Flail Mower Let's talk flail mowers

[leonz]

Well to my great dismay, it looks like the Woodmax may be worth the 2700 usd they are asking for. The titan implement grey flail looks good, but it's not on their website? Found some online brochures with 3 grades of flails, but there is no pricing. Also looks like the smallest one they make is 6'. I am thinking 5' would be a better match for me.

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Hello Troverman,


Check the Everything attachments site for the Sicma flail mowers.

 

[TheFarmerInAdell]

These stories of the Chicomm mowers is the reason I would never buy them. I was about to pull the trigger on a 7' or 8' Woodmaxx when I came across a well used Alamo for $1200. While it is well used (Illinois Tollway), it still does a great job. I'll be replacing the rear roller soon along with the roller bearing housings as the roller is dented up and the bearings are loose in the housings. Some of the rotor tabs are a little bent. It does have a vibration from 400-500 PTO rpm, but seems to be decent at 540 (still slight vibration when hanging). For my uses I'll use this thing until it completely falls apart, then probably buy a Woodmaxx with side shift. Or possibly build my own before then.

 

[troverman]

Can you clarify what you mean by getting 3 or 4 years?
What do you expect to happen that would cause you to need to buy a new one?

I expect that some of the mounting stations will probably break off and need to be re-welded; the housing may warp like the Titans, and the uprights that locate the top link may eventually shear off. If these things happen, I will repair it up to a point, at which time it will probably be vibrating due to out of balance, if the housing warps than you start to have bearing issues, etc. At that point probably better to try something else. The Woodmaax is definitely better than the Titan, but it is still made in china.

 

[Rebeldad1]

Thank you for your suggestion but for my particular pasture (not flat) I don稚 want to lower the ground clearance of the mower. If the shaft was to hit a rock it would cost me much more to replace it than just replacing the skids every 4 years ($37.00 each).

I know this is old. If you want to save the surface of the skids buy some hardface welding rod and hardface the bottom of the skids.
By welding in a pattern it also will fill with dirt to help protect.
Really cheap protection.

 

[DavesTractor]

Well to my great dismay, it looks like the Woodmax may be worth the 2700 usd they are asking for. The titan implement grey flail looks good, but it's not on their website? Found some online brochures with 3 grades of flails, but there is no pricing. Also looks like the smallest one they make is 6'. I am thinking 5' would be a better match for me.

They make down to a 4' model. It's a few clicks to find the mowers, not the handiest website. And you won't find pricing since they sell through dealers and not direct. Titan 11 Series Mower this should get you to the correct page. Not discouraging you from the Woodmax though, that looks like a good mower.

 

[JWR]

These stories of the Chicomm mowers is the reason I would never buy them. I was about to pull the trigger on a 7' or 8' Woodmaxx when I came across a well used Alamo for $1200. While it is well used (Illinois Tollway), it still does a great job. I'll be replacing the rear roller soon along with the roller bearing housings as the roller is dented up and the bearings are loose in the housings. Some of the rotor tabs are a little bent. It does have a vibration from 400-500 PTO rpm, but seems to be decent at 540 (still slight vibration when hanging). For my uses I'll use this thing until it completely falls apart, then probably buy a Woodmaxx with side shift. Or possibly build my own before then.

I do not know that "by the pound" is a good measure (as some others have been discussing) but my SHD88 Alamo weighs 1035 lbs. , several hundred lbs more than the oft mentioned Chinese variety. Hey Farmer, I replaced my roller bearings last year. They are pressed in and normal hobby farmers like me have no way to replace just the bearings. The whole (heavy) housing with new bearings installed was $150 per side with tax so it cost me $300 at a John Deere dealer who provides parts for state road, etc. Not sure why you would replace the roller itself (?) unless it is really badly beat up or bent. Mine is older than the hills and looks like **** (also a highway Dept. history I think) but seems to function just fine. If you have vibration (that being a kind of subjective thing -- how much vibration?) that has always meant something damaged or missing on mine. A single knife broken off will cause some vibration & a whole clevis and knife pair missing causes pretty nasty vibration as I'm sure you know. I came across my aged Alamo in an auction for $275 which turns out to be the best buy in tractor stuff I ever made !!

