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Jenkins Iron & Steel, a long‑established American manufacturer with roots in precision machining since 1949 and later diversification into heavy attachments, builds the Super Duty Brush Mower for skid steers and loaders. The company evolved from machining parts for telecommunications and industry into fabricating rugged equipment attachments, with brush mowers becoming a standout product for land clearing and heavy vegetation management. The Jenkins Super Duty mower is designed to handle thick brush, saplings, and even small trees up to about 6–8 in (150–200 mm) in diameter, making it a heavier‑duty option compared to typical brush cutting decks.
Design and Build
The Super Duty mower features a heavy‑duty ¼″ steel deck that provides significant structural strength and abrasion resistance when working over rough terrain. It is often supplied as a free‑floating deck with lift straps or link arms that allow it to follow ground contours independently of the loader arms, improving cut quality on uneven surfaces. The rear of the deck typically rolls on a 6″ heavy roller that helps stabilize the unit and pack trails or turf when needed. Unlike many brush mowers that use gearboxes, the Super Duty mower uses a direct‑drive hydraulic motor (commonly an Eaton Char‑Lynn model) that eliminates gearbox wear and potential failures, allowing quieter operation and lower maintenance.
Cutting Performance
Operators report that the mower performs well across a range of materials:
Weight and Machine Requirements
The mower’s durability comes with considerable weight. With an 84″ deck, the mower can be heavy enough that small skid steers struggle with maneuverability, especially in soft ground. One user noted that a machine like a Bobcat 90XT with ~9,000 lb operating weight and ~2,450 lb rated operating capacity is near the minimum recommended size to handle an 84″ Super Duty mower effectively; lifting it above about 4 ft can cause the loader’s rear to become very light.
Deck Floating and Ground Contact
A key design element is the floating deck linkage. The mower’s link arms and lift straps allow the deck to either float independently or be held down with or without pressure from the loader arms, enabling a more consistent and level cut profile over uneven terrain. A floating deck also reduces bounce and stress on the host machine compared to rigid mountings, making the cut smoother and more efficient.
Push Bar and Residue Management
An optional push bar is used to guide material forward into the cutting zone. However, some operators find that the default angled design can allow cut trees or brush to slide behind the bar and lodge on the deck. This can lead to debris striking the cab and requiring frequent stops to clear, an annoyance that users sometimes address with custom guards or modified push bars.
Attachment Flow and Hydraulics
The Super Duty mower is typically rated for a standard hydraulic flow range of about 14–26 gpm (53–98 L/min), making it compatible with many common skid steer and loader hydraulic systems. Matching the correct flow and pressure ensures blade tip speed remains high enough for effective mulching and cutting. Some owners with high‑flow machines report the ability to fine‑tune the mower performance by adjusting pressure or flow settings, balancing cutting power with carrier stability.
Field Experience and Operator Feedback
Real‑world users generally report satisfaction with cutting performance and durability. Large skidding and trail work benefit from the mower’s weight and robust design, and when used within machine capacity limits, it clears brush effectively. Some operators choose to add caster wheels or front support wheels to assist with stability and reduce the tendency for the deck to dig in during sharp turns or in soft soil.
Terminology Explained
The Jenkins Super Duty mower is a heavy‑duty brush cutting attachment that exceeds the capability of standard skid steer finish mowers, with a robust ¼″ deck, direct‑drive hydraulic motor, and floating design that handles thick vegetation and small trees effectively. When paired with a loader or skid steer of sufficient size and properly matched hydraulic flow, it provides efficient land clearing and trail cutting capability. Operator experience suggests that with appropriate accessories and machine selection, the Super Duty mower provides cutting performance at least as good as expected for its price and build quality.
Design and Build
The Super Duty mower features a heavy‑duty ¼″ steel deck that provides significant structural strength and abrasion resistance when working over rough terrain. It is often supplied as a free‑floating deck with lift straps or link arms that allow it to follow ground contours independently of the loader arms, improving cut quality on uneven surfaces. The rear of the deck typically rolls on a 6″ heavy roller that helps stabilize the unit and pack trails or turf when needed. Unlike many brush mowers that use gearboxes, the Super Duty mower uses a direct‑drive hydraulic motor (commonly an Eaton Char‑Lynn model) that eliminates gearbox wear and potential failures, allowing quieter operation and lower maintenance.
