped pinning him under it. When he didn’t come home from their property in time they went out to find him dead.
Is there a roller on the back of the tough cut, or anything to prevent bent over briar stems and sticks from coming up and hitting the underneath of the tractor?
There's no roller on the tough cut deck but the bottom of our tractor is shielded really well with various skids and panels so that it can glide over anything sticking up.
Yes those subcompacts are very dangerous. I bought a used Bobcat T190 with a Briushcat and feel much safer on my dam and overall brush cutting I did not know about ventrac when I purchased my Bobcat
What would your response be for some looking at a compact tractor and getting the product that's been out for the last couple of years that you can attach to your loader which is a brush hog that will be out in front and can articulate to 90°? The companies that I'm thinking are lane shark and trailblazer. I know you can get your new boom more that can articulate to cut up high, but some would also argue you're laying out a lot more money for both a tough cut and that attachment than what you would pay for their attachment which can do both out front.
Those are pretty cool attachments for their intended functionality - there's really not much to say negative about them in that regard. I do think though, that you probably shouldn't consider it a dual purpose attachment. They're cool for trimming up high or off to the side, but they aren't really productive over a large area like our tough cut (or any brush mower). The largest model of lane shark is only 48" so you're likely going to need a second attachment anyway. As far as I can tell - neither of those decks has any height adjustment either so you have to control height of cut with the loader. Other issues I see are the single blade, overall length of the machine and hydraulic drive.... none of which will play nice when trying to cut high volumes of material on large areas. Overall, cool products - just not what I would pick for any serious production mowing. As a side note - I know you didn't ask, but I think the reason you don't see anything like that from a major manufacturer is the safety aspect. A rotary blade like that lifted off the ground with no shielding and the ability to operatie in so many different directions is a nightmare for debris being thrown everywhere. Something like that should really only be run on a full cabbed machine. And most compact tractor cabs aren't build to take the abuse from debris like skid loader cabs or other construction style equipment. If I were operating one of those, I'd go to great lengths to guard the operator station for my own safety and I'd make sure never to run one anywhere near people, structures, cars, etc. Good question, thanks for asking. -Aaron
@@ventrac I appreciate your in-depth response. My need for a brush cutter in the front is being able to go in and out of our wooded property that has some hills on it. Frankly, with even a properly ballast compact tractor, I don't think we can get to the upper reaches of some of the hills that I know a Venetrac could handle. I didn't want too wide of a brush cutter so we don't have to take out as many trees in order to move through the area. I wasn't sure what size of tough cut that you have as well as what the width is of a ventrac when you put do wheels on in order to get up the steeper hills. To be sure, the lower center of gravity and it's articulation along with attachments in the front make it idea in a lot of respects for our properties in the hills of Western Arkansas.
@@jimmcknight3021 You're definitely asking the right questions in order to best take care of your individual situation. Good luck with the search! If you have any more questions just ask away or give your local dealer a call and see if you can get a demo for yourself if you're leaning towards the Ventrac. Thanks for the inquiry!
the advantage of the ventrac is its width and lowest center of gravity of any mowing machine. it doesn't matter what year 4 wheel tractor you want to use or what brand, a conventional tractor will NEVER be as safe on a slope as a ventrac. it is basic "physics" my friend. it has NOTHING to do with the make or year of the tractors.
Is there ever an opportunity to have a tracked version on all 4 corners similar to a ditch witch? Or is it all based upon a traction issue vers dual tires
@@ventrac good to know it was just a thought. Something similar to a wide track on all 4 corners. But you make a great point on turf. It might work better on limited applications.
I love a central but. You don’t the bush hog set up correctly. Why in the hell would you let the belly mower on the tractor to bend the grass over before you cut it. What if you have a truck to load. My loader lifts over 8’. Will the loader on the ventrac pick up 1500 lbs and put it on a trailer. The ventrac is great. But everything has its place.
