Flail Mower Let's talk flail mowers

   / Let's talk flail mowers #1,671  
I've been using a SQ720 for about 15 years to maintain my property.

It's given me good service (except when I need to take the blades off LOL)
but I started wondering if there's something better, as I want to be able to
cut larger material.

I bought a 60 acre tree farm last year and part of the deal was to cut some
trails through areas they had thinned trees.
They brought out a skid steer with a forestry mulcher on the front which shredded
stumps like a knife through butter. I was in love! But after looking at prices for those things,
the attachment alone is over 15 grand! So that was out.

So I started looking for a smaller version that might fit on my tractor to use
on my other 80 acre property.

I don't expect to shred stumps with it, but I would like to tackle 2" trees.
That lead me to flail mowers.

For some reason, they aren't very popular in this area.
My dealer said it took him 5 years to sell the
last one he had, so he doesn't stock them anymore.

I couldn't find any specs on the Caroni line which indicate how
much material it can handle, but the Value Leader line says it
can handle 3" material.

I find it hard to believe that you could bend 3" material enough
to get it under the mower deck.

Looking at Youtube videos I can't find any examples of these mowers going t
hrough that thick of material, just heavier grass and thatch.

So I'm looking for a recommendation on what to get.
My tractor is a late 90s JD4600 which is 42HP, 35HP at the PTO.
It has R4 tires with rear wheel weights and liquid in the rear tires.

I have a set of Pat's quick detach brackets which I need to keep using,
as I don't have the physical strength to muscle attachments on and off without them.

I've been using them for 10 years with my SQ720, the 72" King Kutter tiller and
my 72" snow thrower threw **** and back and they've held up superbly.

My terrain is mostly flat-like, very few rocks. Heavy thick grass and of course saplings.
I would like something 72" wide with a hydraulic offset.
I already have a single rear hydraulic hookup. I want one that discharges to the rear.
I want to be able to mow both in forward and reverse so I can back into brush.

I don't need to do any finish mowing with the unit, but I don't want lots of uneven stuble
that's hard to walk through, as we like to walk the fields. But definetly do not need golf course clean either.

I've been looking at the EFGCH Value Leader line on Ebay, is there anything else I should consider?

======================================================================


The Caroni Flail mowers with the "B" rotor with two rows of hardened side slicers
and shackle mounting will be more than up to the task you have.

With any flailmower used you need to back over the material and drive forward
and it is shredded to bits.

YOU HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFULL;and crawl in reverse over the material to be shredded BUT

dont expect to shred 3 inch saplings UNLESS you rent a skid steer with a forestry head to make the first passes.




Most of the American made units hit 5 figures with a width that size without a side shift option.

the hydraulic side shift requires two outlets(one pair)(pressure out and return to tank)


If you have time look at the agrisupply web site and the Caroni flail mowers. several of the members have the
Caroni flailmower with the B rotor and are very happy with it.

one of our members "Island tractor" uses his 59 inch unit with the B rotor
and his mule is about your size "Kioti tractor"to reclaim farm land where he
lives and he has posted many before andafter pictures as he has many
different mowing conditions to deal with and he also mows good grass sod
as well around his farm house.


If you like I can have Rodney Barbour from agrisupply send you a price
for the 59 inch cut B rotor unit with the side shift function included.

The last time I checked thier shipping was included in the price to your front door.

Send me a pm with your contact information and I will send it to rodney for you.
 
   / Let's talk flail mowers #1,672  
I have a 917 flail as well Nova. I'm thinking about changing out the blades on mine also. When/if you do yours, let us know how much of a pain it is. Pics would be nice as well.

Well, no pics because I was pressed for time but you really don't need any or any instructions really. The 917 is idiot proof as far as I can tell. It's two blades (Y style) and one hanger, link, carriage head bolt and lock nut per station.

In total, working on my back, no creeper, it took me 2.5 hours, but the last 1.5 hours of that was trying to disassemble the last station. Every single other one came apart easily but even after soaking in PB Blaster, the last one rounded off as soon as I put the wrench to it. Torch was out of fuel and space limitations meant no grinder, so I had to go find (we just moved so still packed up) the dremel tool and use cutoff wheels to cut the nut off. If the thing was flipped upside down and I had the impact wrench I could probably swap every station in <1 hour.

I switched to the Y blades for cost reasons. $1.68 per station for blades is a lot better than $3.58.

Got all mine from Flail Master and in my opinion, the parts I got from them were of a better design and quality than what I pulled off. The hangers that I pulled off only engaged the bolt/nut at one point. The old ones had a square hole that engaged the head of the carriage bolt but were short of engaging the nut on the back side, putting the bolt in a single shear configuration.

