Flail Mower Let's talk flail mowers

[Code54]

That is interesting Arc Weld, please do post more when you get some time. I also think it is great that Alamo was will to supply some information!

 

[KenB2920]

It's an older model but can you show a picture of how the knives are attached? I'm wondering if someone changed it to nuts and bolts? Mott's take a while to change knives but if you don't use the special cotter pins with a flat side like Whirly posted, it is a royal PIA to keep the pin from turning. The flat sided cotter pins go against the hanger and you bend the long side of the cotter pin out about 30 deg's. Mott used to supply a simple tool for this with a box of knives but a pair of side cutters makes it really easy to do. I'm not sure if your model is the same as the later 72" Heavy Duty model with 2 1/2" cutter shaft but on those you could leave the knives off that are closest to the side plates of the mower so they don't rub on the side plates. You lose maybe a couple inches of cutting width is all.

If I remember, I'll try to tomorrow or in the upcoming days

 

[KenB2920]

Here is my mott

 

[Arc weld]

Ok, I see what you have. You have the optional rough cut ring mounted knives on the smaller dia. cutter shaft. This arrangement wasn't as common as the standard knives arrangement and did use bolts to hold the ring mounts on. I think bolting them tight is to prevent the ring mounts from moving which could cause the rings to come off. Changing all of them would be a PIA. The rings mounts on the larger dia. cuttershaft don't use separate ring mounts. The pin goes through holes in the rings.

 

[KenB2920]

Ok, I see what you have. You have the optional rough cut ring mounted knives on the smaller dia. cutter shaft. This arrangement wasn't as common as the standard knives arrangement and did use bolts to hold the ring mounts on. I think bolting them tight is to prevent the ring mounts from moving which could cause the rings to come off. Changing all of them would be a PIA. The rings mounts on the larger dia. cuttershaft don't use separate ring mounts. The pin goes through holes in the rings.

So this is rough cut? Honestly, when the grass isn't to tall, it give a great finish. So what does the finish blade setup look like

 

[Arc weld]

Rough cut may not have been the best terminology to use. The cutter shaft is already designed as a fine cut with more mounting points. The ring mount knives are better if there's trash or possible rocks you may encounter because the knives can pivot forward and back as well as sideways if an obstacle is encountered. The cutting will be the same as the standard knives though because the spacing is the same. The standard knives use a clevis pin and cotter pin keeper but are longer. Basically the standard knives only pivot forwards and back but are essentially the same length as the ring mount knives on the rings. The cutting portion of the knives is the same.

 

[KenB2920]

Rough cut may not have been the best terminology to use. The cutter shaft is already designed as a fine cut with more mounting points. The ring mount knives are better if there's trash or possible rocks you may encounter because the knives can pivot forward and back as well as sideways if an obstacle is encountered. The cutting will be the same as the standard knives though because the spacing is the same. The standard knives use a clevis pin and cotter pin keeper but are longer. Basically the standard knives only pivot forwards and back but are essentially the same length as the ring mount knives on the rings. The cutting portion of the knives is the same.

Ok, very well stated and that was original assumption ....

 

[KenB2920]

This should be the design your referring to. This would be a breeze and much easier than my bolt set up. The blades are also much more stout than mine. This is a model SH88

 

[KenB2920]

View attachment 441396

This should be the design your referring to. This would be a breeze and much easier than my bolt set up. The blades are also much more stout than mine. This is a model SH88

 

[Arc weld]

The SHD models in your picture show the course cut cutter shaft. They are also available with a fine cut cutter shaft that I believe has optional ring mounts that are similar to yours. The SHD has a 4 1/2" dia. cutter shaft. The standard knives for your flail with 2 3/8" cutter shaft are about 5" long and mount with a clevis pin and cotter pin keeper.