Orec tracked flail vs Grillo wheeled flail vs ride on

[2manyrocks]

There is no denying that the Ventrac looks awesome.

But back to the price levels mere mortals can afford, should I be looking at BCS 753 or Grillo 110 and also rotary cutter versus flail for taking down these briars?

 

[groundcover]

No doubt the Ventrac can get spendy !!

 

[Jrasband]

I recomend BCS over Grillo and Flail mower over Brush mower.

Biggest difference with BCS over Grillo is you can use PTO in reverse when handle bars are over the engine. This is a game changer with mowing implements.

Also, get the 26" wheels!

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[2manyrocks]

Which brand of flail and cutting width would you suggest?

 

[Jrasband]

BERTA 30" and either 853/852/ or 749 BCS. Study the differences and see what would be best for you and your application.

 

[2manyrocks]

Do you think the flail would chop up these briars enough on the first forward pass that I could avoid having to run into the pile and reverse back out, and then run into the pile again? If I could offset the handlebars and cut these briars by constantly moving forward, that would speed things up instead of going back and forth nibbling away at them.

 

[travisbb]

Do you think the flail would chop up these briars enough on the first forward pass that I could avoid having to run into the pile and reverse back out, and then run into the pile again? If I could offset the handlebars and cut these briars by constantly moving forward, that would speed things up instead of going back and forth nibbling away at them.

Absolutely the flail would do that.

The two things you'll need to watch out for with the flail is that since it's also chopping up as it goes it takes more power. If you start bogging down or the hammers are too dull it's possible to wrap vine-like things around the drum. It's not too terrible to pull them back out, but it takes time. If you start bogging down, take a smaller bite.

 

[2manyrocks]

I have another section of similar 20 degree hillside, but not as large an area, presently covered in kudzu. I'm guessing the kudzu vines will wrap around the flail more so than they would wrap around a rotary cutter?

 

[jeepcoma]

There is no denying that the Ventrac looks awesome.

But back to the price levels mere mortals can afford, should I be looking at BCS 753 or Grillo 110 and also rotary cutter versus flail for taking down these briars?

They are both nice. I went for Grillo and have been happy. I liked the way the handlebars reverse and how it swaps the forward/reverse lever too. I don't think you'll go wrong with either, pick based on 1) price 2) features 3) local support (if that's a concern). Get the tallest tires you can. I have mine foam filled so no flats out in the woods. Mowing in reverse has never been a concern for me, I want to walk in the mowed path.

Flail mower for sure. Get as big as you can power with the motor you end up with - besides the first venture into uncut land, you can always take smaller bites. Having a wider cleared path to walk in is a big advantage with reclaiming land. Any rotary mower will be good for rough cutting, but it won't mulch anything. The flail is magic, stuff goes in and just disappears. It does a fantastic job at mulching, mowing, and wood chipping.

Agree with the above post, running over things like metal dog tethers, garden hoses, extension cords, fence wire, plastic sheeting, and other such material will ruin your day (I have discovered all those things). It probably won't cause damage, but it'll wind up around the drums faster than you can blink. Rocks are good though, the flails rotate forward so they get kicked out the front and roll along like a golf ball being putted. Not so good for the blades, but safe for the operator.

 

[Jrasband]

BCS or Grillo? Which one is right for me?​

It depends on many things … and in some cases, it may boil down to personal preference! (for a detailed comparison, please see this page) Here is a brief synopsis:
Similarities:

• Both manufactured in Italy
• Same automotive-type construction: All hardened steel gear and shaft drive supported by ball bearings in oil bath; automotive-type clutch
• Same reversible-handlebar design to accept front or rear PTO implements
• Commercial-grade engines
• Overall quality of construction the same

Differences:

• BCS machines tend to be more refined and stylized (“Americanized”, if you will), in terms of appearance, markings on controls, ergonomics of controls.
• BCS now sends their machines with an owners manual that is all in English; Grillo’s is still in 5 languages (English included, but some of the translations are a bit rocky.) But at least the Grillo manuals come with a parts list for the machine! (BCS’s manuals don’t)
• Because of their slightly simpler design, the Grillo machines are typically easier for the owner to service themselves, compared to the BCS machines: particularly, the clutch and the PTO coupling areas, which are areas that will be serviced eventually on any tractor.
• A potential drawback of the “slightly simpler design” on the Grillo transmission is that some “Front-PTO” implements are not quite as convenient to operate on a Grillo. This especially applies to lawn mowers, brush mowers, hay rakes and the hay baler…The particular drawback being that none of these implements can be operated while the tractor is in reverse. Depending on your implement choices and / or your terrain / land layout, this “issue” could be inconsequential, OR a major irritation.
• BCS has a better “consumer” warranty, but you pay more for the product. (BCS and Grillo “commercial/income-producing use” warranties are essentially the same.)
• Grillo has a lesser “consumer” warranty but you pay less for the product (to us, warranty is hardly a factor: the number of warranty failures in the field on both brands is minuscule, and since most failures occur in the first year if the components are defective, the number of warranty cases dwindles further in the 2nd and 3rd years).
• BCS presently has more registered dealers in the USA than Grillo, because BCS has been operating in this country longer.
• The color is different!

It should also be mentioned that BCS originally started it’s company building motorized mowing equipment, while Grillo started theirs producing motorized tillage equipment. While both companies have adapted/refined/evolved their tractors over the years (some of which was a joint effort between BCS and Grillo) to handle a multitude of implements and applications, it is interesting to note that some of the early design “paradigms”, if you will, are still in place. For example: in our opinion, Grillo builds better tiller implements than BCS, but BCS builds better cutter (sickle) bar mower implements than Grillo. Also, the BCS tractors are designed for good operator comfort with ALL implements (front- or rear-PTO) while in the Grillo line, some tractors are a bit more awkward for front-PTO implements (such as the Grillo G131).