Flail Mower Let's talk flail mowers

[Fallon]

Hanging from the loader works:
View attachment 719128

I have a SSQA to 3pt adapter I mount mine to to lift & service it. I always prop the loader with something before getting underneath. Crawling underneath is fine if you have jack stands or cribbing underneath. Never trust hydraulics not to crush you.

View attachment 719147

 

[leonz]

Hello Jethro,

You do not have to lift it that high to work on it. You can drain the oil out of the gear box and then lift it enough to set it on its back to do all the major surgery.

Check the knife hangers as they are automatically suspect when you mentioned the knife condition as you probably need new hangers, bolts and nuts.

The best tool for this if you do not have smoke wrenches or an impact wrench is to use 12 point metric sockets and 12 point box end metric wrenches to remove the bolts and nuts.

You can use a 36 inch 1/2 inch drive breaker bar, 12 point metric socket and hard wood blocks to rest the wrench against to hold it in place.

Once you have the nut broken loose you can use a ratchet with a shallow socket to spin it off unless you have a 3/8 drive 90 degree impact wrench.

You will be able to tell whether you need to replace all the nuts and bolts with removing the first one. Use Blue loctite to secure the new nuts and bolts in place.

 

[JethroB]

LeonZ, thanks for your reply and tips. Sad to hear that the nuts, bolts, and hangers may need replacing. Agri Supply is really proud of all the Caroni parts. Big $$$. By my quick calculation if I were to go all in and replace them all along with 56 blades the total is around $1300. May stew on it a while longer. And call Flailmaster. Thanks again.
Jethro

 

[jthibodeau89]

Cleck Flailmaster for blades if using side slicers. Hammers may need to come from Caroni. I use GR5 bolts and lock nuts from Tractor Supply bulk bin.

 

[jonsstihl]

there is info about converting the hardware to standard stuff with only a few modifications instead of paying outrageous prices for specific metric hardware to install the knives. I don't know if it was in this thread or another thread on the forum but I do remember reading about someone converting their caroni to standard hardware. clevis had to be ground a bit and deformed slightly in a vice if I remember correctly.

 

[Cahaba Valley Farm]

The first video of it's kind. Tim from tractor time with Tim has made the very first factory tour of a flail mower factory and I am sharing this history in the making with all of you to see:

 

[Cahaba Valley Farm]

LeonZ, thanks for your reply and tips. Sad to hear that the nuts, bolts, and hangers may need replacing. Agri Supply is really proud of all the Caroni parts. Big $$$. By my quick calculation if I were to go all in and replace them all along with 56 blades the total is around $1300. May stew on it a while longer. And call Flailmaster. Thanks again.
Jethro

Yep this is why the Caroni has such a cheap up front price on the mower when you buy it new. Their business model mirrors that of the printer industry. The printers themselves are cheap but the ink/toner is where they get you.

 

[AndyCee]

Hi Guys,

I had hoped to get to the end of this thread before I posted my request for opinions ... currently on page 535, but have found myself in the situation where I need to make a decision ... so ...

I have a CK30 - gear tractor with 23PTO HP ... 3PL lift at 1764 lbs

As I am in Australia, we do have a somewhat limited range of available flails ... and due to current conditions, an even more limited range of what's actually in stock (or in stock soon). Looking at the manufacturers recommended specifications, most (if not all) recommend a higher PTO power than what I currently have, but using the mantra on this forum - "if you can lift it, you can turn it", and "5hp per foot" ... I am looking a 5ft wide mowers.

I have 30 acres of flat to sloping ground. It's an equestrian facility, so we have horses to do alot of the pasture mowing. As horses are fussy eaters, they tend to eat parts of the paddocks (2.5 - 5 acres) down to 1" ... and leave parts to grow to 8". I intend to use the flail to mow down to about 2" ... mulch and spread the manure piles, and then leave the pastures to recover to about 4" before putting horses back. The property is fairly good, with only small areas of some woody weeds, and a couple of blackberry patches I am trying to control.

So .... my choices seem to be between


Hayes - Chinese made - just over 5ft - manual side shift - weights about 1124 lbs - recommended HP @ 35 = around $5000

Muthing Eco-Top 160- German made - manual side shift - just over 5ft - weights around 770lbs - recommended HP @ 30 = around $8500

Del Morino Flipper 152 - Italian made - manual side shift - 62" - weights around 635 lbs - recommended HP @ 30 = around $6000

Berti Park/P 145 - Italian made - manual side shift - just under 5ft - weights around 825 lbs - recommended HP @ 25 = around $9200

all have hammer blades - seems difficult or special ordered (read: 4 month wait) to get Y blades.

Very interested in everyones feedback and opinions on the best options, and if I will "be able to turn" these effectively

Thanks

Andrew

Del Morino Flipper 158 delivered today ... and hooked up for a quick test flight!

I did a quick run around the outside of the small paddock, and it all seemed great. It handled the long grass with ease, and didn't strain the tractor whatever even going over the thick windrows left by the previous slashing ... although I did take it very slow and easy. As it's hammer blade equipped it didn't seem to mulch as much as I had originally thought, but there was lotsa grass (about 4ft high). I'll need to fiddle a bit with height adjustment (currently a bit too low), but I reckon will be a good unit.

Once it stop raining, I'll need to re-adjust the belt tensions and give it a couple of squirts of grease and I'll be flailing away .... lotsa grass to cut here after all the rain.

This thread has been great in helping me make the call on the right unit

Thanks

Andrew

 

[leonz]

Hello Andy,

I want to welcome you as the newest resident member of the "Flail Mower Nations" from Inverell, New South Wales, Australia (OZ).

I hope you are tolerating the winter in OZ, brrr. We had 4 inches of the white stuff last night.

I will hoist an ice cold Fosters lager to celebrate your resident membership in the Flail Mower Nations.

AS I am sure you know we are a very happy bunch of flail mower owners and if you need help we are all only a PM or email away.


leonz

 

[Plant 175]

So where can you get the Furba I see the other Weekend Worrier on Ag Folks don’t list the manual