Flail Mower Let's talk flail mowers

[IslandTractor]

Now I need the adapters to help with the oil all over the gear box.

I have the extension set up. Works well but another solution is to just let the oil level drop to the very bottom of the dip stick, even below the low level mark. That still is plenty of oil to bathe the gears (as evidenced by oil flying out the breather cap). You'll still get a little oil bubbling out with hard work but it won't pour out like it seems to when you top off the oil to the upper fill mark of the dipstick.

 

[GinNB]

8-10hp/foot is good for heavier stuff and faster cutting but takes a really good belt system for a top notch mower. I've got a lot of respect for the Alamo super heavy duty mowers (I've got two super 88s), but they won't take 10hp/foot for long. 7hp/foot can be too much, too. They aren't mowing well if they're being required to do that much work, either. 5-6 hp/foot is a much better "heavy" operating range.

 

[spo307]

I have a super 88 hd, run it off a kubota L4400, I can cut 5 foot grass in 2 passes, and clean it all up by cross cutting it a third time

 

[4105deere]

I have the extension set up. Works well but another solution is to just let the oil level drop to the very bottom of the dip stick, even below the low level mark. That still is plenty of oil to bathe the gears (as evidenced by oil flying out the breather cap). You'll still get a little oil bubbling out with hard work but it won't pour out like it seems to when you top off the oil to the upper fill mark of the dipstick.

Yeah I was wondering about that. Think I'll go that route for now. May try to get some pics tomorrow of the work i did today. The flail has totally impressed me. The tractor is 41 eng horse and has had no problem in the tall grass today, of course it hasn't greened up yet. But since the areas I mowed were often in tight areas and i wasn't in a hurry I only ran it at lower rpms. Some of this was sweet gum stubs up to 2inch diameter left by the rotary. The flail went right thru them down to the ground but I did take my time on those. Now I can keep these areas mowed better and establish grass. As soon as it dries out more I'm going to mulch a total of about 3 acres throughout the property and get rid of the trashy stuff.

 

[gtrippleb]

I joined the flail mowers group this weekend. I picked up a used 2007 Agri Machinery/Betstco EF115 flail mower. I didn't measure it but it's supposed to be 54". On my ccy Sc2400, it sits about 3-5 inches outside of the right tires. I was looking for a 5 footer but for $500 I figured I couldn't pass it up. Not to mention it isn't that much shorter. I was looking at the caroni TL1500 but I figured I could save some money with this one. Other than the pto being pretty much rusted to the pto shaft, I haven't had to do anything to it. After greasing the pto, cutting the pto to size and checking the gear oil, I tried it out today cutting the grader ditch in front of the house and a few areas in the yard. It's 8 inches wider than my rider and I would say it cuts just as nice as my rider does. With the taller grass, sometimes I don't get to mow for 2 weeks, it doesn't leave the clumps of grass like when the grass gets caught up in rider. While I was trying to figure out what a good height would be to mow, I was able to tell that you could probably use this mower for a dethatcher as I was seeing lines in the grass where I had it to low. I need to adjust my right side link as the right runner was digging into the ground but the left side wasn't. Other than that it works great. The blades look like this.

I think these are the F type but I don't remember which blades are used for which. I think that designation was somewere around post #35 or so.

It's much easier mowing with the tractor and flail mower as with the rider, it doesn't have much leg room. Plus you don't have the grass/dust flying everywhere like you do with the rider. Now all I need to do is make a canopy for my tractor and I'll be set as it gets hot in the carolina sun. Thanks for all of the posts regarding the flail mowers.

 

[Brahmus]

Is this the one that was on ebay used? The owner's tractor was to small to run it?

 

[gtrippleb]

Nope, this one was sold locally in NC. He had bought it 3 yrs ago. I had thought about bidding on the one on Ebay and taking a trip as my Bbother lives near Chicago, and my Dad lives in Cedar Rapids, IA. So I could have made a vacation out of it.

I had been looking for about 6 months to a year and I had planned to go to an auction this past Saturday that had one listed, but I found this one closer to me. I didn't feel like driving an hour or two to an auction to find out that the mower was to big since they didn't list the size. The mower at the auction was the same brand though. There were two other flail mowers listed on Craigslist in the area, but they were listed at $1000 and the one I bought was listed at $575 but I was able to get it for $500.

