Flail Mower Tractor HP to Flail Mower size Ratio... (Mahindra 4110 & SHD88)

GriffinOnTheRun · Jan 3, 2015

Hello All,

I am looking at purchasing a flail mower to run behind our Mahindra 4110 tractor and I have an opinion question. What is the largest size of flail mower you would recommend for this tractor? Granted I understand this is an opinion based question and there are several factors that can make up the answer but I would like to hear some real world experience to know if I am looking at too large of mowers or too small of mowers. Here is a little background to get us started:

The tractor specs: Engine HP 41; PTO HP 33.6; and overall width around 60"
Amount of Terrain: About 6-10 acres
Terrain Type: Rolling fields that had been previously mowed for hay. No thick brush with only a few saplings near the edge of the field/tree line. Anything large (3/4" and up) will be cut flush to the ground first.
Mowing Frequency: Looking to mow it at a taller setting and most likely 1 a month. Wanting to keep it mowed and have a cleaner finish than a typical brush cut but not as nice as a finish mower.
Mower sizes/widths: Looking to purchase a mower around 7' - 8' wide with no offset to cover the width of the tractor.

With that said I have been looking at Alamo's SHD88 but am a little bit scared that this might be too much of a mower for our tractor. Any thoughts???

Thanks in advance for your thoughts and opinions.

Scott

jimmysisson · Jan 3, 2015

I run that mower (maybe 30 yrs old) behind a Ford 2120, 43 bhp and about 38 PTO. It's a heavy mower and is offset to the right maybe 16". I think you'll be fine with the Mahinda. How much does the tractor weigh?
Mine I mow 3x summer (its also horse pasture) and second gear midrange works best. Next door where I only mow once a yr it's low range second, quite slow. But, you get a beautiful cut at that speed.
Mine has grass knives. They're a pain to change, with a nut, bolt, a clip plus two blades at each station. Maybe 120 stations, can't recall. They take some abuse, but like grass best.
Good luck, Jim

GriffinOnTheRun · Jan 3, 2015

Hello Jim,

Thanks for the reply. The tractor weighs in little over 4000 lbs. without the front-end loader. We run with a front-end loader connected all the time so that will add a few hundred lbs. I am sure. Per Alamo's website I believe the newer SHD88 weigh in around 1000 lbs. Rear lift capacity on the Mahindra is around 2800 lbs. so I think we are covered on that side of things. I think the biggest concern I have is the PTO HP. Per Alamo's website they recommend having at least 40HP. In our case we are below the minimum spec and might be better suited for the SHD74. I am looking towards running the rougher cut hammer Y blades as I do not need a golf course finish. My original thought is that I should get the largest mower possible and or one that will cover the width of the tractor. An added bonus would be reducing the overall mowing time. However, I am not interested in setting land speed records and if I have to run at a slower speed to get a good clean cut so be it. I just don't want to run into the situation where the tractor just isn't enough of a work horse for the attachment. Buying a smaller attachment is way easier on the wallet vs. upgrading the tractor to handle the attachment

Thanks,
Scott

leonz · Jan 3, 2015

GriffinOnTheRun said:
Hello All,

I am looking at purchasing a flail mower to run behind our Mahindra 4110 tractor and I have an opinion question. What is the largest size of flail mower you would recommend for this tractor? Granted I understand this is an opinion based question and there are several factors that can make up the answer but I would like to hear some real world experience to know if I am looking at too large of mowers or too small of mowers. Here is a little background to get us started:

The tractor specs: Engine HP 41; PTO HP 33.6; and overall width around 60"
Amount of Terrain: About 6-10 acres
Terrain Type: Rolling fields that had been previously mowed for hay. No thick brush with only a few saplings near the edge of the field/tree line. Anything large (3/4" and up) will be cut flush to the ground first.
Mowing Frequency: Looking to mow it at a taller setting and most likely 1 a month. Wanting to keep it mowed and have a cleaner finish than a typical brush cut but not as nice as a finish mower.
Mower sizes/widths: Looking to purchase a mower around 7' - 8' wide with no offset to cover the width of the tractor.

With that said I have been looking at Alamo's SHD88 but am a little bit scared that this might be too much of a mower for our tractor. Any thoughts???

Thanks in advance for your thoughts and opinions.

Scott

Hello Scott,

Save your money and buy a new or used John Deere 25A with the grass knives.
There are lots of them around.

We had a ford jubilee that dad used to mow 12 acres of old
pasture that he reclaimed from an awful state with
12 foot golden rod and other brush.

You have plenty of power with your mule for a JD25A with
a 7 or 8 foot cut with grass knives.

Save your money.

GriffinOnTheRun · Jan 4, 2015

Hello Leonz,

I have also been looking at the John Deere 25A's some too. Based on the spec's they seem like they might be a better fit for us but have really liked what others have said about the Alamo's. Not that anybody has said anything bad about the JD's. As for the $$$ I am not looking at new ones and have found a used Alamo on an auction that currently has a low price.. If I was looking at new ones and the Caroni's came in a little bit wider model I would most likely be going that route based on the massive thread you guys have about them. If it wasn't for that thread I would most likely still be looking towards a rotary cutter of some type.

