Flail Mower Let's talk flail mowers

[RockyLn]

Decision time. Brought home a Kubota B2710 this weekend (27 HP, 20 @ PTO). 270 hours on it, should last me a long time. I have a 1000' gravel driveway that is in desperate need of brush clearing along 1 side of it that is about 600' long. Most of it is under 1" some larger. Once I have it under control I'll mow it regularly (several times a year) to keep the brush back. The urgency now is to make way for me to pile snow with a back blade along that side of the drive.

I read through half of this thread a year or so ago, and most of the rest of it yesterday, last night, and this morning (taking appropriate bathroom and nutrition breaks). What a thread!

I'm down to 3 options:

Option A: Rotary mower. Simple, cheap, common, loud, dangerous. $1299 for a new 5' Land Pride I can pick up today if I want to.

Option B: Caroni 47" F-type blade. Seems this mower will be great once the mess is tamed, but might be underrated for the brush on the first pass. I don't love that this one has rather expensive metric replacement parts and does not have a rear trash door. I like that it is not made in China. Delivered in 1-2 weeks

Option C: Woodmaxx flail (FM62). 59" cut width (a little long for the 5HP per foot of flail), has hammer knives for brush and rear trash door for cutting heavy/messy stuff. I can switch to Y type cutters later once this place is under control if I want a finer cut. I don't love that its made in China but my calls to Woodmaxx and their overall reputation on TBN is positive. The smallest Woodmaxx is $300 cheaper, but has a smaller roller, lighter steel, and no trash door (floppy rubber guard instead). These seem designed for the smallest of the sub-compacts. They have a green one in stock that I can have delivered in 2 weeks. Orange won't be in until next spring...

I'd like to get this order placed today as we just got our first dusting of snow and I NEED to mow the lane. I could always just rent a rotary for a day and get it done, but what fun is that?

Hoping Leonz is watching this morning...

Have you considered Befco? They have several models. I use the 48" with my Massey sub. I went with the paddle blades because they will handle brush and grass.They have other blade options. They do cost more but I have been satisfied.

 

[kimaran]

I'm finally getting to changing the Fluid in my gear box- had water in it - do I refill with motor oil or hydraulic fluid

 

[whirly]

I wouldn't use motor oil or hydraulic fluid ... too thin. I use 140 Gear Oil in my Mott 72 but 80 or 90 ought to do. Pretty much the same as in the rear end of your truck.

My :2cents: YMMV

 

[sodamo]

Mine specifies 80-90 Gear oil

 

[Fallon]

Motor oil has detergents in it to keep contaminants in suspension. It gets changed regularly & gets rid of the junk. For a gearbox & air compressors you want non-detergent oil. Contaminants settle to the bottom & stay there. Much better when the lube changes are less frequent.

Generally you want 90wt in most tractor impliment gearboxes unless the manufacturer says otherwise. Thicker if you have bad seals & don't want to change them (I have pourable grease in my ancient flail for this reason).

 

[kimaran]

Thanks

 

[sidecarist]

Decision time. Brought home a Kubota B2710 this weekend (27 HP, 20 @ PTO). 270 hours on it, should last me a long time. I have a 1000' gravel driveway that is in desperate need of brush clearing along 1 side of it that is about 600' long. Most of it is under 1" some larger. Once I have it under control I'll mow it regularly (several times a year) to keep the brush back. The urgency now is to make way for me to pile snow with a back blade along that side of the drive.

I read through half of this thread a year or so ago, and most of the rest of it yesterday, last night, and this morning (taking appropriate bathroom and nutrition breaks). What a thread!

I'm down to 3 options:

Option A: Rotary mower. Simple, cheap, common, loud, dangerous. $1299 for a new 5' Land Pride I can pick up today if I want to.

