oldtoyboyd
Silver Member
What info can you guys give me on a 918H flail mower? Are they a good model and what are the good and bad issues with them? I found a 91" one for sale and am thinking about picking it up.
Ford 918h flail mower
- Thread starter oldtoyboyd
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oldtoyboyd
Silver Member
Nobody has any info on this thing?
I don't have a 918, but I have a 917 model from the '70s. If the 918 is just an updated version of the 917, I wouldn't hesitate to buy one.
I paid about $550 for my 88" about 10 years ago, and aside from replacing the belts twice, I've not had a lick of trouble from it.
You should be able to get manuals and some parts from New Holland's parts website.
Hope this helps...
I paid about $550 for my 88" about 10 years ago, and aside from replacing the belts twice, I've not had a lick of trouble from it.
You should be able to get manuals and some parts from New Holland's parts website.
Hope this helps...
denmarktwp
New member
- Joined
- Apr 30, 2008
- Messages
- 21
I have a 917H that I like. I don't know the differences between the different models. I had some trouble getting the belts tight when I first got it, but it's been working great since. It's about a 90" cut and has an offset hitch which is often handy for getting around obstacles. I think flails are great all around mowers. They're better at rough terrain than finish mowers but make a finish cut just as well.
kycontrols
Bronze Member
- Joined
- Aug 16, 2007
- Messages
- 67
I am looking at the mower myself. If you get one post a review
Thanks
Thanks
OhioCowboy
Silver Member
- Joined
- Jul 28, 2009
- Messages
- 166
- Location
- N. Ohio
- Tractor
- KIOTI CK3510se HST Open Station w/FEL, RK24 HST w/FEL & Backhoe, DEAD-NH TC33D HST
I have the 72" NH 918H flail mower. I've used it for 5 years and the only problem I had was the bearings on the roller. The original owner had let it go too long without grease. I've owned 3 finish mowers and a brush hog. The flail is the best all around mower. We mow lawn, pastures and horse trail. From grass to 1-1/2" fallen limbs it does it all.
leonz
Super Member
Dont hestistate about buying it as parts are available as well as
mower knives.
As long as you keep it greased and the belts properly
maintained with NO belt dressing you will have mower that will outlast
your tractor.
Dont hesitate to read about the use of flail mowers on the forum here as we have several hundred pages of picture and information about all present and past brands.
Please let us know when you buy it so I can welcome you as a lifetime member of the Flail Mower Nation.
OP
oldtoyboyd
Silver Member
It was a typical Craigslist deal. I was wanting for a month now. The guy was gonna sell it, then keep it, then sell it, then use it one more time. He called me back to tell me he was going to sell it and I was first in line. Called yesterday to go get it and he sold it to some one else. I will keep looking for another one. I believe I would like having one around. I want some thing in the 7-8 feet for the overhang.
leonz
Super Member
I am sorry so hear that you were raked over like this.
It was certainly shows both a careless and calculated move on his part
for more money in the sale of this implement!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It was certainly shows both a careless and calculated move on his part
for more money in the sale of this implement!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
bucmeister
Silver Member
Hate to hear you were done dirty on the deal the lack of ethics these days is appalling. I am down in Natchez and am also looking for a flail. Tired of worrying about the 7' bush hog 287 and 7' rear discharge finish mower RSTH84 slinging stuff all over, not to mention the windrows of grass and break downs. The bush hog stump jumper bar broke at the lower bend. Have had the unit maybe 12 years but the amount of use has been so limited that the first set of blades have life left in them so I am not happy about the quality of the revered Bush Hog brand. The finish mower, which uses a single "B" belt, is death on belts if you happen to let the grass get over double the cut height.
What I am finding is that there are virtually no flail mowers in MS, not even at the dealers. After some research I had zeroed in on the 918H-91in as my desired target. Think someone in the super long flail mower thread said they had bought one for a price in the mid $3000 range but the price I got from a dealer yesterday was in the $5700 plus tax range. At that rate used is my only option and we are not in a good part of the country for a lot of used selection, even to rebuild.
What I am finding is that there are virtually no flail mowers in MS, not even at the dealers. After some research I had zeroed in on the 918H-91in as my desired target. Think someone in the super long flail mower thread said they had bought one for a price in the mid $3000 range but the price I got from a dealer yesterday was in the $5700 plus tax range. At that rate used is my only option and we are not in a good part of the country for a lot of used selection, even to rebuild.
OP
oldtoyboyd
Silver Member
I have to agree with you. I have been looking for one for quite a while with no luck. I will turn up something eventually.
leonz
Super Member
Hello Bucmeister
Check the tractor house magazine every week.
They have links to lots of new and used flailmowers.
I am sure you will find one that will fit your tractor
horsepower and cutting width needs.
Check the tractor house magazine every week.
They have links to lots of new and used flailmowers.
I am sure you will find one that will fit your tractor
horsepower and cutting width needs.
