Flail Mower Let's talk flail mowers

[foggy1111]

I've "lusted" over a new flail mower for a long time. It always seems to be just off the top of my list of "needs"......and I have a good Bush Hog Rotary Cutter. That Woodmax 78H kinda tears at me and my resistance is caving more everyday.

Question to those of you with a 30 PTO HP tractor and Flail mower experience......Is 30 PTO HP enough for the WM 78H? It would cover my 66" width but I fear I am at the edge on the HP needs. I would keep my 60" Rotary for heavy brush and use the Flail mainly for grassy trails and food plots (clover and rye / oats)???

I've been back and forth on Hammers vs Knives.....but lately seem to be in the Knives camp (as I think I'd get a better mulch). Decisions / decisions.

Being able to reach to the right an extra foot or so would make my cab happy on my brushy trails and around my buildings......and the finely chopped mulch would sure be good for my soils.

OH.....and, how reliable and bullet-proof is that hydraulic side shift on these Woodmax flails. I've not read of problems. Nice feature for my purposes.

Thanks for any inputs.....I've been reading this thread for a loong time.

 

[ronjhall]

My 22hp pto tractor does well with Y blades and FM62H. It also works ok with hammer blades. But I can tell the difference. I think Woodmaxx is conservative on their HP ratings.

 

[lostcreekranch]

Which flail manufactures offer a helical rotor.

I upgraded my planer and jointer, in my woodworking shop to helical heads and they really give a nice finish.

Still anxiously awaiting an answer from Eagleview? Description as "red mower" and "orange mower" don't tell us much?

Straight rotor in red mower, helical rotor in orange mower .

View attachment 612853 View attachment 612854

 

[bruceha2000]

I've "lusted" over a new flail mower for a long time. It always seems to be just off the top of my list of "needs"......and I have a good Bush Hog Rotary Cutter. That Woodmax 78H kinda tears at me and my resistance is caving more everyday.

Question to those of you with a 30 PTO HP tractor and Flail mower experience......Is 30 PTO HP enough for the WM 78H? It would cover my 66" width but I fear I am at the edge on the HP needs. I would keep my 60" Rotary for heavy brush and use the Flail mainly for grassy trails and food plots (clover and rye / oats)???

I've been back and forth on Hammers vs Knives.....but lately seem to be in the Knives camp (as I think I'd get a better mulch). Decisions / decisions.

Being able to reach to the right an extra foot or so would make my cab happy on my brushy trails and around my buildings......and the finely chopped mulch would sure be good for my soils.

OH.....and, how reliable and bullet-proof is that hydraulic side shift on these Woodmax flails. I've not read of problems. Nice feature for my purposes.

Thanks for any inputs.....I've been reading this thread for a loong time.

I don't have 30 HP PTO so maybe I shouldn't answer (since I don't fit the requirements) but I will anyway
I think you will be fine being at the low end of PTO requirements (but you are still IN the range!) given the description of what you will be cutting. You would be using the machine at the low end of its capabilities. I am ASSUMING you plan to maintain the areas before they get quite high or woody plants have a chance to take hold. I would use the hog to create any new trails though.

Since you have been reading, you know I was cutting stuff up to and over 5' tall and the tall stuff had stalks about 3/8". My 25 HP PTO is near the low end for the 62H (20-45) and while I was going slow so the flail had time to beat up on the stuff as I passed over it, I don't feel that I was taxing the tractor at all. It chopped everything to a few inches long. I expect it will be finer when I next mow. IF I had a hog and the flail, I probably would have beat it down with the hog first. I don't plan to let it get that high next year, I didn't have everything I needed to cut earlier this year.

I can't tell you about the longevity of the side shift. I will say that there are 2 bolts that hold the rear "inspection" flap down which I replaced with clevis pins. If something were to get stuck in the cutters out in the field, I'd rather not have to break out 2 wrenches to open the flap for easy access/cleaning out.

 

[foggy1111]

I don't have 30 HP PTO so maybe I shouldn't answer (since I don't fit the requirements) but I will anyway
I think you will be fine being at the low end of PTO requirements (but you are still IN the range!) given the description of what you will be cutting. You would be using the machine at the low end of its capabilities. I am ASSUMING you plan to maintain the areas before they get quite high or woody plants have a chance to take hold. I would use the hog to create any new trails though.