@@jwilliams9611 I had a lawn service for 35 years. Anything with a deck out front is gonna be better for any kind of mowing. But for the cost of a ventrac which I ran and loved it but never owned for all around use. A compact for me is a much better choice. We load firewood mulch ground into the back of my dump truck and when we do firewood some logs weigh up to 1000lbs. The bitch I have with the video is they left the belly mower on the tractor and didn’t have the cutter set up correctly. Don’t get me wrong the ventrac will do a nicer job but they didn’t give that tractor a chance
We do have bar tires and turf tires as options as well. They're pretty rare though as the vast majority of customers go for the field trax tires shown here. They just work so good everywhere.
I can see it's uses on a steep hill, but I like the ability to buy used generic equipment. Can't do that with vintrack. Looks like the vitrack was set higher
Cheese-n-rice! There is no comparison (for the tasks at hand) you silly people. It's an absolutely ridiculous thing to compare a rear mounted mower to a front mounted mower. Let's push stuff over first and possible damage the underside of our tractor, then try to cut it. Or let's ram into that big stump we can't see through the undergrowth. Or, let's mow in reverse because everyone loves twisting around in the seat to watch their mower. I've almost got my down payment saved, so please hurry up and figure out how to put a hoe, or trencher bucket on the Versa Loader so I can order everything I need at once. Of course, I always enjoy some new Ventrac porn. Thanks.
Well let's be honest here.. the deer never turned wheels until later and then he didn't turn them fully.. further more the deer looked like it cut much better. The other tractor looks like it layed alot of grass down instead of cutting it.
If Ventrac is such a more capable machine over a tractor wonder how come you dont see them being used for interstate mowing? All you see are old fashoned tractors with brush style mowing being used for what Ventrac claims there are better????
I would say the Ventrac beats any compact tractor.But if we step up to a 75 horsepower tractor with some weight to it,the tractor wins every time.And depending on brand,for cheaper than the Ventrac.
Mr. Mall, that is not true. a 75 hp tractor is a BIG machine which has a much higher center of gravity than a ventrac. if you are just measuring the degree of slope you can cut SAFELY with a ventrac against the same degree limit with ANY tractor - the tractor will ALWAYS lose that comparison. again, it is a matter of physics.
@@jimharvard I agree to some extent,but we are talking brush cutting/rough cut mowing.Put a set of duals on a bigger tractor and pull a 15 foot bat wing,you will indeed beat that Ventrac on hills and cover more ground.A 4wd tractor going straight up and down will go almost anywhere. Now for small spaces,yes of course,the smaller machine wins.The versatility of a tractor is where it really shines.From plowing,loader work,setting fence post ,and everything in between,the tractor cant be beat.I guess we can hope to win the lottery and own both.
@@pallmall5495 yes, you cannot beat the versatility of a 4wd tractor especially if it has a loader on the front. i think the real problem with the Ventrac is the price. the last time i researched the prices on the Ventrac and attachments - which is VERY difficult because almost NO Ventrac dealer will post the price for anything for a Ventrac. a new gas 4500 with the duel wheel kit and JUST the front rough-cut mower will put you back around $30,000.00. for that amount of money you have probably twenty different new machines to choose from. AND, after you shell out the $30k for the new Ventrac, ALL you can do with it is mow grass and weeds. now, if you want to try and do other things with a Ventrac, you can, but EVERY attachment for a Ventrac is VERY expensive because each attachment fits ONLY one machine manufactured - a Ventrac. and in some cases, the attachment you buy will NOT perform as well as the same attachment on a compact track loader (CTL) or even a conventional tractor. or, you can buy several sub-compact tractors with a belly mower AND a backhoe for $24k or LESS. you can buy the next level up larger "compact" tractor, with a belly mower for around $26k. i've looked at the new 25 hp ASV compact tract loader which can be purchased for around $32k. that machine accepts every attachment made for all CTL's - like rotary and drum weed cutters. you would probably not want to use an ASV CTL to cut your front yard, however, it would be excellent to cut a large field and that machine is safe on most slopes. one big advantage of a CTL with a front mount mower is that you can raise the cutting attachment up to 6' feet with the boom allowing the cutting of branches and limbs or very large bushes. on a farm with a LOT of brush problems, that would be a distinct advantage. so in summary, the Ventrac does about four things better than ANY other machine produced. but you will pay A LOT of money for those 4 advantages. if the Ventrac could be set up with duel wheels and a rough-cut mower "out the door" for around $22-25k, it would definitely be worth buying because then - you could save up to get a "real" tractor.
