Flail Mower Let's talk flail mowers

[Big Bri]

J J my blades turn opposite i think and i have the Y blades.

I think what help me break the belts was the fact that i might have been going to fast. i was in low 3rd and the fact that i wasn't up to full pto speed. Its a new tractor (less than 10hrs) so i was changing the rpm up and down about 800 to 1000 rpms. (the mfg. said not to run it at full speed for long periods of time during break in)

Parts store call me this morning and my belts are already in so i'll let ya'll know how things turn out

 

[Big Bri]

Big Bri. Don't beat yourself up. Some other new owners of Caroni had broken belts.

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachments/124814-caroni-flail-belt-failure.html

NAPA had belts in stock. No failures after the first replacement set.

Reading this thread now. . . lots of good info. thanks for pointing it out

 

[jmfox]

J J I think what help me break the belts was the fact that i might have been going to fast.

The first thing you need to note with a new mower is its song, so you can keep it happy/singing while it works.

jmf

 

[Big Bri]

whats funny about this is i own a music store. . . but i can't keep a tune. at least one that won't make the dogs howl.

The first thing you need to note with a new mower is its song, so you can keep it happy/singing while it works.

jmf

 

[jmfox]

I'm not so good at making music either, but I know when someone is out of tune. Your flail has a distinct rhythm and its pitch will vary with the load, but its timbre should be consistent. If it works too hard it will yield to the load and the belts will scream.

jmf

 

[IslandTractor]

If it works too hard it will yield to the load and the belts will scream.

Or, it will just stall the tractor. Mine tends to stall rather than squeal. It tends to happen more when there is a very large load placed suddenly on the system. Happens to me when I dig into a ditch or run over a log that gets partially eaten and sucked into the flail or if I am too aggressive or too fast in heavy brush.

 

[jmfox]

Or, it will just stall the tractor. Mine tends to stall rather than squeal. It tends to happen more when there is a very large load placed suddenly on the system. Happens to me when I dig into a ditch or run over a log that gets partially eaten and sucked into the flail or if I am too aggressive or too fast in heavy brush.

Or if the flail is equipped with an automatic shut off it will just stop spinning.

jmf

 

[IslandTractor]

Or if the flail is equipped with an automatic shut off it will just stop spinning.

jmf

I hadn't heard of an automatic shut off before. Is this a feature on the higher priced flails?

 

[GinNB]

Big Bri, I think the belt trouble is that you're asking too much of them all at once. That's some seriously tall stuff to be cutting in one pass, especially if you're not in a creeper gear.

Try lifting the mower a foot off the ground for the first pass, and then lower it to, say, 4-6 inches for the second, and drop it down lower for the third if you need it cut really short. Make sure that you take lots of pics with your wife standing next to each pass.

 

[J_J]

Big Bri,

Did you happen to notice the brand name on the original belts? I would recommend belts
with Kevlar. With Kevlar, I don't think those belts would have snapped like that. I have run belts with Kevlar until just the Kevlar threads were showing. There are many different levels of belts, from automobile to garden tractors to large tractors, to industrial use. The belt materials varies quite a bit, and if you do your research, you can find what you want.

 

[Nightrain1]

It's obvious there is some issue with the belts on the flail mower, how big an issue proably is debateable. One thing I would caution on getting tougher and stroger belts, that might very well lead to finding the next weakest link. Reminds me of putting a v-8 engine in a original 6 cylinder car. You better plan on beefing up the rest of the drivetrain also or you headed for a failure.

 

[J_J]

I would think the sound of the flail working would/should tell you about how things are going. If you are going to fast, the engine rpm will decrease, and running the flail to slow is not a good thing. You can vary some things, but the belts have to be good enough. Breaking three belts at a time is not good. They do have shear pins, or some weak bolts, don't they? Maybe slip clutch.

 

[Nightrain1]

Not all operators are created equal as far as listening to the sound of the flail. I would imagine the manufacture would use a stronger belt instead of replacing weaker ones for free also.
All I am saying, a stronger belt might be liken to putting in a stronger out of spec shear pin, which could cost you a gear box.

