Flail Mower Let's talk flail mowers

[Catman8]

Yup, generic issue & fix for impliment gearboxes. As far as cheap, it's a matter of perspective. $70 is a lot for seals but isnt isn't to bad compared to an impliment until you consider I paid $100 for the whole flail.

The tube that goes from the gear box to the pulley, is there any gear oil in that tube, or is there an internal seal at the gear box?

 

[Fallon]

The tube that goes from the gear box to the pulley, is there any gear oil in that tube, or is there an internal seal at the gear box?

Solid output shaft to a U joint in front of the shaft to the pull. Pretty sure the is only 1 U joint in there. And pretty much every gearbox I've seen has a solid output shaft.

 

[IslandTractor]

The tube that goes from the gear box to the pulley, is there any gear oil in that tube, or is there an internal seal at the gear box?

My Caroni has a zerk next to the bearing by the pulley end of that shaft.

 

[Dan in MN]

Score!! That's about the best deal on a used flail I have heard of. Near new condition 88" Alamo for ?$1600. If he were closer I'd have ditched my trusty Caroni for that one.

Not "near new"...but really solid condition. It's an '02 and I would have assumed probably originally used by a highway department or something, but doesn't look like it's had that kind of heavy use. Heavy duty side slicers were put on new last year and not even used so I shouldn't have any additional costs for quite a while (knock on wood...)... $1500 for the mower and $100 to the neighbor for using his truck and trailer to go an hour away and help bring it back, awesome deal! Need to bring the neighbors sub compact tractor over later and get it off my engine hoist... :laughing:

 

[Catman8]

Dan IN MN, looks nice, congratulations.

 

[Catman8]

I just reversed 33 blades and she works, there is some vibration I'm concerned about.

 

[IslandTractor]

I just reversed 33 blades and she works, there is some vibration I'm concerned about.
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Vibration at what engine rpm? My flail vibrates at idle but smooths out at 1500+rpm.

 

[powerscol]

I just reversed 33 blades and she works, there is some vibration I'm concerned about.
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Do you have equal knives on equal stations around the drum? The other thing to check is outboard bearing play. My Giraffetta also vibrates a bit until it is up too speed, then very smooth. I think it is the need to get all the hammers in their outboard positions. Hope this helps

 

[innrkid]

Del Morino arrived

All, Update on my progress. I went and picked up the Del Morino today. This is the centurion 158M super. This is outfitted with knives vs hammers. Interesting that they ship them standing upright.:confused3: I laid it down for transport as you see in the pictures. If there is interest I'll report back on first use in a couple months. Initial inspection =:thumbsup:

I pick up my tractor tomorrow and the grapple is awaiting the tractor. Things are finally coming together!

 

[Catman8]

Islandtractor, powerscrol, I never ran a flail mower before so I have no frame of reference as to know what to much vibration is. There are 33 blades 11 per row, I quickly get her up to 2500 RPM'S and I can feel the vibration in the seat and steering wheel, not so bad that you want to shut the machine down, but not smooth either. Are you guys saying that once your up to speed you feel no additional vibration over what you normally experience with just the engine vibration and with no flail attached.

Do newer model flail mowers run smother than flail mowers of the past.

 

[Catman8]

Flail-Master was kind enough to email me the manual for my Bush hog FH188 and it appears that the style of blades that are on my flail never came on this model, and the manual says that there are adjustment weights that are also missing, maybe that's why I'm getting a vibration.

 

[leonz]

Re: Del Morino arrived

All, Update on my progress. I went and picked up the Del Morino today. This is the centurion 158M super. This is outfitted with knives vs hammers. Interesting that they ship them standing upright.:confused3: I laid it down for transport as you see in the pictures. If there is interest I'll report back on first use in a couple months. Initial inspection =:thumbsup:

I pick up my tractor tomorrow and the grapple is awaiting the tractor. Things are finally coming together!


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Shipping them upright permits them to fill a container with more units of the various models of rototillers, flail mowers, rotary mowers, and other Del Morino implements per container coming across the pond as the more that they stuff in them the less costly the shipping is per container for them.

Make sure you check the gear box for oil too.

