Flail Mower New Caroni TM1900 Flail Mower

[jgrreed]

Welcome to the Caroni club. We will take over the world one flail at a time.

I looked for the oil tube extension mentioned earlier in this thread but I think the web site is gone.

Here you go.... (see pic). They're great to deal with, will be on your doorstep within days...

-Jer.

 

[joes_427_vette]

Nice flail mower ! My best wishes to the guard dog also. I never priced one new but I bought one ( 5' ) minus the angle drive system. The local school never checked the oil level and burned it up. They traded it off when the repair estimate was received. I'm anxious to get it going as I have a gear box for it and have to engineer the drive belt system. I'm curious... does yours have two belts or just one wide V type belt ? I hope the JD 4110 has enough power to make it work properly.

 

[nunyabinis]

I'm curious... does yours have two belts or just one wide V type belt ?

It has three drive belts.

 

[IslandTractor]

Wonder if a top/tilt (just top, not tilt) would work?

I have not mowed yet this year but as I recall I use the hydraulic topping lift to fine tune cut height. I could be misremembering but I recall using the 3pt to set the flail rear roller on the ground and then use the topping lift to change the angle of the cutter which slightly raises or lowers the cutting drum/flails.

Also, regarding the "burp stopper", I got it from British Metrics (410-857-3990) part number CAST 300-908. Description "extended adapter 16 x 1.5". It just screws into the gear box where the oil dipstick is and you then put the dipstick back on top of it. It acts like a little chimney to prevent the gears from flinging oil directly on to the vented oil dipstick cap and therefore prevents it from dribbling out oil onto the mower. Costs about $10 plus shipping as I recall.

Here is a link to a photo: http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...223171613-lets-talk-flail-mowers-img_9251.jpg

 

[Builder]

Wouldn't that result in a mistaken reading on the dipstick? (oil level would read too low?)

 

[IslandTractor]

Is this the right mower for what I would call a transition lawn? Like a stretch of grass between the finish lawn and an all-out field of tall grass?

I need something to cut along a long driveway where the grass is more "rough" than a finished lawn.

Do the skids leave skid paths and pull the grass out? I was concerned they would eventually become permanent bald tracks in the lawn.

I think it would be great for "transition" grass. It doesn't cut like a highly tuned golf course greens mower but it cuts a lot closer to a finish mower than any rotary mower does. Some people would find it fine for their lawn (I do) while those who really want perfection might complain. However, I cannot imagine anyone complaining about how it would cut a transition area or a pasture. It also mulches much better than a rotary mower so you don't get clumps of grass scattered about.

Regarding the skids, I have mine set so that they only hit obstructions. The weight of the mower is entirely on the rear roller for mowing grass and the skids clear the ground by a couple of inches when I mow. When I bush hog with the flail I use the 3pt and hydraulic topping lift to raise it up a bit so it is not on the roller (I find that helps the roller push over stuff if I am mowing backwards). Depending on how clean a look I want while brush clearing I will then drop the mower and mow normally on my way forward. The mower does cut more cleanly when mowing forwards but does a fine job on brush when backing into it.

 

[IslandTractor]

Wouldn't that result in a mistaken reading on the dipstick? (oil level would read too low?)

Thanks for reminding me. I put this in my original post but forgot to repeat it here. When the extender is in place, the oil reading shows "minimal" level (ie just readable) when the oil level is actually full (top of normal range without the extender). It is simple enough to remove the extender to calibrate it yourself but I've learned to just make sure I can see oil on the tip of the dipstick.

 

[brianidaho]

Have any of you used this mower on brushier, hillier terrain? I have a 20 acre parcel, with a lot of small <=1" brush, plus some bigger stuff (2") some in thick clumps. Ideally I'd like to be able to cut that with the mower, but if worse comes to worse I can chainsaw the big stuff first. Will the flail "mulch" stuff this big if it were cut first? Do they work reasonably well over uneven ground? I'd think they would still be better than a rotary. I also have a lot of rocks...I'll try to avoid them but I'm sure some will get hit. I can't imagine this is good for the flails, but then again, it seems like small flails would be less drama than hitting rocks with a rotary.

