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| Customer Reviews: | | Average Customer Review: ( 5 customer reviews )
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
17 of 18 found the following review helpful:
 good machine May 09, 2007
By Tim in Iowa
I paid about $1650 total in March for this mower on Amazon, including a $250 delivery charge. Even with the delivery charge this price was a bit cheaper than Tractor Supply. $1400 is a steal.
I manage about 17 acres of relatively hilly pasture and am very happy with this machine. Blows through small saplings and multiflora rose with no problems (swisher advertises that "if you can run over it with the atv, you can cut it with this" and nothing I've experienced contradicts that).
The beauty of this mower is that it does not know if it's going uphill. I mowed for years with an underpowered tractor and brushhog and had to hold my breath whether I would get up a hill without stalling.
The remote clutch engage mounts to the back of an atv, which is a nice feature. Also if you get the electric start the ignition switch is also on the remote clutch, so you can turn the mower on or off without dismounting the atv.
I pull my mower with a 420cc honda rancher with no problems even up some pretty big hills. Swisher recommends at least 300cc for atv towing.
Pros
--plenty of power.
--Can offset machine. Pulling with a garden tractor (swisher recommends at least 16 hp) would cut an 88" swath. Also good for cutting around trees or in ditches or cutting multiflora rose (saves having to drive over it and risking your atv tires).
--remote clutch attachment/starter is great
--easily adjust cutting height from 2-7 inches.
--articulating hitch allows mower to follow contours of land without stressing atv hitch or mower tow bar.
--Does not seem to bottom out as much as my old pto driven brush hog. Handles most bottom-outs without stalling.
--electic ignition. Save yourself headaches and get this if the wife wants to mow too.
Cons
--A fair amount of assembly required upon shipment, with not great directions. Took me about 4 hours from opening crate to mowing. You don't need to be a mechanic or small-engine guy (for example, the belt is already installed), but the instructions are minimal (though exploded views are helpful). It's a relatively simple machine, but you need to have some basic skills/knowledge.
--getting it out of the shipping crate is a bit of a chore.
--For electric start, battery not included (uses a stock small 12v tractor battery, about $20).
--Extra fuel consumption, since you are running two engines (tow vehicle and mower). Not as bad as I thought though.
--tows a bit farther behind than typical pto driven mower. Takes a little getting used to.
--comes with no owners or repair manual, but you can download them from swisher's website.
-if grass gets real high, the wheels can flatten it so that it doesn't get cut. If you are a perfectionist, may need to take a second pass perpendicular to first.
--made for trails and pastures, not for finish applications. If you want a golf-course look, you want something called a finish mower. Swisher makes these as well.
6 of 7 found the following review helpful:
 Swisher 44" 14.5 hp Trailcutter Jun 26, 2008
By Brad Macdonald
"B. Macdonald"
My experience with this product has not been great. The first time I used it one of the tires came completely off the rim and was chewed up beyond repair. I left the mower jacked up in my pasture while I had the tire replaced with a tubeless one.
The second time I used it the until inexplicably threw the cutter drive belt. It involved removing a bunch of bolts and removing the fuel tank to get it back on track. Another issue has been that the tow assembly is too low for my ATV even at the highest settings. This resulted in the L-hitch assembly getting more or less wrecked from the nose of the thing grounding out. I ordered a replacement L-hitch from Swisher but the part they sent was about 2 and 1/2 inches SHORTER than the stock one so the problem became even worse. Of course, customer service ignored my emails about this. I tried ordering a $50 hitch attachment which would raise everything by 2" but this was not effective. Then I built up my ATV hitch using long #8 grade bolts and 5/8 washers stacked about 10 high. This got it high enough but now there was tension on the mower cable which popped out of it's housing, nicked a wire and shorted the fuse. I taped the wire, replaced the fuse and had about 6 inches cut off the tow bar and new holes drilled. Finally things seem okay. I actually used it today to cut a couple of acres without event.
If you're intent on getting one of these, I would recommend spending a little more for the newer 52" model that has 4 wheels. This will obviate a lot of the problems I've had with it and result in a much more even cut. I think this unit is probably generally okay, I've just had sort of a bad run with mine. And I agree with the previous poster that Swisher's customer service is really poor. They just choose not to respond to stuff they don't want to deal with and that is unacceptable.
10 of 14 found the following review helpful:
 belt broke after 1 day May 22, 2007
By Indiana Jim
the machine appears well built and started right away. The assembly was hindered by a lack of reasonable instructions. The belt broke after one day of use. I ordered two new belts from swisher. they readily accepted the order and charged my credit card however, the order has been impossible to track. i sent 6 emails and no response. i tried calling 4 times and was put on automatic hold each time for over 30 minutes each time with no answer. The customer service is horrible. actually the term "swisher customer service" is an oxymoron. there is no service. I also wrote for information on how to install the belt - it looks like you must remove the engine. I hesitated buying this machine and was going to buy a tow behind Dr (although more expense). well i should have followed my instincts.
1 of 2 found the following review helpful:
Absolutley Great Trail Cutter Oct 21, 2010
By K. Sherrets
"CVMA"
I have the Swisher 44 electric start. It always starts easy and runs great. It cuts better than I expected. The rear discharge is great for not clumping up rows like my rider mower does. It makes it easier for mulching too when I double cut. I used it to cut down the pasture that was over 3 feet tall and also used it to clear some bushes and small trees along the road. It took them out as well as any brush hog could. No complaints at all. But I would suggest a slightly longer cable setup for the controls that are mounted on the tractor. I mounted mine on one side and that makes turns in the opposite direction less tight. You just have to be aware of that when you set up your cutting patern - unless of course you mount the controls in the center.
1 of 2 found the following review helpful:
 Good machine for what it's made for. May 22, 2010
By Robert E. Whiting
I've had my trailcutter for about 7 years. I keep about 2 acres cut. I have replaced the original hand starting Briggs with an electric start Honda motor. I would not recommend buying a hand starting model. Some people may like the rope start, but to me a 12HP single cylinder engine is a lot to hand start. I also replace the belt about once a year. This is not difficult if you have some mechanical skills. The machine is easy to work on. Make sure you get a real mower belt which I easily find at my local mower supply. I like the belt drive because when you hit things it helps prevent breaking things on the machine,and it may save the engine in the event of sudden stoppage,like a bent or broken engine crank. It's not a "Bush Hog" but you don't need a tractor to use it either, and it will cut anything that doesn't require a chain saw. It is a good machine to cut brush too heavy for a lawn mower, and it will do most of what is done with a bush hog. Unlike a bush hog you can't lift it with hydraulics in heavy stuff, so you're limited in that respect. But by pulling it, you can offset the hitch and mow along a creek or river bank much easier than with a bush hog. It's a well built machine, but you do have to tinker with it, as you would any belt mower. I would recommend one for maintaining a vacant lot, an acre or two or land you don't keep mowed but want to keep the brush under control.
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