 

[JWR]

I expect that some of the mounting stations will probably break off and need to be re-welded; the housing may warp like the Titans, and the uprights that locate the top link may eventually shear off. If these things happen, I will repair it up to a point, at which time it will probably be vibrating due to out of balance, if the housing warps than you start to have bearing issues, etc. At that point probably better to try something else. The Woodmaax is definitely better than the Titan, but it is still made in china.

Yikes! Mounting stations breaking off? I've seen some pretty hard looking older flails but none had mounting stations broken off. Is this common ?

 

[Rebeldad1]

lots of negative reading on flail mowers in one place. maybe something good?

This spring I purchased a Betstco 60" medium duty flail mower. Got a great spring deal. even doubled my warranty to 4 years.
2 days later it showed up.
sold the rock thrower brush cutter and never looked back.
Works as intended. quiet. and no issues. Built well. Great customer service and tech support. ( had a greasing question).
Ordered extra blades & belts and had them here next day.

Is it better, worse than others??? only time will tell but I dont see any upcoming issues to be worried about.

Hope this helps someone looking.

 

[mangler]

Anyone ever heard of a Concept Perugini? made in Italy, model XT-140. The top link section looks a bit flimsy, and the weight is just ok. 463lbs for a 5ft machine.

 

[TheFarmerInAdell]

I do not know that "by the pound" is a good measure (as some others have been discussing) but my SHD88 Alamo weighs 1035 lbs. , several hundred lbs more than the oft mentioned Chinese variety. Hey Farmer, I replaced my roller bearings last year. They are pressed in and normal hobby farmers like me have no way to replace just the bearings. The whole (heavy) housing with new bearings installed was $150 per side with tax so it cost me $300 at a John Deere dealer who provides parts for state road, etc. Not sure why you would replace the roller itself (?) unless it is really badly beat up or bent. Mine is older than the hills and looks like **** (also a highway Dept. history I think) but seems to function just fine. If you have vibration (that being a kind of subjective thing -- how much vibration?) that has always meant something damaged or missing on mine. A single knife broken off will cause some vibration & a whole clevis and knife pair missing causes pretty nasty vibration as I'm sure you know. I came across my aged Alamo in an auction for $275 which turns out to be the best buy in tractor stuff I ever made !!

The roller is pretty badly beat up. I also plan on going with a thicker wall for the roller. Flailmaster had the end caps all I need to do is have someone get tubing and make sure the cap will fit in it. Flailmaster also had the housing assembly with bearing for less than $100. Otherwise you can drill hole in the housing so you can drive the bearing out, then tap it half way down and use a set screw to fill the hole again.

Not sure where the vibration is coming from. All new knives and hangers so they all match. The bearings seem to be good (no play that I can find). Might just be because some of the tabs have some wear and are bent.

"By the pound" has merit. Thicker housing material will not warp as easily, and it will handle impacts and load better. Thicker rotor wall and roller wall will make it stronger. Thicker arms will prevent twisting and breakage.

 

[troverman]

I do not know that "by the pound" is a good measure (as some others have been discussing) but my SHD88 Alamo weighs 1035 lbs. , several hundred lbs more than the oft mentioned Chinese variety.

That's because its 88", not 72" like the Woodmaax I mentioned. Going on Woodmaax's site, their non-hydraulic 88" mower is 1243lbs. Again, it may not be a good way to measure durability but it certainly is heavy.

 

[troverman]

Yikes! Mounting stations breaking off? I've seen some pretty hard looking older flails but none had mounting stations broken off. Is this common ?

Two broke on my Titan and were welded; both failed after the hammers hit rocks on different occasions. I'd prefer the flail to break before the mounting station.

 

[D2Cat]

If you're needing new rollers you can often get what you need at a truck drive shaft shop, like Inland Truck Parts. They can fab the entire thing to your liking and reasonable.

 

[TheFarmerInAdell]

If you're needing new rollers you can often get what you need at a truck drive shaft shop, like Inland Truck Parts. They can fab the entire thing to your liking and reasonable.

