Flail Mower Let's talk flail mowers

[Dan in MN]

If you are using a floating top link that wasn't previously mentioned that would of course make a difference, I thought those were more common on rotary cutters than flails as I didn't see them on flails as I shopped... With my mower rigidly mounted (no floating link) the whole system moves up and down to follow the terrain and keeps the cutting height where I set it, a floating link would allow the mower to pivot more so I don't see where I would benefit from it? A rotary cutter that sticks out much further needs to float so the back can drop as the tractor crests a rise, but then of course you can ground the **** out of it on the other side if you aren't actively messing with the 3 pt height as you mow.. Are others using a rigid or floating top link?

 

[vlcakc]

Don't claim to be an expert, as the New Holland 918H is the only flail I've ever owned or used. Both the top link and bottom arm pin connections are slotted, presumably to enable float? The slots allow the mower to rotate slightly in use. Has worked well for 16 years! Vic [ATTA

 

[IslandTractor]

Don't claim to be an expert, as the New Holland 918H is the only flail I've ever owned or used. Both the top link and bottom arm pin connections are slotted, presumably to enable float? The slots allow the mower to rotate slightly in use. Has worked well for 16 years! Vic<img src="http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=480563"/>[ATTA<img src="http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=480565"/>

That's how the Caroni is set up too.

 

[CADplans]

That's how the Caroni is set up too.

Slots for the lower link arms would be perfect for a centered mower.
not so perfect for an offset mower,,,

On my tractor, the right arm can be raised by hand independent of the left.
if you raise the left by hand, the right will go up at the same time.
So, I have side vertical oscillation ( ? what would you call it ? ) in one direction,,, only.

So, if my mower hits a mound on the right side, the mower will tilt to follow the ground.
If I hit a mound with the left side, the entire mower goes up.

 

[leonz]

My hydraulic system has no down pressure, so with the 3 pt dropped all the way down (which it is when I set the mower height with the top link) when the mower encounters a rise the whole system moves up and keeps the mower relatively flat (where it was set up). With no top link the roller would rise up, which dips the cutters down. I've only used a Bush Hog for a couple of hours on a neighbors compact tractor with a quick hitch and the top link unhooked, and found that I needed to keep a hand on the 3 pt height control and keep adjusting for changing ground. With my setup I drop it down and it just follows the ground. Per the directions on mine the roller height is changed for larger height adjustments, and the top link is used for finer adjustments. Also, as I described earlier with the tall stalks that weren't getting cut I believe mine will work quite a bit better with the back low and the front raised to expose the material to the cutters better and not allow it to be pinned down and stay under the cutters.

A question I forgot to ask last night, I'm having trouble with grass wrapping up on the roller and jamming the roller with the scraper bar. My scraper is off the roller a bit, are they typically set pretty tight? I need to try something different with that (either adjusting or removing the scraper) before I go out again today, had to stop several times in an hour last night to clear it..

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The scrapers are always close to the roller to peel off wet sticky grass clumps if any to keep the mowing height accurate. Do not hesitate to remove yours for a while until you have ridden herd on your acreage and knocked everything down.

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[IslandTractor]

Slots for the lower link arms would be perfect for a centered mower. not so perfect for an offset mower,,, On my tractor, the right arm can be raised by hand independent of the left. if you raise the left by hand, the right will go up at the same time. So, I have side vertical oscillation ( ? what would you call it ? ) in one direction,,, only. So, if my mower hits a mound on the right side, the mower will tilt to follow the ground. If I hit a mound with the left side, the entire mower goes up.

The Caroni lower attachment points are not exactly slots. There are short pieces of metal that act as a linkage between the mower body and the 3pt arms. It allows and inch or so of movement. When you offset the mower manually, you just move the linkage pieces so the same flexibility is present. The topping lift attachment point is a true slot.

 

[jimmysisson]

Here's the way my Mott SHD88 came, used to be owned by a town in NY state. Rigid top link but lots of leeway on the 3pt arms. Lift links are replaced w chains. Mows quite even, and I adjust the cut height w the 3pt arms. A bit of work to replace the std lift links, maybe 10-15 mins.



Many ways to skin a cat, evidently.
Jim

 

[Dan in MN]

Well....some frustration is setting in...partly weather related (keeps raining), partly mowing attempts... Sunday evening mowed for about an hour and a half with pretty good results, although with the mower dropped lower the tractor was working pretty hard (18-24" grass and weeds, mowing in 2L). Went out yesterday afternoon and wasn't having much luck, lots of grass wrapped up on the roller and the tractor seemed to be running a bit hotter (later cleaned the radiator off) and down on power as the mower kept bringing it to its knees...at times even in 1L. Rained last night so I waited until ~2pm to try a different area today and got about 200 ft before the entire roller was wrapped with so much grass it locks the roller against the scraper and I had to cut it off. The scraper doesn't adjust any closer than about an inch and is set to pivot a bit, so not really sure what it's purpose is... I've noticed the grass behind the tractor looks more cut than mulched also, don't know what it should look like but there's some pretty heavy stuff left behind (even after mowing when dry). Maybe the grass just can't be wet at all with this thing, which would be fairly limiting as we've had an unusually rainy year. Gonna hook up with a neighbor later who has a sub-compact Massey and 4' Bush Hog and maybe put the flail on his tractor and/or the Bush Hog on mine to try and determine whether my tractor or the mower is more the problem.. His is small hp-wise for the flail, but if it runs it pretty cleanly at slow speed then my tractor must not be healthy, same test if I put his small Bush Hog on I should be able to romp and stomp through fairly heavy stuff, if its pulls the tractor down then again diagnosis not healthy...we'll see...

 

[CADplans]

Dan,, I wish you would post some pics,,
I have never had a single blade of grass or anything growing wrap on any part of my FM.
(NOTE: I can NOT say that about the neighbors high tensile wire fence!! :laughing: )

I do not have any sort of a scraper,, so I am intrigued to see what that is,,

Tractor power may be the answer,, who knows what is happening at slow speeds.
My FM is getting seven PTO HP per foot.

The FM has only slipped the belt once ( I think the belt was a little loose ), BUT,,,
it has NEVER bogged the engine down at all.
I mow pretty fast,, 6 MPH most of the time.
I run about 4 MPH on a couple hilly places. The slower speed just feels more comfortable.

If you are bogging down,, at that slow speed,,
your tractor might only be producing less than 2-4 HP per foot.

A friend has a 4 foot MOTT trailer mower with a 10 HP Harbor Freight (maybe Northern??) engine,,,
He cuts like crazy with that little mower,, it will do pretty tall stuff.

Maybe you need spark plugs,, and a tune-up?

 

[Catoosa]

Something sure isn't working properly. Either the belt is slipping and it isn't cutting or it is slowing the PTO down to where it isn't cutting. You should not have anything near long enough to wrap around the roller coming out the back of your mower. I would like to see a photo of the drum, knives and roller.