 

[Big Bri]

So i put the new belts on, Gates Hi-Power II B43 the parts guy told me that these are for Ag, construction equipt. and that the would with stand higher temps.
(there is another thread about belt failure and temp) Set the belt tension about as tight as i could, there is more than 3/8 play, but that was the best i could get. and set out to cut.

i cut for about two hrs and everything went well and the belts still look brand new.

I did take some temp numbers (should post this on the other thread as well)

my belts were 185
the top pulley was 185
the bottom pulley was 165
the idler was 130
and the gear box was 165

FYI i cut with the guard off so i could watch the belts.

After cutting i believe that that the original belts were . . . crap

i say this because with the original belts my tractor never stalled (mx5100)
and because i never heard "belt squeal"
I did from time to time smell a burnt or melting rubber smell.
I don't think i was going to fast anymore, after reading my owners manual low third tops out at 2.3 mph.
My pto speed might have affected the belts life as i didn't run at full pto (about 500 rpm less) because it is a new Tractor with less than 10 hrs (i'm up to 7 today)

Might sound stupid but i have nothing else to cut and i want to keep playing to make sure i'm right. . . so i'm going to ask if i can cut the neighbors grass. . . and l'll do it for free to put my mind at ease.

 

[Big Bri]

Big Bri,

Did you happen to notice the brand name on the original belts? I would recommend belts
with Kevlar. With Kevlar, I don't think those belts would have snapped like that. I have run belts with Kevlar until just the Kevlar threads were showing. There are many different levels of belts, from automobile to garden tractors to large tractors, to industrial use. The belt materials varies quite a bit, and if you do your research, you can find what you want.

J J the belts were too messed up to read anything so i don't know what brand they were. I did look for kevlar belts, the parts store where i bought the gates from told me it would be 2 to 3 weeks before he could get some. Tractor supply had TWO kevlar belts in stock but could not tell me when they would get any more in. I'm going to run these till they break and keep the ones that agri supply sends as a back up. If i do break another set of belts i will order the kevlar thougt.

Thanks

 

[Hooked_on_HP]

My Mathews flail mower rotates the opposite direction of the tires so it can throw the clippings in the hopper.If I dont want to catch the clippings I push the lever to send the clippings out the back. This system works great it saves me the hassle of sweeping.
Bill

 

[Eagleview]

Bri , the blue smoke in the top photo in post 672 is coming from your belts . They were slipping badly . With grass that high and that thick 2-3 mph is way to fast . You would need to be in first gear for that task . Just remember that there would be a bale of hay every 10' in grass that BIG . The mower not only has to cut it , but also turn it too chaff and then spit it out . You can imagine how much material is inside the mulching chamber crowding the rotor . If you look at your photos , there is nothing left of the grass , hardly a trace to be seen left on the ground . Flail mowers do an incredible job , but just need a little more time to PROCESS the material , unlike a Bush Hog that simply cuts it off and lays it down . It also helps to open the rear door in BIG grass to allow it to escape quicker .

 

[jmfox]

Flail mowers do an incredible job , but just need a little more time to PROCESS the material , unlike a Bush Hog that simply cuts it off and lays it down.

This was my impression while running the FC200. I didn't feel like I was beating the grass into submission, ripping, cutting or harvesting. It was more like running a factory over a 79" patch of grass to produce a consistent and uniform carpet.

jmf

 

[jmfox]

I hadn't heard of an automatic shut off before. Is this a feature on the higher priced flails?

All Bobcat FC200 flails have automatic shutoff and variable speed motor.

jmf

 

[J_J]

jmfox ,

That automatic shut off, only applies if the flail is raised more than 10 in.

A question, the flail will run with a flow of 17 to 37 GPM, does it cut twice as good at 37 GPM? Do you leave the back door open all the way when cutting tall grass/weeds, or try and mulch it?