TO-35 Brush Hog Recommendation

I recently purchased a 1959 Ferguson TO-35. I have about 8 acres of horse pasture to mow and I am looking for a brushhog. The outside width of the rear tires is about 68 inches. Would a 5ft or 6ft brush hog be better? There is also the question of shear pin vs slip clutch, and which brand is best with this tractor (Woods, BushHog, KingKutter, LandPride are popular in my area)? Is it more correct to say I have a Ferguson TO-35 or a Massey-Ferguson TO-35? July 6, 2014

Assuming your tractor is in relatively good condition, either a 5′ or 6′ machine will work well. With a 5′ machine you should have plenty of power to cut through most anything. With the tractor wheels set in the standard 52″ setting (center to center) you should not have any problem with covering your wheel tracks. You can reset the wheels to 48″ center to center if that seems to be a problem but I doubt that it will be.

I prefer a shear pin when using a TE/TO-20 or TO-30 without live power take-off because the PTO will free wheel after hitting an obstruction, allowing you to raise the 3 point hitch to clear the obstruction. On these tractors as well as the 9N, 2N, and 8N the PTO must be running in order for the hydraulic pump to operate.

For a TO-35 and other models where the hydraulic pump runs independent of the PTO, the slip clutch will slip when you hit an obstruction and you can then disengage the PTO, raise the 3 point to clear the obstruction and proceed. IN ALL CASES, MAKE SURE YOU CHECK THE MACHINE FOR DAMAGE BEFORE PROCEEDING.

Woods and Bush Hog make a heavier more durable machine than the Land Pride and King Kutter units I have seen, but I have not looked at any of these units recently. Bush Hog was making a lighter duty machine to sell at a price more competitive with the Land Pride and King Kutter units as well as their regular and heavy duty machines. Check with dealers and owners in your area for additional information.

The TO-35 was the designation for the Ferguson TO-35 models made from 1955 to 1960. After 1960 these tractors were called Massey Ferguson 35s and re-designated as the MF-35 model. Your serial number plate on the left side of the dash will indicate whether you have a TO-35 or MF-35 model.