Since you have been reading, you know I was cutting stuff up to and over 5' tall and the tall stuff had stalks about 3/8". My 25 HP PTO is near the low end for the 62H (20-45) and while I was going slow so the flail had time to beat up on the stuff as I passed over it, I don't feel that I was taxing the tractor at all. It chopped everything to a few inches long. I expect it will be finer when I next mow. IF I had a hog and the flail, I probably would have beat it down with the hog first. I don't plan to let it get that high next year, I didn't have everything I needed to cut earlier this year.

I can't tell you about the longevity of the side shift. I will say that there are 2 bolts that hold the rear "inspection" flap down which I replaced with clevis pins. If something were to get stuck in the cutters out in the field, I'd rather not have to break out 2 wrenches to open the flap for easy access/cleaning out.

Thanks to you and Ron for the quick responses. You both are confirming what I anticipate for my tractor ability with this mower. I think it will work perfectly. I'm pretty sure I'm going to buy one.....just not sure I should do it this year. (Were building a 2nd home in AZ right now......and this may push my wife over the edge. Grin .

I like that idea of the QD pins on the rear hood. Makes sense. Will try that too!

Thanks again for the responses!!!

 

[bruceha2000]

I'm surprised that WM doesn't put clevis pins there. I don't know the cost difference between 1 pin and a hairclip vs 1 bolt, 2 washers and a nylon insert nut but since the mower comes with them installed, using clevis pins would cut their assembly time by a little bit.

Also note that there are some differences in the manual from "reality" (at least on the 62H). For instance there is a picture pointing to a bolt that you are supposed to remove before you can adjust the cutting height. Must be another one of those "engineering changes" between the '18s and the '19s. There is no bolt there and the skids are attached to the same plate as the roller so you can not adjust them separately, 2 bolts above the skids per side. And you need a fair number more wrench sizes than what they say to get the mower set up. IIRC the 2 they mentioned are needed to put the gear oil in, totally different sizes to mount the arch and to take the metal crate apart so you can get the mower out. Also, there is no need to remove the hoses and route them through the holes as described. There is a long slot now and the hoses are already routed through it; even if they weren't you could still do it without removing the banjo fitting ends from the machine.

You are going to need another tractor and all the implements for the AZ house, what is one more flail?

 

[Molalla1]

Thanks to you and Ron for the quick responses. You both are confirming what I anticipate for my tractor ability with this mower. I think it will work perfectly. I'm pretty sure I'm going to buy one.....just not sure I should do it this year. (Were building a 2nd home in AZ right now......and this may push my wife over the edge. Grin .

I like that idea of the QD pins on the rear hood. Makes sense. Will try that too!

Thanks again for the responses!!!

Do it . . . . .

 

[foggy1111]

^ You guys are too much. Lots going on in my life right now......and while I need to do this.....I may lack the time to even get it out of the crate and set up this season. Been moving box blinds and doing allot of re-arranging after logging my land 2 1/2 years ago. Really shaping up now.....but it's been a task. Gonna spend two weeks in OZ next month.....and the summer is growing short. I suppose I'll pay a higher price in spring.....but I may as well table it until then. Just did the new tractor last summer.....and the Mrs was wondering about my sanity.....now the new home......and other toys (I'm going to get a Jeep Wrangler - not a tractor - for the desert).......not sure I want to tip her over the edge. FORE! (again....thanks for all the advice. The anticipation of this new mower is a good thing.).

 

[bruceha2000]

Does your tractor have the rear remotes and valves to directly attach the flail? If so set-up isn't hard at all. If you need to add hydraulic controls that will add a fair bit of time.

 

[ronjhall]

Forgot to address the slide issue. So far mine is working good. But It moves very well in right to left operation. Moving left to right (rod end) it requires that fail mower be on the ground. I have never checked pressure on the valve I have slide hooked too. It has its own pressure setting. Last time I checked my other valves pressure is at 2000 psi. I have 3 valves on my tractor besides FEL.