Mechanical Offset Mowers?

cold1313 · Jan 25, 2018

Does anyone have any experience with a mechanical offset rotary cutter or flail mower? I currently do not have any remotes on the back, but I wondered if there were units where I could offset the mower by hand and lock it into position, then when I am done, return it to center?

Rotary would be my preference for what I am doing, but it seems like most offset units are flails.

Just curious if anyone uses one. Haven't come across a thread but I figured someone makes one?

TerryR · Jan 25, 2018

I just purchased a flail ditch and bank mower that will operate in the offset position. It's hydraulic but works off the outlets for the FEL, so no rear remotes are needed. I just got it in December so haven't any chance to run it in real conditions so don't yet know how well it will work in an open field.

cold1313 · Jan 25, 2018

Did you keep the FEL connected and just lost the ability to curl the bucket? That way you have the counter weight of the FEL upfront?

TerryR · Jan 25, 2018

I always remove the FEL because it gets in the way when mowing around all our trees. I've done that for years with my rotary cutter that I hope to replace with this unit.

I mount suitcase weights on the front to offset the lost off weight, though I'm sure it's not as much. But the unit feels pretty solid in my few tests so far.

Since mine is a ditch and bank model, it requires two remotes - one for the offset and the other to control the lifting of the unit. So it needs both sets of outlets from the FEL. If you had only the offset you might be able to give up the curl as you suggest.

TerryR · Jan 25, 2018

I see this one claims to be available in both manual and hydraulic offsets, but they only show photos of the hydraulic one.
Iowa Farm Equipment -- Peruzzo Fox S Side Shift Series Flail Mowers

This one is only partly offset. Is that what you need? I was interested in the one I got because it can run nearly totally outside my wheel track.

cold1313 · Jan 30, 2018

It looks like my rear wheels are about 80 - 81" wide. So a standard 84" unit would work. Hard to justify the extra cost for an offset unit. For my property, I really need a boom to mow around my pond so I'm better off saving the money and hiring that out once a year to the local guy with the full boom mower setup.