 

[nunyabinis]

Being so small and low in mass, the flail blades tend to bounce off rocks better than rotary cutter blades. I know a guy who hit a rock with a JD 10' rotary cutter. The rock bent one blade upward, it hit the underside of the deck and put a 4' gash in the metal.... kinda like the Titanic. It took one heck of an impact to slice that cutter deck because that is one heavy duty cutter.


As for mulching, the flails also tend to mulch better than rotaries. They really chew stuff up.

 

[IslandTractor]

Have any of you used this mower on brushier, hillier terrain? I have a 20 acre parcel, with a lot of small <=1" brush, plus some bigger stuff (2") some in thick clumps. Ideally I'd like to be able to cut that with the mower, but if worse comes to worse I can chainsaw the big stuff first. Will the flail "mulch" stuff this big if it were cut first? Do they work reasonably well over uneven ground? I'd think they would still be better than a rotary. I also have a lot of rocks...I'll try to avoid them but I'm sure some will get hit. I can't imagine this is good for the flails, but then again, it seems like small flails would be less drama than hitting rocks with a rotary.

I've used my Caroni flail in similar circumstances and find it does a very good job. One inch brush is no sweat and I just drive over it forwards. Two inch brush is pretty easily handled by the flail but I don't like driving over it forwards as it tends to mangle electrical connectors, hydraulic hoses etc under my tractor so I back over it instead with the flail. When you back over brush it cuts it but leaves a 4-5 inch stubble which can then be cut down by driving forwards with the mower. The flail mulches much much better than a rotary mower.

 

[Brahmus]

All this talk has me looking to spend more money again!! Caroni or Betstco... decisions. Any seen these two in person side by side?

 

[J_J]

I know you guys are talking about Caroni flail mowers, but thought I would show you the hydraulic driven flail mower by Power-Trac. It takes about 12 GPM for it to operate. I replaced all the blades with the [ Y ] blades which are sharp on both sides. If I remember right, it has 88 blade sets. It also has 2 wheels on the back, and rotating wheels on the front. I can set the height from 0 to 5 in, plus lift it two feet off the ground. It will take the axe type flails, but they are a few more dollars each. One trick I learned on the flails is that if you lose a blade in the middle, just take a set from the ends and replace the empty spot.

Mine is not as pretty as this one, and I didn't have to pay $4,700 for it, but it works good.

 

[sunspot]

Another good thing about the flail is there is much less scalping. The blades are near the solid 6' roller where a RM has a tail wheel way back to the rear.

 

[Flatheadyoungin]

i preach this all the time and those caronis get great reviews on here but for those of you that want to get in the flail business cheap, get on craigslist (use searchtempest.com) and search for "flail"......those super heavy duty (that's really their name) mott/alamo 88" flails can be had for way under 600 many times....

the absolute worst thing that could happen is you give 400 for the flail, the high dollar gear box goes out and you buy a brand new one for about 1100, put all new blades on it for about 80 and replace just about every bearing in it for 100 (the rest if fixable with a welder pretty much) .......worst case scenerio is that you have about 2000 in a VERY tough flail that cost about 5000 new....

the state department of transportation uses them, so they are plentiful.....i've passed up about 10 of them, litterally, since i've bought mine.....

at these prices, i'll find me another one just for parts or because i want an offset one too.....

i'm sold.....i couldn't afford nor handle a rotary mower of this size on my tractor........grant it, when i want to go through some good sized saplings, i wish it would handle a bit more.....but, like others have said, for all-around cutting, there's nothing that can beat them IMHO....

i need to quit telling everyone this....maybe the prices will get down to around 200!

