Flail Mower Let's talk flail mowers

[lennyzx11]

Used my 6 ft Mott yesterday on some stuff I had cut last year that had returned to about 6-7 ft high. I pull it with a L3301. It pulls fine and it will pull faster than I want to go. I wanted to get a good evaluation of its performance before committing to new blades but it did so well, it almost talked itself out of blade replacements. If so many weren't missing, I would wait another year.
Mine is also old and beat up but works so well like Fallon's that I don't want to let it go. Though I look with envy at all you guys running those offsets!

 

[Catoosa]

I kinda liked the old Ford 6 foot, it just did cover my tractor tires and cut clean. My John Deere 7 foot has about a foot sticking out the right side of my tires and leaves a little windrow right at the tire location. Thinking the tire is pushing the grass down and the cutters are not cutting it quite as low as the rest of the mower.

It really bugs me but have not found a cure, all the cutters are good most were replaced last year.

 

[Fallon]

I kinda liked the old Ford 6 foot, it just did cover my tractor tires and cut clean. My John Deere 7 foot has about a foot sticking out the right side of my tires and leaves a little windrow right at the tire location. Thinking the tire is pushing the grass down and the cutters are not cutting it quite as low as the rest of the mower.

It really bugs me but have not found a cure, all the cutters are good most were replaced last year.

Ya, i get the tire tracks too. Going wider means fewer passes so fewer tire tracks. I like the extra foot or 2 hanging off to the right side. Makes it easier to get up close to stuff on that side. Not hydraulically adjustable offset cool, but still nice.

 

[leonz]

I kinda liked the old Ford 6 foot, it just did cover my tractor tires and cut clean. My John Deere 7 foot has about a foot sticking out the right side of my tires and leaves a little windrow right at the tire location. Thinking the tire is pushing the grass down and the cutters are not cutting it quite as low as the rest of the mower.

It really bugs me but have not found a cure, all the cutters are good most were replaced last year.

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If you lower the cutting height one position you will reduce the un mowed strip so that it is no longer an issue. we had my fathers 7 foot JD25A that low all the time and never had "Mohawk" strips to deal with or look at.

 

[Catoosa]

I cut pretty low now, much lower and I could be using it as a tiller.

 

[Dan in MN]

I think it's probably as much related to the weight of the tractor and type and width of the tires as anything to do with the mower.

 

[Catoosa]

Would say you are probably correct, using a Ford 3000 with a loader and AG tires right now but soon will change to a 3600 without the weight of a loader and see what that does.

 

[IslandTractor]

I think all mowers will show some effect of tractor tire grass compression. Agree with others who point out that setting cutting height lower minimizes the effect. I mostly cut fields just to keep brush invasion down so am not bothered by slight imperfections. A front mounted flail would solve the problem though.

 

[JimCan]

Guys, I'm attempting to setup my Caroni TM1900 properly. I have used a bubble-level to make sure I'm square both R/L and F/B.* I have placed my top link in both the fixed and oval holes on the Caroni without noticing any difference. I am still not confident I have it set up properly?!

I say that because I get 'skips' of small sections of grass that are only 3/4 cut ..and I tend to cut a furrow with the left skid when I make a right turn. I can be more observant because the grass is <1' tall and I can see more. My first use was last Fall; the grass being quite tall, (photo) I had to go slow and there was a lot of 'rumbling' inside the mower as it seems to have to do some heavy chewing to process the cuttings. I still get similar rumblings with grass <1/2 the height?

I am using a JD 1070, 38hp, geared tractor.

*Somewhere I got the impression that the mower should be tilted back riding on the rear roller... Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

Jim

 

[belman]

OK guys I'm a fairly new member and have been looking at flail mowers over my 5' brush hog. I have a lot of trees/pond requiring a lot of weed whacking so I bought this offset flail mower:TS62 Hydraulic Offset Articulated Ditch Bank Flail Mower for compact tractors
Don't know if anyone owns one of these but I got a pretty good deal and basically I'm getting to old to do all the weed whacking around the property. So just interested if any one has this offset flail
mower and your experiences!

 

[leonz]

Guys, I'm attempting to setup my Caroni TM1900 properly. I have used a bubble-level to make sure I'm square both R/L and F/B.* I have placed my top link in both the fixed and oval holes on the Caroni without noticing any difference. I am still not confident I have it set up properly?!

I say that because I get 'skips' of small sections of grass that are only 3/4 cut ..and I tend to cut a furrow with the left skid when I make a right turn. I can be more observant because the grass is <1' tall and I can see more. My first use was last Fall; the grass being quite tall, (photo) I had to go slow and there was a lot of 'rumbling' inside the mower as it seems to have to do some heavy chewing to process the cuttings. I still get similar rumblings with grass <1/2 the height?

I am using a JD 1070, 38hp, geared tractor.

*Somewhere I got the impression that the mower should be tilted back riding on the rear roller... Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

Jim

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DID you put the bubble level on the top of the gearbox????? if not you should have with the narrow end facing forward.and the bubbles facing left or right.

* NO NO NO the mower rides on the rear roller period!!!!!

Tilting the mower back reduces the ground effect and cuts down on the available pressure gradient created by the rotation of the flail mower rotor and knives to carry the clippings up and over the flail mower rotor. it also explains why the mower is not cutting well judging by the crap you have left there behind it as one of the symptoms.

The skids are not supposed to gouge the turf period. they are only there to protect the flail mower rotor from damage.

