Used my new Alamo SHD88 for the first time yesterday

[Lt CHEG]

I recently traded up to a new, bigger tractor. I bought a New Holland Powerstar T4.75 enclosed cab tractor with front end loader. The dealer made me a heck of a deal on a brand new Alamo SHD88 flail mower that a customer ordered and ended up not buying so I bought that too. I ended up going with the flail because the lions share of the cutting I do at my property as well as for others is just tall, overgrown grass with the occasional smal (less than 1" diameter) shrub that comes along with neglected property. I kept my old brush hog for backup use in case I needed to hack away at stuff a little nastier even though it's only 5 feet wide with a 45 horsepower gear box.

Well yesterday was the first chance I really got to use the new flail ( which came with the heavier duty blades instead of the purely finish cut blades). I mowed about 8 acres of a customer's fields and I absolutely could not believe how awesome of a job the cutter did. I brought my Stihl 130 trimmer with brush blade along for the outcropping of heavier stuff so as to not tax my new flail too much on its maiden voyage. I was impressed that the fields which haven't been mowed in at least 2 years almost looked like a lawn when I got done. This machine rocks.

When I finished cutting for a paying customer I mowed an acre an a half quickly at my property. Again it worked incredibly well, giving finish cut quality for the 8" tall grass. I was able to mow quickly with my tractor at 1500 rpm's with the E-PTO engaged. The whole day yesterday was truly a pleasure and I could not be happier with my most recent acquisitions.

 

[IXLR8]

No pictures of before and after!!??

 

[Lt CHEG]

No pictures of before and after!!??

Unfortunately, no. I totally forgot to take pictures.

 

[IXLR8]

Sounds like it did a good job for you. I am thinking about buying the 10 acres of overgrown fields next to me, if I do, I think a flail mower would be perfect to clean it up. It was rotary cut a few years ago and it looked like terrible after it was done.

 

[Lt CHEG]

Sounds like it did a good job for you. I am thinking about buying the 10 acres of overgrown fields next to me, if I do, I think a flail mower would be perfect to clean it up. It was rotary cut a few years ago and it looked like terrible after it was done.

I was very impressed with the cut quality that the flail produced. I always thought my Squealer Bush Hog did a pretty nice job for a rotary cutter, but this was considerably better. I would definitely recommend a cutter like mine based on my current experience level.

 

[Arc weld]

Nothing cuts like a Mott/Alamo! The city of Edmonton were one the very first municipalities to buy Mott Interstators. (88 rear unit with side mount hyd. units) My dad arranged a demo is some tall grass about 5 1/2' tall. All the city bigwigs were there. One of supervisers was only about 5'3" tall and couldn't be seen in the tall grass. My dad had a city operator hop in the cab and showed him the controls. Then he said to lower the wing units and 3 pt., engage the pto, speed up the tractor to 540 PTO RPM and drive forward in first gear. It was slow but all their jaws dropped when they saw the job it did. One pass, finished! After that demo they were easy to sell. Several counties around Edmonton also bought Interstators after the city gave glowing reviews of them. Many did more than 20 years of service. The original demo resulted in my dad selling almost half of the first 100 Interstators ever made and largest dealer in the world for them. My dad was very good friends with Elmer Mott and also very saddened when Elmer was killed landing his private plane.

 

[sparc]

I found a Alamo SHD74 for sale locally and wondering what the going price is for something in good condition, meaning decent baldes, no damage/abuse, some minor rust from sitting unused for a couple years , and no drive shaft.

Are these mowers still in production and parts available easily.

Is $600 too much for a 74 inch and will my TC25 have enough power
to run it?

Thinking of a flail in place of the RFM, what are the advantages over my GM1072R?


Found this link to the manual is anyone is looking.

http://www.alamo-industrial.com/ProductManuals/Manuals/SHDFlail_Archived_01_04.pdf

 

[Arc weld]

Yes, they still make them and new they cost close to $5000! :shocked: $600 is a steal unless the cutter shaft is bent or something else is majorly broken. Parts aren't a problem, you posted a parts manual that goes back to 1972. They are much safer than a rotary, use less power, are closer coupled to the tractor and will cut much taller grass. Not sure how much HP a TC25 is but it all depends on the grass you are cutting. For heavy commercial work, 74's were mated to MF 245's with 42 PTO HP. For cutting a lawn regularly about 30 PTO HP should be fine if the tractor can lift the machine. They are heavy built. Look on the Alamo website. There should be more info on HP requirements.

 

[jimmysisson]

I have an old Mott SHD88 flail with grass knives. At 2000 RPM with 39 PTO hp it bogs, but rarely, in thick wet June grass, fine for everything else. In dry grass/light brush it'll cut 3' stuff no sweat.
Best thing is cut quality is so good, and safety much better than my old rotary. And it doesn't plug like a sickle, so you get around the field quicker.
Pretty happy with it. $600 is good, mine a bit more but bigger. Parts are pricey but available.
Jim

 

[sparc]

Thanks guys. Sounds like it might be worth a trip for a look see, its about 75 miles away. But, my TC25 has about 21 pto hp so it might be too much for me being a 72 inch mower, but probably OK on the old Ford 2600.