Flail Mower Let's talk flail mowers

[dturco]

Hello all I have just purchased a Kubota Grand L3560-LE cab tractor. The L3560 is still in the shipping crate at the dealer waiting to be assembled. My Location is Eastern Shore Maryland.

I have been reading this site for the last three months to help determine the L3560 tractor as the size that would work for my uses. I have had a John Deere 790 gear transmission, which quickly was traded for a John Deere 3320 hydro unit 8 months later. I do not have either tractor currently sold them off during the great downturn back in 08. I used the 3320 to keep the growth down after a Takeuchi t-130 Track loader had been through with a brush hog to do the initial clearing. I have tried to hire out the first cut, but no one is willing to go into the woods as it is in a low lying area and everyone in town knows it is not a matter of if you will get stuck, but how many times, will you be stuck…and how bad will one be stuck.

It’s true you will get stuck. I hogged it many times. I only got stuck twice, used a com-along to get unstuck, because there’s no getting a tow truck to you and no one else near me has a tractor to help out.

My usage will be maintaining 11 acres of woods that was last bushhogged 12 years ago, 3 acres woods that was bushogged 12 years ago and my new home site of six acres that has not seen a tractor in over 30 years also wooded at the current time. I will also be maintaining the ditches that are around the 13 acres, both sides of the ditches, filled with water year round…nearly a miles worth when added together and my current cleared 1 acre around my home..

Which bring us to why the thread, I need a flail mower, using a rotary cutter was very hard to do between the trees, I managed to do it but it took way too long to do. Also I would like to have enough side overhang so I can mow the ditches, which have near zero banks, they are level with the ground, and the ground is soft-ish. I do not want a boom set up.

The Land pride Flail from Kubota is far too expensive. My budget is three thousand-ish.

I want a new mower; not used. I have narrowed down the players to be Bestco, Woodmax, Del morino (learned that was what land-pride painted, I mean imported, for their previous models here on this site.)
I want to do the first cut in all areas with this flail mower and then maintain all the acreage as well for the next five years when I will be selling all but the six acres for my new home. After that who knows. So I am looking for the best bang for the buck flail mower for my usage. Thoughts and recommendations appreciated within the constraints of budget and tractor.

 

[aczlan]

Yep, I understand that part, use the slot or just the hole?

It doesn't matter.
If you use a slot lengthen the top link so that the toplink pin is pushing against the back of the slot.

Aaron Z

 

[sodamo]

I’m thinking get Heavy duty with hammers from Betstco, same width as tractor, but with hydraulic offset.

 

[hunt4570]

Hello hunt4570,

to maintain better control and cutting height for your flail mower you need to use the single mounting hole on the three point hitch.

Thanks..

So then whats the purpose of the slot?

 

[Xfaxman]

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Anyhow. I have 4 rows 8 blade stations each. Not spiral arrangement obviously. --------------------

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Mine is a single spiral. The hangers are evenly spaced in the row:

Yours is a double spiral arrangement. Two hangers closer in the row, in a double spiral around the drum:

 

[ericm979]

I would like to have enough side overhang so I can mow the ditches

Sounds like what you want is a ditch bank mower. See betstco's site for example.

 

[Lnk]

Thanks..

So then whats the purpose of the slot?

I would think for more level terrain, like a large flat yard. But even then I would just use the hole. Good question. Maybe leonz would like to offer an explanation...

 

[dturco]

Sodamo Thank you for the response, tractor is 60'wide I was contemplating using 68" or 72" hydraulic shift so I could keep the Tires further away from the ditches. I am mildly concerned abut HP but not too much I think the tractor can turn the larger implements with out much trouble.

Ericm979 Thank you for your response. I thought about the ditch bank mowers but have ruled them out as too specialized for the remaining mowing chores on all of the lots.

 

[sodamo]

Sodamo Thank you for the response, tractor is 60'wide I was contemplating using 68" or 72" hydraulic shift so I could keep the Tires further away from the ditches. I am mildly concerned abut HP but not too much I think the tractor can turn the larger implements with out much trouble.

Ericm979 Thank you for your response. I thought about the ditch bank mowers but have ruled them out as too specialized for the remaining mowing chores on all of the lots.

What concerns do you have in the treed area? Choices are center mount or offset. I believe my 195 was offset 14 inches. What that means is total width is greater than tractor. Hydraulic shift will increase that offset as needed. With a center mount, less concern getting thru tight places, but still get hydraulic offset as needed.
Betstco lists HP requirements, Likely you are OK. In my own case, I down graded to the 155 length as I was gouging too much on our very uneven terrain.

 

[dturco]

What concerns do you have in the treed area? Choices are center mount or offset. I believe my 195 was offset 14 inches. What that means is total width is greater than tractor. Hydraulic shift will increase that offset as needed. With a center mount, less concern getting thru tight places, but still get hydraulic offset as needed.
Betstco lists HP requirements, Likely you are OK. In my own case, I down graded to the 155 length as I was gouging too much on our very uneven terrain.

I do not have many concerns for the woods. From memory it was just a pain to navigate with the machine and cutter. I keep the FEL on to help with extraction if I start to churn mud. I was not aware the offset models could be further shifted with hydraulics. That may give me 2 ft of side overhang, which might work.