Flail Cutter Blade Transplant Successful, Patient Mowing Fine

[ncridgerunner1]

Flailmaster said some people were substituting Mott type flail blades for Ford type blades due to cost. The Ford blades that fit the 917L are nearly $5 each while the Mott are $.65. ($400 compared to $52)

The Mott blades have a more narrow cutting width and smaller hole for the attachment bolt but are the same length. Flailmaster claims the attachment hole is 3/8 inch when in actuality it is smaller and my existing 3/8 attachment bolts would not fit. My options were to enlarge the attachment hole or buy new bolts. I opted for new bolts from Fastenal.

Upon completion of the blade installation I tried the flail in my field which only had grass about 5 inches high. The mower had no problem with this task and left a neat lawn-like appearance. It will probably be next spring before it sees any real tall grass but so far the "transplant" recipient is preforming well and saving big bucks is always great.

 

[ChristianHF]

Made the same swap myself, the Mott blades also require lest HP to run. You will be amazed in the tall grass compared to the Ford style flail.

 

[leonz]

Flailmaster said some people were substituting Mott type flail blades for Ford type blades due to cost. The Ford blades that fit the 917L are nearly $5 each while the Mott are $.65. ($400 compared to $52)

The Mott blades have a more narrow cutting width and smaller hole for the attachment bolt but are the same length. Flailmaster claims the attachment hole is 3/8 inch when in actuality it is smaller and my existing 3/8 attachment bolts would not fit. My options were to enlarge the attachment hole or buy new bolts. I opted for new bolts from Fastenal.

Upon completion of the blade installation I tried the flail in my field which only had grass about 5 inches high. The mower had no problem with this task and left a neat lawn-like appearance. It will probably be next spring before it sees any real tall grass but so far the "transplant" recipient is preforming well and saving big bucks is always great.

Made the same swap myself, the Mott blades also require lest HP to run. You will be amazed in the tall grass compared to the Ford style flail.

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I love it when a plan comes together.

Happy mowing

 

[dieselscout80]

Flailmaster said some people were substituting Mott type flail blades for Ford type blades due to cost. The Ford blades that fit the 917L are nearly $5 each while the Mott are $.65. ($400 compared to $52)

The Mott blades have a more narrow cutting width and smaller hole for the attachment bolt but are the same length. Flailmaster claims the attachment hole is 3/8 inch when in actuality it is smaller and my existing 3/8 attachment bolts would not fit. My options were to enlarge the attachment hole or buy new bolts. I opted for new bolts from Fastenal.

Upon completion of the blade installation I tried the flail in my field which only had grass about 5 inches high. The mower had no problem with this task and left a neat lawn-like appearance. It will probably be next spring before it sees any real tall grass but so far the "transplant" recipient is preforming well and saving big bucks is always great.

Can you post a picture of both the old Ford blades and the new Mott blades?

 

[ncridgerunner1]

The blades on the top are the originals.

 

[Halftrack]

In the past, I have shredded leaves with a 3 pt, 5 ft, side discharge finish mower with the discharge blocked. After multiple passes, I have shredded the leaves to a fine much, hence NO RAKING!!!!, but it is **** on the mower. I have been considering a 918L, in hopes that it would take less time than the rotary. Would either of you have any experience with shredding leaves with the 918L and care to comment. Thanks in advance.

 

[ncridgerunner1]

In the past, I have shredded leaves with a 3 pt, 5 ft, side discharge finish mower with the discharge blocked. After multiple passes, I have shredded the leaves to a fine much, hence NO RAKING!!!!, but it is **** on the mower. I have been considering a 918L, in hopes that it would take less time than the rotary. Would either of you have any experience with shredding leaves with the 918L and care to comment. Thanks in advance.

Was curious as well about what the flail would do with leaves and ran mine around the edge of the lawn. The leaves were shredded pretty good in one pass (quarter-size and smaller) but I am not sure how small you would need them. Being surrounded by woods and with the poor soil in Western North Carolina, letting the leaves remain on the lawn would require the application of a great deal of lime and not be an option. Last fall I spent countless hours and more than 18 gallons of fuel to blow leaves out of my lawn so this spring I found a used leaf vacuum that I was able to restore and retrofit to an old mower. Sure beats the hours with the leaf blower.

 

[POC]

Flailmaster said some people were substituting Mott type flail blades for Ford type blades due to cost. The Ford blades that fit the 917L are nearly $5 each while the Mott are $.65. ($400 compared to $52)

The Mott blades have a more narrow cutting width and smaller hole for the attachment bolt but are the same length. Flailmaster claims the attachment hole is 3/8 inch when in actuality it is smaller and my existing 3/8 attachment bolts would not fit. My options were to enlarge the attachment hole or buy new bolts. I opted for new bolts from Fastenal.

Upon completion of the blade installation I tried the flail in my field which only had grass about 5 inches high. The mower had no problem with this task and left a neat lawn-like appearance. It will probably be next spring before it sees any real tall grass but so far the "transplant" recipient is preforming well and saving big bucks is always great.

Made the same swap myself, the Mott blades also require lest HP to run. You will be amazed in the tall grass compared to the Ford style flail.

Were these the MH-386 blades?
Thanks
Patrick

 

[3 Horse Ranch]

In answer to your question, I purchased 100 #MH-386000000312 blades from Flail master not having read this thread until just now. Installed them on a 60" 917L and started using it just last week. It seems to cut just fine. I was cutting some 8-12" tall grass today with my 27hp Ford and chewed right through it. The engine loaded up a few times and dropped a couple hundred rpm through the toughest part, but I am very happy with the purchase. By the time I paid shipping to Washington State, I was out $100 but the alternative was Messicks something like $4.75 each then but now are $9.38 each. You will have to either enlarge the hole or buy 5/16 bolts. I used a caliper and measured the hole and it was .357 not the .375 the listing states. Even if Messicks had them in quantity I couldn't beat $130 for and entire set of knives plus the mounting hardware.

 

[POC]

Thanks so much Frank.