Flail Mower Let's talk flail mowers

[Ford850]

Or, the weak link might literally be weak links. What condition are the blades and the hardware holding them on?

 

[thoner7]

Or, the weak link might literally be weak links. What condition are the blades and the hardware holding them on?

They are either near new or in good shape.

 

[jthibodeau89]

Dropbox - flails - Simplify your life

Here are some pictures. I have the roller on the highest setting. You can't see the bubble on the belt guard but, it's set to be level.

The problem is my property is quite hilly with abrupt changes in grade, so I scalp the ground all the time, and there's no way to really avoid doing that. I included some pictures of that too.

You guys must be mowing football fields

I mow a TN hill farm (200' elevation change) with slopes and ditches that make me nervous, and have only lost 3 knives in 2 years. My wife used her JD25A as a Harley rake once , and lost 2 of the knives at that time. The JD 25A and JD390 use D-ring style hangers and i lost the blades with the D- ring intact. I bought the 25A used with many blades and d-rings missiing. Many of the d-rings had 1/3 of the link worn through. I replaced all of the d-rings and swapped the duck foot blades with side slicers. We mow upwards of 30 acres 5-6 times/ year. Don't know why you lost so many knives. Did you check condition of links and bolts before mowing?

 

[thoner7]

The only thing I can think of as to the cause of this is that the three point hitch is sinking on you while you are mowing.

Do you lock the hydraulic valve or draft control stop on the draft control to hold the lower links in position?

If you do lock the draft control in place and it is doing this the hydraulic system in the transmission is leaking off.

I leave the draft control position at the max. I never use it.

Position control I drop down low and let the mower roll on the ground.

I don't believe I have a hydraulic lock? Or a way to lock the draft control?

Are you saying I should set my position control so that the mower is just slightly elevated off the ground? So that if I were to drive down hill, the mower would lift off the ground? That could help some of my scalping problems....

 

[leonz]

If you raise the flail mower above the ground you will reduce the efficiency of the mower to cut your grass and lift the clippings up and over the flail mower rotor.
The position control should be set so the rear roller touches the ground and then stop and lock it.

is there a black knob in front of the seat?? that is the lock valve/needle valve.

 

[thoner7]

If you raise the flail mower above the ground you will reduce the efficiency of the mower to cut your grass and lift the clippings up and over the flail mower rotor.
The position control should be set so the rear roller touches the ground and then stop and lock it.

is there a black knob in front of the seat?? that is the lock valve/needle valve.

I believe there's a knob like that which controls the speed at which the 3 point lifts and lowers. I will have to double check and see if there's a 'lock' position.

Would the lock prevent it from both lifting and lowering or just lowering??

 

[ericm979]

It controls the rate of lowering. Turn it in all the way and the 3pt won't lower. But unless you have noticed that the mower gets lower and lower as you work, it is probably not the problem.

 

[Ricn]

So maybe this is wrong but....I lower the 3 point all the way so roller in on the ground. I don't lock the black knob in front of the seat at all but just set it so my implements drop slowly. Once the roller is on the ground, I lift the front of the mower using the top link cylinder until the skid fronts are about an inch or so up off the ground. In this manner I mow flat, hilly, ditches where possible and everything needing mowing and the mower just floats along over hill over dale. The grass looks very good afterwards, even the tallest Reed Canary grass I cut often.

 

[Skagit]

So maybe this is wrong but....I lower the 3 point all the way so roller in on the ground. I don't lock the black knob in front of the seat at all but just set it so my implements drop slowly. Once the roller is on the ground, I lift the front of the mower using the top link cylinder until the skid fronts are about an inch or so up off the ground. In this manner I mow flat, hilly, ditches where possible and everything needing mowing and the mower just floats along over hill over dale. The grass looks very good afterwards, even the tallest Reed Canary grass I cut often.

That is the correct way, it needs to be able to float and follow the ground. Anyone who says otherwise is probably used to mowing their lawn or and/or flat smooth fields.

 

[Ricn]

Thanks there Skagit, nice to know I got it set right. I think Leonz helped me with this a few years ago and have done it this way ever since. I have a Woodmaxx mower with side slicers and no blade issues at all so far. Having cut hay using horizontal blade units for years this is my first go with a flail, very nice mower that really cuts fine and finer.