Boom Mower
Boom Mowers & Reach Mowers: Solution for Roadside and Hedge Maintenance
Get the Reach You Need with Rinieri Boom and Hedge Cutters
Dealing with overgrown hedges, steep ditch banks, and hard-to-reach roadside verges? Then you need a serious machine that offers precision, power, and incredible reach. That machine is the boom mower—or as we like to call it, the reach mower.
A reach mower or boom mower is an essential tool for professional green maintenance operators, municipalities, and large farms. It’s a specialized, tractor-mounted implement featuring a long, articulating arm (the 'boom') with a cutting head (flail mower, hedge cutter, or disc head) on the end. This design allows the machine to mow, cut, and shred vegetation far to the side, above, or below the tractor, making inaccessible areas manageable and safe to clear.
Rinieri offers a complete line of reach mowers and hedge cutters, like our versatile BRF and heavy-duty BRL series, built for every challenge, from light hedge trimming to heavy brush clearing. Boom mowers are designed to work in difficult conditions. The arm's articulation and the floating nature of the cutting head allow it to follow the contours of the ground and operate effectively on uneven or hilly terrain, provided the tractor remains stable and level.
A boom mower is primarily used for maintaining vegetation in areas that are inaccessible to standard mowers. This includes:
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Roadside Verges and Embankments: Keeping visibility clear and drainage functional.
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Ditches and Canals: Mowing vegetation below the ground level.
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Clearing Fencerows: Easily reaching over existing fencing to clear heavy brush and small trees.
What’s the difference between a boom mower and a flail mower?
The difference is structural and functional, but they often work together!
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A standard flail mower (like the Rinieri VERGE MOWER TRS) is typically a rigid attachment or features a simple side-shift mechanism. It works close to the tractor.
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A boom mower or reach mower is defined by its complex, articulated hydraulic arm that positions the cutting head meters away from the tractor. Crucially, the cutting head on the end of the boom is often a flail mower or flail shredder, meaning a boom mower is a carrier for a specialized flail head.
The cutting capacity depends on the head chosen. When equipped with a heavy-duty flail head and robust hammers (like those on the [BRT - REACH MOWER] series), these machines can effectively shred heavy brush and cut small trees or branches up to 1–4 cm (1 inch) in diameter, making them ideal for heavy fencerow clearing.
For general farm use, versatility is key. We recommend models like the BRF/BRW - REACH MOWER series. They offer a great balance of reach, power, and the ability to swap between a flail head for ditch maintenance and a Hedge Cutter head for hedge trimming.
The articulated arm of a boom mower is good for roadside or ditch maintenance, allows the cutting head to be positioned vertically, horizontally, and even well below the tractor's wheel line, making it perfect for safely and efficiently maintaining steep ditches and roadside verges.
Technical Specifications and Functionality
Rinieri offers models with different reach capabilities to suit various jobs. Our medium-duty BRC series can have a reach from the center of the tractor spanning 380 cm (149") up to over 460 cm (181"), while our larger, heavy-duty BRT series offers even greater extension for municipal and large-scale contractor work.
The necessary horsepower depends on the arm size and the cutting head. Our reach mowers are designed for tractors ranging from 15 HP up to 120 HP, depending on the model chosen. A smaller BRF can work well on a 15–30 HP tractor, while the heaviest BRT - REACH MOWER requires 100+ HP for optimal performance and stability.
The entire boom movement—extending, lifting, angling, and powering the cutting head motors—is hydraulically controlled. Most models require two to four pairs of double-acting hydraulic outlets and the use of the tractor's PTO to drive the self-contained hydraulic pump system that powers the boom.
Can I control the boom mower from inside the tractor cab?
All professional Rinieri boom mowers come with a sophisticated joystick or cable control system that allows the operator to precisely maneuver the boom arm and cutting head from the safety and comfort of the tractor cab. This ensures accurate and safe operation, even when working on steep or uneven terrain.
What cutting width options are available for boom mowers?
The flail heads on our boom mowers come in various working widths to match the intended job. Typical cutting widths range from around 60 cm (23") up to 120 cm (47") for flail heads (depending on the model) and are often wider for simple grass mowing, while hedge cutter heads will have a specific blade width (e.g., 150 cm or 59").
Compatibility and Mounting
Are boom mowers compatible with compact tractors?
Our lighter, shorter-reach BRF models are designed to be compatible with tractors starting as low as 20 HP, often placing them within the capacity of large compact or utility tractors. However, due to the extreme offset weight, stability is paramount. You must ensure your compact tractor has adequate weight, ballast, and tire width to safely handle the machine, especially when fully extended.
Can I mount a boom mower on the front of a tractor?
While less common, some specialized boom mowers can be mounted on the front of a tractor, usually for visibility when working with disc hedge cutters (like BRA). However, most Rinieri reach mowers are designed for rear three-point hitch mounting to utilize the tractor's weight for counter-balance.
Do boom mowers work with skid steers or excavators?
Rinieri specializes in tractor-mounted boom mowers. While there are boom mower heads designed for excavators or skid steers (see BRA), our core product line is specifically engineered to interface with the tractor’s three-point hitch and PTO system.
Is a PTO required for a boom mower?
A PTO (Power Take-Off) is required. The PTO is used to drive the hydraulic pump that, in turn, supplies the necessary power and fluid flow to run the hydraulic motors that move the boom arm and spin the cutting head.
Can I use a boom mower with a Category 2 or 3 three-point hitch?
Yes. Boom mowers are heavy and powerful implements. The mounting system is typically designed for a Category 2 or Category 3 three-point hitch to handle the high loads and stresses applied by the extended boom arm.
What is the best boom mower for clearing fencerows?
For heavy fencerow clearing, we recommend a robust model like the BRL - REACH MOWER series, equipped with a heavy-duty flail head. The high flow capacity and powerful flail hammers are necessary to shred thick brush, saplings, and small trees encountered along neglected fence lines.
Can I use a boom mower to maintain irrigation ditches?
Absolutely. The ability of the boom arm to angle the cutting head down to -60 degrees or more below the horizontal position makes it the perfect tool for reaching down into and mowing the banks and base of irrigation or drainage ditches.
Maintenance and Durability
How do I maintain a boom mower? Boom mower maintenance is centered on hydraulics and wear parts:
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Grease: Regularly grease all pivot points on the boom arm and the bearings on the cutting head.
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Hydraulics: Check the hydraulic oil level (in the boom's reservoir, if separate) and inspect all hoses and fittings for leaks or damage.
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Flails/Blades: Check the condition and balance of the flails/blades before each use, replacing them if they are heavily chipped or bent.
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Hardware: Check all mounting bolts and pins regularly due to the high stress imposed on the frame.
The lifespan of the flails or blades is highly variable, depending on the material being cut (grass vs. rocks). In clean cutting environments, they can last for hundreds of hours. In harsh, rocky conditions, replacement is needed more frequently.