Flail Mower Let's talk flail mowers

[Code54]

I have not used that JD paint BUT can tell you when I did my last Kubota the paint (also no hardener) stayed soft for almost 5 days but hardened up fine and lasted. I also am very careful about watching the window they give you as I tried to cheat once and respray a little too soon and paid for almost instantly when the started to crinkle up in a few spots..... Lived and learned form that one

 

[esbwn]

Ok, need some advice! I was flailing around yesterday and started smelling something funny so I stopped and walked around the tractor. All of my gear box oil was spewed out all over the top of the mower. The plastic/rubber ring seal has come off the side of the gear box where the output shaft goes to the pulleys and let all the oil out. I dont think it ran long enough to hurt anything because there was still oil coming out of it when I discovered the problem. Can I seat it back and fill it with the right oil and go on flailing around? Or should I be worried about it more than that? The shaft the goes from the gear box to the pulleys does not vibrate so Im not sure why the seal worked its way out? Ill try to upload a pic of it.

 

[leonz]

Ok, need some advice! I was flailing around yesterday and started smelling something funny so I stopped and walked around the tractor. All of my gear box oil was spewed out all over the top of the mower. The metal ring seal has come off the side of the gear box where the output shaft goes to the pulleys and let all the oil out. I dont think it ran long enough to hurt anything because there was still oil coming out of it when I discovered the problem. Can I seat it back and fill it with the right oil and go on flailing around? Or should I be worried about it more than that? The shaft the goes from the gear box to the pulleys does not vibrate so Im not sure why the seal worked its way out? Ill try to upload a pic of it.

View attachment 437908

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UGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Sadly you are now the victim of sealus roundus escapus drainus oilus gearboxus;
from which there is no quick and dead repair fix

NOW I will assume you did not overfill the gearbox if it is not vented from what I remember of your flail mower.


My dear friend you have work to do to repair this flail mower



You have one bad seal, plan on replacing them both in order to maintain sanity.

I will add more via editing as soon as I post this.


OK before I change into surgical scrubs, sterilize my hands and upper arms with soapy water and bleach and put on two pairs of disposable gloves there are issues that should be looked at.

1. your having fun and seat time with your mule and your mounted implement

2. buying a replacement gearbox will get you back to mowing much sooner than buying replacement parts for the gearbox-to explain further; when you lose a seal like this it can turn butts ugly and you could be a victim of a cascade failure like the NY power grid did due to a limb clipping a high voltage line in 1994-5.


3. when you lose seal retainer its a good indication of either a bearing failing allowing the yokes orbit to increase and place pressure on the seal and then the retainer and vibration simply took its toll and the seal retainer just fell out with the seal-not likely unless the bearings have ground up and are no longer useable.

Or the gearbox was overfull an either way you need to remove the guards and replace both the seal an the seal retainer and hope for the best.

the only way to tell if the bearings are good is to pull up on the shaft and alos try to move it sideways and see how much play there is if any.

When you have a seal and the seal retainer pop out the worst outcome can be expected or has occured.

I would see how much a new gearbox costs from flailmaster and others and then check the various JD parts supply houses on the internet for their prices before you proceed as spare parts are not very cost effective when rebuilding some gearboxes especially small ones like these as they normally o no have stacked roller bearings to support the input and output shafts.

Groan!!!

 

[BoylermanCT]

I've decided to buy a Caroni TM1900 flail from Agri-Supply. Do they ever put it on sale or offer % off deals? I know my Tractor Supply mails out a 10% off anything coupon 2X a year. Does Agri-Supply do the same? Current price is $1909 plus about $260 shipping. I'm in no rush to get it, mowing season is starting to wind down, so as long as I have it by May 1, 2016, I'll be in good shape.

A big thank you to everyone on this post who helped make up my mind. Leonz and Island Tractor, special thank you to you both. Of course, my wife is not sure you are friends, getting me to spend this kind of money!

 

[ovrszd]

Short answer. Drive the seal back in, refill gearbox, flail away. Watching and checking periodically of course. I've had a couple seals do that on gearboxes. Both times I reused the seal and in fact, am still using them years later.

If by chance the seal doesn't fit the hole tight enough to stay you might have to adjust the seal outer edge slightly with pliers for tighter fit.

 

[leonz]

Where is the flange that holds the seal in place?

This gearbox does not appear to have a separate
seal retainer flange inside the bore of the gearbox..

Seal retainers containing the seal are typically pushed into
place with seal drivers or screwed into place with seal retainer wrenches
which are also used on hydraulic cylinder packing glandsthat are adjustable
to take up wear on the stuffing box packing material.

A seal driver can be made from a piece of PVC pipe sized to the outer diameter of the seal assembly.

