Flail Mower Let's talk flail mowers

[IslandTractor]

Been a while since I posted the note below, but I just got around to doing a complete conversion to Flailmaster clevises and blades on my Caroni 1900. After busting a few more Caroni clevises mulching up some thicker/rougher stuff, I just wasn't willing to keep spending the ridiculous money on the Agri Supply Caroni parts.

Changes/observations from when I mocked up the parts earlier:

- Grinding is necessary, but relatively little - and even after doing so, the Flailmaster clevis is still more substantial than the Caroni/Agri Supply clevis. I initially didn't think it would be necessary, as the lone clevis I modified swung without interference. Turns out - it's extremely close, and the tabs on the drum are not very uniform. Some of the tabs are slightly narrower than others, so the clevises wouldn't swing completely free on all of them. Taking off 1/6" or so per side made the modified clevises swing freely on all the tabs.

- My neighbor who has years more experience than I with such things suggested another change. He looked at some of the legs that remained from the broken clevises and suggested relieving the blade holes with a conical grinder head. His point being, that the edges of the blade holes are quite sharp and the material is hardened, and he could see where the sharp corners had worked their way through the Caroni clevises. While the Flailmaster clevises are far beefier, I still relieved all the top edges of the blade holes to hopefully reduce this effect.

- Rather than using a bolt/nut to squeeze the Flailmaster clevises together to fit between the drum tabs, a good sized vice did the trick very quickly. Basically, just squeeze the ears together until you can just get a blade to slide over them.

The whole conversion took a couple hours. I've about 2 hours mowing since doing so, all seems fine - works as well as before. I've got a job next week that will have me mowing some heavier brush and will report back on how these hold up.

As an aside...I've got over 20 used original Caroni clevises that are certainly serviceable. If anyone is interested in them, I'll let them go far cheaper than new...

<img src="http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/files/attachments/377666-lets-talk-flail-mowers-relievedblade-jpg"/><img src="http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/files/attachments/377667-lets-talk-flail-mowers-assembly-1-jpg"/><img src="http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/files/attachments/377668-lets-talk-flail-mowers-assembly-2-jpg"/>

Really a great contribution. I tried to grind down a larger clevis a few years ago but gave up as I thought the ears were too thin by the time it fit. I hadn't thought of compressing the ears a bit.

Of course the real solution is to find a source for metric clevises. I tried but found nothing when I last checked. Even the specialty metric fastener stores didn't carry them. I'm pretty sure these are not specially made clevises, just a metric size.

I've been using the Flailmaster blades for years. They are just as good as the Caroni versions. I lose blades because the clevises break. Never had to replace any blade because of wear.

 

[leonz]

I thought this would help our Caroni owners.


Wire Rope, Chains, Slings & Lifting Devices for Material Handling & Rigging


crosby metric chain shackles

 

[DaNag]

Of course the real solution is to find a source for metric clevises.

You know...even if somebody found them, at a reasonable price - I'd likely do the conversion anyway unless they were of a different design.

For me, those Caroni clevises are like butter...the minute I hit something substantial, there's a better than even chance they'll break. The difference between them and the Flailmaster replacements is really obvious. Not only in material strength and thickness, but in design.

The Caroni clevises are almost squared off at the bottom - they don't have the smooth and even radius like the Flailmaster units. To me, this is yet another reason they break so easily for me...the clevises always broke in these corners as that's where the blades will concentrate their impact when you hit something.

And, I've now experienced the additional toughness of this new setup. I just got back in from mowing a ditch I mow once yearly on my property. Somebody was thoughtful enough to toss a stack of lightweight metal fence posts in the ditch since last year, which were obstructed by 3' weeds. Upon backing down the ditch and hearing the racket upon impact, I lifted the mower as quickly as possible - but it was a direct hit, and the Caroni was chewing on them for several seconds before I lifted. One of the posts was torn in half. With the Caroni clevises - there's zero doubt I'd have snapped every shackle that passed over these, as I've busted them on far less. Anxiously lifting the Caroni and looking for the expected carnage this time - zero. Nada. Not a scratch or ding on any clevis. Every clevis still perfectly in shape, but there are several blades that will need a quick touch-up with the grinder.

I'm sold. The $65 spent on 28 clevises will get paid back in no time. Even using the cheaper Flailmaster blades, it's a $10 hit every time a Caroni clevis breaks ($7 clevis, 2 x $1.50 blades.)

Now...if I could just stop burning up belts.

 

[IslandTractor]

You know...even if somebody found them, at a reasonable price - I'd likely do the conversion anyway unless they were of a different design.

For me, those Caroni clevises are like butter...the minute I hit something substantial, there's a better than even chance they'll break. The difference between them and the Flailmaster replacements is really obvious. Not only in material strength and thickness, but in design.

