Vanquish Vegetation: Brush Cutters for Skid Steers and Compact Track Loaders

Brush cutters, also referred to as brush hogs or rotary mowers, make quick work of site prep or clearing on large-scale jobsite and smaller acreages alike.

When choosing a brush cutter for your skid steer or compact track loader, be sure to consider the following:

• Hydraulic Flow: Match the attachment to the carrier machine’s hydraulic output.
• Cutting Width: Select a brush cutter that is slightly wider than your machine to ensure the full travel path is cleared. While wider models can clear areas faster, they can be difficult to maneuver in tight spaces.
• Type of Work: Standard-duty, heavy-duty and severe-duty models are available, with some models capable of clearing small trees and thick brush up to 10 inches in diameter for the toughest jobs.
• Open Front or Closed Front: Open-front models cut quicker and with a rougher finish, while closed-front cutters leave a cleaner finish with smaller debris. Closed-front models also prevent debris from exiting the cutter.

OEMs and third-party manufacturers continue to advance brush cutter designs to make them safer, more durable and more efficient. If you’re looking for a brush cutter, check out Equipment World’s product roundup below.  

Blue Diamond AttachmentsBlue Diamond Brush Cutters

Blue Diamond Attachments expanded its line of brush cutters this spring with a new Heavy Duty Open Front Brush Cutter, compatible with skid steers and compact track loaders up to 75 horsepower with standard-flow hydraulics.

At 72 inches wide, the brush cutter can efficiently cut grass, heavy brush and trees up to 4 inches in diameter. Its open-front design includes a heavy push bar that increases productivity by feeding standing trees and heavy brush faster than closed-front designs, the company says.

The new model fills a gap in Blue Diamond’s lineup, offering “professional cutting performance without extreme-duty pricing.” The brush cutter’s three 1/2-inch double-sided, drop-down blades offer longer service life, better balance and a closer cut than two-blade systems, the company says. Its 1/4-inch steel deck with structural cross-bracing increases durability by adding strength and rigidity to the attachment.

New from Equipment World

Get fast, free estimate values for your used construction equipment

Access one of the industry's largest resale and auction databases with the new Construction Equipment Valuation Calculator

Get an estimate

Powered by

Blue Diamond also offers Severe Duty Open Front Brush Cutters, Extreme Duty Open Front Brush Cutters, Extreme Duty Closed Front Brush Cutters, Heavy Duty Closed Front Brush Cutters, a Swing Arm Brush Cutter and an 84-inch Dual Motor Brush Cutter for skid steers and compact track loaders.

BobcatBobcat Brushcat Rotary Cutters

Bobcat’s Brushcat rotary cutters are designed to mulch trees and saplings up to 3 inches in diameter.

The lightweight, short deck with oscillation provides visibility to the task and a tight turning radius around trees, fences and other obstacles. It also follows the ground contour, even on slopes, while maintaining an even cut. 

Partner Insights

Information to advance your business from industry suppliers

Presented by Volvo Construction Equipment

Cut Cycle Times and Fuel Costs With These Operator Habits

Presented by Hemisphere GNSS

Stop Wasting Time on Grade Checks

Presented by Maxam Tire North America

Choosing The Right Tire and Track Patterns for Maximum Productivity

Available in 44-, 54-, 66-, 72- and 80-inch cutting widths, the Brushcat is compatible with compact track loaders, skid steers, mini track loaders, compact tractors, Toolcat utility vehicles and telehandlers in a range of sizes. The offset dual motor and blade reduce weight, increase visibility and make trailering easier. 

The front safety chains help prevent debris from being thrown during operation, while the rear tapered roller shields debris from flying out of the back of the cutting deck and allows the machine to turn without gouging the ground. 

PaladinBradco Extreme-Duty Ground Shark Brush Cutter

Bradco’s Extreme-Duty Ground Shark Brush Cutter is designed to clear medium- to heavy-density brush and hardwoods up to 10 inches in diameter. When the patent-pending retractable forward shield comes in contact with a tree, it moves up and back to expose the entire cutting edge of each blade while protecting the operator from flying debris.

The Ground Shark line includes special hydraulic valving to shut the cutter head down quickly and safely. Plus, an audible sound during the shutdown indicates to the operator that the blades are coming to a stop.

The four ¾-inch thick blades are reversible and machined from AR400 high-strength steel for maximum cutting power and durability.

Brush WolfBrush Wolf Brush Cutter

Brush Wolf offers its brush cutters in open-front or closed-front configurations. The open-front brush cutters do not include a chain curtain, exposing the blades for a faster cut with less mulching. The closed-front cutter has a chain curtain that runs along the front of the deck, pushing vegetation down first and keeping materials inside the unit longer for a finer cut.