Ventrac machines are really good machines but this comparing apples to oranges there just doing all the tests that the ventrac succeeds in against the rival when I come down to what machine to pick it’s all person choice
i understand that Ventrac is trying to sell as many machines to as many people as possible. and they have developed a number of attachments that work pretty well for their applications. HOWEVER, here is the BOTTOM LINE FACT about a Ventrac: if you need to cut steep slopes and that will be your primary use, it is the ONLY machine you should buy. if you want a tractor to use in a variety of applications and will RARELY try to cut grass or weeds on a steep slope - you sould NEVER buy the Ventrac over any one of the very good compact tractors out there. compact tractors will do EVERYTHING better than a Ventrac EXCEPT cutting grass/weeds on steep slopes.
While you're right about compact tractors being useful, a Ventrac is also better at any type of mowing since the deck is out-front of the machine and you don't have to drive over the material before you cut it. We have a wide area mower, reel mower, contour mower, flail mower, finish mowers, and rough cut. And they're all better than compact tractor options (unless you throw a lot more HP at the compact tractor with rough cut deck). We're also better at pretty much anything on nice turf because our light footprint doesn't do as much damage as a traditional compact tractor. We have a better trencher, we're better at aeration, stump grinding, edging, snow removal, leaf removal, and all the other specialty applications that we operate in. A Ventrac with a power rake is MUCH easier to use and way more effective than a compact tractor with a pull behind harley rake or box blade. The compact tractor has the advantage (usually) of having higher weight capacity on the loader, driving forwards with a tiller, and being cheaper....that's pretty much it.
Hey, Aaron here.... Honest to goodness; we didn't try very hard at all. There's other things that Deere can do well but this particular job - mowing on a hillside like this just isn't one of them. Compact tractors are great machines, just not for this job.
![[MV] A leap of faith...ความเชื่อใจครั้งสุดท้าย (From "Petrichor the series")](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/U1piZH2CNXA/mqdefault.jpg)
I didn't realize that the Tough Cut was the most popular attachment for the Ventrac. I do know that the Tough Cut is the most FUN attachment though
Good to see you on here Blue Cord. Love your channel!!!
-JTF
@@JoeTheFarmer Thanks man! I really appreciate it!
That bush hog was digging in because you didn’t have it adjusted properly. I can make any thing look bad if I use it incorrectly.
You would be right in some cases - but even with the deck adjusted correctly it was having issues tracking without digging in. It's not something that would show up on flat terrain, but when there are holes and ridges and the single guide wheel dips in just right, the deck plows. It's sort of a chance-happening but definitely present even when the deck is adjusted to different places.
one sided propaganda
They could also get the best made model of tractor and bush hog
@@ventrac no offense when I look at the ventrac I see a supped up Lowes lawn tractor with more attachments and dual wheels
@@ventrac I will say that the ventrac is a ok utility Ill stick with my rk 55 great for bush hoggin and more
Haven't used my tractor for brush hogging since I've had my ventrac!
A big utility tractor with dual wheels and ballast will mow hillsides just fine. I have one. It is a bit big for mowing in tight spaces and is an issue for mowing around landscaping. Not to mention a 6000 lb tractor will rut things when it is wet. My next mower will be a Ventrac. I will not be getting rid of the big tractor but will be getting rid of my Kubota zero turn and replacing it with a ventrac. When looking at commercial grade mowers you will find they are all expensive and similar in price. I have tried the homeowner quality items from the big box stores and find on my land they are falling apart after about a year of use. The commercial mowers last 10 to 15 years or more so the added cost is worth the investment for me. My Kubota zero turn is 14 years old, gets stuck everywhere when the ground is wet.
I know I’ll never be able to purchase a ventrac. But I’m glad they are manufactured in my home state. If I could I’d get every attachment for it if I could!
