Anybody with a Bestco Flail Mower Unhappy with anything at all??

[Rebeldad1]

Yes on all the above.
Hopefully someone who actually owns one will reply. With all the posts about flail mowers and Bestco's name brought up in most....
Has someone actually bought one? They always seem to be out of stock.

 

[searcyfarms]

Thats great for reading reviews, but in finding out if a product is quality or not?

As I read your post, Searcy, I was like (for me): mowing short stuff or tall stuff? yes. Thick or thin? yes. is it wet? probably.

Don't get me wrong. I completely agree with you. But I think the OP is asking if anyone has used the Bestco equipment and are they happy with it. For me, I am looking for a flail mower too, but I am a bit gun shy about the price. This company makes something in my size for a decent price. If only they are quality? I plan on mowing all of the above. Everything from 2in thick pine saplings to the front lawn and everything in between during a rain storm. I want a tool to do it all. I know that's not possible, but I am looking for something close.

The question I have, and I am assuming the OP has too is: Can this tool do it without breaking down? And if it does break down, is the company easy to work with?

sorry for the confusion avenger, i was replying to the lack of hp rating on the hiniker - the info for the ratings on the 68" at betstco is well covered on their website and since you are wondering about the folks at betstco ( see my first post in this thread it covers your concerns regarding parts/customer service ) i just gave them a call and asked them about their EFGC brand of flail mowers - sarah answered the phone - they are the original designer and have patents on that flail mower - they started making them in 1994 so they are well tested and their best seller she said. She said they have all parts if needed and Jason is their service person if I need anything. I asked her about the 68" in particular and it has 4 belts that drive it, the smaller units have 2. It uses a shear pin also on the gearbox/pto driveline.

From my experience if i was looking for a flail mower and theirs was a good price I would not hesitate in any degree to purchase anything from them.

I hope that makes more sense than my dissertation on how to calculate required HP to mow. The 68 is 30hp min and 65hp rated gearbox, and only cat 1 in case you were wanting to put it on a bigger tractor.

if you are mowing trees im sure you will go through some shear bolts and belts quicker than mowing grass obviously.

 

[Ford850]

There's this recent thread discussing them. https://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachments/414251-bestco-vs-woodmaxx.html

Or search by Betstco and get more threads. https://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/search.php?searchid=5616557

 

[Avenger]

sorry for the confusion avenger,

No worries. I honestly didnt notice your first post. I mean, I read it, but didnt link the two.

 

[sodamo]

Maybe I qualify...
Had 3 over years. Likely had same issues as anyone else, whatever brand, belts from being too aggressive, bearings on roller due to rust/backing into things, basic operator error/abuse... good support from Betsco.

So why three?

Twisted first one when I caught skid on a root. Still mowed well. Sold it to a local guy who rehabbed equipment and he was pleased to get it, said he’d have no problem straightening and reselling.

2nd one provided another few years of service, major complaint was from wife in that I’d often leave a scar on our uneven terrain due to length (195). So when I sold my DX35 earlier this year, I included the flail. Buyer is a friend and extremely pleased using it on his 11 acres.

Replaced it with the FM155. It is a center mount, HD, but have the hydraulic side shift. Probably less than 20 hours so far, but a solid machine. Probably should have gotten 175 as I have since replaced the DX35 with LS XR4140 and would have been a better fit.

So, some might suggest I’ve wasted money on Chinese “junk” compared to some higher price name brand. So people have a bias that way. To my thinking I have an almost new mower, more than 10 years use, and still less $$ (net) spent.

 

[Avenger]

Probably should have gotten 175 as I have since replaced the DX35 with LS XR4140 and would have been a better fit.

Perfect! For me anyway. So you would recommend the 175?
68" Cut Heavy Duty Hydraulic Offset Flail Mower, FH-EFGCH175KITT | Betstco Sales, Parts, and Service:

I was also looking at the Woodmaxx
FM-78H Flail Mower | Flail Mower Attachment | Tractor Mower | PTO Mower | -WoodMaxx™

Similar mower, about a grand more, but has a rear door, belt tensioner, pto slip clutch, a choice on the blade type (though I'd probably use hammers), and if I bump up to the 88, I get rakes that help shred the material finer. Not sure if my tractor can run that one though (50hp min, I have 45).
FM-88H PTO Flail Mower (88")

Seems like the Woodmaxx has more going for it. But it is also more expensive. Do I need all the whiz-bang hoo-haws? The door will make replacing blades easier. The slip clutch is an absolute must (I hate sheer pins with a passion on an electric over hydraulic PTO). So I donno. I am still researching.