Cutting Performance
Operators report that the mower performs well across a range of materials:
- Tall grass and weeds — At flow rates from roughly 14–26 gpm, the unit handles taller frozen grasses at speed, keeping pace with terrain travel without bogging down.
- Saplings up to ~3 in — These cut smoothly with slow travel, blade speed maintained by hydraulic flow.
- Trees ~4–5 in — Best approached slowly, tipping the deck up and pushing into the tree before lowering to mulch the stump area.
- Trees ~6–8 in — Require lifting the deck 3–4 ft off the ground and positioning carefully; cutting and mulching such trees can take several minutes of careful maneuvering.
Weight and Machine Requirements
The mower’s durability comes with considerable weight. With an 84″ deck, the mower can be heavy enough that small skid steers struggle with maneuverability, especially in soft ground. One user noted that a machine like a Bobcat 90XT with ~9,000 lb operating weight and ~2,450 lb rated operating capacity is near the minimum recommended size to handle an 84″ Super Duty mower effectively; lifting it above about 4 ft can cause the loader’s rear to become very light.
Deck Floating and Ground Contact
A key design element is the floating deck linkage. The mower’s link arms and lift straps allow the deck to either float independently or be held down with or without pressure from the loader arms, enabling a more consistent and level cut profile over uneven terrain. A floating deck also reduces bounce and stress on the host machine compared to rigid mountings, making the cut smoother and more efficient.
Push Bar and Residue Management
An optional push bar is used to guide material forward into the cutting zone. However, some operators find that the default angled design can allow cut trees or brush to slide behind the bar and lodge on the deck. This can lead to debris striking the cab and requiring frequent stops to clear, an annoyance that users sometimes address with custom guards or modified push bars.
Attachment Flow and Hydraulics
The Super Duty mower is typically rated for a standard hydraulic flow range of about 14–26 gpm (53–98 L/min), making it compatible with many common skid steer and loader hydraulic systems. Matching the correct flow and pressure ensures blade tip speed remains high enough for effective mulching and cutting. Some owners with high‑flow machines report the ability to fine‑tune the mower performance by adjusting pressure or flow settings, balancing cutting power with carrier stability.
Field Experience and Operator Feedback
Real‑world users generally report satisfaction with cutting performance and durability. Large skidding and trail work benefit from the mower’s weight and robust design, and when used within machine capacity limits, it clears brush effectively. Some operators choose to add caster wheels or front support wheels to assist with stability and reduce the tendency for the deck to dig in during sharp turns or in soft soil.
Terminology Explained
- Free‑Floating Deck — A mower deck that is not rigidly fixed to the loader arms, allowing independent motion to better follow terrain.
- Direct‑Drive Motor — A hydraulic motor that drives the mower blades without intermediary gearbox components.
- Hydraulic Flow (gpm/L/min) — The rate of hydraulic fluid movement; higher flow generally equates to faster blade tip speed.
- Rated Operating Capacity (ROC) — The amount of weight a loader can safely lift while maintaining stability.
- Match machine size to mower width — Larger decks (e.g., 84″) work best on carriers with higher ROC (often >2,500 lb) to maintain control and avoid float issues.
- Hydraulic tuning — Where possible with high‑flow systems, adjust pressure and flow to the mower to balance cutting power with carrier stability.
- Debris management — Consider aftermarket modifications to push bars or protective cages to keep cut material from accumulating on the deck.
- Optional accessories — Wheels and caster kits can reduce deck drag and improve performance on uneven or soft terrain.
The Jenkins Super Duty mower is a heavy‑duty brush cutting attachment that exceeds the capability of standard skid steer finish mowers, with a robust ¼″ deck, direct‑drive hydraulic motor, and floating design that handles thick vegetation and small trees effectively. When paired with a loader or skid steer of sufficient size and properly matched hydraulic flow, it provides efficient land clearing and trail cutting capability. Operator experience suggests that with appropriate accessories and machine selection, the Super Duty mower provides cutting performance at least as good as expected for its price and build quality.
