Flail Mower Novatractor Flail Mower

[audsp98]

I ordered it on Tuesday and it arrived today. I got the MFZ175.

Plan on trying it out tomorrow.

 

[oosik]

Interesting unit. The picture with the mower still in the box. What do the hydraulics do on the unit??

Ha - I caught a single statement on their site - hydraulics are for side shift of the unit.

 

[MAD777]

Which type of blades?

 

[audsp98]

Which type of blades?

They are hammer style blade with some serration to help with the cutting.

 

[ericm979]

I'd be interested to hear how those hammers perform.

 

[oosik]

Got another question. I see that the unit can shift right and left. What I can not see is how the secondary shaft (going from PTO shaft out to chain drive) works. Does the secondary shaft expand and collapse just like the PTO shaft??

 

[ptsg]

This one seems that the gearbox is fixed and the PTO shaft will move sideways. Over here in Portugal it's common to use like a female hex bushing inside the gearbox and then just a hex shaft going to the flail. This will allow for side movement without flexing the PTO shaft even more.

 

[leonz]

They are hammer style blade with some serration to help with the cutting.

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I see that this flail mower has recutting bars on the flail mower shroud. If you plan on doing real heavy mowing you will have to decide whether to remove them and mow or pull the pins and use a piece of small round bar stock to hold them in place as any heavy impacts from thick brush will dislodge the spring hair pins and the recutting bar or bars will fall out and you will lose them and they will be hard to find in deep brush without a metal detector.

 

[audsp98]

Got another question. I see that the unit can shift right and left. What I can not see is how the secondary shaft (going from PTO shaft out to chain drive) works. Does the secondary shaft expand and collapse just like the PTO shaft??

Here's a video of me sliding it back and forth. The PTO shaft is not attached yet but it will move side to side with the mower.

 

[Jack Yuan]

This one seems that the gearbox is fixed and the PTO shaft will move sideways. Over here in Portugal it's common to use like a female hex bushing inside the gearbox and then just a hex shaft going to the flail. This will allow for side movement without flexing the PTO shaft even more.

Hi Pedro, what does it look like? Is there photos or video? Interesting to know how that mechanism work.

 

[oosik]

AH - HA, todays wx conditions allowed your short video ( post # 9 ) to download onto my computer. Now I can see how the side shift works. Its all in the angle of the PTO shaft. And actually, it doesn't appear to be that much. Some times HughesNet can be a real PITA - but you must live with what is available.

 

[audsp98]

AH - HA, todays wx conditions allowed your short video ( post # 9 ) to download onto my computer. Now I can see how the side shift works. Its all in the angle of the PTO shaft. And actually, it doesn't appear to be that much. Some times HughesNet can be a real PITA - but you must live with what is available.

Correct. The PTO angle is not bad.

 

[audsp98]

I got to use the mower for a little while yesterday. No grass to cut at home but did use it to clear some vines and weeds in the wild area behind our house. It did an outstanding job and I did not break anything.

 

[ptsg]

Hi Pedro, what does it look like? Is there photos or video? Interesting to know how that mechanism work.

Here are a couple of pictures. This is actually from a sideshift rototiller, but I've seen some companies using this system on old flails also. Not anymore though.

This is a mechanical sideshift, but there is also hydraulic ones.

 

[Jack Yuan]

Understand, I know this mechanical sideshift. I had nightmare on this. Many years ago when I started implement business, I was fresh and a fool at that time. I sold some tiller with this mechanism, and it made big trouble to my customers, they are easy to stuck the side shift.

1. this mechanism request more precise production capacity, mean many fixtures and mold during production, to make sure its parts size, difficult to control the quality.
2. Chinese steel plate is not as strong as Europe steel if at same level, and unstable. More easier to be bent during years work, then it will stuck the side shift.
3. Dust and dirt is easier to corrode this mechanism, it is tiller, tiller will get more dirt on its housing.

I think not only Chinese implement, also Europe and US implement face same problem. That's why we will see less and less this mechanism on the market.

If you see anyone is still selling this type machine, it means that manufacturer and seller doesn't understand this machine.

 

[ptsg]

There are still some good manufacturers that still make rototillers like this over here. They have been using them for loads of years and doesn't seem to have any problems at all. They are built a lot stronger than what you show in the pictures and they also have a good telescopic cover for the shaft.

This rototillers are really useful here because we have a lot of orchards and vineyards and this allows to go in between trees and under the tree branches. Although there is also other solutions nowadays.