Flail Mower Let's talk flail mowers

[GinNB]

I've got a couple of flail mowers where "land plane" cutting height is recommended by the factory. They do a phenomenal job on land just levelled with an excavator and tend to shave off the tops of undisturbed knolls a bit and deposit the dirt in the low sections. They'll even shave off moss so low no chemicals are required for control. They're not terribly cheap and maintenance costs are pretty high though.

 

[TomOnTractorByNet]

I have a Chinese flail mower from around 2008-2012. I think it was known as a Town sunny FL-150.

My drive belt side bearing seized onto the shaft over last winter. In the course of its removal, I broke the cast iron hearing flange/housing and am finding it impossible to find a replacement here in Ireland.

The bearing fits the 40mm rotor shaft and is 80mm o.d., housed in a 4-holed circular cast-iron housing that's 150mm in dia.

Does anyone have any information on a possible reference / part number that I could use to source a replacement?

T.I.A.

 

[CADplans]

In the course of its removal, I broke the cast iron hearing flange/housing and am finding it impossible to find a replacement here in Ireland.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Does anyone have any information on a possible reference / part number that I could use to source a replacement?

T.I.A.

A guy that has done it before could fix that broken casting by brazing.
An oxygen/acetelene torch is needed, some brazing rod, ,, some flux,,

I have fixed such parts before.

When I was trained to braze, we had to break the sample parts that were brazed together,
the break was expected to occur away from the braze joint.

 

[John0829]

A guy that has done it before could fix that broken casting by brazing.
An oxygen/acetelene torch is needed, some brazing rod, ,, some flux,,

Sad to say the that is becoming a lost art around here. Around here only a few that still uses a torch for anything other than cutting.

 

[CADplans]

Sad to say the that is becoming a lost art around here. Around here only a few that still uses a torch for anything other than cutting.

and,, if you were to try to charge more than a few dollars for the repair,,
people would act like you were trying to rip them off.

 

[LouNY]

Here is a link to several 40 MM bearings and houseing;
Metric Mounted Bearings

 

[JWR]

Here is a link to several 40 MM bearings and houseing;
Metric Mounted Bearings

I think Tom in Ireland has a nearly impossible circumstance for finding such parts. You are probably in for a repair that involves some fabrication and mating of parts different than the originals. I would try and use LouNY link to see what 40mm inside diameter bearing are available as an assembly with an outer housing and mounting hardware. Being able to get the outer housing and mounting hardware -- in a form that can be mounted on your existing mower frame -- is the hard part. You'll probably have to weld the new housing/mount onto your mower OR with some luck be able to drill holes and bolt it on. It is going to be very hard to do this I am afraid. Have you searched for an old mower that you could buy for parts?

 

[dieselscout80]

My 917 started vibrating kinda bad today while mowing. When I got home I looked and I had lost 3 pairs of knives and their mount loops. The my 917 has the knives laid out in three straight lines each with 11 pairs. The three I lost were in the same row/line.

I replaced them and it was back to normal.

 

[Reg]

A thought on the cast iron brazing question.

Such skills DO still exist (-:

I would try asking the local "dirt bike community".
A good start would be the local motorcycle shop, they may be able to do it if their clientele has a strong off road contingent, or they may have a small ads board.

 

[John0829]

A thought on the cast iron brazing question.

Such skills DO still exist (-:

Not many have or want to learn the skill. I have tried to teach my SIL but he is impatient. As far as I know I am the last one around close that still can do it and have made several brazing repairs for my SIL's work place, to help him out, when they were told it was going to be months before replacement parts would be available. I actually enjoy brazing but hate to admit I am losing the ability due to nerve damage, hands that shake worse everyday makes holding things steady and hand eye coordination a REAL challenge.

 

[Reg]

Not many have or want to learn the skill. I have tried to teach my SIL but he is impatient. As far as I know I am the last one around close that still can do it and have made several brazing repairs for my SIL's work place, to help him out, when they were told it was going to be months before replacement parts would be available. I actually enjoy brazing but hate to admit I am losing the ability due to nerve damage, hands that shake worse everyday makes holding things steady and hand eye coordination a REAL challenge.

Yeah, it is more likely to appear in someone's Hobby profile than their "day job" skills (-:

As I said, dirt bikers are a likely bunch.
They crack engine and gear cases when they go a' rock hopping.
Bash plates only do so much )-;

 

[arto98607]

Maybe so, but I don't think dirt bikes have many cast iron parts.....

 

[D&D]

I have a Chinese flail mower from around 2008-2012. I think it was known as a Town sunny FL-150.