 

[leonz]

I just reversed 33 blades and she works, there is some vibration I'm concerned about.
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You will have vibration at low rotor speeds until you reach the orbit speed of 2,200 RPM+-;
if you have vibration at the 540 RPM PTO engine speed read the following please.
The rotor will have been balanced on a high speed balancer and weights would have been welded on it and then balanced once more with the knife sets on it. you may be missing weights OR you may have a bad bearing or two bad bearings on the flail mower rotor(if you have find you have one bad bearing its best for your sanity to change them both.

 

[Catman8]

You will have vibration at low rotor speeds until you reach the orbit speed of 2,200 RPM+-;
if you have vibration at the 540 RPM PTO engine speed read the following please.
The rotor will have been balanced on a high speed balancer and weights would have been welded on it and then balanced once more with the knife sets on it. you may be missing weights OR you may have a bad bearing or two bad bearings on the flail mower rotor(if you have find you have one bad bearing its best for your sanity to change them both.

If the rotor was missing one of the welded weights or was off balance, can you have the rotor balanced by someone, or do you have to buy a new rotor.

 

[Dan in MN]

See if you can find a spot where it looks like a weight has come off. If so I think you could measure the size of what came off and replace it, especially if someone with a similar model can measure the thickness of the weight on theirs..

 

[Catman8]

See if you can find a spot where it looks like a weight has come off. If so I think you could measure the size of what came off and replace it, especially if someone with a similar model can measure the thickness of the weight on theirs..

One problem is that they used different thickness hangers that are going to be different weights, I see two welded weights on the left and only a small one on the right but no indication of one missing. I really don't understand why the hanger bracket bolt holes don't line up and you have to pound the bolt through the hole to make it fit, about 20 of the hanger brackets lined up perfect and the remainder did not. The two threaded holes in the second to last photo is where the adjustable weights go. The only problem with working on old machinery like this is that you could spend the money buying new cutters and hardware and then find out that the rotor is not balanced or bent.

 

[innrkid]

Re: Del Morino arrived

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Shipping them upright permits them to fill a container with more units of the various models of rototillers, flail mowers, rotary mowers, and other Del Morino implements per container coming across the pond as the more that they stuff in them the less costly the shipping is per container for them.

Make sure you check the gear box for oil too.

I knew it was for shipping efficiency. It sure did look odd.

Gear box checked and did a trial spin. All good.Now I need summer!

 

[leonz]

Re: Del Morino arrived

I knew it was for shipping efficiency. It sure did look odd.

Gear box checked and did a trial spin. All good.Now I need summer!

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I want to welcome you as the newest resident member of the "Flail Mower Nations", No Travel Visa or Passport is required to enter or exit the beautiful multi-level patio beer garden that is now blessed with an infinity pool installed at the entrance to the Beer Garden over the winter months.

We had a temporary hoop shed tent and forced air heat put in during the work to keep the area heated as we excavated the ground for the decorative infinity pools foundation.

We then installed the concrete forms and reinforcing rod and then poured the foundation using 8,000 pound sand mix marine concrete before the plumbers installed the plumbing and water circulator that is surface mounted rather than inside the pool walls.

You will have plenty of questions to ask and you will be given good real world examples to learn from from our combined years of experience with using flail mowers and you will have a very safe flail mower/shredder that will give you a lawn quality finish after the second pass at right angles and you will not throw objects like a rotary shredder or mower would either.

Beware of garden hose and extension cord snakes. They are very cranky and will bite if they get pulled in to the flail mower rotor, the garden hose snakes not so much. Please be sure to check the inner bearing housings for any wrapped debris that will hold in heat and cook a bearing each time you mow until you have the sod mowed as low as you want to have it mowed.

Once you get the sod and good grass down to 2 inched in cut height mowing will be a breeze rather than a chore and you will have much less trouble with the 114 invasive plants like poison ivy you have in Illinois.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Once you go flail, you never go back.
Pronovost or not at all!!
Only 14700+- rotary mowers/cutters/shredders to go untill they become extinct

======================================================================I do not keep a roster of list of resident members of the 'Flail Mower Nations" due to the problems "anti flail mower propaganda" and with the men in black with odd license plates and the issues with black helicopters.

