Woodmaxx FM54 Flail mower review

[doneill127]

My new Woodmaxx FM 54 mower was delivered last week and after setting it up and putting in a couple hours cutting the lawn and some brush I thought I'd share what I've learned. Let me start by saying that I did a lot of research including reading the very long Flail Mower thread and couldn't really find what I needed to make a clear decision on whether the mower would meet my needs based on conflicting information and little experience on smaller low hp tractors. I have a Mahindra Max 22 that has a little over 16pto hp. below the rating for this mower. It has a 3pt lift capacity of 1300 lbs. It came with a 60"MMM that does a good job on the 1 acre lawn, I have another 6 acres of woodlands and overgrown brush.

The FM54 was in stock and it was delivered about 3 weeks after I placed the order. I opted for the lift gate service. It was very well packed in an all metal frame and shrink wrapped.


After unloading the mower I noticed that there were a few things that weren't what I thought I ordered. As it turns out, the pictures on the Woodmaxx website and the written description appear to be for 2 different versions of the same mower. So if your considering one pay attention.

1. The biggest issue is the the weight. The website lists it at 410 lbs. The nameplate on the mower says it's 590 lbs, the bill of lading showed 690 lbs, so I believe 590 lbs is accurate. Thats a big difference. I personally don't have an issue in fact I think heavier is good and the tractor can handle it.
2. There is no hinged rear panel. it's solid with a rubber debris shield over the roller.
3. No automatic belt tensioner like the picture. It's manual. I'm ok with that too.
4. The pictures show 3 rear roller locations, it only has 2. I'm ok with that too and will explain in the set up.

Overall I'd have to say the thing is built like a tank and the quality , fit and finish are very good, even the welds look nice. However couple of minor issues during set up and shake down.
1. The gearbox ships empty and you need to add oil. The instructions show you how with pictures of the fill, drain, and oil level plugs. However, there's no drain and oil level plugs only a fill. A call to Woodmaxx and they confirmed the arrangement and gave me the quantity of oil to add.
2 Check the bolts. I was having some pto shaft noise clanging whenever I raised the mower off the ground even a little bit. Couldn't figure it out. Turns out the bolts mounting the top link bracket to the mower were all loose so the drive line angle got a little steep when I went to raise it. Also found a few other bolts loose.
3.The Pot/gearbox shield is impossible to put back on once the shaft is mounted. I had to cut one side of the shield to be able to get it back on. So now you slide one side over the bolt and then insert the second bolt. Still a pia but it works.


After playing round I ended up with the skids set at upper holes (lowest setting) to prevent gouging on uneven ground and making turns. I set the rear roller in the lowest hole (highest cut) and measured the following heights versus top link adjustment measured by level on the mower.
0 degree = 2 1/2" cut
10 degree = 3 1/4" cut
15 degree = 4 1/2"cut

As far as performance. most of the forums said that with the 16 pto hp the biggest I could run would be 48". Didn't want to hear that because didn't really want to go from 60" to 48" as I was hoping to use the mower for both the lawn and brush. While I really like the MMM and it's relatively easy to put it on and off, it's still a pain to take the FEL off, crawl under blah blah blah. One of the goals of the flail was to be able to leave the loader on, back up with the QH hitch and get it done ! So the Woodmaxx 54 seemed like the perfect size for the Mahindra Max 22 with an outside turf tire dimension of 52". On the left the mower is about center tread and extends about 6-8 " on the right side due to the offset.


Mowed the lawn with it no problem with power Grass was way longer than usual about 8". I have to say it does OK on the grass. Does not mulch it to a fine consistency but it's acceptable to me. It痴 clearly not as good as a finish mower but due to the y blade configuration I wouldn't expect it to be. I may end up keeping the MMM and using it every other or third mowing.


Using it for rough cutting I'd have to say the thing is awesome. The 16 hp has been more than enough not even the slightest drop in rpms. I do have to get used to the sound of hitting rocks and stump though.

Overall very happy

 

[Billrog]

Glad you like it I bought one last September to replace my old one but haven't tried it out yet.

 

[MAD777]

So, have they done away with the hinged access door? I regarded that as a key selling point for easy maintenance.

 

[doneill127]

Mine does not have it. I can access the rotor and blades from above by lifting or removing the rubber cover. Not as easy or convenient. The pictures on the website clearly picture two different designs/models. I’d contact Woodmaxx to see if it’s possible to pick which one you get.

 

[diesel85]

That's interesting! I bought the FM-62 last year and it came filled and lubed. I ordered it with Y blades too. FTW, I run it on a BX2200 and no issues lifting it/turning it.
I use it to mow my lawn and it does a great job at it. I like the striping pattern it gives the grass.

I actually alternate between the flail and the MMM to mix it up. The grass seems to like it too, because when I alternate, I always get a nice evenly cut lawn without clumps.