One thing that I noticed is that the end of the PTO shaft with the shear pin in it, can't be attached to the mower as it hits the mower as it goes around. So I have that on the tractor end. Which isn't good because of the limited space on the ccy sc2400, I assume most scuts are this way. If I raise up the mower to high while the pto is going, the lobe on the pto shaft that holds the shear pin, rubs on my sway bars that keep the lower arms tight so the implement doesn't sway left or right. I found this out while I lifted the mower up to go over my driveway and heard it knocking pretty loud. So I checked to see if the pto was hitting something and sure enough it was. So I turn the pto off now when I need to lift the mower any higher than 4, I think it is, on the 3pt lever.

 

[SensibleNick]

Wow. when I got to page 20 people were writing "I've just read this entire thread" and were mentioning how long it was. :laughing:

Now, after a couple of evenings, far too many mugs of coffee and a few glasses of whiskey, I too have read the entire thing.

Tractor: I've got about 20hp on my PTO shaft. I have the options of 540 of 1100rpm
Land: 4 acres, ranging between "Pretty grass I'd like to mow" and "Field-grass I want to shred". I have no stones, bushes, posts or truck axles (thanks for all the instructional pictures Iron horse) hiding in my grass, and nothing remotely "woody" - Not even half inch saplings.

I'm thinking 60" would be good.

Here's where I don't ask where I can buy a Caroni:

I'm looking to build my own, and I have a question about flail tip-speed. I'd be interested to know the swinging "diameter" of a lightweight flail as it spins. I've got 12"/300mm in my mind as a figure.. but I'd love it if someone could measure theirs.

Also, are all the 90degree gearboxes 1:1 ratio?
And... Most seem to have a slight step up in speed via the pulley system... does anyone know the recommended rotor/shaft speed of the flail system itself? I read 800rpm at some point: with the suggestion that it had been far too high.. but I suppose that this is relative to the tip speed.

Calculating from rotary mowers, I reckon about 7.5m/s or 1500fps should be about right.

The reason I ask is because finding a 90 degree gearbox here is like trying to find rocking-horse crap. I've got access to old car differentials that have (roughly) a 1:4 ratio and can certainly put up with 1100rpm input speeds, but if I'm going to have to step up the gearing from a top shaft that's moving at 275rpm, I'd like to know how much by

So.. is there someone out there with a "small" flail mower that they'd be happy to take these measurements from?

1. The ratio of the 90 degree gearbox
2. The size of top and bottom pulley
3. The diameter of the main flail shaft/tube
4. The distance from flail blade/hammer tip to the surface of the shaft/tube.

Thanks for any help you can offer

All the best,

/Nick

EDIT:
Sometimes I tend to get a bit blinkered

A brief google search shows me that most flails tend to have tip speeds of 7000fpm and the rotor spins at around 1800rpm-2000rpm with PTO speed of 540rpm.

So roughly 4:1 gearing. Sorted

 

[tjc1989]

Sorry if this has already been posted, the thread is too long. But I am not familiar with the flail mower. What about speed? Do you have to slow the tractor way down? Or can you travel as fast as you can with a brush hog?

 

[SensibleNick]

Sorry if this has already been posted, the thread is too long. But I am not familiar with the flail mower. What about speed? Do you have to slow the tractor way down? Or can you travel as fast as you can with a brush hog?

I read the entire thing over the last couple of days: Lots of info in places.

If I recall.... similar speed (a bit slower for really heavy stuff), but with much nicer results: while gaining better mulching of the chaff and with far quieter operation.... Oh... and less in the way of potentially fatal projectile throwing.

 

[bx24d]

I've read most of the posts in this thread and, overall, very helpful. I have a chance to buy a caroni 48" or a ferri 49" flail for the back of my two subcompact tractors. I want to mow my meadow (rough rolling hills in spots) and some trail maintenance elsewhere. I've been using a woods estate series rotary cutter for three years (tough to control in turns on rolling hills, tough to control cutting height). Question: The ferri is much more expensive but will be serviced by my local, very trustworthy dealer. The caroni is half the price from agrisupply but I'll be on my own for service (I'm moderately handy changing gear oil and such but not much time). Also, over rocks, can you cut with the flail roller lifted several inches above the ground?

 

[IslandTractor]

I've read most of the posts in this thread and, overall, very helpful. I have a chance to buy a caroni 48" or a ferri 49" flail for the back of my two subcompact tractors. I want to mow my meadow (rough rolling hills in spots) and some trail maintenance elsewhere. I've been using a woods estate series rotary cutter for three years (tough to control in turns on rolling hills, tough to control cutting height). Question: The ferri is much more expensive but will be serviced by my local, very trustworthy dealer. The caroni is half the price from agrisupply but I'll be on my own for service (I'm moderately handy changing gear oil and such but not much time). Also, over rocks, can you cut with the flail roller lifted several inches above the ground?

