Flail Mower Let's talk flail mowers

[bruceha2000]

I hadn't even considered the possible lack of a QC loader. Yep that does make it more difficult.

 

[sodamo]

I hadn't even considered the possible lack of a QC loader. Yep that does make it more difficult.

Me either, 1st requirement when looking at a new tractor. All my tractors have had them. I use my pallet forks as much or more than the bucket.

 

[Fallon]

Me either, 1st requirement when looking at a new tractor. All my tractors have had them. I use my pallet forks as much or more than the bucket.

Not sure if it was luck or TBN wisdom, but I got SSQA on my L3200s loader. Wouldn't get a machine without now. Forks are on my new L4060HSTC more than the bucket or snow plow.

 

[ronjhall]

I do not have a SSQA. But do have a pin adapter for all my FEL attachments. Only takes a couple of minutes to change attachments.

 

[thoner7]

So I found a 7 foot offset Ford 917H and a 7 foot Alamo.

The seller of the Ford says "55 hp will handle 6inch tall stuff no problem will bog down in taller grass. 30 hp when just like mowing a lawn about 4 inches tall"

The seller of the Alamo says "I ran it with a 50 hourse tractor 40 at PTO. And yes it is more of a rough cut mower for high grass in fields. cut good was over 5 feet"

I'm getting wildly different advice on the amount of HP required to run one of these mowers. One guy can cut 5 foot grass with 40 horse but another need 55 to cut 6"?!?!?!

I have 40 at the PTO and want to cut 16" high grass down to 4" or so. Driving 4 mph or so. What do I need to turn a 7 foot mower?!?!?!

 

[GSVette]

I run a 917 on an XR4155HC-can’t recall exact PTO HP but it is around 45-50. Don’t have any real problem cutting meadows here at around 2ish feet tall, dry. Haven’t had a bogging/ stalling issue running in low gear at around 3-4mph.

 

[Fallon]

So I found a 7 foot offset Ford 917H and a 7 foot Alamo.

The seller of the Ford says "55 hp will handle 6inch tall stuff no problem will bog down in taller grass. 30 hp when just like mowing a lawn about 4 inches tall"

The seller of the Alamo says "I ran it with a 50 hourse tractor 40 at PTO. And yes it is more of a rough cut mower for high grass in fields. cut good was over 5 feet"

I'm getting wildly different advice on the amount of HP required to run one of these mowers. One guy can cut 5 foot grass with 40 horse but another need 55 to cut 6"?!?!?!

I have 40 at the PTO and want to cut 16" high grass down to 4" or so. Driving 4 mph or so. What do I need to turn a 7 foot mower?!?!?!

L3200, 25hp PTO (actually probably 20% less due to my 7,000' altitude) & the 7' 917... I was going pretty slow in this grass, but covering about the same acres per hour as with the 5' rotary.

I rarely go 4mph with my new L4060HSTC (32.5hp PTO, actually probably 20% less due to my 7,000' altitude) & 8' Peruzzo. Even when its light material not taxing the machine the fields I mow get to rough at 3-4mph. Sometimes I'll kick it into M-high & 5mph or so on smoother light stuff.

Grass is the biggest HP requirement to cut, way more than writs sized woody material at times. 8" of thick green grass is a lot more mass than a few feet of tall thin dryer material.

Your real 40hp PTO vs the grass in my photos might be able to keep up 4mph with a 719. May need to drop a gear to 3mph or so, but it should be pretty doable.

 

[leonz]

So I found a 7 foot offset Ford 917H and a 7 foot Alamo.

The seller of the Ford says "55 hp will handle 6inch tall stuff no problem will bog down in taller grass. 30 hp when just like mowing a lawn about 4 inches tall"

The seller of the Alamo says "I ran it with a 50 hourse tractor 40 at PTO. And yes it is more of a rough cut mower for high grass in fields. cut good was over 5 feet"

I'm getting wildly different advice on the amount of HP required to run one of these mowers. One guy can cut 5 foot grass with 40 horse but another need 55 to cut 6"?!?!?!

I have 40 at the PTO and want to cut 16" high grass down to 4" or so. Driving 4 mph or so. What do I need to turn a 7 foot mower?!?!?!

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hello thoner,

When you want to cut your grass down to 4 inches your going to lose a huge amount of pressure gradient/suction to lift the grass/brush and then the clippings up and over the flail mower rotor.

The smaller the flail mowers cutting width the more power and torque you can supply to the drive train and then through the V belt drive to the flail mower rotor.

Is there any reason you would not consider investing in a used flail chopper with the auger and blower? That is about the only way I can see you doing this as 4 inches of cutting height is too high UNLESS AND ONLY UNLESS you have a flail crop shredder with cup knives like the Hiniker 6 foot flail shredder or flail chopper.

A used small flail silage chopper with the wide throat chute would work too.

 

[Fallon]

I use to mow with the 719 & currently mow with the Peruzzo at 4-6" all the time. Not as clean of a cut & tire tracks pop up more cutting higher. But it works well for my customers on rougher fields who are going for fire & pest control more than looks.

 

[thoner7]

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

hello thoner,

When you want to cut your grass down to 4 inches your going to lose a huge amount of pressure gradient/suction to lift the grass/brush and then the clippings up and over the flail mower rotor.

The smaller the flail mowers cutting width the more power and torque you can supply to the drive train and then through the V belt drive to the flail mower rotor.

Is there any reason you would not consider investing in a used flail chopper with the auger and blower? That is about the only way I can see you doing this as 4 inches of cutting height is too high UNLESS AND ONLY UNLESS you have a flail crop shredder with cup knives like the Hiniker 6 foot flail shredder or flail chopper.

A used small flail silage chopper with the wide throat chute would work too.

I'm not sure I know what you mean when you say "4 inch of cutting height is too high". Are you saying I should actually cut the grass shorter? I'd have no problem doing that, I just figured it would be easier to cut it to a longer finish height.

This is essentially a "lawn" which is why I'm not looking at shredders.