Flail Mower Let's talk flail mowers

[leonz]

So the chain mounts were manufactured at one time? Going back to what I see when looking under the machine I'm thinking chain is the way to go as far as reliability. I imagine whoever broke nearly every hanger on it was probably doing things they shouldn't have but at the same time the chains held up to that abuse. I intend to not hit anything with it when I get it going but my property is loaded with rocks, stumps, limbs and even some old junk iron that I find every now and then so I can not guarantee I wont.

It's not really a money thing even though John Deere is ridiculous on their parts. I'm just looking at what is the best. In my line of work we lift sometimes up to 1 million pounds very high in the air over very critical equipment. We know that when looking over loads that any bolting is very suspect. We don't worry much about welds other than testing for cracks before lifting. Without a doubt bolts are always the weakest link. Even dropping down to lower weights and using hand rigging such as a 10 ton chainfall it is not the chain we worry about when the chainfall is getting maxed out.

When you say that using any welded part on the Knife hangers is not advised what is that reasoning? Please don't think I'm trying to argue with you on this as that is not the case at all I'm just trying to understand it all and get my mower going. I can't wait to see just what it can do.

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It is a case of worrying about impact damage liability in my opinion. The JD Flail Crop Shredders now only have side slicers mounted on D rings on the crop shredder or flail mower.

Its obvious that this mower was used and abused and removing the chain mounts reduces the potential for any damage by the chain mounted flail knives.

So much of this involves a basic worry about making a missile out of any object that creates impact damage or is hit and thrown. As long as you replace every mount with new hangers, bolts and knives you will be fine.

 

[leonz]

So here is a hypothetical for the smart guys that know gearsulleys : math etc

If it were possible to put a smaller pulley (if you could find one to fit etc) , then do the math at what that revolution would be to make it 540 when lowering your RPMs on the machine, would that be possible ? Of course fitting shorter belt too

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Hello Ken,

It would be possible but counterproductive as the flail knives work best at 2,200 RPM+-

The tractor PTO would be the only part of the system operating at 540 rpm.

The gearbox would be operating at a one to one ratio +-, then the cross shaft would
be operating at a speed faster than 540 RPM.

Then the small V belt pulley on the cross shaft is operating at X plus speed which is
being transmitted to the larger pulley which is rotating at X speed and the
Flail Mower Rotor is operating at 2,200 RPM +- at the flail knive tip.

 

[cerestes]

At the end of last year I picked up a 6' flail mower.


Ran it for a pasture clear or two, but the tractor needed the pto shaft replaced so it didn't see much use. Finally got the tractor repaired, and now I want to get the flail in good working order.

While I had the tractor apart, I figured I would replace the oil in the flail's gear box. The oil that came out was >REALLY< thick. Like ten minutes to slowly drain thick. I replaced it with 80-90 gear oil and went in for the night.
Came out to the garage in the morning to a puddle of oil on the floor. Looks to be leaking out from around the input shaft in the tractor side of the gear box. Oddly, it doesn't seem to have leaked at all in the 8 months sitting in the barn.
Long term, I imagine seals need replacing. Short term, would there be issues reverting to how I got it? Fill it with a much thicker oil?

Next, it needed a bunch of missing or broken knives replaced, and those that were still there were pretty beat up. Decided to replace all of them, but the order hasn't arrive yet. I pulled the old off last night.
A section of 4-5 knife stations must have hit something really bad. Maybe 3 stations bent, one missing entirely. For the three beat up stations, I haven't been able to remove the bolts. The retaining clips that hold the d-rings in are so bent that I can't get a wrench seated on either the bolt or the nut. Any suggestions there?

 

[Ozarks Landowner]

So now to try and figure out what needs to go on it as far as hangers and knives go. I don't think I'm going to be able to figure out what model it is and not sure if it really matters as long as I get the right connection to the drum and the length right. From the center hole on the drum connection to the shroud is 10''. How close to the shroud should the blades run?