I enjoy how the ventrac just doesn’t care. I have done slopes that are WAY out of recommended safe operation (slope gauge just beeps and beeps and says warning) I need to start filming what we do just so you can see just how far you are able to push these machines. And the ventrac just could care less. Any other machine would have rolled or just spin out. Very nimble but TOUGH as nails. Ventrac are very confidence inspiring. Make you feel like you can do almost anything. We need another one already.
My ventrac 4500Z is absolutely a awesome machine! I have the tough cut mower, unbelievable how much of my property is now mowed and maintained, I still use my john deere and new holland tractors for other applications, but they brush hog no more! No comparison! Thank you, Ventrac for building this Tuff Nipple little Beast! 👍
That looks like our farm in Tennessee!!! Love my Ventrac and love sharing it on our TH-cam channel. People like to watch that machine WORK!!
God Bless
-JTF
Thanks Joe! You have one of our favorite channels on TH-cam.
@@ventrac Awwww shucks; you all are gonna make me blush!!! Hope you all are doing well!
-JTF
@@ventrac cuánto cuesta ese tractor ventrac??
@@ventrac $$$ ??????
Cuánto cuesta???
💵💵💵????
@@FranciscoSantiago-xd2oo solo para el tractor $20-$25k dependiendo de las opciones
My "getting bit" story was caused by a fawn bedding down in a valley behind an old outbuilding. It ran out in front of me as I was heading down hill on one of the steepest parts of my property. I instinctively jerked the wheel to the right and over she went. I don't know the degree of the slope, but I'm in the Shenandoah Valley of VA and my 28 acres deviates around 100 yards in elevation.
The only problem with ventrac is that they don’t have anything that is big. You can’t have a loader or atleast a good loader. Deere actually has a variety which is why I like them
I’ve gotta buddy with one and he cut my 1.5 acre field that was about 6ft tall in about an hour, even had it in my ditch to cut that
The scariest thing that ever happened to me while brush hogging in a John Deere 8400 dueled up with front wheel assist is when mowing a steep hill and seeing the front tire come off the ground on the hill... but it was also a great learning experience to always stay calm when mowing hills
Which is why JD says mow up a hill backwards.
I was pulling a 20 foot chopper and mowing road ditches.....
I’m a firm believe in ventrac, although I will say that it is more of a “Jack of all trades, master of some” machine. Although I can’t fairly say that, as our dealer has said he would bring a few attachments to demo, but guess who we haven’t seen since we took delivery of the tractor...?
I don’t believe it cuts grass as well as our toro mowers. Well, it does cut consistently but it just doesn’t stripe like our toro machines do. Even having a very dry summer and grass not growing like it should, the toro still stripes far superior. And I’m talking about both the 84” contour deck and the 60” straight deck.
A bit disappointed cause seeing the size of the rollers on the back of the decks, we thought they were going to stripe like a son of a bitch.
After almost 120 hours on the machine I still find the mower deck attaching to be difficult, it’s gotten slightly easier but it doesn’t slip right on or off like in the videos.
It’s still a fun tractor to operate and it definitely can go where other machines can’t.
Since the first time I saw this machine I knew it was a money maker. Years later nothing's changed except just more ways to make money. Man I'd love to have one
We do stuff like this with a kubota M5700 utility special and a Rhino three point brush chopper. The only thing we dont do with the kubota is gullies and ravines. I dont know if the ventrac could do the ravines though. I thought about trying to demo a ventrac to chop ravines and compare against the kubota
Both great machines, but that ventrac is such a beast, I want one. Just wish they were half the price lol
I agree with that but if you want quality you got to pay for it
Tempting to move out to the country just so I can buy one of these. CGI turf is your best advertisement
If you do I would buy a bigger tractor at lest 40 horse if your going to have more than 15 or 20 Acres
For me it's all about the front attachments. If I can't run a snow blower on the front it's not the machine for me. Everything else is just a bonus. And I always loved pivot turn though I have more experience with a Toolcats quad steer.
They make a snowblower for this and a V plow
@@jwilliams9611 Pointing out the obvious are we? I've been a fan of Ventrac since the 90s when my school tested one at the Fair and bought to mow all their grass.
Unless you are talking about the JD then great for them. My comment is not stating that it doesn't. This doesn't make me more likely to buy a JD over a Ventrac. My comment does state that I like front attachments this is where the Ventac excels at, along with the pivot steer.
