Flail Mower Let's talk flail mowers

[GinNB]

As mentioned, I'm getting a new Caroni mower. I'd like to throw out another point for discussion. I have several rotary cutters and a 5' Kuhn flail chopper. I have used a chain toplink for several years and feel its the best way to go for general mowing. It seems to protect the tractor from having the toplink try to drive itself thru the tractor when the rear wheels are in a dip or lower than the front and tail wheels. Also allows the mower to flex if it hits something. Any thoughts?

Depends on the mower design. Some like to sit on the roller and skid shoes and those work well with a chain toplink. Others need a solid toplink to keep the front of the mower from digging in all the time. You can use a chain with this type but then you have to use the 3pt hitch to adjust your cutting height, which isn't always the best way to do it. Also doesn't work well on rolling ground. I like being able to drop a mower and have it float at the right height with no muss or fuss if the ground isn't level.

 

[SLOBuds]

This thing looks solid-built like a battleship. Just came available last couple of days. Also posted in EBay.

Craigs List Case CF74

I think the model is mis-stated though because Google doesn't find any other Case CF74s.

If I had the bucks I might take a closer look.

 

[davitk]

Davitk; mine has arrived also, I haven't had the time to play with it yet, might wait for the 3520 to show on the 16th and cut with them both on the 17th. BTW, can you show us some pics of the unit's work on lawn mowing? I wanted to get an idea of how it cuts lawn?

http://www.tractorbynet.com/photos/showphoto.php/photo/5351/size/big/sort/1/cat/500

It tends to leave the clippings on top of the lawn, not a big deal for me because I anin't too fussy .

 

[Eagleview]

As mentioned, I'm getting a new Caroni mower. I'd like to throw out another point for discussion. I have several rotary cutters and a 5' Kuhn flail chopper. I have used a chain toplink for several years and feel its the best way to go for general mowing. It seems to protect the tractor from having the toplink try to drive itself thru the tractor when the rear wheels are in a dip or lower than the front and tail wheels. Also allows the mower to flex if it hits something. Any thoughts?

I do'nt use a chain for the top link because if the tractor goes through a dip the flail can articulate too far forward and break the PTO shaft universal joint as they should not really go past 15degrees . I'd rather have the top link dictate how far the mower can articulate than have the PTO shaft whack me in the head .

 

[GinNB]

I do'nt use a chain for the top link because if the tractor goes through a dip the flail can articulate too far forward and break the PTO shaft universal joint as they should not really go past 15degrees . I'd rather have the top link dictate how far the mower can articulate than have the PTO shaft whack me in the head .

Good point. I should've mentioned "the rotating toplink" in my earlier post. You have to have lots of compression available in the PTO shaft. It's easier to get with some tractor/mower combinations than others.

 

[scuvnut]

Anyone know what a good price would be for a 2003 New Holland model
918HFM? Allegedly, it only saw 5 acres of mowing before it was put away in a barn for storage.

 

[markanth]

Caroni is 73" but I need a 7 to 8 footer that does the hydraulic offset and is the excellent value that the Caroni is?

Any thoughts?

Mark

 

[Nuru]

http://www.tractorbynet.com/photos/showphoto.php/photo/5351/size/big/sort/1/cat/500

It tends to leave the clippings on top of the lawn, not a big deal for me because I anin't too fussy .

I gotta tell you, your cut looks pretty good from this angle. Don't those clippigs go away in a few days?

I will probably get some work this weekend with the 3520, it is scheduled to arrive on Thursday! i got the Detached garage door enlarged to a 7'6" dorr, and the installers set the door to open only to 86" Seems there was a mild disconnect between them and the sales people. I will call them and tell them i need for the door to go all the way up and be flat so I can utilize the entire 90" As the 3520 is about 88" tall with the tires that I am going to use on it. So I need those extra couple of inches. I think it is an easy fix.

 

[Nuru]

Caroni is 73" but I need a 7 to 8 footer that does the hydraulic offset and is the excellent value that the Caroni is?

Any thoughts?

Mark

Second Mortgage or a line of credit?

 

[GinNB]

Put it to work and PAY the mortgage!

 

[John861]

I cancelled mine just before it shipped, so if someone wants one just off the boat, now is the time.

I had buyer's remorse on 1800 bucks for a mower I don't really need for 3-4 acres of mowing. Maybe in a year after some more bills are paid and the economy firms up in Michigan.

You could always try a used flail. Here's one in your neighborhood:
6' flail mower for 3pt

I don't know anything about this one, but I recently bought a 6.5' Ford 917 and like it. Parts for the old Fords (907 and 917) are pretty easy to find, either through CNH or one of the online vendors (Flailmaster or R&R).

-John (out near Dexter)

 

[Reg]

Anyone fit the shift kit on the Caroni ?
How did you find the drilling part ?
How easy to decide exactly where the holes go, and how EXACT do their positions have to be ?