Both versions feature high-tempered, industrial-strength blades, a continuously welded and reinforced deck and powerful motors for durability and performance, the company says. A standard universal quick-attach system allows for easy connection and removal from the skid steer or CTL.

CaterpillarCaterpillar Brush Cutters

Cat Brush Cutters are used for clearing overgrowth from highway medians, utility easements and for initial land clearing for development. The six-model lineup features:

• Blades and Blade Carriers: High-strength blades deliver high cutting action, durability and also mulch overgrowth. Fully balanced blade carrier prevents unnecessary vibration, while tapered blade carrier allows cutter to ride up over stumps and rocks.
• Motor Protection Guard: A motor protection guard shields motor and gear box from debris.
• Galvanized Coil Chains: Galvanized coil chains provide debris guarding in the front and rear areas for added safety from flying debris.
• Heavy-Duty Skids: Heavy-duty skids allow easier movement through uneven terrain while maintaining stability of the brush cutter and machine.
• Lift Restriction Chains: Lift restriction chains limit operating height of the brush cutter to reduce flying debris and blade damage.

Three industrial-duty models — the BRX118, BRX318 and BRX418 — are also available.

Diamond Mowers Brush Cutter Pro XDiamond MowersDiamond Mowers Brush Cutter Pro and Pro X

Diamond Mowers offers two brush cutters: the Brush Cutter Pro for less demanding tasks or the Brush Cutter Pro X for heavy-duty vegetation management.

The lighter 1,145-pound, 72-inch-cutting-width Pro is designed to handle core land and vegetation management, such as cutting tall or thick grass, maintaining fence lines, clearing large-scale brush and small trees up to 5 inches in diameter. It is compatible with both standard and high-flow compact track loaders and skid steers. Four hydraulic motor options allow buyers to optimize tip speed and cut performance. Two hardened steel blades can be easily replaced if damaged, the company says.

Available in 60-, 72- and 84-inch cutting widths, the Pro X can take down thick grass, dense brush and trees up to 10 inches in diameter. A tri-hex disc provides greater inertia in tough conditions, the company says. The heavy-duty model can be used with standard-flow or high-flow machines, ranging from 16 – 46 gallons per minute.

FAEFAE RCM/SSL Rotary Cutter

Designed for forestry maintenance, overgrowth cleanup near waterways and wildlife habitat protection, FAE’s RCM/SSL rotary cutter for 75- to 150-horsepower skid steers and compact track loaders can can clear dense brush and small shrubs up to 4 inches in diameter or up to 10 inches maximum intermittently.

The RCM/SSL’s direct-drive motor offers reduced maintenance and a compact size for better maneuverability. It comes equipped with 12.9-inch N blades, which are ideal for hardwood trees, softwood trees, brush and branches.

Additional features include a push frame, wear-resistant interchangeable Hardox soles, plates with tungsten carbide teeth to protect the bottom of the disc, hydraulic hoses and a hydraulic block with safety and anticavitation valves.

The RCM/SSL-175 comes equipped with a 195cc hydraulic orbital motor, while the RCM/SSL-200 gets a 245cc hydraulic orbital motor.

FeconFecon Redline Brush Cutters

Aimed at contractors and landscaping professionals needing more durable and higher capacity attachments, the Redline portfolio brings nine new skid steer, mini skid steer and excavator attachments to the market. For land clearing using skid steers and compact track loaders, Redline offers the BC60 and BC74 brush cutters. Contractors will get 60 inches and 74 inches of working width, respectively, and material capacity of up to 6 inches in diameter.

Both attachments are aimed at handling brush, undergrowth and small trees, as well as storm cleanup and disaster response. They feature plug-and-play hookup with standard hoses, couplers and mounting interface.

The doors and chains can be configured to operators' preferences and are designed for easy maintenance through hardware access points.

IronCraftIronCraft's X-Treme Tree Reaper

Available in in 60-, 72- or 78-inch cutting widths, IronCraft’s X-Treme Tree Reaper brush cutter is designed to tackle tough landclearing applications.

Its three 5/8" AR400 bidirectional blades can eradicate brush, saplings, limbs and trees up to 7 inches in diameter. The blades are nonwelded for faster changeout in the field.

Two direct-drive motor options are available: a 16-26-gallon-per-minute gear motor or a 17-30-gallon-per-minute bent axis piston motor, which requires a drain case.

The X-Treme Tree Reaper has bolt-on replaceable skid shoes and a tapered deck for lower ground cutting. For a finer output, a grill and mulching teeth are available.