Wasn't sure if you knew that that was all calm down don't get your panties in a bunch
I want this setup!!
I see that advantages but really don’t seem experienced because I’ve done worse terrain on an older compact with little to no trouble
It would be weird if the John Deere won on the Ventrac channel...
I wonder how many videos they have had to scrap because the competitor did slightly better than the ventrac lol
@@_P0tat07_ a lot I’m sure
That will never happen.
It all depends on what is being compared. For example if the challenge was to load a truck with wood chip or compost, a compact tractor with a loader would be more effective.
However for mowing, having the mower out front instead of trailing behind, makes a lot of sense.
Jobs like fertilising or ploughing makes sense to have the the implement behind. Mowing it is better to have the deck out front.
@@kdegraa they make a loader setuo for the Ventrac also.
That Ventrac is a beast of a machine
To me the ventrac cuts better. The attachment on the John Deere looks like it cuts a little bit but mostly lays everything flat.
I wish I would of video taped some of the jobs I brush mowed with my ventrac here in TN. Crazy situations I haven't seen anyone else do with a ventrac on TH-cam yet. I hit crazy steep slopes over 37° and would go all the way to the bottom into muddy wet ditches never got stuck or felt unsafe even when sliding. Unfortunately had to sell it but hope to buy another one day and with the power rake
Hey Tony, I am in TN as well. Cannot believe there aren't more Ventrac's working here in Nashville!!! Middle Tennessee is the perfect market for these things. They save lives and time. Every time someone sees mine the initial reaction is the same... "What IS THAT?!" Then I let them operate it (free labor) and they cannot believe the engineering. Hope you get another one brother...if you get bored I can put you to work on mine! ;)
-JTF
@@JoeTheFarmer yea I was staying kinda busy going around doing brush mowing jobs around Robertson County and cheatham County mostly steep areas that had had been neglected overtime but to be profitable I was going to need a power rake so decided to sell the machine and put the money towards my media marketing company and hopefully buy another ventrac later with a brush mower and power rake once I can afford it again
Adjust the brush cutter properly and use chains on your top link and it will float over those bumps and holes more effectively. I guess I'm doing it wrong because I don't turn around and watch my brush cutter. I'm generally looking where I'm going. No doubt Ventrac is much better on steeper slopes but some of this seems like ya'll are stretching to make the sale.
I own 9 tractors, ranging from 22 hp all the way up to 100 hp. I've drooled over the Ventracs for a while. One thing that makes me nervous is it looks like they have about 4 inches of ground clearance? Also, with a bush hog, you need to pick the deck up a little if you're going to be going backwards, or turning while going backwards, and for god's sake, take that belly mower off!
Interested in purchasing one of these. Heard you talk about thorn bushes. What protection/ prevention is there for not puncturing tires?
We usually recommend this stuff:
www.ventrac.com/products/accessories/15.0042-05
It does a phenomenal job of protecting against flats while keeping the tires light and high performance. It does not make the tractor ride rough or tear up turf like foam-filled can.
Awe man, I thought for sure you were gonna draw pictures with it...
That would've been awesomr
the industrial tires gives the tractor a disadvantage to begin with
they are too hard to grab much
I genuinely like the Ventrac, but you need to use a flail mower for this which I see you have now and then compare it to another flail mower
Like that the Jones degrees had a finish mower however you shood have taken it off when brush cutting do to the 3point and, belly mower work off the same system
The belly mower was not running during the mowing.
@@ventrac I saw that in the video, but being attached it was smashing down the grass before cutting. Oh and I did spell it a john deere not what came out on the texted
@@ventrac oh and yes if I had the money I would get a ventrac, it can do things better than the othe subcompact tractors
@@donmcmannamy3409 crazy auto correct haha
@@ventrac ya I made sure I spelled it right several times before sending it and it still changed
A few years ago, an older cousin’s husband drowned in a shallow pond after his tractor flipped pinning him under it. When he didn’t come home from their property in time they went out to find him dead.
Can you get this tractor with a 540 pto to run an auger?
They make a front end loader attachment for the ventrac that has the option to run an auger off of it.
