Flail Mower Let's talk flail mowers

[sgtboz]

Hey Leonz,

Thanks for the reply. Here are a few more pics of the overall setup. These are all I have for now. This is how I pulled the mower out of the field where it'd been rotting for years. I have a brush hogging business and stay extremely busy and have very much enjoyed working the flail (the first I've ever owned) into the repertoire for the right jobs. Do you think at one time this model was supposed to have caster wheels? I don't see any mounting holes for them. That being the case, height adjustment advice will be appreciated! Great idea on tracing out the links and sending to FlailMaster. In fact, I got on their site and sure enough I think I see my links. Good thing I didn't order up a whole set of the wrong ones all at one time!

 

[shaeff]

If you used a piece of threaded rod you could just build a metal frame and use that for leverage. Bolt under mower then rod through the frame and a tightening bolt on the outside of the frame. That would allow very gentle but strong "persuasion". It would be ideal if you had a chunk of big steel square tube and just drill a couple of holes through that as the pulling frame. You could shim the square tube off the mower deck a bit so any spring back could be accommodated.

Another thought that may or may not work... Find a stump, back up to it. Brace a chunk of wood between the stump & the back side of the hood. Back up a bit more so the wood pushes the dent out.

Both also good ideas!

I'm not the best with this machine yet, so I'd likely have much more finesse with the force needed using metal and welding rather than brute force of using the machine to straighten it out.

 

[leonz]

Hey Leonz,

Thanks for the reply. Here are a few more pics of the overall setup. These are all I have for now.
This is how I pulled the mower out of the field where it'd been rotting for years.

I have a brush hogging business and stay extremely busy and have very much enjoyed working the flail (the first I've ever owned) into the repertoire for the right jobs.

Do you think at one time this model was supposed to have caster wheels? I don't see any mounting holes for them. That being the case, height adjustment advice will be appreciated!

Great idea on tracing out the links and sending to FlailMaster. In fact, I got on their site and sure enough I think I see my links. Good thing I didn't order up a whole set of the wrong ones all at one time!
View attachment 478474
View attachment 478475
View attachment 478476
View attachment 478477
View attachment 478478

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


Welcome to the Flail Mower Nations SgtBoz,


Your Ford Flail Mower does not have the mounts for caster wheels sadly.

OK, with that said you have to decide if your going to keep it as a rough finish mower
or rehang Side Slicer kinves on it to make it a better dual purpose mower/shredder.

The scoop knives will not allow you to recut material unless it so dry it shatters.

If you are intending to keep this beautiful flail mower you need to properly adjust it.

You need to adjust the top link using a torpedo level on the V belt guard assuming it is still in good shape and flat.

Normally this is done at the gearbox but as you have a bevel gear driven flail mower the round gearbox case will not let you do that.

Once you have the mower level-Providing the lower links are properly adjusted and locked and cannot move to affect the geometry of the quick hitch you will have it set up properly.

The rear roller must be in contact with the ground at all times unless you are transporting it.

You also need to make sure the hydraulic adjustment is "locked in place" while using the flail mower as well
otherwise the mower will nose dive and make break or damage a few scoop knives.

Your Ford Flail Mower has been used a lot. whats left of the skids is pretty much gone.


As long as you grease it and take reasonably good care of it checking for wire or garden hose snakes
wrapped around the bearing housings you will have it for a long time

Be very sure to dig out any rubber dust under the V belt guard to expose any hidden grease fittings and send an E mail or call Messicks to order a manual for it-they are very good with flail mowers and the various makes and models that have been made over the years.

As far as greasing goes no more than 5 to six pumps on the Flail Mower Rotor bearings every 6-8 hours-strictly depending on the conditions. I do not remember if the Ford Flail Mowers rear rollers have bronze or ball bearings on them.

Be sure the snubber pulley(flat pulley) moves easily. I do not see a spring for it in your pictures. There should be a spring with one end attached to a hole in the idler arm and the other end attached to an extended bolt mounted inthe side weldment as your flail mower does not have a crank tensioner for the snubber pulley.