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bucmeister
Silver Member
I'll start checking that site out, thanks for the lead.
I'm running a JD 5300 and want something that can take what the tractor dishes out. It seems the tractor is a bit too much for the Bush Hog RDTH 84 finish mower to hold up to even as my finishing mower for here at the house because it will sometimes be high ankle deep before cutting. Hoping a flail will fill my needs for finish work at home, cutting down deer food plots before discing for planting each year as well as clearing out roads around the camp which will include patches of switch cane and thick stands of johnson grass. From the talk about flails it sounds like they would do a better job of dealing with the residue vs the clumps the Bush Hog 287 brush cutter does. Back when my Woods RM990 was functional I used it on the roads and plot because the swing blades dealt well with the ant hills and clumps of dirt as well as downed limbs while chopping the residue up a bit more and not leaving as many clumps of grass piled up in the plots but it was slo-o-o-w going. Hoping the right flail might fall somewhere between the two since I can't get out to the place to mow/brush cut often enough to eliminate the quantity of fresh residue so need alternatives.
If I understand discussion correctly using a flail under my circumstances will be a slower process than the rotary cutter because of the amount of residue chopping a flail will when compared to the common brush cutter which whacks the grass down and leaves it in clumped windrows. For all I know at this point I may be asking too much from a flail mower.
I'm running a JD 5300 and want something that can take what the tractor dishes out. It seems the tractor is a bit too much for the Bush Hog RDTH 84 finish mower to hold up to even as my finishing mower for here at the house because it will sometimes be high ankle deep before cutting. Hoping a flail will fill my needs for finish work at home, cutting down deer food plots before discing for planting each year as well as clearing out roads around the camp which will include patches of switch cane and thick stands of johnson grass. From the talk about flails it sounds like they would do a better job of dealing with the residue vs the clumps the Bush Hog 287 brush cutter does. Back when my Woods RM990 was functional I used it on the roads and plot because the swing blades dealt well with the ant hills and clumps of dirt as well as downed limbs while chopping the residue up a bit more and not leaving as many clumps of grass piled up in the plots but it was slo-o-o-w going. Hoping the right flail might fall somewhere between the two since I can't get out to the place to mow/brush cut often enough to eliminate the quantity of fresh residue so need alternatives.
If I understand discussion correctly using a flail under my circumstances will be a slower process than the rotary cutter because of the amount of residue chopping a flail will when compared to the common brush cutter which whacks the grass down and leaves it in clumped windrows. For all I know at this point I may be asking too much from a flail mower.
whirly
Gold Member
- Joined
- Sep 3, 2011
- Messages
- 295
- Location
- Pepe'ekeo, HI
- Tractor
- Fordson Power Major, Kubota MX5100HST
IMHO you just can't go wrong with a flail mower. I'm running an old Mott 72" behind my Power Major (47HP @ PTO) and it works great. Instead of running at 3-4mph I run at 1.5-2 mph. However, with a brush hog I had to cut then cross cut to get a better result and that result wasn't as good as one pass with the flail.
The brown on left side is where I knocked down the big stuff - one pass only. I try to take a little more every time I mow around the house. It takes me about 3 hours to do the 2.5AC around the house.
This is before
and after one pass at 2 mph
This is my new cut for the service road one pass up on the left and one down on the right 600' each way - 30 minutes
My neighbor who had been brush hogging her property behind us for planting crops has asked to use the flail now that she sees what it can do.
The brown on left side is where I knocked down the big stuff - one pass only. I try to take a little more every time I mow around the house. It takes me about 3 hours to do the 2.5AC around the house.
This is before
and after one pass at 2 mph
This is my new cut for the service road one pass up on the left and one down on the right 600' each way - 30 minutes
My neighbor who had been brush hogging her property behind us for planting crops has asked to use the flail now that she sees what it can do.
Last edited:
OP
oldtoyboyd
Silver Member
I want one for a better cut than a bush hog, but not cutting as often as to keep a finish mower cutting good. I also want an offset for cutting the edge of my creek and for future cutting around a couple ponds I want to have dug.
whirly
Gold Member
- Joined
- Sep 3, 2011
- Messages
- 295
- Location
- Pepe'ekeo, HI
- Tractor
- Fordson Power Major, Kubota MX5100HST
Believe it or not I actually read the entire 125 page Lets Talk Flail Mowers post last year.
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachments/118882-lets-talk-flail-mowers.html
It was extremely informative. It should have been made a sticky because it would answer most of the flail questions that have been asked since.
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachments/118882-lets-talk-flail-mowers.html
It was extremely informative. It should have been made a sticky because it would answer most of the flail questions that have been asked since.
OP
oldtoyboyd
Silver Member
I picked up a 918H today. Just had to keep looking and one turned up an hour from my house.
FreedomFamilyFarms
Silver Member
How did the 918 work out for you? Thinking about picking one up.
