Flail Mower Flail Mower Pipe Dream?

sjsmith8688 · Sep 24, 2019

I am looking at a used Alamo SHD74 Flail Mower that comes up for auction next week. The flail mower is functional, but will surely need attention.
I have a Mahindra 28Max XL HST: 28hp engine, 22hp PTO

I mow about 5 acres of gently sloped land which has been completely cleared after years of rotary mowing. I rarely mow anything over 12" high.

Can I run this flail mower, in these conditions, with this tractor?

lennyzx11 · Sep 24, 2019

I think so.
I run a Mott 72 finish flail behind a Kubota L3301 which has 31 net hp and 26 pto hp which is similar.
In real tall stuff or thick matted grass, I do have to slow down my ground speed but it cuts it.
I have to slow down in similar situations with my LP 5 ft rotary cutter also so it’s not the flail only.

sjsmith8688 · Sep 25, 2019

I was going to wait for more replies to say Thanks, but I guess you're it!
Thanks for the quick reply.
I know I will be limited, but I think it is feasible.

Industrial Toys · Sep 25, 2019

It's not enough power for that size mower. Passed a bunch of 500.00 Alamo Flail mowers up at auction. I'm a FORD 917 guy.
My 6 or so foot mowers weigh a thousand pounds for starters. A bit much for a 22 PTO hp tractor, if you ask me Ran one 917 regular blade mower on a 42 PTO HP tractor which seemed like a good fit.

sjsmith8688 · Sep 25, 2019

Thanks for replying Industrial Toys.
Can I ask, is the under-powered tractor a safety concern or can damage be done to either the tractor or the flail mower due to being under-powered?

Industrial Toys · Sep 25, 2019

Not a big concern. But, you want an implement that a tractor can handle easily, not something on the edge of capacity.

I have used flail mowers for Decades, but some here that know your tractor should be able to give further input as to what it can and can't do.

aczlan · Sep 25, 2019

Industrial Toys said:
Not a big concern. But, you want an implement that a tractor can handle easily, not something on the edge of capacity.

I have used flail mowers for Decades, but some here that know your tractor should be able to give further input as to what it can and can't do.

Exactly.
The issue you'll run into is that the front end will spend a lot of time up in the air when the flail mower is off the ground, you will also have to go very slow, almost a creeping speed if the grass is heavy at all.
We run a 5 foot bush hog on our Kubota B7500 (19 engine HP, 16 PTO HP), the issue we run into is the front end spends a fair amount of time with the wheels off the ground and the tractor has to go at just over a creeping speed if the grass or brush being cut is thick at all.

Aaron Z

sjsmith8688 · Sep 26, 2019

Thank you gentlemen.
I'll do some soul-searching on the Alamo.

skipperbrown · Sep 26, 2019

I was never happy with my 6' Caroni flail. I had to mow at about 1/2 the speed as my rotary cutter. If I mowed too fast, it would just lay the grass over. If the grass was really high, the flail had a lot of trouble discharging the grass and I had to go painfully slow. If you went too fast, I'd smoke the belts. I ended up selling it. The advantages are it didn't windrow like a brush cutter, it was easier to maneuver in tight places, and it fit on a trailer without hanging off the back. I found the disadvantages outweighed the advantages. YMMV.