Ultimate Guide to Buying a Slasher: Tips & Checklists

Mar 19, 2024    Posted by Sarah Morrall

Are you in the market for a slasher but need help figuring out where to start? What working width? What size gearbox? What materials are they suitable for? No problem.

My Name is Sarah and I am here to walk you through the range. If you haven’t seen one of my blogs before I’ll give you a brief background. I was born and raised on a farm so I understand the problems farmers face, I have experience selling Delmade machinery and have worked as a part of the sales team for quite a few years – so I have the knowledge to find the machine that’s going to work for your situation, and in my spare time I’m knocking out a Batchelor of Ag Science Degree in the hope of rounding out my knowledge. So you could say I love Ag and all of its facets. I’m not here to pitch you a machine that won’t suit your needs, because frankly if someone tried that with me, I would be pretty unhappy. The Delmade team is about building relationships and finding the right solution so you know where to look for advice and honest opinions.

In this article, I’ll give you the key concepts to consider before stepping into the slasher market regardless of the supplier you choose.

What is the right slasher for your application

• Tractor Size (Hp) / Working Width
• Gearbox
• Cutting Height

Tractor Size (Hp) / Working Width

Tractor size is a critical factor in gauging how big your slasher can be. Unfortunately, the rule of thumb that some people quote of “10 horsepower per 1’ of cutting width” is misleading at best.

The horsepower that your tractor can produce coupled with the conditions that you will be working in can give you an idea how large a slasher you can handle.

Say for example you have a 50-horsepower tractor, this would be fine to operate a 6’ slasher in light cutting and topping, but if you want to use the same tractor for cutting sags or heavy cover you may need to drop down to a 5’ slasher.

Another factor is lifting capacity and stability. As above a slightly larger slasher will be fine on flat ground but may be unsafe in hilly conditions thus making you need to drop back a size.

Gearbox

As the gearbox horsepower increases, so does the durability of the implement and the materials you can apply it to, so something with a 40hp gearbox is likely suitable for grass, light ferns, etc. In contrast, a 110hp or unlimited gearbox will handle light gorse and blackberries along with all of the others.

Having said that, if you have a slasher with a 40-horsepower gearbox, you will be less likely to damage it with heavy cutting if you have a correctly matched tractor.

Cutting Height

A cutting height range between 25 – 100mm, is considered the optimum range for healthy regrowth, the longer your cut the faster the regrowth shorter cut the more energy the plant has to put into regrowing. We also recommended that the unit be angled slightly higher at the rear to assist with trash clearance.

What to look for when comparing slasher brands/models

• PTO Shaft
• Gearbox
• Drive components
• Blades
• Safety – of build/design

When comparing different brands of slashers, the main difference is the quality of the build and the componentry. Within a slasher, there are several parts that bear the brunt of the wear and tear so choosing a machine that is manufactured from high quality components is a step in the right direction to long slasher life.

PTO

First and foremost is the PTO shaft. This is the part that transfers the power from the tractor to the slasher enduring high torque and rotational force.

Ensuring its strength and quality protects both the tractor and slasher from damage as it is less likely to break.

Gearbox

The gearbox is where all the magic happens. Tasked with transferring the power from the PTO through to the rotor it’s a vital link.

The internal components and gearing ensure that the power is converted at the right speed for optimum blade rotation. Gearboxes are made up of a series of shafts and gears, if these components are poor quality or under spec, they are less likely to withstand the pressure over a long period of time as well as produce a lower quality result.

It is well worth putting the time and effort into researching gearboxes when you are in the market for a new slasher as failure can be costly.

It’s also important to check the bracing around the gearbox for example quite often a lower cost slasher won’t have proper sealing or bracing around the gearbox meaning wire or trash can get caught in there and in the worst case scenario rip out the box.

Structural components

Ensuring good structural components is the best step in the right direction when choosing a slasher,

Look for manufacture from a high-quality steel of a suitable thickness for the application this includes everything from the body, framework, and rotor right down to blade quality and strength. Remember to bear in mind it is the skids that take the most punishment when slashing so whilst a thinner deck will be satisfactory if your slasher is well braced. Look for skids with around 6mm thickness to ensure maximum lifespan.

Slashers endure a large amount of forceful impact and vibration over their lifespan and often a poorly manufactured unit or one made from low grade materials can result in unnecessary maintenance costs or damage to the slasher itself or even worse your tractor.

Blades

The cost of blades seems like a no brainer right there are only 2 so it’s a pretty low running cost… well sort of, it’s inevitable that you will still break blades no matter which way you swing it, but if different manufacturers have different blades and some have different blade options within their range.

Again, research is key here, as an example the Delmade slasher range has variations between models including Straight and Stepped blades, twisted blades and reversible ones.

Straight blades may be slightly more robust, but they also leave your rotor bar more at risk of damage because it runs lower to the ground for the desired cut height.

On top of this what the blade is made of makes a difference too, different steel types have different strength ratings and the stronger the steel the dearer the blade in general but the greater the longevity as well.

A good thing to check is also if your dealer holds the blades in stock and how much replacing them will cost. Sometimes imported lower cost units are very hard to source blades for if they run nonstandard specs.

Safety

In Australia, we are lucky to have extremely high workplace standards and manufacturing regulations around our farm equipment. However, this does mean that there are regulations you do need to adhere to with respect to operator and bystander safety, covering things such as safety chains and PTO shafts right through to safety signage.

Making sure the slasher you choose complies with these standards and Government regulations will ensure your safety, the safety of those around you. If you are keen to know a little more about this jump in via the link just below to find out more. https://www.sxm.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/slashers-guide.pdf

With so much to consider when comparing the various slasher models on the market, we recommend taking our handy checklist with you and ticking off the below items to make sure you get the ideal model to suit your application and needs.

Options

Different slashers offer different optional extras too so it's good to know what is available and what may be an asset to your implement. Wheels are a common add on, they are great for assisting with keeping the slasher level in uneven terrain and keeping it up if you are in stoney or stumpy ground. The finish of the slasher is also another important consideration in how long your slasher lifespan will be. Different brands may offer different finishes from painting to 2-pac to galvanised. As far as life span goes galvanising is the ultimate option. If your slasher is going to remain outside or you may find yourself leaving trash lying on the slasher when it gets wet having a galvanised deck will mean it's less likely for surface rust to form and for the deck to break down.

Checklists

Checklist for dealer discussion.

Matching your slasher to your needs:

Checklist to make sure your slasher is good quality and compliant

Hopefully, this blog has given you some useful tips and things to consider when comparing the slasher options out there on the market.

If you’d like to learn more about the Delmade range of single rotor slashers you can check out this blog which goes through the range in detail.

Would like to find out more? Give our friendly team a call 1800 335 623 and we can walk you through any burning questions you may have.