We don't have a 540 PTO available. That is the big trade-off for a Ventrac.
Is there a roller on the back of the tough cut, or anything to prevent bent over briar stems and sticks from coming up and hitting the underneath of the tractor?
There's no roller on the tough cut deck but the bottom of our tractor is shielded really well with various skids and panels so that it can glide over anything sticking up.
Would you recommend an ventrac over an zero turn for an large school yard
Yes in every way
Absolutely or a range Wing is good for that stuff
Yes those subcompacts are very dangerous. I bought a used Bobcat T190 with a Briushcat and feel much safer on my dam and overall brush cutting I did not know about ventrac when I purchased my Bobcat
What would your response be for some looking at a compact tractor and getting the product that's been out for the last couple of years that you can attach to your loader which is a brush hog that will be out in front and can articulate to 90°? The companies that I'm thinking are lane shark and trailblazer. I know you can get your new boom more that can articulate to cut up high, but some would also argue you're laying out a lot more money for both a tough cut and that attachment than what you would pay for their attachment which can do both out front.
Those are pretty cool attachments for their intended functionality - there's really not much to say negative about them in that regard. I do think though, that you probably shouldn't consider it a dual purpose attachment. They're cool for trimming up high or off to the side, but they aren't really productive over a large area like our tough cut (or any brush mower). The largest model of lane shark is only 48" so you're likely going to need a second attachment anyway. As far as I can tell - neither of those decks has any height adjustment either so you have to control height of cut with the loader. Other issues I see are the single blade, overall length of the machine and hydraulic drive.... none of which will play nice when trying to cut high volumes of material on large areas. Overall, cool products - just not what I would pick for any serious production mowing. As a side note - I know you didn't ask, but I think the reason you don't see anything like that from a major manufacturer is the safety aspect. A rotary blade like that lifted off the ground with no shielding and the ability to operatie in so many different directions is a nightmare for debris being thrown everywhere. Something like that should really only be run on a full cabbed machine. And most compact tractor cabs aren't build to take the abuse from debris like skid loader cabs or other construction style equipment. If I were operating one of those, I'd go to great lengths to guard the operator station for my own safety and I'd make sure never to run one anywhere near people, structures, cars, etc. Good question, thanks for asking.
-Aaron
@@ventrac I appreciate your in-depth response. My need for a brush cutter in the front is being able to go in and out of our wooded property that has some hills on it. Frankly, with even a properly ballast compact tractor, I don't think we can get to the upper reaches of some of the hills that I know a Venetrac could handle. I didn't want too wide of a brush cutter so we don't have to take out as many trees in order to move through the area. I wasn't sure what size of tough cut that you have as well as what the width is of a ventrac when you put do wheels on in order to get up the steeper hills. To be sure, the lower center of gravity and it's articulation along with attachments in the front make it idea in a lot of respects for our properties in the hills of Western Arkansas.
@@jimmcknight3021 You're definitely asking the right questions in order to best take care of your individual situation. Good luck with the search! If you have any more questions just ask away or give your local dealer a call and see if you can get a demo for yourself if you're leaning towards the Ventrac. Thanks for the inquiry!
I need one of these in Puerto Rico!!
The one guy mentioned shear pins but not slip clutches. Why is that?
Where’s Morgantown area ? Texas?
WV
The ventrac vs an equal horsepower skidsteer with chain flail mower on both?
The John Deere is to old the ventral has newer technology their for its an unfair test
It doesn't matter, same size mower. Some things are better than other things.
The John Deere is too old, the Ventrac has newer technology therefore it's an unfair test
the advantage of the ventrac is its width and lowest center of gravity of any mowing machine. it doesn't matter what year 4 wheel tractor you want to use or what brand, a conventional tractor will NEVER be as safe on a slope as a ventrac. it is basic "physics" my friend. it has NOTHING to do with the make or year of the tractors.
Is there ever an opportunity to have a tracked version on all 4 corners similar to a ditch witch? Or is it all based upon a traction issue vers dual tires
It's possible, it just wouldn't be very turf friendly in that trim compared to wheels.