Being an engineer at an OEM I have access to things most people don't. Including a vendor who can make my roller tube for me for the cost of the material only. The ends I bought from Flailmaster because I didn't want to push the limits of favors from this vendor.

 

[nittanyjd]

I've been looking at flails for quite awhile now and sorting out whether rotary or flail is the way for me to go and had a few questions and concerns people on here I know can answer. I have not read all the posts, but more than half for sure.
I have been mowing 20 acres with my 5 woods rotary mower for 10 years and time to upgrade mower since I upgraded my tractor a few years back and I need something wider. Currently using JD CUT 4320 48hp with 40hp at pto per specs. One of my criteria is that I need it fit on my trailer and prefer to have it mounted to tractor to transport. It is 100 miles one way to my camp which I visit frequently. I prefer to haul it to and from home so I do not have to leave it out in the weather which I currently do on my woods mower. Winter weather is taking its toll on it. Trailer width is 80 rail to rail and is a 20 utility hauler.

What I have come up with so far if I stick to rotary is a Bush Hog squealer 7 offset rotary as one choice, but that will not load easily in trying to keep it centered on my trailer and keep it inside wheel width to keep cops away. As far as flails, I think the John Deere 370 model is my best fit. Width fits on trailer and covers my tractor width and works with my Imatch hitch. Weight (900lbs) is plenty, but with tractor only and loader removed should be good to haul. A newer 25A is also a possibility with Deere. Also looking at Caroni and Woodmaxx. Caroni TM1900 quoted 2750 delivered.

The ground I am mowing is not the smoothest and I can only manage about 4mph average. Grass varies from 8 to 5 in height and thick in some areas. This is in the mountains so not an alpha field and mostly weeds and orchard grass. Wet in some areas but mostly dry and currently mow it twice a year but would do more if I had a more convenient setup. I am mowing 95% grass and very little to no brush now since I have that cleared back and can always use the 5 woods if I need to for that. Do the flails float with ground contours decently? My mower sometimes scalps the high spots. Rocks are few, but some around.
So my criteria is: Area is 20 Ac 85% open 15% around trees; 40hp pto mule; mowing mostly grass; field rolls and not a lawn, but is flat; 6 +/- mower fits trailer may be able to go 7? trying to convince myself to buy a flail. Jd or other model.
Last question is my tractor does not have rear remotes so with the loader off if I had a hydraulic shift flail can you hook those lines to the loader ports and make it work?

Any flail recommendations? I"ll try and attach a before and after picture of a portion of my area I just mowed last week.
Thanks, Brad

 

[leonz]

Hello Nittanyjd,

A JD 370 will work well for you for this task. The JD25A was the same width machine that my father used with his ford Jubilee to mow his reclaimed pasture in 4 acre blocks.

You may end up having to have flag holders welded to the side weldments of the flail mower due to the trailers 80 inch width.

With a flail mower the rear roller is the height gauge for cutting. You adjust the cutting height by unbolting the rear roller arms and resetting its location up or down in the holes of the side weldment.

As far as following the contour a rear mounted flail mower works best with the mower adjusted for cutting height and then the mower is lowered to the point where the rear roller touches the ground and then you stop lowering it and lock the valve. Some flail mowers use a chain for the top link to allow the flail mower to follow the ground but you can run into problems with it if the tractor bottoms out and the mower nose dives.

Once you have the mower on the ground you adjust the top link using a torpedo level on the gearbox or the front steel tube of the flail mower and then when the bubble is in the center of the level lock the top link in place and then you can mow leaving the lower link valve locked in place.

You can mow down to 2 inches running in a spiral pattern and save fuel, brakes and time when mowing and still have an well mowed parcel.

If you want to invest in a hydraulic side shift flail mower you can use the loader valve to control it but the boom and bucket have to come off the mule.





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I've been looking at flails for quite awhile now and sorting out whether rotary or flail is the way for me to go and had a few questions and concerns people on here I know can answer. I have not read all the posts, but more than half for sure.
I have been mowing 20 acres with my 5 woods rotary mower for 10 years and time to upgrade mower since I upgraded my tractor a few years back and I need something wider. Currently using JD CUT 4320 48hp with 40hp at pto per specs. One of my criteria is that I need it fit on my trailer and prefer to have it mounted to tractor to transport. It is 100 miles one way to my camp which I visit frequently. I prefer to haul it to and from home so I do not have to leave it out in the weather which I currently do on my woods mower. Winter weather is taking its toll on it. Trailer width is 80 rail to rail and is a 20 utility hauler.

