Flail Mower Let's talk flail mowers

[Ford850]

Or, the weak link might literally be weak links. What condition are the blades and the hardware holding them on?

 

[thoner7]

Or, the weak link might literally be weak links. What condition are the blades and the hardware holding them on?

They are either near new or in good shape.

 

[jthibodeau89]

Dropbox - flails - Simplify your life

Here are some pictures. I have the roller on the highest setting. You can't see the bubble on the belt guard but, it's set to be level.

The problem is my property is quite hilly with abrupt changes in grade, so I scalp the ground all the time, and there's no way to really avoid doing that. I included some pictures of that too.

You guys must be mowing football fields

I mow a TN hill farm (200' elevation change) with slopes and ditches that make me nervous, and have only lost 3 knives in 2 years. My wife used her JD25A as a Harley rake once , and lost 2 of the knives at that time. The JD 25A and JD390 use D-ring style hangers and i lost the blades with the D- ring intact. I bought the 25A used with many blades and d-rings missiing. Many of the d-rings had 1/3 of the link worn through. I replaced all of the d-rings and swapped the duck foot blades with side slicers. We mow upwards of 30 acres 5-6 times/ year. Don't know why you lost so many knives. Did you check condition of links and bolts before mowing?

 

[thoner7]

The only thing I can think of as to the cause of this is that the three point hitch is sinking on you while you are mowing.

Do you lock the hydraulic valve or draft control stop on the draft control to hold the lower links in position?

If you do lock the draft control in place and it is doing this the hydraulic system in the transmission is leaking off.

I leave the draft control position at the max. I never use it.

Position control I drop down low and let the mower roll on the ground.

I don't believe I have a hydraulic lock? Or a way to lock the draft control?

Are you saying I should set my position control so that the mower is just slightly elevated off the ground? So that if I were to drive down hill, the mower would lift off the ground? That could help some of my scalping problems....

 

[leonz]

If you raise the flail mower above the ground you will reduce the efficiency of the mower to cut your grass and lift the clippings up and over the flail mower rotor.
The position control should be set so the rear roller touches the ground and then stop and lock it.

is there a black knob in front of the seat?? that is the lock valve/needle valve.

 

[thoner7]

If you raise the flail mower above the ground you will reduce the efficiency of the mower to cut your grass and lift the clippings up and over the flail mower rotor.
The position control should be set so the rear roller touches the ground and then stop and lock it.

is there a black knob in front of the seat?? that is the lock valve/needle valve.

I believe there's a knob like that which controls the speed at which the 3 point lifts and lowers. I will have to double check and see if there's a 'lock' position.

Would the lock prevent it from both lifting and lowering or just lowering??

 

[ericm979]

It controls the rate of lowering. Turn it in all the way and the 3pt won't lower. But unless you have noticed that the mower gets lower and lower as you work, it is probably not the problem.

 

[Ricn]

So maybe this is wrong but....I lower the 3 point all the way so roller in on the ground. I don't lock the black knob in front of the seat at all but just set it so my implements drop slowly. Once the roller is on the ground, I lift the front of the mower using the top link cylinder until the skid fronts are about an inch or so up off the ground. In this manner I mow flat, hilly, ditches where possible and everything needing mowing and the mower just floats along over hill over dale. The grass looks very good afterwards, even the tallest Reed Canary grass I cut often.

 

[Skagit]

So maybe this is wrong but....I lower the 3 point all the way so roller in on the ground. I don't lock the black knob in front of the seat at all but just set it so my implements drop slowly. Once the roller is on the ground, I lift the front of the mower using the top link cylinder until the skid fronts are about an inch or so up off the ground. In this manner I mow flat, hilly, ditches where possible and everything needing mowing and the mower just floats along over hill over dale. The grass looks very good afterwards, even the tallest Reed Canary grass I cut often.

That is the correct way, it needs to be able to float and follow the ground. Anyone who says otherwise is probably used to mowing their lawn or and/or flat smooth fields.

 

[Ricn]

Thanks there Skagit, nice to know I got it set right. I think Leonz helped me with this a few years ago and have done it this way ever since. I have a Woodmaxx mower with side slicers and no blade issues at all so far. Having cut hay using horizontal blade units for years this is my first go with a flail, very nice mower that really cuts fine and finer.

 

[Xfaxman]

So maybe this is wrong but....I lower the 3 point all the way so roller in on the ground. I don't lock the black knob in front of the seat at all but just set it so my implements drop slowly. Once the roller is on the ground, I lift the front of the mower using the top link cylinder until the skid fronts are about an inch or so up off the ground. In this manner I mow flat, hilly, ditches where possible and everything needing mowing and the mower just floats along over hill over dale. The grass looks very good afterwards, even the tallest Reed Canary grass I cut often.

thoner7, I don't see any "skid fronts" on your mower:

Dropbox - flails - Simplify your life

Here are some pictures. I have the roller on the highest setting. You can't see the bubble on the belt guard but, it's set to be level.

