Flail Mower Support (maintenance/repair)

[flying m]

I'm new into the flail mower thing. I'm wondering what you folks use to support the mower when you need to get under it. Mine weighs just over a ton and there's no way I'm crawling under it with just the three point holding it up. Heavy duty jack stands or something similar? Thanks for the help.

 

[leonz]

I'm new into the flail mower thing.
I'm wondering what you folks use to support the
mower when you need to get under it.

Mine weighs just over a ton and there's no way
I'm crawling under it with just the three point
holding it up.

Heavy duty jack stands or something similar?
Thanks for the help.

Hello flying m,


Welcome to the Flail Mower Nation.

Let me guess; you have baling wire wrapped around the flail mower rotor? or an old garden hose that tried to escape? or lots of nylon twine to remove?

If there is anything wound around the rotor at either end it has to be removed as it will heat up the bearing housing and the bearing.


Which brand of flail mower do you own?


If your mower is new with low hours, what makes you thnk you need to work on it?
Have you found broken knives or knive hangers?


Now as far as working under the flail mower the only time
you are ever under it is when you are replacing side slicers
or knive hangers only.

Dont even think about jack stands for this job!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


If all you want to do is wash and scrape the crud off of it dont
worry about it too much. If you want to wasg the shroud all you
need to do is use a hose nozzle and hot water if you can spare the
hot water for it.

The fine grass dust will not wash off easily inless you go to a carwash
with it or you own pressure washer.

I would be more worried about losing paint if you use a pressure washer.

My flail mower is 33+ years old and has 95 percent of the original paint.

If you think you need to spend a lot of time working on the knives
its better to drain the gear box and roll it over on its back as you will have
an easier time doing repairs if you have to replace knives and hangers.

Its safer than crawling under it as you can use the top link to pull it back over.


if you have front end loader for your mule, use that to put it on its back and then work on it.

If you have a pairs of broken knives to replace its better to go to a sawmill
and buy some hardwood blocking to support the flailmower side weldments
making a cribbing stack of hardwood blocks to support it

To do this properly you need level ground to build the wooden cribs to support
the mower on both sides. and under the rear roller as well to prevent it from
tipping back or falling foward.


If you have not done this already you can make a mower dolly to allow you to store the
mower out of the weather. just build the mower dolly tall enough out of hardwood blocking or soft wood 6 by 6's to permit you to crawl under it to work.

Many of the members have snowcaster dollies and flailmower dollies
and they have uploaded images of them for the members to see.

If you do not have a hardwood saw mill nearby the better solution is to
simply put the mower on its back if you have a lot of knives to change.

Welcome to the forum and The Flail Mower Nation

 

[allen in texas]

Hm, I just crawl under mine with it on the 3 point. And I know that ain't cool from a safety stand point and I know, you said you weren't going to do that and that's cool too. If I were worried, I'd still work on mine on the three point but I have some heavy duty stands that I could put under it to keep it from dropping.

Just my $0.02
Not offering advice here, just telling you what I do.

 

[Arc weld]

Blocks under the skid shoes or if I need to do a lot of work, I'll take it off the tractor and flip it back to expose the whole underside.

 

[flying m]

Hello flying m,


Welcome to the Flail Mower Nation.

Let me guess; you have baling wire wrapped around the flail mower rotor? or an old garden hose that tried to escape? or lots of nylon twine to remove?

If there is anything wound around the rotor at either end it has to be removed as it will heat up the bearing housing and the bearing.


Which brand of flail mower do you own?


If your mower is new with low hours, what makes you thnk you need to work on it?
Have you found broken knives or knive hangers?


Now as far as working under the flail mower the only time
you are ever under it is when you are replacing side slicers
or knive hangers only.

Dont even think about jack stands for this job!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


If all you want to do is wash and scrape the crud off of it dont
worry about it too much. If you want to wasg the shroud all you
need to do is use a hose nozzle and hot water if you can spare the
hot water for it.

The fine grass dust will not wash off easily inless you go to a carwash
with it or you own pressure washer.

I would be more worried about losing paint if you use a pressure washer.

My flail mower is 33+ years old and has 95 percent of the original paint.

If you think you need to spend a lot of time working on the knives
its better to drain the gear box and roll it over on its back as you will have
an easier time doing repairs if you have to replace knives and hangers.

Its safer than crawling under it as you can use the top link to pull it back over.


if you have front end loader for your mule, use that to put it on its back and then work on it.

If you have a pairs of broken knives to replace its better to go to a sawmill
and buy some hardwood blocking to support the flailmower side weldments
making a cribbing stack of hardwood blocks to support it

To do this properly you need level ground to build the wooden cribs to support
the mower on both sides. and under the rear roller as well to prevent it from
tipping back or falling foward.


If you have not done this already you can make a mower dolly to allow you to store the
mower out of the weather. just build the mower dolly tall enough out of hardwood blocking or soft wood 6 by 6's to permit you to crawl under it to work.

Many of the members have snowcaster dollies and flailmower dollies
and they have uploaded images of them for the members to see.

If you do not have a hardwood saw mill nearby the better solution is to
simply put the mower on its back if you have a lot of knives to change.