 

[bkrgi]

My 62 came lubed (supposedly) but not filled. The RT58 tiller came filled and lubed. So pay attention to the attached tags regarding gear boxes.
The flail will never cut as nice as a finish mower but a finish mower will never cut overgrown grass as well as a flail(in one pass)
It is all a compromise between finish, flail, bush hogs. No one unit is perfect but sure is nice having a couple of tools in your tool box.
I'm sure you will enjoy what the flail brings to the table long term.:thumbsup:

 

[leonz]

If you purchase a finish cut flail mower with 4 rows of side slicer knives it will mow better and you will have a better grass sod as the clippings will dissolve back into the sod and not cause dead grass from matting as long as you recut any grass clippings that are too long.

 

[AGTtactical]

If you purchase a finish cut flail mower with 4 rows of side slicer knives it will mow better and you will have a better grass sod as the clippings will dissolve back into the sod and not cause dead grass from matting as long as you recut any grass clippings that are too long.

What finish cut flail mowers do you mean?

 

[AGTtactical]

Thanks for the great review Doneill. Have you tried Woodmax duck foot blades yet...I think you might get a smoother cut.

 

[doneill127]

I have not tried them. I also think they would provide a smoother cut on . Also contrary to most of what I’ve read I don’t believe the y blades create any suction or vacuum effect. Just don’t see how it can happen. I do think the duck foot or similarly blades might. I’m happy with the Y blades. Right or wrong my belief is the Y blades has more cutting edge then the duck foot anid it’s in a vertical and horizontal plane so it more efficient in tall grass weeds and light brush. I think the forged/cast blades will give a better cut on a lawn or in heavier woody type brush saplings etc. No facts just opinion

 

[AGTtactical]

I have not tried them. I also think they would provide a smoother cut on . Also contrary to most of what I’ve read I don’t believe the y blades create any suction or vacuum effect. Just don’t see how it can happen. I do think the duck foot or similarly blades might.

I think that's true as well...despite the claims of our resident flail snob, the duck feet and hammers are the ones that produce the most suction. This makes sense given their shape and large surface area, which allows them to move a lot of air and thus create a pressure gradient. Landpride even makes this statement about their FM25 series: "High knife tip speed Knife tip speed 12,046 fpm provides a clean cut, creates a vacuum effect when using hammer or ducksfoot blades, and slices through saplings with great force when using heavy-duty Y blades."View attachment 602223 Their hammers look a lot like a larger, heavier versions of their duck foot blade from the photos...
"

 

[leonz]

What finish cut flail mowers do you mean?

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When I refer to a finish cut flail mower I am referring to a flail mower with three or four sets of side slicers with three or four rows of side slicer knives mounted in closely spaced mounting stations on each row.

The side slicers are what many of the members of the forum refer to as Y blades; which are side slicers knives mounted in pairs with the cutting edges opposite each other; the left cutting edge is at the nine O'clock position and the right cutting edge is at the three O'clock position and this is the same for all flail mowers with 2, 3 or 4 rows of mounting stations.

The smaller Orchard and Vineyard shredders that are towed or mounted on the three point hitch or the three point hitch mounted boom mounted flail shredders that use the cast flail hammers for mowing grass and breaking up pruning's and small limbs will either have a mounting stations with linear rows with mounting stations that are slightly offset or mounting stations that are welded to the flail mower rotor in a spiral overlapping pattern.

The side slicer knives create a greater negative pressure gradient as they have a greater total surface area and cutting edge length creating diagonal air foils that aid in creating the negative pressure gradient to aid in lifting the grass or brush up to clip it and lift it up and over the flail mower rotor.

The finish flail mower rotor with three or four rows of side slice knives has a greater ability to lift and recut the clippings as the combined width of the cutting edges of all the side slicer knives create the negative pressure gradient needed to lift the clipping up once more and continue to shred them into smaller clippings.

I only want everyone that owns a flail mower or flail shredder to succeed.

 

[AGTtactical]

I meant what brand & model finish cut flail mowers are recommending that meet your criteria...

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The side slicer knives create a greater negative pressure gradient as they have a greater total surface area and cutting edge length creating diagonal air foils that aid in creating the negative pressure gradient to aid in lifting the grass or brush up to clip it and lift it up and over the flail mower rotor.

What is your source for this claim, as what you are saying doesn't make any aerodynamic sense. I was an aerospace engineer in college, which is generally not too useful on the farm, but I can tell you that the vertical orientation of Y blades means they have almost zero relative angle of attack in the direction they swing through. They also have ZERO airfoil shape...they are flat pieces of steel. The sharpened edges on each Y blade have zero net effect, as they face opposite directions. Y blades also do NOT have a greater surface area as you claim...what matters is the surface area in the direction of travel...hammers and duckfeet clearly have far more surface area, and they therefore move more air. More air movement means a greater pressure gradient. Most of the people here are pretty smart guys (smarter than me)...and I think they'll all agree that this makes sense. We all know you have Y blades on your own 48" flail...perhaps your flail snobbery (your words) is getting in the way of facts just a little.

And while I'm at it, what is the reason that all your posts have big spaces and dashed lines at the beginning? Do you think your posts are deserve more attention than everyone else's? I can't think of any other explanation for them.