I was wondering if anyone has converted a 3pt hitch flail mower to skid steer mount. I might be able to get a decent mower for cheap. I could flip the 3pt mount to to the reverse side and weld on a quick hitch plate. What size hydrolic motor would i need to run it, it is 6'.
Skid Steer flail mower
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kubotakid USA
Silver Member
If you dont have hi-flow hydraulics, (an option) you probably dont have enough volume to turn a bush hog, same as running a snow blower, Eric
Rustyiron
Super Member
I can't help much on sizing a hyd motor, but one thought I had was to be sure to turn the mower around and "throw" cuttings away from the operator. I would guess that you want it for brush type mowing? I have a rotary cutter for a skid steer and might be able to get a mod.# off of it's motor but it drives a regular right angle gear box just like on any "bush hog" and I would think that rather than driving all that drive train that it has on it from being tractor driven would waste a lot of power and a direct drive set up like what is on a mulching type mower would be better.
Did a bit of checking and I think you would need approximately 25-30 HP to pull a 6" flail mower. This would vary with what you were cutting and how fast you intended to cut it. I was unable to determine if you intended to run this on a tractor with skid steer mount on the FEL or a skid steer. My Skid Steer develops about 36 hydraulic HP pumping 30 GPM at 2400PSI. I attached a loftness HP guide to figuring hydraulic HP ratings for skid steers. I am pretty sure they are pretty optomistic with their HP ratings. Surplus center (a TBN advertiser) sells PTO hydraulic motors with the standard PTO shaft already on them. The link below will take you one of those PTO motors. They offer several.
If you intend to run this on a smaller tractor I seriously doubt you will have enough flow to operate satisfactory.
Loftness - Attachment Guide
Surplus Center - 6.15 CU IN PTO DRIVE MOTOR
If you intend to run this on a smaller tractor I seriously doubt you will have enough flow to operate satisfactory.
Loftness - Attachment Guide
Surplus Center - 6.15 CU IN PTO DRIVE MOTOR
so i ended up buying a ford 3pt hitch fail mower for $160 at the auction i went to. Its in pretty god shape just needs some new flails. I took off the 3pt arms and should be able to bolt them/ weld them on the reverse side to use as a mounting point for the skid steer quick tach plate i ordered. I bought a second flail mower which is a side mount alamo hydraulic mower for $80 which i stole the motor off of wich will power the ford mower. I figured for $80 it was worth a try compared to $300-$400 for something similar at the local hydraulic shop.
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Rustyiron
Super Member
Was the alamo too beat up to use instead of the Ford? Seems like it would be ready to go almost, too narrow?
Both seem like real good buys!
Both seem like real good buys!
I thought about using the alamo mower but i figured that by the time i patched all of the holes in the deck id be better off adapting with the ford and having a nice solid mower. I took the hydraulic motor off of the alamo mower already and if i scrap the rest of it i bet i could get back almost what i paid for it. :thumbsup:
Oliver1655
Gold Member
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- Oliver 1655
What are your plans for keeping the cut level. As the skids on the mower will scrape your yard, will you be putting wheel on the four corners and allowing it to float? I know the skid steer loaders I've used have a lot of rocking motion r/t the short wheel base. 