Welcome to the forum and The Flail Mower Nation

Thanks leonz! Flail Mower Nation? Do tell. I'll try to answer your questions though not in any particular order. I recently received a used Gearmore, model GRF7GW flail. Yes, the first time I used it I managed to wrap about 200 feet of telephone cable that was supposed to be put underground around the shaft. It was lying next to a power pole that had been put there until the phone company decided to put the line into the new residence from a different direction and left the roll. This was about eighteen years ago so no wonder it was forgotten as it was laying under the fence line of a grazing pasture. Anyway, it didn't take long to get it off the ground and into the spool. Cutting it out wasn't that big a deal with a pair of cable cutters but it still held things up for a time. While I was cutting this out, I got to thinking that if this thing came down on top of somebody it's gonna be lights outs. I mean I got respect for the sheer size and weight the first time I used it as when you raise and lower it, it's not a soft up and down it's a wham up and slam to the ground. Takes a little time to get used to it but it made me appreciate the sheer weight of this thing.

I like the idea of cribbing. I am a retired firefighter (25 1/2 years) and we did a fair amount of cribbing, if not on an actual incident, we trained frequently to maintain proficiency because again, you are stabilizing something that if it moves, vertically or laterally, somebody's going to get hurt or killed. I also like the idea of rolling it and I'll definitely take that into consideration. While I was working on the wire, it gave me a chance to look at the knives and they're in pretty good shape (especially for working in rocky Arizona pastures). I've only mowed a dozen or so acres but I'm in love with the thing and it's staying in my arsenal.

Thanks a lot for you time and the great information. I take all I read into consideration and "file it away". I'm sure as time goes on, you'll be hearing from me. PS. Love this site!!!

 

[flying m]

Hm, I just crawl under mine with it on the 3 point. And I know that ain't cool from a safety stand point and I know, you said you weren't going to do that and that's cool too. If I were worried, I'd still work on mine on the three point but I have some heavy duty stands that I could put under it to keep it from dropping.

Just my $0.02
Not offering advice here, just telling you what I do.

Hi allen in texas. Thanks for the reply. To each his own and I'm not going to tell someone what do do but to take advice and make an informed decision. This is why I'm really getting into this site. There is unimaginable information out there and y'all are willing to trade it. WOW!

Now for my opinion, take it as you will. As I mentioned to leonz in a post above, I am a retired firefighter. To clarify, I did 25 years as a full time firefighter/paramedic, retiring as a Captain/Paramedic. After I retired I worked for the next 6 1/2 years as a critical care flight paramedic on a medical helicopter. During that 31 year period I've witnessed some pretty horrifying things that have happened to people. Things that you can't imagine if you didn't see it for yourself. Unfortunately, a lot of these tragedies were avoidable. Yeah, yeah, the safety police are here. But man, I feel that if I made it through my career alive though not completely unscathed (the body took a beating), it is my responsibility to pass on what I have learned through witnessing what other people did or did not do to prevent a tragedy. S@%t happens and we can't forsee all dangers but we can use our melon take the time to make it safe and sure we make it to dinner that night. Believe me I don't mean to preach but I care about people, even in my sometimes jaded look at mankind. Just my two cents.

 

[flying m]

Hi Arc weld. I like cribbing and rolling/flipping idea that you and leonz have recommended. Smart. Thanks for the info.

 

[allen in texas]

Hi allen in texas. Thanks for the reply. To each his own and I'm not going to tell someone what do do but to take advice and make an informed decision. This is why I'm really getting into this site. There is unimaginable information out there and y'all are willing to trade it. WOW!

Now for my opinion, take it as you will. As I mentioned to leonz in a post above, I am a retired firefighter. To clarify, I did 25 years as a full time firefighter/paramedic, retiring as a Captain/Paramedic. After I retired I worked for the next 6 1/2 years as a critical care flight paramedic on a medical helicopter. During that 31 year period I've witnessed some pretty horrifying things that have happened to people. Things that you can't imagine if you didn't see it for yourself. Unfortunately, a lot of these tragedies were avoidable. Yeah, yeah, the safety police are here. But man, I feel that if I made it through my career alive though not completely unscathed (the body took a beating), it is my responsibility to pass on what I have learned through witnessing what other people did or did not do to prevent a tragedy. S@%t happens and we can't forsee all dangers but we can use our melon take the time to make it safe and sure we make it to dinner that night. Believe me I don't mean to preach but I care about people, even in my sometimes jaded look at mankind. Just my two cents.

I deserve all of that. Yes my method might not be the best, but I make an educated decision on this particular method. My stands support 1200 pounds each. the mower is stabilized by the tractor, the tractor has the brakes locked. Once I set the mower on the stands (one at each end) it will not move. As a matter of fact, it is extremely stable, more so I believe than if I were to turn the unit upside down.
I've done some really stupid things in life, I've learned from most of them.
To me setting this mower on stands is no different that putting jack stands under a car and crawling under the car. But in all honesty, I am not "under" the mower. It's just high enough that I can sit on my little rollie stool and work on it. I may be in for another hard lesson, you never know.