Speaking of cost I am pretty much a firm believer in paying for what you get. Which makes me a little leery of buying used equipment from an auction. I am not saying that I like spending money but it makes it a whole lot easier to spend money when you buy good quality equipment that can be maintained and lasts for years to come.

Once again thanks for all the comments and thoughts.

Scott

leonz · Jan 4, 2015

I am glad I was of some help to you Scott. Buying a used JD25A from dealer or
through the auction time net work of dealers would work for you as parts
are always available.

ALL V-Belts and bearings are metric in design and the Kevlar belts are the
best to have due to thier ability to resist shock loads.

There are usually a small herd of new and used JD25A or new JD390 flails available from the JD
dealers that advertise on auction time and the various other sale rags

I would rather see you buy used 25A or a new 390 simply because of my past experience.

I still have and use my father second 48 inch Mathews Lawn Genie which is thirty five years old.
I owned his first lawn genie after he traded for the 48 inch unit.

I had to replace wheels, wheel bearings, and V belts and the second set of flail rotor main bearings
is now 10 years old. The original 16 horsepower B+S engines is still working with new parts that
were required over time like the throttle cable assembly/carburater/a third coil/ spark plugs etc.

You purchase a new or used Loftness, Mathews, Long, Vrisimo, brand etc. of flail mower with ease
and the parts are still available for them.

The alamos are copies of the original Mott flail mowers BTW.

I want you to succeed Scott not fail.

GriffinOnTheRun · Jan 6, 2015

Hello Leonz,

Thanks again for the thoughts. I have seen a couple of the JD25A's and 390's on Auction Time and they seem to be a little more common in my area (Midwest). However, still nothing exactly in my backyard but at least within a few hundred miles. I was originally thinking if I went the JD route that I wanted a 390 but then again after looking manufacturing spec's was wondering if it might be a little big for my mule. So I backed down the to 25A's which per the manufacture spec's makes a little more sense.

As for the Alamo's your starting to make me a little leery. Have you had/known of folks with bad experiences with them? With my initial searches I was thinking that Alamo was a pretty good brand and fairly easy to find parts. Or is it just that you have had really good experiences with the JD's? I kind of view brands similar to Chevy, Dodge, Ford, etc... You can always find somebody that has had a great experience and a horrible experience.

If your really thinking that the JD's would be the best route for me to take maybe I should pass on my auction???

BTW... the auction ends in about 28 hours and it's only about 130 miles from my place. So I guess I had better make up my mind :confused3: As you said I want to succeed with this adventure and not flail around failing .. :laughing:

Scott

GreenheadRecycle · Jan 6, 2015

By this MFG. I think you maybe biting off more than the tractor can chew up.

Heavy Duty Brush Cutting Tractor Mounted /Tow Behind Flail Mowers

jimmysisson · Jan 6, 2015

You may have to go slow first pass of the year, but should be fine the rest of the mowings. It's a big mower to store, and tedious with the knife changes, but very simple and rugged. You'd want to know if the roller is good and straight, the bearings are all tight and greased regularly (there's on in the belt housing hard to get to). And deduct for missing knives, for sure. I'd also avoid the thing if it had new paint hiding something.
Jim

leonz · Jan 6, 2015

GriffinOnTheRun said:
Hello Leonz,

Thanks again for the thoughts. I have seen a couple of the JD25A's and 390's on Auction Time and they seem to be a little more common in my area (Midwest). However, still nothing exactly in my backyard but at least within a few hundred miles. I was originally thinking if I went the JD route that I wanted a 390 but then again after looking manufacturing spec's was wondering if it might be a little big for my mule. So I backed down the to 25A's which per the manufacture spec's makes a little more sense.

As for the Alamo's your starting to make me a little leery. Have you had/known of folks with bad experiences with them? With my initial searches I was thinking that Alamo was a pretty good brand and fairly easy to find parts. Or is it just that you have had really good experiences with the JD's? I kind of view brands similar to Chevy, Dodge, Ford, etc... You can always find somebody that has had a great experience and a horrible experience.

If your really thinking that the JD's would be the best route for me to take maybe I should pass on my auction??? BTW... the auction ends in about 28 hours and it's only about 130 miles from my place. So I guess I had better make up my mind :confused3: As you said I want to succeed with this adventure and not flail around failing .. :laughing:

Scott

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Hello Scott,

I would rather see you invest in a new or used JD25A or the Caroni BSC1900 for
a smaller new simply because of the possible hidden issues with this flail mower at auction.

The issues of not knowing who owned and where it was used or missused rear their ugly heads and
the Alamo regional sales reps method rather than having a dealer network-unless that has changed
drastically in the last few years I would walk away and put your money back in your wallet.

Unless your willing to go to this auction and hit the weld seams on the mower shroud or the front cross tubing on this thing at the welds if possible with a 2 pound hammer I would not lay a cent or a shilling on the table as my
friends in England would say.

I only have a 35 year old flail mower because I knew exactly who owned it, and I took care of it