Yes, you can cut with the rear roller lifted off the ground. If you go slowly you don't need to as the roller will go over the rocks but if you go quickly the rocks can dent the roller. I speak from experience.

I'd also say that there is very little maintenance and changing knives is no big deal. Just make sure you keep it well lubricated which is going to be your responsibility before each mowing regardless of whether you have a local dealer or not.

 

[IslandTractor]

Sorry if this has already been posted, the thread is too long. But I am not familiar with the flail mower. What about speed? Do you have to slow the tractor way down? Or can you travel as fast as you can with a brush hog?

Same speed in field mowing as a bush hog basically. Faster will get you a less fine cut but still better than a bush hog. Slower gets you a finish cut.

As noted above, the bush hog might be faster in a really rocky area as you don't have the rear roller to protect but in a previously mown field/lawn you can go just as fast as with a bush hog or finish mower.

 

[brin]

I had a chance to buy a Ford 917H Flail mower for only $400.00..and took a pass...The seller was 3 hrs. away from me and would deliver..The price was $300 but $100 more for delivery...I passed after reading this thread and doing other reaserch on Flail mowers. The seller knew he would not be paid unless we hooked the flail mower up to my tractor and it worked and he was still willing to bring it so he was confident that it would work.

Here is why I turned it down ...and just this minute emailed him and killed the deal. I have about 22 acres I have been bush hogging for 30 yrs. and currently I use a bush hog brand rotary cutter / bushog...On a bush hog / rotary cutter you only have to worry about the PTO shaft..no problem if you keep it greased, the gerar box.., no problem if you keep gear oil in it and stay at 540 PTO RPM. and the blades, easy to sharpen once in awhile ...No belts to worry about....no bearings & on & on..I was guilty of looking for a quicker way to finish a job that is now quite boring after so many years of doing it several times each year..( No seat time addict here ) I will stay with the tried and true...if it ain't broke don't fix it...

Any of you who crave " Seat Time " that I so often see posted.....PM me and I will be glad to let you come down and use my tractor and bush hog to your heart's content..

 

[SPYDERLK]

Flail takes double the HP of a bushog to go the same speed because it cuts the grass into a lot more pieces.
larry

 

[brin]

Thanks Spy....I suspected there was more to a Flail mower than I wanted to fool with..I am happy with results from my Bush Hog more now than ever. Sometimes you have to come close to making a mistake while seeking what appears to being a better way to do something..only to realize you have been doing it the best way all along..

 

[SensibleNick]

Thanks Spy....I suspected there was more to a Flail mower than I wanted to fool with..

You'd do well to read the rest of the thread Brin. Many others have said that depending upon the situation, a flail can move at the same speed as a brushog but with better results.

I have experience with neither, and as such am completely un-biassed.

 

[brin]

Thanks Nick...I did read the whole thread...Let me give you just one example..Just one mind you ...there are many more...but imagine me gong out to mow and after a pass or two my belts burn up...that's it ..now back to the barn for the day and wait for new belts..Just using that as an example...whether my fault for going too fast or whatever..a bush hog has no belts to burn up..no bearings to worry about etc. A bush hog has a deck, blades,a gear box, a pto shaft and that's it ..you are good to go...keep it greased and gear oiled and no problems ...a Flail mower has many surprises in store for me I fear..See what I mean...I now have learned to appreciate my bush hog cut ...especially after my research comparing the alternatives and possible issues.

 

[SPYDERLK]

You'd do well to read the rest of the thread Brin. Many others have said that depending upon the situation, a flail can move at the same speed as a brushog but with better results.

I have experience with neither, and as such am completely un-biassed.

I have both. A 5' JD bushog and a 5' Rears flail. When I mow I essentially go as fast as the HP I have will take me, or when the blade cutting edges are overrun [whichever comes 1st]. Overrun on my bushog is at about 10mph so that hasnt been a problem. 7-8mph is what I can run holding full rpm with 45ptohp in good grass. No way I can do this with the flail. It may not be exactly 2 to 1 but the necessary geardown is significant. If I mowed at 4 or 5 mph, like I gather many do, I probably wouldnt notice the difference unless I looked hard at fuel consumption.

Each have their place. The bushog gets it down without chopping it up much and can do about anything up to 5". The flail chops it fine and cant handle more than 2". Its great on our trails - esp blazing new ones -- put it it creeper gear, rev it up and wend your way between the big trees. It leaves a mulch path behind.
larry

 

[dieselscout80]

I picked up a Ford 917 flail mower tonight for $100.00 it has a bit of rust, but it seems to be ok. I'll post some pics tomorrow when its not raining.