Although the blades took quite the abuse surprisingly every bearing seems to be in good shape. There are a few cracks here and there that someone tried to fix that I will have to repair on the shroud.

 

[Zerker]

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Hello Zerker,

I want to welcome you as the newest member of the Flail Mower Nation.

Hello and thanks!

I spent most of the day tilling up a field as I want to change the oil in the gearbox first before i use it. I greased up all the bearings and PTO shaft, but i'm wondering what is the correct oil to put in there? I dont have a manual for it, is there one available online at all?

 

[IslandTractor]

Hello and thanks!

I spent most of the day tilling up a field as I want to change the oil in the gearbox first before i use it. I greased up all the bearings and PTO shaft, but i'm wondering what is the correct oil to put in there? I dont have a manual for it, is there one available online at all?

90 weight is typical. Probably just about anything will work including axle grease.

 

[KenB2920]

Picked up a new to me New Holland 918H today. I've got several hours of use with TSOs so when I saw this one I had to pick it up. I plan to get some new belts for it and clean it up. Over the winter some new paint etc.





The bad part is it is missing the rear roller. The good news is I tried several passed and it cut fine as it slid in the shoes.

I won't be purchasing a new roller at this point unless I find a deal on one.

 

[KenB2920]

With purchasing my new to me flail, I'll be selling one of my other flails. Although I like the Mott better than my ford 907, I will sell it.

The simple reasons are as such: 1: the knives are more time consume than the ford to change.

2: the rear has some Rusted thought spots (or small hole.

3: could use a new roller bearing on the rear drum

It still cuts fantastic and if it were just for my house Id keep it. If it were for extended use etc, I'd repair the back with some new metal and out a new bearing in it.

I'll list it for 450 on Craigslist but $350 for anyone here on TBN



This is after I painted it and you can see the rear hole.

 

[leonz]

So now to try and figure out what needs to go on it as far as hangers and knives go. I don't think I'm going to be able to figure out what model it is and not sure if it really matters as long as I get the right connection to the drum and the length right. From the center hole on the drum connection to the shroud is 10''. How close to the shroud should the blades run?

Although the blades took quite the abuse surprisingly every bearing seems to be in good shape. There are a few cracks here and there that someone tried to fix that I will have to repair on the shroud.

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Hello Ozarks Landowner,

Yes it does matter, you have to have enough room to create the air current and pressure gradient to lift the shredded material up and over the Flail Mower Rotor with the side slicer knives as they rotate with the Flail Mower Rotor.

Take a picture/image of it to a John Deere dealer and they can identify it for and you and get a manual or a copy of a manual for you.

The D-ring is mounted to the "Flail Mower Rotor The knives that are mounted on the mounting station are the ones you want to purchase for replacement.

The orbit diameter of the knives includes the two sets of opposing knives, the two D rings and the rotor diameter
at the mounting station weldment edge.

The knife sets mounted on the flail mower rotor are the proper length knives.

The chain mounted knives are ment for between the irrigated or non irrigated ridge tilled row crops to shred weeds and vines from sugar beets, sugar cane, cotton and potato's etc., as I mentioned previously.

Its up to you if you want to leave the chain mounted side slicers on the Flail Mower Rotor BUT in doing that you will not be able to lower the Flail Crop Shredder to a 2 inch cutting height and the knive sets mounted on the Flail Mower rotor will not shred brush as well because they are not close to the ground to have some resistance to create the negative pressure gradient to help lift the shredded material up and over the Flail Mower Rotor.

 

[leonz]

As strong as that flail mowers shell looks I would think long and hard about investing in a new Flail Mower Rotor as the rotor as it looks now has had some serious impact damage and is probably out of balance and they cannot be re-balanced without welding on some new mounting stations.

If it were me I would invest in a new Flail Mower Rotor and new Flail Mower Rotor bearings because damage like that is not good.