Flail Mower Let's talk flail mowers

[hunt4570]

Yes, that will determine what is locked up. Make sure when you raised the skids the bolt isn't hitting the drum or debris cutter on the inside of the side panel. I don't have a caroni, but undo what you recently did. I bet it is there.

Yeah, the skid bolts don't get anywhere near anything, I checked..

I guess I'll try getting those belts off and go from there...

 

[JimCan]

Sorry, Hunt... I have not had that issue with my Caroni, but I have a question...

The rear roller has what I would call a 'scraper bar'. I could not figure if that was a help or hinderance. I took a clamp and secured it to the top underside and run without it; I cannot see a difference? Does it have a specific purpose?

BTW: after the 2 or 3rd season, my fallow pasture looks great. ...no more massive clumps or dead zones I got with a couple of rotary mowers I ran for years.

Jim

 

[hunt4570]

Sorry, Hunt... I have not had that issue with my Caroni, but I have a question...

The rear roller has what I would call a 'scraper bar'. I could not figure if that was a help or hinderance. I took a clamp and secured it to the top underside and run without it; I cannot see a difference? Does it have a specific purpose?

BTW: after the 2 or 3rd season, my fallow pasture looks great. ...no more massive clumps or dead zones I got with a couple of rotary mowers I ran for years.

Jim

I think that scraper is just to keep stuff from wrapping around that roller, I've never had a problem with it and it keeps my roller clean. Why don't you like it doing its job?

Yeah, I think this is my 4th season (maybe 5th) and I like the way it works. The thing I miss about a rotary mower is the ability to back up and cram it under a tree or something..

 

[hunt4570]

Ok, so I took the belts back off my Caroni and determined the rotor was the part locked up, the top (drive) pulleys turned fine. So I was envisioning the worst, tore up bearing and or race etc! Seemed awful quick to go that bad that fast but...

So I raised it way up and propped it up so I could crawl around under there and have a look. Talk about a fluke, or some sort of cosmic interference, But one set of knives on the very outside of the rotor flipped around and jammed against the outside of the housing and the flange that holds the rotor in and locked everything up!!!!! has anyone ever seen this happen before?

Boy oh boy, you talk about jammed tight!! So I got out a BFH and a couple chisels a couple prybars and I got after it. Try as I might I could not pry it loose! I was able to rotate the rotor around so I could get at it and started to loosen the bolt holding the knives. Well it was jammed so tight after getting the nut off I still couldn't get the bolt to move! Well banging and prying and messing with it finally it just almost magically all fell loose!
So I put the belts back on buttoned everything up and took it for a spin. Everything seems to work fine, it sounds a bit different but I'm just blaming that on those 3 shiney new belts..

 

[Lnk]

Good work, now stop messing around and get mowing. Let us know how she does, with them skid held high.

 

[Xfaxman]

Well rats!! What have I done now??

So I went mowing a little bit and it seemed like it had a new squeal so I came back and readjusted the belts a little looser. When I started it back up and engaged the PTO it made a big racket so I quick shut it down. New belts look fine, I disconnected the PTO shaft and it seems to be locked up, tried turning over with the belt pully by hand and it wont budge!
I'm pretty religious about greasing it all the time, and the gearbox is up to the line...

Whatcha think , and where do I go first?

I'm thinking taking the belts off and that should narrow it down to the rotor or the drive, yes?

Ok, so I took the belts back off my Caroni and determined the rotor was the part locked up, the top (drive) pulleys turned fine. So I was envisioning the worst, tore up bearing and or race etc! Seemed awful quick to go that bad that fast but...

So I raised it way up and propped it up so I could crawl around under there and have a look. Talk about a fluke, or some sort of cosmic interference, But one set of knives on the very outside of the rotor flipped around and jammed against the outside of the housing and the flange that holds the rotor in and locked everything up!!!!! has anyone ever seen this happen before?

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Never seen or heard of this before. Don't think loosening the belts would cause it.

I would put a light weight nylon or aluminum washer on the bolt so the knives can't flip up there again.

 

[hunt4570]

Good work, now stop messing around and get mowing. Let us know how she does, with them skid held high.

I did , I mowed for an hour or so after... mower worked fine and I saw NO evidence of skid marks around! And I only raised them one inch!

 

[hunt4570]

Never seen or heard of this before. Don't think loosening the belts would cause it.

I would put a light weight nylon or aluminum washer on the bolt so the knives can't flip up there again.

Yeah, I don't think the belts had anything to do with this development just coincidence in timing. I've been running this thing for 4 years and never had this happen before, just a freak occurrence I believe, just weird!

 

[John0829]

Finally got to see if sharpening the slicers helped the 918H and I am sad to report it made no difference at all. I went though all 96 slicers and turned the best side toward the direction of cut and sharp enough to shave with. If I make two cuts, one going each direction it will cleanup the tire track but what good is a mower you have to cut the same patch of grass twice to get it to look right. Here are a few pics showing what it is doing, grass was cut one week ago, well 8 days because of rain and as can be seen not deep. Iwant to like this type of mower but right now the disappointment factor is nearing the end of the scale.

 

[Lnk]

Finally got to see if sharpening the slicers helped the 918H and I am sad to report it made no difference at all. I went though all 96 slicers and turned the best side toward the direction of cut and sharp enough to shave with. If I make two cuts, one going each direction it will cleanup the tire track but what good is a mower you have to cut the same patch of grass twice to get it to look right. Here are a few pics showing what it is doing, grass was cut one week ago, well 8 days because of rain and as can be seen not deep. Iwant to like this type of mower but right now the disappointment factor is nearing the end of the scale.

Since lawn is what you are cutting, you probably should get scoop knives. Side slicer are decent enough for both rough and grass, but not great at either. They also don't move much air. Scoop knives have a flat face, and cause a lot more turbulence under the mower, which helps to stand the grass up to be cut. What time of day did you mow? Looks like a nice flat piece of land. Must not be near me.