Option B: Caroni 47" F-type blade. Seems this mower will be great once the mess is tamed, but might be underrated for the brush on the first pass. I don't love that this one has rather expensive metric replacement parts and does not have a rear trash door. I like that it is not made in China. Delivered in 1-2 weeks

Option C: Woodmaxx flail (FM62). 59" cut width (a little long for the 5HP per foot of flail), has hammer knives for brush and rear trash door for cutting heavy/messy stuff. I can switch to Y type cutters later once this place is under control if I want a finer cut. I don't love that its made in China but my calls to Woodmaxx and their overall reputation on TBN is positive. The smallest Woodmaxx is $300 cheaper, but has a smaller roller, lighter steel, and no trash door (floppy rubber guard instead). These seem designed for the smallest of the sub-compacts. They have a green one in stock that I can have delivered in 2 weeks. Orange won't be in until next spring...

I'd like to get this order placed today as we just got our first dusting of snow and I NEED to mow the lane. I could always just rent a rotary for a day and get it done, but what fun is that?

Hoping Leonz is watching this morning...

I bought the woodmaxx fm78. It is well built except for the roller scraper. It's a little weak in design. I used it only a bit before mowing season ended. I did mow some 1"-1-1/2" saplings mixed with raspberry bramble. The larger stuff doesn't mow all that well, but all the bramble will be gone and dealing with the larger stuff is easier then.

I wouldn't call a flail quieter than a brush cutter, but it is different. It will leave a nicer cut and be somewhat safer than a rotary. It will be much more expensive up front.

I hope this helps ypunsome. Feel free to ask anything everyone here was very helpful to me.

 

[Matto75]

Hi Folks,

Just bought a used CIH DX55 (EHSS, MFWD, loader, beet juice in tires soon). How do folks think this could do with a 87" cutting width flail that weighs 1350 lb? Some areas I'll only mow once a year and can be fairly tall/thick. Also some steep ground. Tractor has plenty of lift capacity but I'm more concerned about weight and power. Likely would go with the Y-blades. Any thoughts? Thanks!

 

[IslandTractor]

Hi Folks,

Just bought a used CIH DX55 (EHSS, MFWD, loader, beet juice in tires soon). How do folks think this could do with a 87" cutting width flail that weighs 1350 lb? Some areas I'll only mow once a year and can be fairly tall/thick. Also some steep ground. Tractor has plenty of lift capacity but I'm more concerned about weight and power. Likely would go with the Y-blades. Any thoughts? Thanks!

I believe that tractor has something close to 45hp at PTO. If so then it shouldn't have any trouble running a 87" wide flail. I run a 75" Caroni flail with 32hp at PTO. In very lush spring grass I need to slow down or make partial cuts but it does fine full width with three to four foot grass and weeds in the fall when grasses are dry.

 

[Matto75]

IslandTractor,

Good info- thanks. From what I can gather from you and reading from others, my tractor at 46 pto hp should be able to run 87". What I can't figure is why their (Woodmaxx) 74" cutting width mower has a 30 hp minimum while the 87" cutting width has 50 hp minimum. It might be the weight- the 87" is a different class of mower and weighs 500 lb more. If power isn't a concern, I'm wondering about the 1350 lb hanging back there being an issue, particularly on the steep ground. Tractor weighs about 4300 lb, plus loader, and I'll be adding 1,000 lb of beet juice to rear ag tires (but that won't help up front). Plenty of 3 ph lift capacity, just more of a safety concern. Might not be an issue, just no opportunity to test drive. Don't want to choose a smaller mower if I don't have to. Thanks in advance for any thoughts on this.

 

[IslandTractor]

IslandTractor,

Good info- thanks. From what I can gather from you and reading from others, my tractor at 46 pto hp should be able to run 87". What I can't figure is why their (Woodmaxx) 74" cutting width mower has a 30 hp minimum while the 87" cutting width has 50 hp minimum. It might be the weight- the 87" is a different class of mower and weighs 500 lb more. If power isn't a concern, I'm wondering about the 1350 lb hanging back there being an issue, particularly on the steep ground. Tractor weighs about 4300 lb, plus loader, and I'll be adding 1,000 lb of beet juice to rear ag tires (but that won't help up front). Plenty of 3 ph lift capacity, just more of a safety concern. Might not be an issue, just no opportunity to test drive. Don't want to choose a smaller mower if I don't have to. Thanks in advance for any thoughts on this.