@@ventrac good to know it was just a thought. Something similar to a wide track on all 4 corners. But you make a great point on turf. It might work better on limited applications.
That’s a really old Deere they’re using.
its really not
It's like 4 yrs old lol
Not like the newer ones are really any different anyway
I love a central but. You don’t the bush hog set up correctly. Why in the hell would you let the belly mower on the tractor to bend the grass over before you cut it. What if you have a truck to load. My loader lifts over 8’. Will the loader on the ventrac pick up 1500 lbs and put it on a trailer. The ventrac is great. But everything has its place.
I think you got off point this video is about brush cutting not loading things
@@jwilliams9611 I had a lawn service for 35 years. Anything with a deck out front is gonna be better for any kind of mowing. But for the cost of a ventrac which I ran and loved it but never owned for all around use. A compact for me is a much better choice. We load firewood mulch ground into the back of my dump truck and when we do firewood some logs weigh up to 1000lbs. The bitch I have with the video is they left the belly mower on the tractor and didn’t have the cutter set up correctly. Don’t get me wrong the ventrac will do a nicer job but they didn’t give that tractor a chance
Could a ventrac help cut in a road
Sure, a Ventrac would help but there are more effective earth moving equipment.
Could you use a flail attachment in this environment
absolutely!
Are there other types of tire tread for the ventrac
We do have bar tires and turf tires as options as well. They're pretty rare though as the vast majority of customers go for the field trax tires shown here. They just work so good everywhere.
I just wish ventrac a backhoe accessory
Amazing machine!
Lol why am I here? I mow residential properties. Ventrac machines are pretty neat for their purpose I gotta say
I'll tell you what you put a turbine blower on the front of that you'll cut your fall cleanup times in half
First, and the ventrac looks awesome
Your first that's not a bot
@@thecreepybrother8707 haha
Excellent!
I can see it's uses on a steep hill, but I like the ability to buy used generic equipment. Can't do that with vintrack. Looks like the vitrack was set higher
Cheese-n-rice! There is no comparison (for the tasks at hand) you silly people. It's an absolutely ridiculous thing to compare a rear mounted mower to a front mounted mower. Let's push stuff over first and possible damage the underside of our tractor, then try to cut it. Or let's ram into that big stump we can't see through the undergrowth. Or, let's mow in reverse because everyone loves twisting around in the seat to watch their mower.
I've almost got my down payment saved, so please hurry up and figure out how to put a hoe, or trencher bucket on the Versa Loader so I can order everything I need at once.
Of course, I always enjoy some new Ventrac porn. Thanks.
Well let's be honest here.. the deer never turned wheels until later and then he didn't turn them fully.. further more the deer looked like it cut much better. The other tractor looks like it layed alot of grass down instead of cutting it.
If Ventrac is such a more capable machine over a tractor wonder how come you dont see them being used for interstate mowing? All you see are old fashoned tractors with brush style mowing being used for what Ventrac claims there are better????
I would say the Ventrac beats any compact tractor.But if we step up to a 75 horsepower tractor with some weight to it,the tractor wins every time.And depending on brand,for cheaper than the Ventrac.
Mr. Mall, that is not true. a 75 hp tractor is a BIG machine which has a much higher center of gravity than a ventrac. if you are just measuring the degree of slope you can cut SAFELY with a ventrac against the same degree limit with ANY tractor - the tractor will ALWAYS lose that comparison. again, it is a matter of physics.
@@jimharvard I agree to some extent,but we are talking brush cutting/rough cut mowing.Put a set of duals on a bigger tractor and pull a 15 foot bat wing,you will indeed beat that Ventrac on hills and cover more ground.A 4wd tractor going straight up and down will go almost anywhere. Now for small spaces,yes of course,the smaller machine wins.The versatility of a tractor is where it really shines.From plowing,loader work,setting fence post ,and everything in between,the tractor cant be beat.I guess we can hope to win the lottery and own both.
