DavesTractor
Elite Member
We have no rocks and loamy soil. It sounds like you have a good idea for your conditions. A steel roller would not fair well in rocky conditions.
Flail Mower Let's talk flail mowers
- Thread starter TNhobbyfarmer
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We have no rocks and loamy soil. It sounds like you have a good idea for your conditions. A steel roller would not fair well in rocky conditions.
IslandTractor
Super Star Member
- Joined
- Sep 15, 2005
- Messages
- 15,802
- Location
- Prudence Island, RI
- Tractor
- 2007 Kioti DK40se HST, Woods BH
I mow with a flail in New England. The roller certainly gets dented but it doesn't seem to affect function at all. Removing the roller would allow debris to be ejected out the back at high speed so I would avoid removing it if possible.
Utopia Texas
Platinum Member
- Joined
- Aug 11, 2013
- Messages
- 765
- Location
- Brookshire & Cat Spring,Texas
- Tractor
- Kubota B2650 / Kubota L6060 / Kubota ZD2300
I just set up and used my new Caroni 72" today and it did a great job out in the field on wild winter oats about 10" tall and very green and mushy. My only dissapointment was that unlike a rotary mower that creates a whirlwind under the deck and straightens grass run over by the tractor tires the flail mower missed some of the winter oats flattened by the tractor tires and I had to re-mow some areas. Also when I adjusted the rear roller, upper third point of the hitch and the skids to be about 1" above the ground the skids covered the grease nipples for the rear roller. Otherwise I am impressed with the unit and look forward to see what it will do on the common and coastal bermuda specific to the Texas Gulf Coast when Spring is in full gear.
IslandTractor
Super Star Member
- Joined
- Sep 15, 2005
- Messages
- 15,802
- Location
- Prudence Island, RI
- Tractor
- 2007 Kioti DK40se HST, Woods BH
I see that tire tread phenomenon sometimes but usually when grass is wet or very green. Not as big an issue when dry or shorter.
LouieJunior
Platinum Member
Have my new Caroni flail mower. It is too early here to mow very much, but I'm anxious to put it into use. Need to assemble a few things and fill the gear box this weekend. The user manual deals mostly with safety and maintenance -- not much on usage. Here are my questions so far...
Roller rides on the ground -- how far off the ground should the shoes be?
My bush hog has a float function at the top link. Should I use something similar with the flail?
What advantage would a hydraulic top link provide while flail mowing?
Is all cutting done at 540 rpm? I seldom bush hogged at this high an engine speed.
Thanks!
Roller rides on the ground -- how far off the ground should the shoes be?
My bush hog has a float function at the top link. Should I use something similar with the flail?
What advantage would a hydraulic top link provide while flail mowing?
Is all cutting done at 540 rpm? I seldom bush hogged at this high an engine speed.
Thanks!
LouieJunior
Platinum Member
Another question... The manual actually says fill the gearbox. My other PTO implements (Bush Hog and Stump Grinder) have a side vent hole to which one fills. I don't see one of these on this gearbox. Am I to fill it to the top?
leonz
Super Member
============================================================================
First, I want to welcome you as the newest Member of the Flail Mower Nation.
You level the flail mower using a bubble level on the gear box.
The skid shoes are there to do one thing and that is prevent
damage to the flail mower rotor- when the flail mower is level
the skid shoes will be at least one inch off the ground-understand
that when you lower the rear roller location you increase the cuttting height
and reduce the efficiency created by the knives when the mower is operating.
A hydraulic top link would still have to be used with a bubble level on the gear box.
All cutting is done at 540 rpm with the engine speed set for the 540 rpm PTO speed.
any slower and the cut will look like *&^%$.
The flailmower is cuttting more material more efficiently than any rotary mower
because it has so much more cutting edge exposed to the work.
Your bush hog is only using one blade at a time when mowing, every side slicer on
the flail is cutting at all times.
leonz
Super Member
NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Under no circumstances are you to fill it full as it will blow out the vent and blow out the seals.
YOU have to have a vent in the top of the gearbox.
Forgive me but its late- the top plug should have a
dip stick and it should show this in the manual.
I can forward more manuals if you are still having issues with their packaged manual.
Send me a PM with your E-mail and I will send them to you.
We have many threads about fixing the bubbling oil issue with metric pipe fittings
screwed into the oil filler hole.
NOW you can simply fill it to the recommended level and just be sure
to check it occasionally while mowing as it will bubble out.
Happy mowing
Under no circumstances are you to fill it full as it will blow out the vent and blow out the seals.
YOU have to have a vent in the top of the gearbox.
Forgive me but its late- the top plug should have a
dip stick and it should show this in the manual.
I can forward more manuals if you are still having issues with their packaged manual.
Send me a PM with your E-mail and I will send them to you.
We have many threads about fixing the bubbling oil issue with metric pipe fittings
screwed into the oil filler hole.
NOW you can simply fill it to the recommended level and just be sure
to check it occasionally while mowing as it will bubble out.
Happy mowing
LouieJunior
Platinum Member
Thank you for all of your helpful answers!
I will locate the dip stick today when I get everything unpacked and inspect the gearbox. The manual says to "fill the gearbox with oil HD 80 W 90" -- but I do see a dip stick in the parts diagram further back.
powerline
New member
Anyone have any experience with the John Deere 360 flail..look like it is a 5 footer and Quick hitch compatible. Made in Mexico it seems.