I do like the Bestco. But I think the Woodmaxx is winning my business. We will see.

 

[the old grind]

Subscribing because I just ordered a FH-EFG135. It's ~60" wide and promises a 53" cut. I included a 6-pack of spare hammers and the extra belt set recommended for first time users. Operation will be primarily behind NH T1520, rated 35hp/27.5hp PTO. O'all width matters more to me than cut width, as you might guess.

Yes, I expect to get good service from a 'Medium-Duty price leader'. I won't ever have a whole acre to mow with it, just clearing/widening the road around the water. I'm plagued by olive buckthorn that continuously sprout between the ones I grub and grapple. There won't be much 'woody' mat'l to go over, but I don't want to break stuff, esp my ZTR.

I hope I can add to the thread in a week or two, and I'll watch for similar or linked threads to see how it handles my 'messes'. Some years I get mostly Timothy, had forest of white sweet clover grow 6' tall two Summers out of 18 here. t o g

 

[Freep]

Great question, OP - I think this is an important thread to develop here at TBN. While you're asking about flail mowers and one particular company, I suspect info collected herein may be more generally useful. I am looking at flail mowers, chippers, and possibly other implements as a relatively new tractor owner. I would love to buy the highest quality implements that money can buy, but I don't have that much money.

As noted above, there is a lot of anti-Chinese ("junk!") sentiment here on the forum. I completely understand this sentiment, as many Chinese manufacturers have copied designs of implements from other companies, which is obviously ethically objectionable, and because some of what comes out of China is pretty crappy. But there is also well made stuff coming out of China. I would like to see some differentiation in terms of specific companies or brands of products that are worth considering and others that should be avoided. We used to have a member here (un: Jack Yuan) who provided a lot of insight into the whole situation, but some users were very rude to him and he may have finally tired of the abuse. We know that Woodland Mills and Woodmaxx have most of their products made in China, but as Canadian and US companies they seem to get the benefit of the doubt, and from all reports make fairly solid machines. What other made-in-China machines are worth considering? Can we take advantage of their need to develop their brand by selling cheap? I sure would like to do so.

Here's a question: Is Farmer's Helper as Betstco brand? Searcy, above, noted that the EFGC flail mower is a Betstco patented design, but I've seen that model number sold all over the place. Have others copied their design, or do they sell through other companies? Also... it seems that Betstco sells many products that it does not have an active hand in producing. Does anyone know how to differentiate?

 

[searcyfarms]

i know when i talked to sarah she said when they got their patents they had to contact other folks that were making mowers like theirs and inform them to stop, i am sure they probably had to engage someone to do that for them.

I do not know about other brands they sell/distribute but i wouldnt be surprised if due to their overseas contacts they may have their flails built by one of them over there across the ocean to their specs for their product - I do know when i purchased my tiller they were waiting for it to make it through customs as they had sold out but it was here in the states just had not made it to their shop. I paid flat rate freight shipping on the tiller and all i had to do was put in oil and bolt on the 3 point mounting assembly. the rest was fully assembled and yes it did come from china likely. I have no clue who built it but i will say it had a name brand bearing in it - i cant remember if it was a timken or fafnir or peer - it was one of those, i had to remove them when changing the differential gears in the gear box and i was surprised to see them.

 

[darmstrong2319]

I think Jack Yuan was very informative about flails and other attachments coming out of China. Some good some not so good and some bad. My experience as far as reading. I owned a 4ft offset ditch bank cutter bought from betsco and had no problems with it. I used it on a 2615 Mahindra. I had what they called the hammer blades on it if I remember correctly but it worked as described. I sold it because I went to a bigger tractor. My only issue with it was it didn’t reach out far enough. I sometimes wish for another one but don’t have enough use to justify buying one. This was several years ago and a lot can change but at the time I got what I paid for and was satisfied.