Welcome to McLaren Industries! Check our McLaren's recently updated PDF brochure about Solid Cushion Tires. Recent developments: McLaren Industries Opens R&D Facility to Support North American OEMs Read Announcement McLaren Industries Expands Popular Nu-Air Solid Cushion Tires to Include Backhoes. Read the full announcement here Advanced Rubber Track Technology Applied on Mini Excavator Tracks for the First Time. Click here to read the announcement Helpful article: Keep your rubber tracks in top shape with these handy rubber tracks maintenance tips. Please, be sure to check our News & Resources section on this website to stay up to date with the latest developments at McLaren Industries. We strive for continous improvement! Our ability to innovate depends on your continous feedback. Please take a short moment to complete a quick online customer survey. Here are some comments we have received from customers: "Great initial and post service. 5 stars rating in my books! Exceptional service differentiates Mclaren from its competitors." - Rob Pagacz (Bobcat S300 skid steer loader); "Tires are still working out great. Tons of hours left on them!" - Levi McDermott (Mustang 2086 skid steer loader); "Made my bobcat work like a Cat dozer; Easy on off" - Roy Young (Bobcat S250 skid steer loader); "I think you make a superior product..." - Eric Wellish, (Case 1845C skid steer loader); "I really like the traction that I get from my tracks, and will most likely consider repurchasing when needed... I have the TDF series track." - Scott Robinson (Takeuchi TL 150 compact track loader); "Your Protrac rubber have saved me thousands of dollars! I rented a track machine for one month prior to having your tracks, that rental cost would have covered the cost of the McLarens. I was expecting to have bought a new machine, but there has been no reason to as the OTTs have added lift capacity, stability, a softer ride, and of course traction beyond my wildest expectations. My machine rep is not happy with your product, no sale for him... Could not be happier, literally!" - Simon Huxtable (Bobcat 763 skid steer loader); "The up front cost is greater than others but quality and performance far outweigh the cost." - Bearden Services (Bobcat S250 skid steer loader); "The sales rep that handled my purchase was knowledgeable, polite, and knew his product... Good job, keep it up. " - Mike Essenpreis (John Deere 325 skid steer loader); "The salesman helped me quite a bit with the sizing issue." - Dennis Weiss (Bobcat Model 100); "I appreciate the after sales follow up." - Eagle Golf Inc. (Caterpillar 236B skid steer loader); Need to contact McLaren Customer Serive in the US? Send an email to: cs@mclarenusa.com Please take a moment to complete a sort online customer survey.

Hydraulic Direct Drive vs. Gear-Driven Skid Steer Brush Cutters

skid steer brush cutter

When choosing a brush cutter, it’s important to consider which hydraulic drive will best suit your application. Currently, there are two main options to choose from: hydraulic direct and gear-driven. This helpful guide will address some of the key differences between hydraulic direct drive vs. gear-driven skid steer brush cutters so that you can determine which one will work best for you.

Application: Commercial vs. Residential

One of the biggest differences between hydraulic direct drive and gear-driven brush cutters is their ideal application. While they are both useful for cutting down tall grass fields, a hydraulic drive brush cutter will be able to slice through larger objects more easily and without experiencing damage. When a hydraulic drive brush cutter encounters a larger growth such as a sapling, the motor on the machine will slow down to avoid damage and then speed back up again once the obstacle has been cleared. On the other hand, a gear-driven brush cutter would likely incur damage when going over larger growths.

Because hydraulic drive brush cutters are more capable of encountering large, unexpected obstacles, they are an ideal option for commercial land-clearing applications where one needs to tackle a variety of different lots. For residential applications in which you are familiar with the area that you will be clearing, however, a gear-driven brush cutter should do the trick.

Cost Difference

As previously stated, hydraulic-driven brush cutters can tackle larger overgrowth without incurring damage. However, such a capability comes at a cost. Due to the added protection that they provide, hydraulic-driven brush cutters have a higher price tag than their gear-driven counterparts.

As such, if you are just starting out and don’t have a lot of different lots to cut or are only using it a few times a month, it will likely make more sense to opt for a gear-driven brush cutter from a financial standpoint. In doing so, you will likely get the most amount of value for your money, as gear-driven brush cutters are both efficient and affordable.

Maintenance Requirements

Another slight difference between hydraulic direct drive vs. gear-driven skid steer brush cutters is the amount of maintenance that they require. Ultimately, a gear-driven brush cutter will require a little less maintenance, as you won’t need to add gear oil to the gear. It is very rare that you would need to add gear oil to the gears of a hydraulic-driven brush cutter—usually only around once every two years—so the additional maintenance requirement is negligible. Also, with less moving parts, a direct drive motor will have increased longevity vs a gear driven motor.

McLaren Industries offers exceptional quality skid steer brush cutters with both hydraulic direct drives and gear drives. To learn more about our industry-leading attachments, contact us today at (800) 836-0040, or click here to request a quote.