Bought a Flail Mower

[Jarrett]

I bought a used flail mower this past weekend. It's a Mott Model 88 Utility. It's in pretty good shape. I gave $700 for it. All but one bearing feel smooth with no play. The bad bearing is the one on the end of the extension shaft at the drive pulley. The housing for that pulley is broken as well. Everything turns freely. It has some rust on top where grass/straw/debris was left sitting, but it's still structurally sound. I've already placed an order with flailmaster for the new housing/bearing assembly, as well as a belt & new blades.

 

[Big Bri]

Nice, I'm sure you'll get some good use out of it. can't beat the price

 

[psj12]

I'm looking for a decent deal on a medium duty flail in the 6 to 8 ft range. All I see on Ebay is torn up, worn out old units that are overpriced.

 

[flyingcow]

i bought a used NH918H flail a couple of yrs ago. Bearings and everything seems tight. just getting around to ordering new knives(128) for it. Run it for a 30 minutes when i got it home, missing knives. Shook a little bit. Paid $900.00 for it. Going to have about $600.00 in parts for the knives. For my own use, 20 hours a yr. Hopefully it works well. I'm getting anxious to have it up and running

 

[ninefinger]

Picked up an old Mott "hammerknife" a year or two ago. Seems like it has 88 blade stations. I changed the gearbox oil out, put new knives and belt on and have been very happy with it. I just cannot cut fast with it but it cuts well. It started leaking oil out the front seal and to remedy that I drilled a small hole through the square head fill plug, I guess pressure was building up but with the hole the front seal does not leak. I have a QH and do not know if it was the problem or not but with my top link the mower would not float like it should so when I mow I use a chain for the top link and all works as it should.

 

[jgbanshee]

flyingcow,
I have the same mower. Mine vibrates too on the ground and worse when I raise it. Did you order blades, bolts, nuts, spacers, and clips? I hope replacing blades will help.

 

[flyingcow]

flyingcow,
I have the same mower. Mine vibrates too on the ground and worse when I raise it. Did you order blades, bolts, nuts, spacers, and clips? I hope replacing blades will help.

It was missing more knives than i first thought. Also, some of the knives were broken off. I talked to guys that operate this same mower, mowing roadsides, and they told me it doesn't take much to knock it off balance. It's going to be a couple of weeks before i get the parts and have time to put them on.

 

[IslandTractor]

I know everyone seems to trust the US manufacturers more but a lot of us have had very good luck with Caroni flail mowers which cost about half or less of what new US flails cost and are not much more than what you guys are paying for used flails plus reconditioning. The TM1900 is a 6ft medium duty rough cut flail that can be had for about $2K delivered via AgriSupply. They carry all the parts too and are very responsive. Caroni is a fine Italian equipment manufacturer that produces some of the OEM attachments for a variety of tractor manufacturers. Take a look.

 

[Dead Horse]

Has anyone here heard of a Seppi flail mower? I have an 8 ooter with very heavy knives. It does a good job on finish cutting and will chop up saplings up to 3 inches in dia.

I just replaced the belts, it has five of them. I have had it for 12 years and it has served me well. This year I have to replace the pillow block bearings in the roller.

I like the idea of a chain rather than a solit top link. The mower does float a lot better using a chain. I can see where some situations put too much stress on the roller, with a solid top link.

I would like to buy a larger, lighter flail mower for finish cutting grass, but agree that the used ones are an unknown problem waiting to happen and the new ones are too expensive.

I need to buy new knives for the Seppi, anyone have an idea where I can get them?

 

[ninefinger]

Dead Horse, give Flailmaster a call (1-800-251-4020) . Try to get Noel, she really understands these machines. Do not know if they have what you need but it is a good place to start.

 

[IslandTractor]

Dead Horse, give Flailmaster a call (1-800-251-4020) . Try to get Noel, she really understands these machines. Do not know if they have what you need but it is a good place to start.

I don't recall if Seppi is in the Flailmaster catalog but flails are fairly generic within a certain range. If you can accurately measure the existing flails including gauge of metal and especially weigh them, Flailmaster might well be able to match them. They did not carry the Caroni blades I wanted but they did have some that were pretty close. I ended up getting OEM blades but had I not been able to I could have found something very close at Flailmaster.

 

[allen in texas]

Jarrett,
I think you will like the mower. What type knives/hammers does it have?


For you guys that use a chain for the top link...

I don't understand.
I took some pics this morning of my mower mounted on my tractor and I'm going to start another thread about it and explain why I don't understand but it will be this evening before I can. Gotta go earn a living first.

Later.

 

[Dead Horse]

I don't recall if Seppi is in the Flailmaster catalog but flails are fairly generic within a certain range. If you can accurately measure the existing flails including gauge of metal and especially weigh them, Flailmaster might well be able to match them. They did not carry the Caroni blades I wanted but they did have some that were pretty close. I ended up getting OEM blades but had I not been able to I could have found something very close at Flailmaster.

checking them out now.

 

[Jarrett]

Jarrett,
I think you will like the mower. What type knives/hammers does it have?


For you guys that use a chain for the top link...

I don't understand.
I took some pics this morning of my mower mounted on my tractor and I'm going to start another thread about it and explain why I don't understand but it will be this evening before I can. Gotta go earn a living first.

Later.

It has the "Y" knives. They're pretty thin and have been well used and sharpened many times on both sides, so I've already got some new ones from Flailmaster. I bought the heavy duty replacement knives. I wish I could find some like the cast ones that Iron Horse has on his flail.

 

[Nuru]

I'm looking for a decent deal on a medium duty flail in the 6 to 8 ft range. All I see on Ebay is torn up, worn out old units that are overpriced.

Send me a PM and let's chat. I have a 74" Flail Mower, I am not using and it is almost brand new - used once.

 

[Dead Horse]

I replaced the pillow bearings on the roller on that big seppi today...... whew, a brainy job but she is smooth as silk now. I would still like to source lighter hammers. Flail master never returned my call.

On this big Seppi, Belts and roller bearings done in the last two weeks, rotor bearings are 10 years old, (but she went several years "resting", so) I should be good to go for another 10 to 20 years.

I bought a farmi logging winch from a member here, a couple years ago. I just rebuilt that puppy from the spindle out. Thrust and input shaft bearings and a solid 10 hours of labor. Full set of bearings cost me $280. Should be good for ANOTHER 25 years of logging. I do 25 cord a year.

She was tired to begin with, then last week I pulled a 25k# loader out of the mud for a buddy. The winch (rated at 12,500#) blew out her input shaft bearings........... puked em out all over the ground. BUT she pulled that loader out of the mud! My buddy bought the input shaft bearings for me and since I was ripping 'er down anyway, I replaced the thrust bearings on the clutch and drum.

2010 has been "bearing" year, so far. I HOPE I am done!

 

[psj12]

Answered your PM.

I just bought the Coroni 6' flail yesterday. It has the "B" rotor wiith the heavy two piece blades. I thought about buying the heavy "P" hammer blades but I have a heavy duty Kioti Brush hog to take care of underbrush and saplings.

 

[Nuru]

Answered your PM.

I just bought the Coroni 6' flail yesterday. It has the "B" rotor wiith the heavy two piece blades. I thought about buying the heavy "P" hammer blades but I have a heavy duty Kioti Brush hog to take care of underbrush and saplings.

OK, I saw it and responded. Congrats on the new unit.