The Caroni clevises are almost squared off at the bottom - they don't have the smooth and even radius like the Flailmaster units. To me, this is yet another reason they break so easily for me...the clevises always broke in these corners as that's where the blades will concentrate their impact when you hit something.

And, I've now experienced the additional toughness of this new setup. I just got back in from mowing a ditch I mow once yearly on my property. Somebody was thoughtful enough to toss a stack of lightweight metal fence posts in the ditch since last year, which were obstructed by 3' weeds. Upon backing down the ditch and hearing the racket upon impact, I lifted the mower as quickly as possible - but it was a direct hit, and the Caroni was chewing on them for several seconds before I lifted. One of the posts was torn in half. With the Caroni clevises - there's zero doubt I'd have snapped every shackle that passed over these, as I've busted them on far less. Anxiously lifting the Caroni and looking for the expected carnage this time - zero. Nada. Not a scratch or ding on any clevis. Every clevis still perfectly in shape, but there are several blades that will need a quick touch-up with the grinder.

I'm sold. The $65 spent on 28 clevises will get paid back in no time. Even using the cheaper Flailmaster blades, it's a $10 hit every time a Caroni clevis breaks ($7 clevis, 2 x $1.50 blades.)

Now...if I could just stop burning up belts.

Ok. You convinced me. Do you have the part number for the Flailmaster clevis you used?

Other than grinding the ears and compressing them, did you have to file the holes in order to accept the bolt without binding?

 

[DaNag]

Ok. You convinced me. Do you have the part number for the Flailmaster clevis you used?

Other than grinding the ears and compressing them, did you have to file the holes in order to accept the bolt without binding?

Flailmaster clevis is M-100761. As of a couple weeks ago, price was 2.30 each.

Blades you likely already know the part number for, but for others watching - they're M-108381 @ $1.54 each.

Flailmaster has free shipping once you hit $150. As it turns out - a complete set of clevises (28) and blades (56) just barely surpasses that if one is so inclined.

No need for any tweaking of the clevis bolt holes. The holes are 7/16", which is about 1.1mm larger than the M10 bolt needs. However, this works out perfectly as the clevis holes are no longer perfectly aligned when you compress them in the vice. After doing so, the M10 fits very well - very little play, but no interference of motion.

Speaking of which, if one needs the bolts/nuts - I bought a bunch of them from nutty.com. They've got decent prices and reasonable shipping on the M10x80 bolts as well as the M10x1.5 nylok nuts.

 

[IslandTractor]

Flailmaster clevis is M-100761. As of a couple weeks ago, price was 2.30 each.

Blades you likely already know the part number for, but for others watching - they're M-108381 @ $1.54 each.

Flailmaster has free shipping once you hit $150. As it turns out - a complete set of clevises (28) and blades (56) just barely surpasses that if one is so inclined.

No need for any tweaking of the clevis bolt holes. The holes are 7/16", which is about 1.1mm larger than the M10 bolt needs. However, this works out perfectly as the clevis holes are no longer perfectly aligned when you compress them in the vice. After doing so, the M10 fits very well - very little play, but no interference of motion.

Speaking of which, if one needs the bolts/nuts - I bought a bunch of them from nutty.com. They've got decent prices and reasonable shipping on the M10x80 bolts as well as the M10x1.5 nylok nuts.

Thanks. I also found that Grainger sells the M10x80 bolts and locknuts in separate bags of 25 for a reasonable price.

 

[nova3930]

Was looking at the data plate on the flail I snagged. It says 917 and 22-183 which means it's a 6 footer and not a 5 footer. Thinking about it I should have realized that when it took up most of my 8ft truck bed.

 

[psj12]

Is there another source of parts for the Caroni TM1900 other than Agri Supply? They stopped carrying the roller for the 1900 although they still carry the shorter models.

 

[IslandTractor]

Is there another source of parts for the Caroni TM1900 other than Agri Supply? They stopped carrying the roller for the 1900 although they still carry the shorter models.

Try to talk with their buyer..they order stuff from Caroni all the time and should be able to make a special order to include with their next regular shipment.

 

[nova3930]

Well here's my new to me ford 917 including a pic of the blades that are on it. Only real mechanical defect I found on it was a previous owner had let bad bearing go on the roller to the point it wore a hole in the housing. Guy I bought it from had replaced the bearing with a sealed unit. If I keep it long enough for the sealed bearing to go out I may take it to the machine shop and let them braze it up and repair it correctly. I also got a bag full of the mounting rings and some spare blades in the deal. The belt guard came with it as well, it's just not on at the moment, guy had taken it off so I could inspect the pulley system.