My drive belt side bearing seized onto the shaft over last winter. In the course of its removal, I broke the cast iron hearing flange/housing and am finding it impossible to find a replacement here in Ireland.

The bearing fits the 40mm rotor shaft and is 80mm o.d., housed in a 4-holed circular cast-iron housing that's 150mm in dia.

Does anyone have any information on a possible reference / part number that I could use to source a replacement?

T.I.A.

Would this one work?

UCF208 Four-Bolt Flange Unit Bore Size 40mm

Bearings Direct is your online store for quality and precision products at wholesale prices. Browse our wide selection of bearings and other industrial products to meet your needs.

bearingsdirect.com

or this one?

UCFC208 Round Flange Housing 4 Bolt w/ Set Screw Ball Bearing Shaft Size 40mm

Bearings Direct is your online store for quality and precision products at wholesale prices. Browse our wide selection of bearings and other industrial products to meet your needs.

bearingsdirect.com

 

[JWR]

Would this one work?

UCF208 Four-Bolt Flange Unit Bore Size 40mm

Bearings Direct is your online store for quality and precision products at wholesale prices. Browse our wide selection of bearings and other industrial products to meet your needs.

bearingsdirect.com

or this one?

UCFC208 Round Flange Housing 4 Bolt w/ Set Screw Ball Bearing Shaft Size 40mm

Bearings Direct is your online store for quality and precision products at wholesale prices. Browse our wide selection of bearings and other industrial products to meet your needs.

bearingsdirect.com

That sort of thing is what I was suggesting in post #7909 for Tom in Ireland. It would seem like one of these two could be adapted to your flail by either welding or bolting it on. Shaft length/protrusion has to be considered too, but these look like a good find to me.

 

[D&D]

That sort of thing is what I was suggesting in post #7909 for Tom in Ireland. It would seem like one of these two could be adapted to your flail by either welding or bolting it on. Shaft length/protrusion has to be considered too, but these look like a good find to me.

I missed this and Louny’s post, musta got sidetracked with the thought of trying to braze the bearing housing my apologies to you both

 

[JWR]

I missed this and Louny’s post, musta got sidetracked with the thought of trying to braze the bearing housing my apologies to you both

No reason to apologize! You found the 'right stuff.' Good work.

 

[Ever Grow]

Hello I had a question on a rears mfg flail. I have managed to blow to bearings up in the course of 6 months and I have no idea why. I grease it everyday once a day in the morning as I use it during our busy season for mowing in between our orchard rows. When I pulled the first bearing out I found metal fragments but nothing was wrong with the bearing from what I could tell and so I replaced it and when I ran it again I blew the second one. I could really use the help thank you.

 

[leonz]

Flail mower bearings should always be replaced in pairs.
Metal fragments are always an indication of bearing failure.
I need to know which model rears flail mower, its cutting width,
whether you have hammer knives or side slicers and the year of
its manufacture.

 

[GinNB]

Hello I had a question on a rears mfg flail. I have managed to blow to bearings up in the course of 6 months and I have no idea why. I grease it everyday once a day in the morning as I use it during our busy season for mowing in between our orchard rows. When I pulled the first bearing out I found metal fragments but nothing was wrong with the bearing from what I could tell and so I replaced it and when I ran it again I blew the second one. I could really use the help thank you.

First thing- use the recommended grease. Second thing- give it maybe one squirt per day. Don't overgrease. It'll push out the dust seals and help dust/crud get back in when they go back in place. Three- make sure it's in balance. Missing teeth are hard on bearings and the main mower frame. Four- Make sure you aren't winding grass, string, or whatever around the shaft next to the bearings. That'll cut the seals and cause premature failure.

That said, it's pretty rare to have two factory bearings go out in only 6 months. Tons of hours or only a couple of hundred? Cuttershaft bearing life should be measured in thousands of hours, not hundreds, unless one of the four above issues aren't happening. I wonder if they got a bad batch of bearings or maybe put some cheapos in? Possible improper installation if they've had staff turnover? Just guessing here though. I've never had a Rears though so I can't offer brand-specific experience. Some brands are a lot better surviving harsh use than others, but from what I've read Rears is a good brand.

p.s. One flail manufacturer recommended to me to NEVER grease cuttershaft bearings, but if they've been greased once to keep greasing them. They were getting thousands of hours on ungreased (factory grease only) bearings on their personal machines. They pulled the zerk and put in a plug. I've tried it and didn't magically increase my bearing life but I couldn't tell a difference between that method and normal greasing.

 

[scootr]

I'm a greaser of bearings and pivot pins. So far 3 or 4 yrs on the flail mower with no known problems.
Bestco 84" HD