Can a B3030 handle a 60" flail mower

[toddler]

Has anyone used a 59" or 63" Caroni flail on a B3030, or know if it would handle one comfortably.

Thanks,
Todd

 

[ronjhall]

Flail mowers use less power than finish or rotary mowers. A b3030 should be able to handle up to 72" flail mower with no problems.

 

[toddler]

Hey Ron,

Are you saying a 72" flail mower cutting 2 foot tall grass, weeds, and other light brish, will use less power than a MMM would use cutting my finish lawn from say 4 inches to 3 inches?


Thanks,
Todd

 

[ronjhall]

Hey Ron,

Are you saying a 72" flail mower cutting 2 foot tall grass, weeds, and other light brish, will use less power than a MMM would use cutting my finish lawn from say 4 inches to 3 inches?


Thanks,
Todd

Cutting 2' grass with a flail mower is not a good application for this type of mower. The 2' grass will rap around the main shaft. I would consider a 60" rotary cutter to cut 2' grass.

 

[art]

We don't see to many flail mowers being used as the cost is a bit prohibitive when comparing to a rotary mower. Some flail mowers that are designed to cut larger grasses do use quite a bit of horsepower compared to the rotary but normally inch per inch of cut, the heft of the product being cut determines the horsepower and the cost of the machine.

 

[toddler]

That's interesting. After reading the threads here on the Caroni flail mowers and flail mowers versus rotary cutters, I had thought that with "fine" cut blades, and not "hammers", the flail would be a better choice to cut pastures into an extended lawn. The field currently gets hay'd periodically, so there aren't hidden dangers, it's just pretty rough and bumpy.

I used to use a woods rotary cutter, and it left wind rows. I'd rather spend an extra hour or two every few weeks to have the cuttings shredded, than to have 7 acres of extended lawn look like freshly cut hay field. Kicker here is that the extended lawn is actually going to have a small green at the far end from the house, to make a 200 yard Par 3 for my wife and dad. It will also have a bunch of fruit trees. (Why not, right).

If it wasn't so much open space, I'd just finish cut it more frequently, but I'm not going to beat myself up with a zero turn or such on 7 acres of rough pasture, and I don't think the MMM which I know we'll get for the 2-3 acres of finished lawn will do well on 2' grass.

Todd

 

[texbaylea]

I run a Caroni TM1900B (75") behind my L3130 with no problems. I have previously commented on the lighter load on engine compared with a rotary cutter. I have cut light and medium brush and tall grass. I have had the tall grass leaving some wrapping itself around the drum but it was soon beat off and did not stop the operation.

The flail stays on the tractor unless I specifically need another implement. The only shortcoming that I see is that the flail is not as much of a counter balance as a rotary cutter is. I have filled tires to help with this.


If you have significant slopes I would use the flail in the least offset position since I believe that the B3030 is narrower than the L3130. Other than that I would not hesitate to use the TM1900 behind the B3030.

Vernon

 

[PBinWA]

I use a 58" Befco Flail Mower (Finish Cut blades) with my 26HP Mahindra and it works fine. Obviously, thick wet stuff is harder to cut than short dry stuff.

 

[toddler]

Hi Vernon,

It sounds like the B3030 would have enough PTO HP. I guess it will come down to which size is more comfortable to use, a B or an L.

On your Caroni flail mower, is the blade rotation bottom forward, or bottom moving back?

Thanks,
Todd

 

[texbaylea]

Todd

I believe that it is bottom forward although I haven't checked it. The guards are on the tractor side which would indicate that that is the direction it throws the debris.

Vernon