John DeereJohn Deere Rotary Cutters

John Deere’s RX72 and RX84 rotary cutters are designed for heavy-duty vegetation management, including property maintenance and right-of-way clearing. They are compatible with large-frame Deere skid steer and compact track loaders.

A heavy-duty front push bar is integrated into the rotary cutters' deck structure to guide trees when felling. 

The auxiliary hoses are individually protected with a Cordura sleeve and collectively wrapped with an additional spiral hose protector to prevent hose damage. A standard motor cover protects the hydraulic hose connections from debris. 

The RX Series features a hydraulic valve for quick braking. An audible sound is heard during shutdown to let operators know the blades have stopped spinning.

The direct-drive bearing has a 1,200-hour drain-and-refill maintenance interval.

Kubota

Kubota by LandPride SC40 Series Skid Cutters

Kubota’s SC40 Series Skid Cutters are designed for clearing grass, weeds and brush, and small trees or shrubs up to 4 inches diameter.

They can be set to cut depths as low as 1.5 inches and are available with three different volume drive motors. The cutters are compatible with Kubota’s SSV skid steers or SVL compact track loaders.

A pressure gauge lets the operator see if the motor is operating at proper psi. To reduce set-up time, the Intell-Attach System automatically recognizes compatible attachments and adjusts machine settings without manual hydraulic-flow adjustments. 

LoftnessLoftness Kwik Cut Brush Cutter

Loftness released an updated version of its Kwik Cut brush cutter for skid steers and CTLs in June, designed to withstand greater pressure when slicing and pushing through trees and brush up to 10 inches in diameter. It can also grind stumps down to the ground.

A floating door on the cutter gives the attachment “an enhanced hinge design, thicker bracing and reinforced door stop,” the company says. The floating door opens when the cutter is pushed against a tree and exposes the blades for better cutting. It can also push the tree over.

The cutter runs on a 150cc radial piston motor that delivers instant torque at startup. It requires 28 to 45 gallons per minute of hydraulic flow at up to 5,000 psi from the skid steer or CTL.

The Kwik Cut has a 72-inch-diameter cutting disc with four dual-edge beveled blades on the disc that retract on severe impact to protect them and other components.

PaladinPaladin Ground Shark Brush Cutters

Paladin’s lineup of Ground Shark Brush Cutters is available in multiple configurations, depending on the density of brush and size of trees being cleared. The range includes:

• Standard Duty: Light- to medium-density brush and hardwoods up to 4 inches in diameter for routine land maintenance. The low-profile design fits under fences, while the direct-drive system provides smooth, quiet operation.
• Heavy Duty: Medium to heavy brush and hardwoods up to 7 inches in diameter for larger acreages and land clearing. A retractable forward shield moves back when it encounters a tree to expose the cutting edge of the blades while protecting the operator from flying debris.
• Extreme Duty: Medium to heavy brush and hardwoods up to 10 inches in diameter for wooded acreages, right-of-ways and pipeline maintenance. It also features the patented retractable cutting blade.
• High Performance: Ideal for clearing a wide range of grasses, brush and hardwood up to 10 inches in diameter, featuring a radial piston motor for higher efficiency and extended durability. An optimized tri-lobe blade-carrier design allows for fast startup and recovery time.

Quick AttachQuick Attach Extreme Heavy-Duty Brush Mower

Quick Attach’s Extreme Heavy-Duty Brush Mower is armored to withstand the toughest conditions, the company says. The 2-foot-by-3-foot steel push bar and open-front design help feed material into the mower where four 5/8-inch-thick blades shred it.

The covered motor protects against debris and impacts. It has a 72-inch cutting width and can cut soft wood up to 10 inches in diameter.

For lighter-duty clearing jobs, Quick Attach also offers a standard-flow brush cutter in its Mega Mower X series.

Virnig ManufacturingVirnig Brush Cutters

Virnig released its next-generation brush cutters for skid steers and compact track loaders in April. Key changes to the lineup include:

• Additional widths, hydraulic-flow options and configurations for its smallest models, the V40 series.
• V60 Open Front model redefined as a three-blade, contractor-grade brush cutter.
• Transition of the V70 to a top-tier, four-blade brush cutter.
• Optional pressure gauge and carbide teeth offered on more models.

Virnig also improved the cutting decks, making them stronger and easier to use. The new decks feature full-length, wider top-deck channels for increased structural integrity, replaceable skid shoes with an extended taper for improved ground-level cutting, angled rear deck corners on most models for enhanced material flow and added grip tape for safer entry, exit and service.

The brush cutters are available in 60- to 84-inch widths. High-flow is available for all models. Cutting capacities range from 3 to 10 inches in diameter.