@@pallmall5495 yes, you cannot beat the versatility of a 4wd tractor especially if it has a loader on the front. i think the real problem with the Ventrac is the price. the last time i researched the prices on the Ventrac and attachments - which is VERY difficult because almost NO Ventrac dealer will post the price for anything for a Ventrac. a new gas 4500 with the duel wheel kit and JUST the front rough-cut mower will put you back around $30,000.00. for that amount of money you have probably twenty different new machines to choose from. AND, after you shell out the $30k for the new Ventrac, ALL you can do with it is mow grass and weeds. now, if you want to try and do other things with a Ventrac, you can, but EVERY attachment for a Ventrac is VERY expensive because each attachment fits ONLY one machine manufactured - a Ventrac. and in some cases, the attachment you buy will NOT perform as well as the same attachment on a compact track loader (CTL) or even a conventional tractor. or, you can buy several sub-compact tractors with a belly mower AND a backhoe for $24k or LESS. you can buy the next level up larger "compact" tractor, with a belly mower for around $26k. i've looked at the new 25 hp ASV compact tract loader which can be purchased for around $32k. that machine accepts every attachment made for all CTL's - like rotary and drum weed cutters. you would probably not want to use an ASV CTL to cut your front yard, however, it would be excellent to cut a large field and that machine is safe on most slopes. one big advantage of a CTL with a front mount mower is that you can raise the cutting attachment up to 6' feet with the boom allowing the cutting of branches and limbs or very large bushes. on a farm with a LOT of brush problems, that would be a distinct advantage. so in summary, the Ventrac does about four things better than ANY other machine produced. but you will pay A LOT of money for those 4 advantages. if the Ventrac could be set up with duel wheels and a rough-cut mower "out the door" for around $22-25k, it would definitely be worth buying because then - you could save up to get a "real" tractor.
Ventrac machines are really good machines but this comparing apples to oranges there just doing all the tests that the ventrac succeeds in against the rival when I come down to what machine to pick it’s all person choice
i understand that Ventrac is trying to sell as many machines to as many people as possible. and they have developed a number of attachments that work pretty well for their applications. HOWEVER, here is the BOTTOM LINE FACT about a Ventrac: if you need to cut steep slopes and that will be your primary use, it is the ONLY machine you should buy. if you want a tractor to use in a variety of applications and will RARELY try to cut grass or weeds on a steep slope - you sould NEVER buy the Ventrac over any one of the very good compact tractors out there. compact tractors will do EVERYTHING better than a Ventrac EXCEPT cutting grass/weeds on steep slopes.
While you're right about compact tractors being useful, a Ventrac is also better at any type of mowing since the deck is out-front of the machine and you don't have to drive over the material before you cut it. We have a wide area mower, reel mower, contour mower, flail mower, finish mowers, and rough cut. And they're all better than compact tractor options (unless you throw a lot more HP at the compact tractor with rough cut deck). We're also better at pretty much anything on nice turf because our light footprint doesn't do as much damage as a traditional compact tractor. We have a better trencher, we're better at aeration, stump grinding, edging, snow removal, leaf removal, and all the other specialty applications that we operate in. A Ventrac with a power rake is MUCH easier to use and way more effective than a compact tractor with a pull behind harley rake or box blade. The compact tractor has the advantage (usually) of having higher weight capacity on the loader, driving forwards with a tiller, and being cheaper....that's pretty much it.
Fire fuel all over the place glad you mowed that down.
that john deere got way more horse power than that tiny ventrac
It's about versatility and efficiency not horsepower
A lot less likely to get covered in ticks with the ventrac
Hate is a strong word, but I HATE HATE HATE ticks! Awful little monsters.
-Aaron
Any in the United Kingdom 😁
Yes!
Why don’t you use a representative from John Deere this commercial is so one-sided it’s pathetic
You guys specialize in hillside bush hog! John Deere does bush hog! I love your machines but c’mon!
Bruh John Deere would have smoked ventrac if it was a fair test
I like the ventrac but could they have tried any harder to make the Deere look like shit
Hey, Aaron here.... Honest to goodness; we didn't try very hard at all. There's other things that Deere can do well but this particular job - mowing on a hillside like this just isn't one of them. Compact tractors are great machines, just not for this job.
A whole lot of talking an very little activity! Cut the sh** an get to it!
I hate John deer
Well, we're not in the business of hating anybody - but we're here for you 😂