The problem is my property is quite hilly with abrupt changes in grade, so I scalp the ground all the time, and there's no way to really avoid doing that. I included some pictures of that too.

You guys must be mowing football fields

 

[Ricn]

I would think runners are necessary otherwise scalping can happen much more easily. I know if mine are flat, not tipped up about one inch, I get serious scalping when turning the tractor back around or even making wide turns like around trees etc...

 

[thoner7]

I don't see any "skid fronts" on thoner7's mower:

View attachment 665575

The bottom leading edge of the frame has some skid flanges built in. In the picture they are probably 2, maybe 3 inches off the ground. I've gone higher than others bc I'm always scalping and trying to minimize it.

 

[Xfaxman]

The bottom leading edge of the frame has some skid flanges built in. In the picture they are probably 2, maybe 3 inches off the ground. I've gone higher than others bc I'm always scalping and trying to minimize it.

I was comparing it to pictures of other brands that I have seen with skid flanges farther forward:

Maybe you could add something to make it work better.

 

[Ricn]

Ok, I see the skids now in the photo Xfaxman just posted. Is this your mower and if so, those skids should work if you let the mower float along meaning, do not lock the 3 point from going up and down freely. Keeping the nose off the ground is essential using the top link or scalping will happen on turns.

 

[thoner7]

Those shoes are quite substantial, mine are not that big. Mine is a Ford 917 if you care to look it up.

I do have a lock knob under my seat however, it's stuck and doesn't turn. I've never used it so maybe it's seized up or maybe I need to do something else to adjust it?

I've always let the mower float up and down while driving. I actually think letting it sink down may be part of my problem now.

 

[Ricn]

Humm, flail mowers are designed to carry their weight mostly on the back roller, not on the 3 point. In my experience, and having mowed with the mower just off the ground the cut is uneven resulting in a poor looking mow job. I have raised it on occasion when mowing some thick blackberries not knowing what was lurking in them, old steel, rocks etc...If your 3 point is in float, I don't see how the mower can sink like you mention as it is all the way down already and if the front is tilted up via the top link there should be no scalping because of that. Your top link looks to be a manual, not the cylinder type like I have so how can the mower sink down? If you have a top cylinder then perhaps the hydro fluid is leaking off? That will drop the mower for sure.

 

[ericm979]

The lowering speed knob isn't going to help. The 3pt is always in float- the cylinders just push it up, they don't keep it from being pushed up. If you lower the 3pt all the way and crank the lowering speed knob down, it will still move up and down with the terrain. You just won't be able to lower it again after you raise it.

 

[Fallon]

Humm, flail mowers are designed to carry their weight mostly on the back roller, not on the 3 point. In my experience, and having mowed with the mower just off the ground the cut is uneven resulting in a poor looking mow job. I have raised it on occasion when mowing some thick blackberries not knowing what was lurking in them, old steel, rocks etc...If your 3 point is in float, I don't see how the mower can sink like you mention as it is all the way down already and if the front is tilted up via the top link there should be no scalping because of that. Your top link looks to be a manual, not the cylinder type like I have so how can the mower sink down? If you have a top cylinder then perhaps the hydro fluid is leaking off? That will drop the mower for sure.

Half the weight goes on the roller, half on the 3pt lift arms.

I always mow with my hydraulic toplink in float. You can get the same results removing the toplink (hard to lift it off the ground when you are done though) or replacing the toplink with chain.

The mower will hinge on the lift arms as the tractor goes over bumps. It will still scalp at the top of small steep hills as the tractor has cleared them but the mower hasn't, but not to often. I manually lift the 3pt as I hit the top of stuff steep enough to be an issue. As the toplink doesnt do anything in this scenario I can easily adjust cut height with just the 3pt lever.

 

[Ricn]

For me, the speed knob, if adjusted correctly, keeps my implements from hitting hard on the ground, I like them to drop gently. Yes, the 3 point goes up and down as it should when mowing regardless of how tight or loose the because, the speed knob has doing to do with float once its all the way down. Some use chains instead on their top link but I have found chains do not stop scalping as the mowers front edge is not lifted up and off the ground and I hate using the 3 point up and down feature all the time, rather set things using the hydro top link that keeps my mower in its correct angle; put a cold one in the cup holder, light a cigar and just drive never looking back. I guess there are many ways to use a flail mower, what I am doing just works the best for me. Yesterday and this morning, I mowed 7 acres and it looks great now. My new neighbors, who don't have a tractor yet, are quit pleased.