Flail Mower Let's talk flail mowers

[ovrszd]

That's why your flail isn't performing satisfactorily. You don't have the secret decoder ring. :duh:

Right on target Pappy!!!!

 

[Fallon]

I operate a five foot New Holland 918L flail with a 2011 Kubota B3300 (33 engine Hp), I mow a 5 acre field with various pasture grasses. Unfortunately, it does not cut some of the tall (2-3 ft) grasses well, essentially rolling them under and then they pop up. Even a second pass will not always get them. I'm no expert, but I think it is orchard grass, with its tough stem, that is the main culprit. I tried sharpening the knives this past winter (about 200 knives, I think), but no improvement. I am operating the tractor as sufficiently slow speeds in the heavy going, and the mower does not operate under strain at the slow speeds in these heavy patches. So what I am beginning to think is that this mower is just a finishing mower for light grasses and lawns. Am I correct? Is the HP of my Kubota a factor (I wouldn't have thought so for this light flail)?

Is a medium flail the answer? I don't need to cut brush, just pasture grasses. I'd like to get a 73" model and am wondering if the 33 HP is sufficient? I am aware that Caroni makes one that they recommend for 30 to 60 HP, but I don't know if that is the power at the PTO or the engine, and I don't like to have a tractor at the low end of the range. Any ideas about my problem and suggestions for an appropriate flail will be much appreciated.

I have a 7' 719 behind my 32hp L3200. My only problem when cutting my hood high pasture/field was my tire tracks. Lots of the tire tracks stood back up after cutting. Everything else was good though.

I don't have a lot of tough stuff, but the little bit of viney & weedy stuff I cut hasnt been a problem. Never encountered Orchard grass, so can't say if it fails to cut or not.

 

[Freeborn]

I just picked this unit up and wanted to share a couple photos. The farmer that had the unit operated it as I watched and was helpful as I checked the bearings, roller, belts and the unit. I purchased the unit and he had a full set of replacement knives and a few rings I got with the unit.

The only concern I have is the skid plates are missing as well as a couple of the bolts on the pulley cover. Unit had very little vibration and mowed the grass well.

I have the owners manual but am thinking I might want to find a service and parts manual.

What would you do to get this unit ready to mow and does anybody have an idea of what the skid plates cost?

Thanks!

 

[leonz]

I just picked this unit up and wanted to share a couple photos. The farmer that had the unit operated it as I watched and was helpful as I checked the bearings, roller, belts and the unit. I purchased the unit and he had a full set of replacement knives and a few rings I got with the unit.

The only concern I have is the skid plates are missing as well as a couple of the bolts on the pulley cover. Unit had very little vibration and mowed the grass well.

I have the owners manual but am thinking I might want to find a service and parts manual.

What would you do to get this unit ready to mow and does anybody have an idea of what the skid plates cost?

Thanks!

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Hello freeborn,


I want to welcome you as the newest member of the Flail Mower Nations.
There is no Passport required at the beer garden border crossing.



First things first,

You can obtain parts manuals and operating manuals from the various JD parts stores on the internet.
You can get the skid plates from them as well.

Does this 25A model have three rows of scoop knives or four??

My fathers 25A had 4 rows of side slicer knives for a finish cut

Please tell me now if possible.


You have a nice mower there that needs a bit of work but well under $700+-
if you count the new PTO shaft, drive belts, antiscalp skids and replacement bolts
for the V belt guard. A 25A these days is well above $9,500.00+tax if you want
a 25A finish flail mower.

You have the "scoop knives" some times referred to as shovel or duck foot blades.
Scoop Knife is the proper term not that its an issue.

The D ring hangers are what the scoop knives are attached that are attached to the "Flail Mower Rotor"
which is what the D ring is attached to with the strap that holds the D ring which the scoop knife is attached to.


You need a supply of new D ring straps and the nuts and bolts and washers (buy the fine threaded ones and some blue loctite to secure the nuts-You should buy the allen bolts as that will prevent a lot of scraped knuckles and contributions to the swear jar.

You can get almost everything you need at flail master or clean cutter. I do not remember if you can purchase the JD mower skids from them-you need them to keep the mower from diving into the ground while mowing and hitting dip

Your 25A can handle brush mowing and finish mowing but will give you a coarser waffled
cut on good sod.