 

[leonz]

The internet price is usually lower than the catalog price for the obvious reasons.

You should plan on buying it now and perhaps purchase the side shift option to
make mowing easier.

They may or may not have the TM1900 model in stock so you need to plan ahead.

They usually have a six to eight week turnaround on containers coming from Caroni as they need full
loads to be shipped to save on frieght costs.

 

[esbwn]

Thanks for the input. Ugh. Dont want to replace the whole gear box. Im thinking there was too much oil in there and after heating up it had no where to expand. My fault for not checking it at the proper level after buying it from the last guy. Should there be a vent plug on the top? There was only a bracket holding the very top of the seal in, hence why in the first pic the bottom was pushed out. I think ill first try to put it back in and see what happens. There is no play in the shaft up or down or side to side so hopefully its ok. Which plug should i check the oil level to and how much approx should it hold? And 80w-90 should be the right oil right?

 

[leonz]

I've decided to buy a Caroni TM1900 flail from Agri-Supply. Do they ever put it on sale or offer % off deals? I know my Tractor Supply mails out a 10% off anything coupon 2X a year. Does Agri-Supply do the same? Current price is $1909 plus about $260 shipping. I'm in no rush to get it, mowing season is starting to wind down, so as long as I have it by May 1, 2016, I'll be in good shape.

A big thank you to everyone on this post who helped make up my mind. Leonz and Island Tractor, special thank you to you both. Of course, my wife is not sure you are friends, getting me to spend this kind of money!

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OWWWWOOOHHHHH that hurts, Did you tell her that Island Tractor and I have only your best interests
at heart and do not have our hands on your wallet(if that helps).After all she is also granted citizenship
status in the flail mower nations where no passports are required.

 

[leonz]

Thanks for the input. Ugh. Dont want to replace the whole gear box. Im thinking there was too much oil in there and after heating up it had no where to expand. My fault for not checking it at the proper level after buying it from the last guy. Should there be a vent plug on the top? There was only a bracket holding the very top of the seal in, hence why in the first pic the bottom was pushed out. I think ill first try to put it back in and see what happens. There is no play in the shaft up or down or side to side so hopefully its ok. Which plug should i check the oil level to and how much approx should it hold? And 80w-90 should be the right oil right? View attachment 437939 View attachment 437940

View attachment 437941

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splash lubrication gearbox:

no vent needed as long as it is not overfilled(oil barely dripping out of the level hole.
The oil level plug is the pipe plug that is directly at the twelve oclock position when looking at the rear of the gearbox and it is in line with the filler plug and just below the bolts holding the rear access plate at the ten oclock and two oclock position.

as far as oil goes, try to buy a quart squirt bottle of 90 weight with the tapered spout.
Kendal oil is one brand that did have them or still does in that small a package bottle

 

[IslandTractor]

I've decided to buy a Caroni TM1900 flail from Agri-Supply. Do they ever put it on sale or offer % off deals? I know my Tractor Supply mails out a 10% off anything coupon 2X a year. Does Agri-Supply do the same? Current price is $1909 plus about $260 shipping. I'm in no rush to get it, mowing season is starting to wind down, so as long as I have it by May 1, 2016, I'll be in good shape. A big thank you to everyone on this post who helped make up my mind. Leonz and Island Tractor, special thank you to you both. Of course, my wife is not sure you are friends, getting me to spend this kind of money!

I've never seen AgriSupply discount the flails at all.

Perhaps you could create a self discount by selling all the Caroni blades and clevises to other TBN members for 75% of what AgriSupply charges and substitute the less expensive and longer lasting Flailmaster sets.

 

[hunt4570]

I've decided to buy a Caroni TM1900 flail from Agri-Supply. Do they ever put it on sale or offer % off deals? I know my Tractor Supply mails out a 10% off anything coupon 2X a year. Does Agri-Supply do the same? Current price is $1909 plus about $260 shipping. I'm in no rush to get it, mowing season is starting to wind down, so as long as I have it by May 1, 2016, I'll be in good shape.

A big thank you to everyone on this post who helped make up my mind. Leonz and Island Tractor, special thank you to you both. Of course, my wife is not sure you are friends, getting me to spend this kind of money!

Yeah, those guys convinced me I "needed" one also.. but thats a good thing, nice mower.

I got kind of a sideways discount on mine, they shipped me the wrong thing the first time.. a set of 3 point pallet forks!:muttering: BUT.. they decided to wave the shipping for the delay... Sweet!!
Not sure about them going on sale though..

 

[Code54]

Yep - drive the seal back in and refill as Ovrszd says and just keep an eye on it. No need to panic at this point. I would guess it was overfilled a bit and the heat of running it caused it to push out. Not really unusual or anything to worry about.
Good luck

 

[BoylermanCT]

Yeah, those guys convinced me I "needed" one also.. but thats a good thing, nice mower.

