Flail Mower Let's talk flail mowers

[Bkstanley2]

Hey guys, any information you can give for this Ford Flail mower? Its at an auction this weekend and I'm interested but I believe its to big for my tractor. What's the HP specs for these?

 

[dieselscout80]

Looks like a 5’ Ford 917.

I have a 74” (actual cutting width not overall) and I have a TC45DA and it works great.

 

[Fallon]

Hey guys, any information you can give for this Ford Flail mower? Its at an auction this weekend and I'm interested but I believe its to big for my tractor. What's the HP specs for these?
View attachment 811859

I ran a 7' one behind my L3200, 32hp, 2,500lbs orvso. Had to go slow, but it did decent.

I paid $100 for the beat to hell flail 8-9 years ago. Have maybe $500 into it now with a PTO shaft, belts, new knives & some bearings. It's survived 5+ years as my main mower for my side hustle. My new flail is currently down due to roller bearings. So I've been using the Ford this year & haven't gotten to fixing my main Peruzzo. It's still beat to hell with a cracked hood & lots of other issues. But it's still working at probably 20+ years old.

 

[Bkstanley2]

Yeah wasn't sure if my Branson would be enough, with 25HP and PTO estimated at 18. Also I cant seem to find a picture of any other Ford flail with red lettering "FORD" on it.

 

[Fallon]

I ran a 7' one behind my L3200, 32hp, 2,500lbs orvso. Had to go slow, but it did decent.

I paid $100 for the beat to hell flail 8-9 years ago. Have maybe $500 into it now with a PTO shaft, belts, new knives & some bearings. It's survived 5+ years as my main mower for my side hustle. My new flail is currently down due to roller bearings. So I've been using the Ford this year & haven't gotten to fixing my main Peruzzo. It's still beat to hell with a cracked hood & lots of other issues. But it's still working at probably 20+ years old.

Slow going in that thick stuff, but it went.

 

[Sid Post]

I'm not the "bucket police" and your ground looks pretty flat but, I'd lower the bucket for Cg reasons.

 

[aclarke]

Thanks everyone for your responses. I guess I don’t have my notifications set right or I’d have been back sooner. To address some questions and follow up:

I get the rules of thumb like 12” of mower per 5 PTO hp. However, what I’m cutting is very light. Sheep have already grazed it for 2-5 days, so it’s just what’s left and can be run over very quickly. Not to mention that it’s in a field so if something gets missed, I’m not going to cry over it. I don’t think I’ve ever had a situation where my Kubota wasn’t enough tractor for my 5’ rotary mower. I just drive slower if the grass is thicker. I’ve run it once or twice behind the JD for the lolz and that’s a different story but if I buy a flail mower it will be for the Kubota.

I get that people always think they or I need a bigger tractor. I’d love a bigger tractor, and I’d love a telehandler, and an excavator, and also a winter ski chalet in the Alps and a magical flying pony while I’m wanting things. However, the sheep have to pay for equipment, and with fencing in two fields this year that’s a cost I need to recuperate first. I’m not cutting 60 acres at a time, just 4 acre paddocks every 4 days or so after the sheep are moved. And I will get a bigger tractor at some point I’m sure. Just not this year.

Interesting idea, moving goats after sheep. We might possibly run cattle after the goats for that reason, just custom grazing a few head over the summer to convert some of that uneaten grass into money. Cattle and sheep don’t share parasites so there’s an advantage there too. But I would still likely cut after some times of the year, and I am doing too many new things next year already to add cattle as well.

Sounds like I should be looking for a 6’ flail mower with Y blades. And I need to research the different chutes and mulching options on different mowers. I really appreciate the responses.

 

[Sid Post]

For what you say, I would look at Agrisupply and the Caroni flails built in Italy. They work really well in conditions like what you describe with similar tractors.

 

[saxtonhill]

For what you say, I would look at Agrisupply and the Caroni flails built in Italy. They work really well in conditions like what you describe with similar tractors.

I use a Caroni TM1900 (74" wide) behind my Kubota L4600 for the last 3 years now. I've retired my bush hog at this point. I often mow 5' tall grass which it mulches to 4 inches in a single pass driving in low 3rd gear. The Caroni is not heavy duty supposedly but I have had no issues with it no matter what I throw at it. The only thing I don't like about it is the roller which is a bit sloppy left to right.

 

[dieselscout80]

I use a Caroni TM1900 (74" wide) behind my Kubota L4600 for the last 3 years now. I've retired my bush hog at this point. I often mow 5' tall grass which it mulches to 4 inches in a single pass driving in low 3rd gear. The Caroni is not heavy duty supposedly but I have had no issues with it no matter what I throw at it. The only thing I don't like about it is the roller which is a bit sloppy left to right.

What kind of knives are you using?