What I have come up with so far if I stick to rotary is a Bush Hog squealer 7 offset rotary as one choice, but that will not load easily in trying to keep it centered on my trailer and keep it inside wheel width to keep cops away. As far as flails, I think the John Deere 370 model is my best fit. Width fits on trailer and covers my tractor width and works with my Imatch hitch. Weight (900lbs) is plenty, but with tractor only and loader removed should be good to haul. A newer 25A is also a possibility with Deere. Also looking at Caroni and Woodmaxx. Caroni TM1900 quoted 2750 delivered.

The ground I am mowing is not the smoothest and I can only manage about 4mph average. Grass varies from 8 to 5 in height and thick in some areas. This is in the mountains so not an alpha field and mostly weeds and orchard grass. Wet in some areas but mostly dry and currently mow it twice a year but would do more if I had a more convenient setup. I am mowing 95% grass and very little to no brush now since I have that cleared back and can always use the 5 woods if I need to for that. Do the flails float with ground contours decently? My mower sometimes scalps the high spots. Rocks are few, but some around.
So my criteria is: Area is 20 Ac 85% open 15% around trees; 40hp pto mule; mowing mostly grass; field rolls and not a lawn, but is flat; 6 +/- mower fits trailer may be able to go 7? trying to convince myself to buy a flail. Jd or other model.
Last question is my tractor does not have rear remotes so with the loader off if I had a hydraulic shift flail can you hook those lines to the loader ports and make it work?

Any flail recommendations? I"ll try and attach a before and after picture of a portion of my area I just mowed last week.
Thanks, Brad

View attachment 664594

 

[arto98607]

I got a 917L as part of my tractor package. The idler bracket was rusted on to the pivot shaft. PB balasted it, heated it, got it ot move about 1/2 inch, then it broke. Had a friend press it out, but it wouldn't budge without a little acetylene. Cleaned it up and put a grease fitting on it, give it one shot a year.
My second problem was finding knives. I found Mott fine cut at Flail Master which are about as close as I could find.
Works great now and does a nice job on the grass.

Here's an update on my $550 "project" Ford 917L:

I finished the belt idler repair few weeks ago and it now has two ball bearings which can be replaced if they will ever wear out, and I also had to make a new idler pivot shaft since the previous owner had broken off the 5/8" threaded end when trying to remove the nut!

The mower now has a new set of side slicer flails (part no. MH386 from Flailmaster) and new 3/8" bolts holding them. The flail holes had to be re-drilled in a drill press from 5/16" to 3/8" which was somewhat of a challenge, due to pretty hard flail steel material and I went through couple of cobalt drill bits.

I have mowed my pasture twice with it and am pleased with the result; it is obvious this 60" cut flail mower (with side slicer flails) uses noticeably less power than my 48" JD brush hog when cutting 2 -3 feet tall thick grass at a reasonably high ground speed. It also does no scalping and unlike brush hog, does not require 3 pt. adjustment at all when mowing uneven ground.


So far I am pretty pleased with this mower :thumbsup:

 

[D2Cat]

I've noticed something unusual when mowing with a flail, and wonder if others notice the same thing. I have an area around my barn with some grass and some weeds. I mow with the flail, and cut the material so when I'm finished it looks like I mowed it with a push mower, only a few inches tall.

The odd part is as soon as I'm out of the way with the equipment the cattle get over there and graze everything! There are some buffalobur and they even eat that like it's a treat. Why do they eat it right after it's been cut?

 

[CADplans]

Why do they eat it right after it's been cut?

I was told that a cow has to wrap its tongue around the grass to kinda rip it,,
SO,, if the grass is already loose,, it is MUCH easier for the cow to eat.

 

[CADplans]

Oh, yea, I forgot,, no upper teeth to bite the grass, so they gotta rip it,, or enjoy the loose grass,,