1. TOP link in single mounting hole to prevent nose diving and scalping and gouging of skids.

2. if you hear lots of racket under the flail mower shroud your going too fast.
Your cut looks like its been done in too fast a gear speed or less than 540 RPM engine speed.

That thing is supposed to sound exactly like a high end vacuum cleaner all the time with the engine at the 540 RPM engine speed.

 

[leonz]

OK guys I'm a fairly new member and have been looking at flail mowers over my 5' brush hog. I have a lot of trees/pond requiring a lot of weed whacking so I bought this offset flail mower:TS62 Hydraulic Offset Articulated Ditch Bank Flail Mower for compact tractors
Don't know if anyone owns one of these but I got a pretty good deal and basically I'm getting to old to do all the weed whacking around the property. So just interested if any one has this offset flail
mower and your experiences!

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1.Read the manual
2ask the tractor tools direct folks who made the flail mower
3.come back and ask more questions.

Our fellow member Powerscol has a side boom flail mower and he will help you too.

 

[powerscol]

OK guys I'm a fairly new member and have been looking at flail mowers over my 5' brush hog. I have a lot of trees/pond requiring a lot of weed whacking so I bought this offset flail mower:TS62 Hydraulic Offset Articulated Ditch Bank Flail Mower for compact tractors
Don't know if anyone owns one of these but I got a pretty good deal and basically I'm getting to old to do all the weed whacking around the property. So just interested if any one has this offset flail
mower and your experiences!

I see leonz got to you first. The unit appears to be Italian Del Morino , but they do not list any of the offset dimensions. You need this information as it is critical the pivot point on the mower head sits outside your rear tire, otherwise you need to set over on the bank to mow - not a good thing. You need to get this information from them. As the gear box sets inboard of the side of this unit I have concerns on the actual reach for your tractor. Take a look at Iowa Farm Equipment - the Maschio Giraffetta or Peruzo lines. They have charts to figure the offset to the pivot point. They are good to talk with to match your needs.
Hope this helps

 

[belman]

I see leonz got to you first. The unit appears to be Italian Del Morino , but they do not list any of the offset dimensions. You need this information as it is critical the pivot point on the mower head sits outside your rear tire, otherwise you need to set over on the bank to mow - not a good thing. You need to get this information from them. As the gear box sets inboard of the side of this unit I have concerns on the actual reach for your tractor. Take a look at Iowa Farm Equipment - the Maschio Giraffetta or Peruzo lines. They have charts to figure the offset to the pivot point. They are good to talk with to match your needs.
Hope this helps

Thanks for your help! I will have to hook this unit up and experiment with the unit and what my tractor can handle! The pivot point you are referring to I assume means weight distribution! My tractor is a Mahindra 1500 series and without the fel weighs about 3K. All four of my tires are loaded! So I plan on taking it slow on level ground and seeing what I am dealing with as far as weight and slowly taking on inclines and doing the same! But if nothing else I will be able to mow around a lot of trees on level property and cut down on the weedwacking that is getting hard to do at my age!

 

[powerscol]

Thanks for your help! I will have to hook this unit up and experiment with the unit and what my tractor can handle! The pivot point you are referring to I assume means weight distribution! My tractor is a Mahindra 1500 series and without the fel weighs about 3K. All four of my tires are loaded! So I plan on taking it slow on level ground and seeing what I am dealing with as far as weight and slowly taking on inclines and doing the same! But if nothing else I will be able to mow around a lot of trees on level property and cut down on the weedwacking that is getting hard to do at my age!

What I am referring to is the point where the mower can be pivoted down or up the bank. In my case at full extension this point is 6" outside my rear tire, so I can sit on top of the bank and mow below me. or at the base of a hill and mow up. It also allows me to trim willow clumps back bu having it in the vertical position and mow beside them, without having to get into them.

Take it slow. Also remember you want the unit to ride on the rear roller, and not on the skids, so adjust accordingly. I have my skids about 1" off the ground when the roller is on the ground and it seem to be happy there. Also I find mowing at full PTO RPM gives the best results.

Hope this helps.

 

[belman]

I checked the manual and shows that my unit will pivot 59" beyond the rear tire. Here's a link to the manual:file:///Users/johnpetruzzi/Downloads/Flail%20Mower%20Centurion%20Super%20Owner's%20and%20Parts%20Manual.pdf
My model number is 158.

 

[powerscol]

The link wont work, but I suspect that dimension is the max reach of the unit. The question is when extended where is the PTO gearbox and mower connection on the swing arm in relation to that dimension. But as you have it, hook it up and take a picture fully extended, then we will all know.

 

[belman]

The link wont work, but I suspect that dimension is the max reach of the unit. The question is when extended where is the PTO gearbox and mower connection on the swing arm in relation to that dimension. But as you have it, hook it up and take a picture fully extended, then we will all know.

Let me see if this link works: Gmail

 

[belman]

Let's see if this link works: Flail Mower Centurion Super Owner's and Parts Manual.pdf

 

[belman]

I bought this unit at TractorTools Direct the manual is at this web site showing those measurements:Tractor Tools Direct | TS62 Hydraulic Offset Flail Mower

That's about as close to showing you the manual that I can get! Won't be able to actually use it for several weeks as it is currently at my Mahindra dealer where I had it shipped. Probably won't pick it up for at least several weeks since I'm currently in Florida.