Flail Mower New Caroni Flail

[Arcane]

The new 73" flail was delivered yesterday (4 days from ordering!), and I had to shorten the cardan shaft 5" (strictly forbidden in the Caroni manual). I have a couple of questions for those of you who have been here before:
1. The manual says that the gearbox has no oil in it, but it clearly does. Drain and replace?
2. The zerks have grease in them but should I push some more in?
3. The mower cuts too low, but I don't want to cut with it entirely in the air/roller off the ground. If I lower all the skids by a hole, will that raise the roller off the ground? I would like to try running it tilted (front up, back down, so the roller is still on the ground), but because my top link is maxed out lengthwise, I cannot tilt the front up.
4. I find that the offset puts too much weight to the long side, meaning that when I raise the 3ph, it doesn't lift parallel to the ground. Should I ignore this, or adjust the right link?
Thanks in advance.

 

[Big Bri]

The new 73" flail was delivered yesterday (4 days from ordering!), and I had to shorten the cardan shaft 5" (strictly forbidden in the Caroni manual). I have a couple of questions for those of you who have been here before:
1. The manual says that the gearbox has no oil in it, but it clearly does. Drain and replace?
2. The zerks have grease in them but should I push some more in?
3. The mower cuts too low, but I don't want to cut with it entirely in the air/roller off the ground. If I lower all the skids by a hole, will that raise the roller off the ground? I would like to try running it tilted (front up, back down, so the roller is still on the ground), but because my top link is maxed out lengthwise, I cannot tilt the front up.
4. I find that the offset puts too much weight to the long side, meaning that when I raise the 3ph, it doesn't lift parallel to the ground. Should I ignore this, or adjust the right link?
Thanks in advance.

When i bought mine i called about the oil and they told me they survice it before it leaves. I left the oil in but i did add some more grease. i also think you should drop the roller not the skids. and i would try to get your top link in the middle of the slot as i find it floats better.
good luck

 

[IslandTractor]

When i bought mine i called about the oil and they told me they survice it before it leaves. I left the oil in but i did add some more grease. i also think you should drop the roller not the skids. and i would try to get your top link in the middle of the slot as i find it floats better.
good luck

Same advice here.

I find that dropping the roller adjustment by one notch from "flat" is about right.

 

[Arcane]

Thanks. Did that first thing this morning, and mowed in the rain today
Oil burbled out of the gearbox even though I have extended the cap- must be too much in there.
This mower is a very impressive piece of machinery. Everything lines up, spins easily, and hums. The gauge of the metal used tells me it will last longer than I will. The biggest drawback is the absurdly poor owners manual.
In the wet, the skids really gouged on the turns. I think this mower wants to work on dry days- an extra few inches of grass height won't matter.

 

[Builder]

What's the widest Carboni flail available?

 

[Big Bri]

What's the widest Carboni flail available?

I think 6', i was looking for a 7' one but settled on the caroni on price.

 

[IslandTractor]

Oil burbled out of the gearbox even though I have extended the cap- must be too much in there.

In the wet, the skids really gouged on the turns. I think this mower wants to work on dry days- an extra few inches of grass height won't matter.

Regarding oil level: with the extender I find that keeping the oil level at the lower half of acceptable range on the dipstick (with extender removed) is about right. You'll occasionally still get a little spillage but not more than a teaspoon or so. If you have the oil level full to the top of the dipstick range it will clearly bubble out when hot. I suspect there is a gear located just below the dipstick fitting and it shoots high velocity oil at the dipstick opening when running.

Something ain't right with your skid set up. I know the type of gouging you are referring to as that happened all the time with my bush hog but it doesn't happen with the Caroni for me. I would suggest raising the skids for starters. The skids are really not necessary, they are a Caroni option that AgriSupply specifies for all their imported models but they really don't have any positive role that I can see. Mine just snag brush and make it more difficult to get into the barn by widening the mower by three or four inches. The rear roller is the only thing that should ever be touching the ground while operating.

 

[Arcane]

I would suggest raising the skids for starters.

That's on the list for next weekend. Thanks IslandTractor.
BTW, who do you buy your Kubota parts/get serious repair help from? The folks over by me aren't all that great.

 

[IslandTractor]

BTW, who do you buy your Kubota parts/get serious repair help from? The folks over by me aren't all that great.