New hangers had a bolt hole opposite the square hole, allowing the nut to engage the hanger and putting the bolt in a much stronger double shear configuration. The old single shear hangers is probably why I was missing everything on so many of the stations.

One curious thing however. When you look up my model number (22-183) on the New Holland website, it calls it a 72" mower. Flailmaster says a 6ft mower should have 33 blade stations. Mine only has 27 stations, which corresponds to a 5 foot mower.

Maybe our resident experts can tell what's going on with the discrepancy. It's not a big issue because it means I have 6 full sets of spares since I ordered 33 sets based on the flail master info.
 
   / Let's talk flail mowers #1,673  
It has to do with the scoop knives as some of the rotors can use both types if my memory is right.

Does your Mott have the trash door??
 
   / Let's talk flail mowers
  • Thread Starter
#1,674  
Well, no pics because I was pressed for time but you really don't need any or any instructions really. The 917 is idiot proof as far as I can tell. It's two blades (Y style) and one hanger, link, carriage head bolt and lock nut per station.

In total, working on my back, no creeper, it took me 2.5 hours, but the last 1.5 hours of that was trying to disassemble the last station. Every single other one came apart easily but even after soaking in PB Blaster, the last one rounded off as soon as I put the wrench to it. Torch was out of fuel and space limitations meant no grinder, so I had to go find (we just moved so still packed up) the dremel tool and use cutoff wheels to cut the nut off. If the thing was flipped upside down and I had the impact wrench I could probably swap every station in <1 hour.

I switched to the Y blades for cost reasons. $1.68 per station for blades is a lot better than $3.58.

Got all mine from Flail Master and in my opinion, the parts I got from them were of a better design and quality than what I pulled off. The hangers that I pulled off only engaged the bolt/nut at one point. The old ones had a square hole that engaged the head of the carriage bolt but were short of engaging the nut on the back side, putting the bolt in a single shear configuration.

New hangers had a bolt hole opposite the square hole, allowing the nut to engage the hanger and putting the bolt in a much stronger double shear configuration. The old single shear hangers is probably why I was missing everything on so many of the stations.

One curious thing however. When you look up my model number (22-183) on the New Holland website, it calls it a 72" mower. Flailmaster says a 6ft mower should have 33 blade stations. Mine only has 27 stations, which corresponds to a 5 foot mower.

Maybe our resident experts can tell what's going on with the discrepancy. It's not a big issue because it means I have 6 full sets of spares since I ordered 33 sets based on the flail master info.
Thanks Nova. Mine is a 6 footer. It has 33 stations. There is a 917 owner on TBN that sharpens his blades with an angle grinder without taking them off. Not sure how he keeps them from moving while sharpening them. Can't remember his name. From somewhere in the Carolinas I think. If he sees this and wants to explain, please do so.
 
   / Let's talk flail mowers #1,675  
It has to do with the scoop knives as some of the rotors can use both types if my memory is right.

Does your Mott have the trash door??

Uh I'm confused. I've got a Ford 917. Model on the tag is 22-183

Thanks Nova. Mine is a 6 footer. It has 33 stations. There is a 917 owner on TBN that sharpens his blades with an angle grinder without taking them off. Not sure how he keeps them from moving while sharpening them. Can't remember his name. From somewhere in the Carolinas I think. If he sees this and wants to explain, please do so.

Could probably hold them in place with a welding clamp the way the rotor is configured.

Guess I'll see how it cuts tomorrow. Taking a day off work just to work different.
 
   / Let's talk flail mowers #1,676  
Ran the mower all day yesterday. Cuts much better with fresh blades. Even ran across some rocks and trash and didn't lose a single blade. The only thing about is it tends to miss tall skinny weed here and there but that won't be an issue as I cut more and more transitioning to more grass.
 
   / Let's talk flail mowers #1,679  
What do y'all know about a Kuhn VKM 240? Can't seem to get any reviews on it. Thanks.....
 
   / Let's talk flail mowers #1,680  
Well I broke it last night. The worn bearing housing gave up the ghost while I was cutting. Looks like the worn through area resulted in a stress concentration that fatigued. Decided to just go ahead and replace both housings and bearings. The RH housing was only $50 but the broken LH housing has been supplanted by a BushHog manufactured part and is double the price. At least I was able to cross reference and track down bearings for $14/each instead of the $50 NH wants.

broke_flail.jpg
 
 

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