 

[Reg]

About that shift kit...
I have been thinking about it ONLY as a way to get the mower under fences and perhaps overhanging shrubs/bushes.
I have ONLY JUST started to think of it as a way of getting the mower to the grass that is under low hanging TREE branches, i.e. when it is the tractor's ROPS that won't fit under a low branch.
OK, maybe slow thinking, but I'm still a bit puzzled that nobody here has commented on this aspect ("feature").

I'd still like to know how hard/easy it is to install.
I came across one comment that a TBN'er had bought his with it already installed, but that might have been an early one that Agri wanted to test the install process on.

 

[Rara Avis]

About that shift kit...
I have been thinking about it ONLY as a way to get the mower under fences and perhaps overhanging shrubs/bushes.
I have ONLY JUST started to think of it as a way of getting the mower to the grass that is under low hanging TREE branches, i.e. when it is the tractor's ROPS that won't fit under a low branch.
OK, maybe slow thinking, but I'm still a bit puzzled that nobody here has commented on this aspect ("feature").

I'd still like to know how hard/easy it is to install.
I came across one comment that a TBN'er had bought his with it already installed, but that might have been an early one that Agri wanted to test the install process on.

For mowing under things...check this thread...
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachments/108577-fence-mower.html

 

[sunspot]

Reg,
I did some searching and found that Big Daddy is the one who bought the unit with the kit already installed.
I also found members texbaylea and GreenMTms bought the kits. See if they would respond to a PM?

 

[John861]

About that shift kit...
I have been thinking about it ONLY as a way to get the mower under fences and perhaps overhanging shrubs/bushes.
I have ONLY JUST started to think of it as a way of getting the mower to the grass that is under low hanging TREE branches, i.e. when it is the tractor's ROPS that won't fit under a low branch.
OK, maybe slow thinking, but I'm still a bit puzzled that nobody here has commented on this aspect ("feature").

I wouldn't say it's the ONLY way to mow under fences and low branches. Many (most?) flail mowers are offset, or can be manually offset. What the hydraulic shift kit gets you is the ability to adjust on the fly. My fixed position flail hangs off to one side so I can mow under things without a problem. The only difficulty comes when you approach a fence post or tree. Without a hydraulic shift kit, I have to pull up to the post, then back up and swing around it, or just get sloppy and swing in and out without stopping. For the substantial cost of the hydraulic shift kit (heck, I only paid $325 for the whole mower), many of us can make due with the inconvenience. It's certainly much better than a mid or rear mount non-offset mower for these situations.

Of course, your needs may be different, in which case you should get the hydraulic shift kit, and take lots of pictures for us.

 

[SPYDERLK]

About that shift kit...
I have been thinking about it ONLY as a way to get the mower under fences and perhaps overhanging shrubs/bushes.
I have ONLY JUST started to think of it as a way of getting the mower to the grass that is under low hanging TREE branches, i.e. when it is the tractor's ROPS that won't fit under a low branch.
OK, maybe slow thinking, but I'm still a bit puzzled that nobody here has commented on this aspect ("feature").

Hydraulic side shift of the mower was brought up generically back in #32 and touched on spottily many times after that in the thread. I am getting a non Caroni mower with this option - it is to swing from tractor centered to as much a 2' to the right. We are looking forward to this versatility. I will post about it when it arrives and we have had a chance to use it.
larry

 

[sunspot]

I took delivery of the Caroni. It's a bit bigger than I imagined it would be. As was mentioned in other posts, there is oil in the unit. The paperwork is in many languages and English was not the manuals writers originals tongue. It's written well enough to get by.

Here are a few pictures of how it was delivered. The PTO and top link bracket were under the unit.

 

[sunspot]

The set up went well enough. I spent about 30 minuted reading the paperwork before I put it together.
I ran into a slight problem with the PTO shaft. It's about 6" too long.
What's with that?
I went back to do more reading and the Caroni manual said not to shorten the shaft. However, the manufacturers manual gives detailed instructions on how to shorten the shaft. I will take off about 4" from each side of the shaft, to give me some play.
BTW, my setup area is level ground and the top link is set correctly.

Any opinions or comments?

 

[Reg]

The set up went well enough. I spent about 30 minuted reading the paperwork before I put it together.
I ran into a slight problem with the PTO shaft. It's about 6" too long.
What's with that?
I went back to do more reading and the Caroni manual said not to shorten the shaft. However, the manufacturers manual gives detailed instructions on how to shorten the shaft. I will take off about 4" from each side of the shaft, to give me some play.
BTW, my setup area is level ground and the top link is set correctly.

Any opinions or comments?

Yeah, CONGRATS !!!!!

(-:


Also;

Yeah, it DOES come on two pallets nailed together.
&
Yeah, the pallet fork entry is at the end (not side), so it probably gets a bit tippy on 4 ft or 4 1/2 ft forks.
(-:

Maybe the extra shaft length is in case you get the shift kit ?
Either that or its the next standard size up, which I think is SOP, so just cut it to fit anyway.