1) the hp and size recommendations from most manufacturers are wild azz guesses as best I can tell. They have no clue what the specific tractor setups are or conditions of use so they make and stick with statements that seem reasonable to their legal department.
2) if I were in your shoes I would just hook the mower up and start using it. The weight is only an issue when the rear roller is not on the ground which is to say when you are traveling rather than mowing.
3) If the front end seems light when you are traveling with the mower raised, then a) leave the FEL on and b) stick a big log or something else heavy into the bucket.

 

[Matto75]

Sounds like good advice- thanks!

 

[Fallon]

WoodMaxx has a split between Cat1 & Cat2. The 2 widest models are Cat2 spec if I recall, the rest are Cat1.

I ran my 7' old Ford 917 flail behind my 32hp (26? PTO) L3200. If maneuverability & tight spaces isn't a huge concern go big. You may need to go slow, but that just means a smoother ride easier on you & your equipment. If you can lift it, you can spin it.

 

[Matto75]

All right, you guys have set my mind at ease. I think it pays to buy the bigger one. I have a small Kunz mower I've used for years that I'll keep for the tight spots. Many thanks!

Fallon- you're right, the bigger WoodMaxx flails I'm looking at are Cat 2. Should work good. Thanks

 

[Fallon]

All right, you guys have set my mind at ease. I think it pays to buy the bigger one. I have a small Kunz mower I've used for years that I'll keep for the tight spots. Many thanks!

Fallon- you're right, the bigger WoodMaxx flails I'm looking at are Cat 2. Should work good. Thanks

My L4060 is only 40hp & Cat1. I'm seriously looking at a WoodMaxx with the duck foot hammers for brush. My ancient 917 is probably over 30 years old & I could do with a backup now that the 60" rotary ran off with the old L3200. I also need something for heavier brush now as the 917 has grass knives. I'd seriously look at the Cat2 mowers for width even only having 40hp & a 72" track if they would fit on my Cat1 Quick Hitch. But that cutoff on Cat1s will probably be where I end up.

I'm a big fan of going big & Goins slow rather than narrow & fast. The same ground is covered in the long run, but less operator & equipment abuse.

 

[Matto75]

That makes sense. Might as well make full use of what you got. I'd like to see WoodMaxx put a side-by-side video up for duck foot and Y-blades on different grass and light brush. If I get a WoodMaxx I'd be tempted to get both kinds.

 

[dancath]

Hi all,I have a branson 4720. I have a 6' rotary a 4' brush hog and a 72" mott reverse rotation fine cut. I have way too many rocks and brush for the fine cut and I am wondering if the mott could be changed to hammer knife by changing the drum or cutting off fine cut and welding on hammer knife.

Thanks.

Dan

 

[whirly]

The cutting and welding on the original drum is a BAD idea.

If you can find a drum for hammers for it, that would be the correct choice. However, I'm not sure that there ever was a hammer drum for the original Mott 72. You might be in luck if it was actually built by Alamo.

You might be better off dollar wise by selling the Mott and buying a new hammer flail. The course cut drum for an Alamo 74" runs $1,420. But I haven't seen one for the Mott 72.

 

[leonz]

Hi all,I have a branson 4720. I have a 6' rotary a 4' brush hog and a 72" mott reverse rotation fine cut. I have way too many rocks and brush for the fine cut and I am wondering if the mott could be changed to hammer knife by changing the drum or cutting off fine cut and welding on hammer knife.

Thanks.

Dan

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NNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


It would be simpler for you in invest in a B rotor CARONI and be done with it.

Island Tractors B rotor flail mower is going on 10 years old now and is still running well.

 

[dancath]

Thanks Guys and happy new year

Dan