If you have not changed the oil in the gear box be sure to change it in the spring or after mowing season is done.


Happy Mowing

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pronovost or not at all!!
Only 19,500 rotary cutter/mowers to go
Still looking for a three point hitch Mott Flail Mower with the Wisconsin V 4 engine in any condition.

 

[sgtboz]

Excellent, excellent advice. Thank you. I've learned lots from reading all your other posts and have modified my use and maintenance accordingly.

Is this the side slicer knife to which you refer?


HEAVY DUTY BLADE - FORD 917 COARSE CUT

I hope so because they're lots less expensive than the single-piece blade I've been using (and mostly LOSING!)

 

[Fallon]

My old 917 came with mounts for some casters behind the roller. It wasn't attached when I got it & the rims in a box that came with it were rotted years before I got them. I've never installed any of those caster parts or felt the slightest need to do so. It cuts just fine & is a more compact unit without em.

 

[Dan in MN]

First time poster and new member of the nation here, I've read parts of this thread as I researched different types of mowers over the past couple of months, just finally settled on a flail for sure. Wanted a Caroni TM1900, but with $390 for shipping I didn't want to spend that much total ($2300). Ordered a Value Leader EFG-175 yesterday, Betst has too many in stock and they are actually cheaper than the EF-175 right now with heavier bearings and more volume. Came to about $1620 with liftgate delivery and $100 extra for 2 more years of warranty. Should be here early next week, can't wait! My questions are more about my tractor as it's my first and I haven't hooked anything to it yet. I bought a '53 Ford Golden Jubilee and I've been learning all I can about the pto, clutch, hydraulics, etc.. Since I have 3 pt. hydraulics with no down pressure, once I put the mower on the ground I'm thinking it will pretty much follow ground contours up or down? I'll have a lot of fairly flat areas, but there are a couple of ditches and septic mounds where I think if I back up and set the mower down either at the road edge or top of mound and drive forward it will hopefully just follow the curve of the ground. That sound right? The learning curve will ramp up sharply next week, but if anyone has any info or advice it would be appreciated. :thumbsup:

Thanks,
Dan

 

[IslandTractor]

Excellent, excellent advice. Thank you. I've learned lots from reading all your other posts and have modified my use and maintenance accordingly. Is this the side slicer knife to which you refer? <img src="http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=478482"/> HEAVY DUTY BLADE - FORD 917 COARSE CUT I hope so because they're lots less expensive than the single-piece blade I've been using (and mostly LOSING!)

Yes. And you need a pair for each station so they are cheaper but not that cheap.

 

[sgtboz]

Yes. And you need a pair for each station so they are cheaper but not that cheap.

Perfect. Thanks, IslandT!

 

[sgtboz]

Since we're talking flails, here's what I did with crappy blades and a Kubota L3800 the other day.

 

[Catoosa]

Also new kid here, actually old geezer but what the heck.

I have and use regularly two flail mowers to cut the big part of my 7.5 acres. An old Ford 6 foot and a John Deere 7 foot I pull with a Ford 3000. I rescued the Ford from the weeds of my neighbor property. He had written it off and gave it to me. I completely rebuilt it with new bearings all the way around and new flails where needed. It was badly maintained and abused.

Bought the JD at an auction for almost nothing because the roller was bent. Don't let anyone tell you a roller can't be straightened, just takes a little ingenuity. Got the I beam from the same neighbor I rescued the Ford from. It was left over from a shop build he had done years ago. Welded a couple plates to the ends so I could bolt the roller supports off the mower to. This allowed me to rotate the roller to check it for run-out between tweaks. Jack stands were used to support the roller when I removed the plates for tweaking. Held the ends with chains, cut slots in the I beam to hold the chain ends. A big jack and scrap piece of U channel under the roller finished off the straightening press. The string taped to the top was my is-it-straight-yet indicator.

The roller straightening process was successful and have been using the J.D. mower for the last two seasons.