I got kind of a sideways discount on mine, they shipped me the wrong thing the first time.. a set of 3 point pallet forks!:muttering: BUT.. they decided to wave the shipping for the delay... Sweet!!
Not sure about them going on sale though..

I could see a stock boy looking for a flail mower and accidentally grabbing pallet forks! He must have been educated under common core!

 

[BoylermanCT]

I've never seen AgriSupply discount the flails at all.

Perhaps you could create a self discount by selling all the Caroni blades and clevises to other TBN members for 75% of what AgriSupply charges and substitute the less expensive and longer lasting Flailmaster sets.

I'm probably going to do that, as I want to swap out the Y blades for turf blades. I'll post here when I have the Caroni shackles and blades off and for sale.

 

[esbwn]

Yep - drive the seal back in and refill as Ovrszd says and just keep an eye on it. No need to panic at this point. I would guess it was overfilled a bit and the heat of running it caused it to push out. Not really unusual or anything to worry about. Good luck

thanks! Im going to give it a whirl!

 

[hunt4570]

I could see a stock boy looking for a flail mower and accidentally grabbing pallet forks! He must have been educated under common core!

Yeah, so the truck shows up here, I bring my tractor /FEL up to offload my new Caroni I've been waiting for, he opens the truck and here's a little pallet with this stuff on it and the driver is like.. there you are!!! WTH????

 

[leonz]

I'm probably going to do that, as I want to swap out the Y blades for turf blades. I'll post here when I have the Caroni shackles and blades off and for sale.

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Hello Boylerman,


You will not be able to interchange the scoop knives with the side slicers as the
the P rotor is the only flail mower rotor of the four flail mower rotors that will be able to use them.

You have to decide which flail mower rotor you want to provide the cut and finish you desire.

The P rotor which uses the scoop knives will work in finish mowing and rough mowing.

The B rotor which uses the shorter hardened slicers mounted on shackles is ment for
rough mowing conditions and can be used for finish mowing with a rougher finish.

The A rotor uses the longer hardened slicers for mowing with a rough finish.

The F rotor is use for finish mowing to provide the endd user a golf course finish.

You will have to decide on the A, B or P flail mower rotor if you do not want the F
rotor for to provide a finish cut for all mowing jobs.

The finish cut flail mower rotor will allow you the flexibility of having more time
between mowings as it shreds the clippings to a much finer size.

Some of us(myself included) use our finish mowers for both rough mowing and
finish mowing.

Myself and Island Tractor and other members of the Flail Mower Nations want
you to succeed.

 

[BoylermanCT]

Leonz, my plan was to buy the B rotor. If I could get the F for the same price, I would do that, but Agri Supply says it is another $1000 or so. I found a guy who didn't like the cut of the TM1900, so he took off the Y blades and replaced them with scoop knives from Flailmaster, and that gave him the manicured cut he was looking for.

Caroni TM1900 Flail Mower... - OrangeTractorTalks - Everything Kubota

Someone on this thread, a couple hundred pages back, replaced all of the Caroni clevises with new ones from Flailmaster that were stronger, more durable and significantly cheaper. My thought was to replace both the clevises and knives at the same time, and sell the un-used Caroni clevises and knives.

 

[IslandTractor]

Leonz, my plan was to buy the B rotor. If I could get the F for the same price, I would do that, but Agri Supply says it is another $1000 or so. I found a guy who didn't like the cut of the TM1900, so he took off the Y blades and replaced them with scoop knives from Flailmaster, and that gave him the manicured cut he was looking for. Caroni TM1900 Flail Mower... - OrangeTractorTalks - Everything Kubota Someone on this thread, a couple hundred pages back, replaced all of the Caroni clevises with new ones from Flailmaster that were stronger, more durable and significantly cheaper. My thought was to replace both the clevises and knives at the same time, and sell the un-used Caroni clevises and knives.

1) clearly possible and even advisable to switch out the factory clevises for Flailmaster 3/8 clevises though you do need a vise and grinder to get the Flailmaster clevises to fit. Takes about two minutes each once you get used to doing it. I'm still replacing Caroni clevises as they break and after two years have yet to have one of the Flailmaster clevises wear out. The Caroni clevises wear out at the bottom corners and break easily when hitting rocks.

2) there might be some fitment issues with scoops but if you have the exact dimensions you should be able to figure that out. As I recall Flailmaster gives all relevant specs in their catalog.

3) I am personally happy with the Caroni/Flailmaster Y blade cut quality but I'm cutting fields and brush not a well manicured lawn.