Massachusetts and Rhode Island are not exactly tractor havens. I have a Kioti and get my parts and advice from Wallace Tractor in PA. Mobile phones and UPS are great things especially when your tractor is on an island. I find I spend more money on gas driving around looking for tractor stuff than it costs to have things shipped UPS from a knowledgable dealer out of state. Rick Wallace and his mechanics have been excellent about talking me through diagnostics when issues come up so I've never had to take the tractor off island. My advice is to find a good internet active dealer. Try Messick's in PA for Kubota parts. I know they do a great deal of out of state shipping of parts and Neal Messick is very helpful and active here on TBN (MessickFarmEqu) if you want to contact him.

Baker Tractor in Swansea is a NH dealer. I go there for general tractor parts like pins, oils etc. They are probably the biggest tractor dealership in the area though with an Ag focus, not so much on CUTs. Reasonable and pretty convenient for SE Mass and RI.

Toreku is a Kubota dealer in Harvard, MA. I've been there and they were only moderately helpful and pretty much retail on everything.

MB Tractor in Plaistow NH is is a pretty big Kubota dealer right over the state line above Lawrence. Frankly I didn't like dealing with them when I was looking for a tractor and haven't been back. Too corporate and they behave like they are the only show in town (they are).

Bobcat dealers now carry CUTs so they will also have oils, fluids, pins etc. Boston Bobcat, at least the shop up in Andover, has been quite helpful.

Good luck.

 

[psj12]

I just bought the 6" model two weeks ago and have not used it yet. I need to transport it to OK when I go there next. I went down to Petersburg VA and pickeed it up for $1,700.

It looks like you can lower the roller and raise the skids to allow it to ride on the roller.

 

[IslandTractor]

It looks like you can lower the roller and raise the skids to allow it to ride on the roller.

Exactly. If the skids are touching the ground at all during mowing they are set too low. The skids really have no purpose other than possibly to protect the mower from ground contact when sitting at rest.

 

[skipperbrown]

IMO the weak link in the caroni flail is belt slippage and the resulting broken belt. I have smoked several PIX (stock) and Gates belts so far and have gone back to a brush cutter for heavy mowing. This has been a disappointment for me. I mainly mow food plots and if you only mow 2 or 3 times a year, this flail may not work for you. It simply cannot handle large doses of 5 to 6 ft thick weeds or thick mature wheat/oats. At $35/$40 per belt set, it starts to get expensive. However, it does a nice job on knee or thigh high grass at no more than 4 mph. At least thats been my experience.

I pulled the belt cover off of mine so I can monitor when the belts start to smoke. I have a 6' flail w/ 3 belts. I recommend having a second set on hand in the event you break one or more.

 

[IslandTractor]

Have you tried a set of linked Gates belts? I'm still on my second set of individual belts but while the originals did last three seasons, they burned up in the sort of high density mowing you described. My plan is to use linked belts next if this set has a short life.

 

[psj12]

Are the linked belts known to be more durable?

 

[IslandTractor]

Are the linked belts known to be more durable?

I don't have any data. However, the way that these belts tend to disintegrate is when they slip and then heat up and burn. Individual belts can slip more easily than linked belts so I'd think that linked belts would be more durable. Again, that is just my thinking and I haven't seen any reference to back it up.

 

[skipperbrown]

I assume a linked belt is one that is attached to the other belts? Where does one find this strange belt and how much does it cost?

I always burn up the interior belt first.

 

[IslandTractor]

Look up the size in a Gates catalog. I don't have one with me but for common sizes you can get dual or triple linked belts. As I recall they had the right size for the Caroni TM1900. The triple linked belts are more expensive than buying three single belts but are used in some situations where slippage is an issue.

 

[psj12]

Gates calls them "Powerband" here is a link. Gates Predator? PowerBand® Belts

 

[IslandTractor]

From the link provided by psj12: "PowerBand belts were developed by Gates for drives subjected to pulsating loads, shock loads or extreme vibrations where single belts could flip over on the pulleys. A high-strength tie band permanently joins two or more belts to provide lateral rigidity. This keeps the belts running in a straight line in the pulley grooves."

 

[beppington]

The skids are really not necessary ...

Would you recommend just removing them? (I'm buying the Caroni 6-footer this week or weekend)