Buy new Belts, the Kevlar green belts are better for absorbing shock loads, change the gear oil, no more than six pumps of grease inthe flail mower rotor bearings, make sure the rear roller bearings can take grease (five pumps at each mowing)

YOU MUST remove the V belt guard and scrape all the rubber and grass duct from under the guard to expose the grease fittings and also be sure the spring tensioned V Belt tensioner moves freely.


They removed the mower skids to lower the mowing height NOT GOOD EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.
The four adjusment holes above the single bottom hole in the side welment are how this flail mower is adjusted for
mowing height.


When you get the new PTO shaft you mak have to cut it to the right length.
You do not have to buy a new PTO shaft with a friction slip clutch, the V belts are
your slip clutch as they will burn up and prevent damage to the flail mower.


MAKE SURE the lower links are equal length and locked in place before you mow with it.

Get the new skids lower the rear roller one bolt hole ON BOTH SIDES and then level the flail mower with a torpedo on the gearbox using ONLY the top link adjuster.


Welcome to the Flail Mower Nations,


Happy Mowing

 

[Freeborn]

Thanks Leonz,

The unit has 3 rows and I do have the other half of the PTO shaft. The unit is a little rusted but seems in solid condition. I need to spend some time looking at the scoop knifes as they look pretty good at first review. I know you recommend a sharpener, what is the brand and can you recommend a source?

Great thread and thanks for the advice, I'm looking forward to operating the mower.

I paid $900 for the mower so I thought a fair price.

Thanks again.

 

[leonz]

Hello freeborn,

I recommend a well well grinder for them as they offer the best way to keep the
temper on the knives as most of them are hardened.

There are a bunch of them for sale and you can buy good ones for under 100.00 the last time I looked.

Wen no longer makes the unit I bought many years ago.

 

[Thomabear]

Thanks Leonz, The unit has 3 rows and I do have the other half of the PTO shaft. The unit is a little rusted but seems in solid condition. I need to spend some time looking at the scoop knifes as they look pretty good at first review. I know you recommend a sharpener, what is the brand and can you recommend a source? Great thread and thanks for the advice, I'm looking forward to operating the mower. I paid $900 for the mower so I thought a fair price. Thanks again.

I've found that wet grinders are painstakingly slow and make a terrible mess. A bench top or pedestal mounted high speed belt grinder will remove large amounts of material well before heat becomes an issue. If your knives require a really excessive amount of material removal you can rotate the knives or quench as you go. Get a low heat generating coarse grit ceramic belt and you are set. A Dayton 2" x 48" bench top belt grinder is what I use for all mower and flail blades with no discoloration of metal or loss of temper.

 

[leonz]

If you have the time a wet well grinder is very good and slower
in speed to do the work. I just budget an hour or two when I
do them. I will probablypull all of them of and touch them up if they need it.

I am not happy in knowing I can no longer buy the tapered side slicers.

 

[LouieJunior]

Caroni owners -- has any body tried a drilled pin and kotter vs. the bolts and lock nuts for their knives? I am not looking forward to wrestling with 56 of these while under the mower.

 

[leonz]

Hello Louie Junior,

The issue is the metric parts, its easier to use a right angle
air wrench if you have access to one. The thing is that your
going to spend as much time or more with METRIC cotter
pins and the drilled dowel pin which is its mate.

if you can wash the underside with pressure washer it will be
easier as the threads will have less dirt and grass dust in them.

The thing is that that the drilled dowels head is very unforgiving
unless you have a monster vice grip on a clean pin.

Perhaps its better to think ahead and replace the bolts and nuts with
metric fine thread hex head cap screws(allen bolts) and nuts and blue Loctite
using a metric allen head bolt will allow you to use a long metric allen wrench and
an air operated ratchet wrench and avoid making a large contribution
to the swear jar.

The bolts clean up easily with alcohol and a wire brush or an ultrasonic parts cleaner or a
die that matches the thread size and type.


Bolts and nuts in bulk being one hundred to a bag/box are very economical in
the scheme of things.

An air ratchet will speed things things up for you and flipping the mower over will not hurt things-just check the oil and add oil back before using it again.