 

[Flatheadyoungin]

look at this crap.....doesn't give size but according to price he originally paid, it should be a SHD88......just guessing....

i don't think we're supposed to post ads, so i edited out the #.....he wants 1750 for it! high but not for a brand new one, if it's what he says and you were planning on a new caroni.....


alamo motts flail mower used twice bought new at germantown john deere paid $4800 cuts like a golf course 937 ******** ask for jason soory no pics



here's a 59" caroni for 995

new Caroni brand flail style mower. For attachment to 3pt hitch on compact tractor. Mows like a finish mower, but safer and able to mow through brush like a light duty rotary mower. This is a high quality Italian caroni mower (purchased from agri supply last year) and not one of the much cheaper made chinese mowers now being imported. only used a few times - just too big for my 1 acre yard. Purchased for $1700 last year, but tired of tripping over it in the garage. My loss is your gain.



here's one for 650.....

JOHN DEERE 3 point flail mower. 6ft. 6 in. New paint and near a third new blades READY TO MOW. Call 740-****** if no answer please leave message.



there's a bush hog brand for 850 in ready to work shape...


nice looking 5' ford for 400....

I have a real good Ford flail mower for sale or trade.It is 5' wide and it is made by Ford and has been painted green. Heavy duty.Does have 3 point hitch. You can call me at 931-*******



ok, so no alamo/motts in a quick search but they'll be there.......

 

[Brahmus]

i preach this all the time and those caronis get great reviews on here but for those of you that want to get in the flail business cheap, get on craigslist (use searchtempest.com) and search for "flail"......those super heavy duty (that's really their name) mott/alamo 88" flails can be had for way under 600 many times....

I hear you and agree completely, but I've been watching Craiglist and ebay for flails near me for months to no avail. I guess they just aren't that popular down here

 

[IslandTractor]

I hear you and agree completely, but I've been watching Craiglist and ebay for flails near me for months to no avail. I guess they just aren't that popular down here

Because USA made flails are quite expensive, they tend to be owned only by municipalities, highway departments and commercial operations. The less expensive "medium or light" duty flails from Caroni and China have only fairly recently been available (Caroni has actually been around for a while) so there are not many of those sold or on the used market. Getting a used US made flail that is in decent or repairable shape would be a great deal however as they tend to be built like tanks.

 

[Brahmus]

I've never actually seen one in person down here. All the municipalities still use rotary cutters, batwings etc here.

 

[brianidaho]

I've used my Caroni flail in similar circumstances and find it does a very good job. One inch brush is no sweat and I just drive over it forwards. Two inch brush is pretty easily handled by the flail but I don't like driving over it forwards as it tends to mangle electrical connectors, hydraulic hoses etc under my tractor so I back over it instead with the flail. When you back over brush it cuts it but leaves a 4-5 inch stubble which can then be cut down by driving forwards with the mower. The flail mulches much much better than a rotary mower.

That's good to hear, I know you posted some cutting pics on your land in the "big" flail mower thread. Looks like it would do pretty well for my needs. Are the brush "stumps" left by the flail pretty well mashed or rounded, to the point that they don't puncture tires too readily? That would be my other concern with a rotary, the way things tend to fold over before being cut means that when they are cut you can end up with sharp edges to spring upward when the cutter passes. I don't want a bunch of pungi sticks when I'm done . Seems like the flail would work better in this regard.

 

[FarmGeek]

I hear you and agree completely, but I've been watching Craiglist and ebay for flails near me for months to no avail. I guess they just aren't that popular down here

Me too. I lurked on Craig's for over a year and visited every dealer within two hundred miles before making my Caroni purchase. I really wanted a heaver / nicer / better unit and was willing to rebuild if needed but all the ones I could locate were way past their prime (read...junk!). The week after I brought the Caroni-red-color-clashing-with-orange-tractor Caroin home I got a quote from a dealer for a Land Pride flail that I was drooling over. Still couldn't justify the additional $3600 cost over what I had paid.

These units cut grass and save me money. Which leaves some left over for a new air compressor........