 

[innrkid]

Re: Del Morino arrived

======================================================================


I want to welcome you as the newest resident member of the "Flail Mower Nations", No Travel Visa or Passport is required to enter or exit the beautiful multi-level patio beer garden that is now blessed with an infinity pool installed at the entrance to the Beer Garden over the winter months.

We had a temporary hoop shed tent and forced air heat put in during the work to keep the area heated as we excavated the ground for the decorative infinity pools foundation.

We then installed the concrete forms and reinforcing rod and then poured the foundation using 8,000 pound sand mix marine concrete before the plumbers installed the plumbing and water circulator that is surface mounted rather than inside the pool walls.

You will have plenty of questions to ask and you will be given good real world examples to learn from from our combined years of experience with using flail mowers and you will have a very safe flail mower/shredder that will give you a lawn quality finish after the second pass at right angles and you will not throw objects like a rotary shredder or mower would either.

Beware of garden hose and extension cord snakes. They are very cranky and will bite if they get pulled in to the flail mower rotor, the garden hose snakes not so much. Please be sure to check the inner bearing housings for any wrapped debris that will hold in heat and cook a bearing each time you mow until you have the sod mowed as low as you want to have it mowed.

Once you get the sod and good grass down to 2 inched in cut height mowing will be a breeze rather than a chore and you will have much less trouble with the 114 invasive plants like poison ivy you have in Illinois.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Once you go flail, you never go back.
Pronovost or not at all!!
Only 14700+- rotary mowers/cutters/shredders to go untill they become extinct

======================================================================I do not keep a roster of list of resident members of the 'Flail Mower Nations" due to the problems "anti flail mower propaganda" and with the men in black with odd license plates and the issues with black helicopters.

Dear Honorable Ambassador Leonz,

Thank you for the welcome packet. One question comes to mind. Will I need a new passport to occasionally use my rotary mower? Based on the work completed that you referenced, is there anything you can do to get the grass to grow any sooner? You seem quite capable.

Respectfully,

PS Your note was hilarious. Well done!

 

[def38]

Re: Del Morino arrived

======================================================================


I want to welcome you as the newest resident member of the "Flail Mower Nations", No Travel Visa or Passport is required to enter or exit the beautiful multi-level patio beer garden that is now blessed with an infinity pool installed at the entrance to the Beer Garden over the winter months.

We had a temporary hoop shed tent and forced air heat put in during the work to keep the area heated as we excavated the ground for the decorative infinity pools foundation.

We then installed the concrete forms and reinforcing rod and then poured the foundation using 8,000 pound sand mix marine concrete before the plumbers installed the plumbing and water circulator that is surface mounted rather than inside the pool walls.

You will have plenty of questions to ask and you will be given good real world examples to learn from from our combined years of experience with using flail mowers and you will have a very safe flail mower/shredder that will give you a lawn quality finish after the second pass at right angles and you will not throw objects like a rotary shredder or mower would either.

Beware of garden hose and extension cord snakes. They are very cranky and will bite if they get pulled in to the flail mower rotor, the garden hose snakes not so much. Please be sure to check the inner bearing housings for any wrapped debris that will hold in heat and cook a bearing each time you mow until you have the sod mowed as low as you want to have it mowed.

Once you get the sod and good grass down to 2 inched in cut height mowing will be a breeze rather than a chore and you will have much less trouble with the 114 invasive plants like poison ivy you have in Illinois.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Once you go flail, you never go back.
Pronovost or not at all!!
Only 14700+- rotary mowers/cutters/shredders to go untill they become extinct

======================================================================I do not keep a roster of list of resident members of the 'Flail Mower Nations" due to the problems "anti flail mower propaganda" and with the men in black with odd license plates and the issues with black helicopters.

Forget the fail mower, I wanna know, how are you heatin' that pool? Mine uses a ground source gas expansion heat exchanger, used diesel oil, coal and some household trash...very economical...we swim year 'round and dip the hogs and sheep in it from time to time. The cows don't go near it...they seem not to like the smell of the sheep...now, that's just, plain ruminaphobic.