Flail Mower Let's talk flail mowers

[IslandTractor]

I would add that a 28hp tractor could certainly spin the flail at PTO speed but there would be limits to how thick or high grass could be cut. If the intended use is relatively frequent mowing of average grass and the mowing was done at roughly walking speed then I'd say the 28hp tractor would do fine with a TM1900. I would not bush hog or brush clear without either more HP or enough time to run in a pretty low gear though.

[TerryR]

ken carries the Sicma line and another brand of flail mower.

Yes, I've reached him and gotten details. Thanks.

The TM1900 may work well if you have front wieghts and loaded tires
or just loaded tires.

I have the wheels, both front and back, set as wide as they will go, and both front and back are loaded. I always use front weights when working in the field with the loader off.

If you have any slope that is 15 degree's or greater in rise and run it is better to back up the slope and drive down the slope to avoid the chance of an end over end roll over.

Really? I don't have a whole lot of area that flat. The steepest part is about 24 degrees, which I've been mowing up and down for 12 years and not seen any indication of the rig getting unstable. I do avoid sidehill operation when it gets over about 18 degrees.

Your rotary hugs the ground making a wide foot print in square footage of contact if you lower it to the side rails and drag it up and down.

You're saying to run the Bushhog with the side rails dragging the ground? That would leave terrible ruts straight up an down the hill which would soon erode into gullies.

Matting the brush down in forward lays the heads of the weeds forward and the flail knives will shred in either direction of rotation as most knives are double edged except for the scoop knives as they can shear in one direction.

But they can't cut the matted grass if it's laying above the level of the cut, can they? If they are turning in the direction that pushes down on the flattened grass, how well can they pick it up and cut it?

They may have suggested the forward rotation simply from the perspective of hidden stumps and exposed roots that the mower rotor may encounter throwing the debris forward if it is very large in size to avoid jamming the rotor and tearing up the the V belts.

No, that was in direct response to my question about picking up the grass matted by the tires.

They normally use reverse rotation, but offer forward rotation too. When built for forward rotation the roller is moved back a bit to better clear the shreds which are thrown directly at the roller. The direction of rotation can be changed in the field, which works because they don't use an idler pulley in the belt drive, which of course can't be on the load side of the belts.

The key to good shredding of brush with a flail is slow speed and lowering the mower all the way to the ground to hug the sod.

I don't understand - what do you mean by lowering the mower all the way to the ground? Are you saying the blades should be touching the ground? We're talking grass and weeds here, with occasional current-season locust trees (which don't seem to die, no matter how many times you mow them). I'd think I want to keep the cutting height at 2 to 3 inches to keep the sod healthy. Much lower than that and it dies out during dry periods and then I have an erosion problem.

Terry

[TerryR]

I would add that a 28hp tractor could certainly spin the flail at PTO speed but there would be limits to how thick or high grass could be cut. If the intended use is relatively frequent mowing of average grass and the mowing was done at roughly walking speed then I'd say the 28hp tractor would do fine with a TM1900. I would not bush hog or brush clear without either more HP or enough time to run in a pretty low gear though.

Thanks, Ed,

I see you own a TM1900, but are running it on a tractor with about half again as much HP as my JD 870.

I find I can only mow in 3rd (of 9) gears, which is supposed to be 1.5 mph. That's mainly because the next gear is about twice as fast, and makes for an unsettling ride on my terrain.

However, the field is only mowed twice a year - in mid May and late summer. So the grass gets pretty high in a wet summer. So I'm wondering if I don't need to cut back to a 60" cut to make this work with my tractor.

Terry

[beppington]

Thanks, Ed,

I see you own a TM1900, but are running it on a tractor with about half again as much HP as my JD 870.

I find I can only mow in 3rd (of 9) gears, which is supposed to be 1.5 mph. That's mainly because the next gear is about twice as fast, and makes for an unsettling ride on my terrain.

However, the field is only mowed twice a year - in mid May and late summer. So the grass gets pretty high in a wet summer. So I'm wondering if I don't need to cut back to a 60" cut to make this work with my tractor.

Terry

If it helps any: I prefer to operate my tractor at around 2,000 RPM, even when operating PTO implements, rather than its "rated PTO speed" of 2,700. I prefer for it to "loaf" whenever possible & have yet to need to go much over that. I would assume that at 2,000 RPM it's outputting less PTO HP than the max 31.5 PTO HP my tractor's rated for ... the point being that I've flail mowed (mown?), with a Caroni TM1900, some very dense, tall stuff at 2,000 RPM & have had no problems at all. Now, if we only knew what PTO HP I'm getting at a 2,000 RPM engine speed.

[jimgerken]

400 rpm pto speed at 2000 engine.
(2000 / 2700 = 0.74, 540 * 0.74 = 400)

[beppington]

400 rpm pto speed at 2000 engine.
(2000 / 2700 = 0.74, 540 * 0.74 = 400)

I'm aware that my PTO's speed will be lower. I'm wondering what PTO horsepower I'm getting at a 2,000 RPM engine speed.

[IslandTractor]

I use engine settings similar to Beppington routinely. With tall (24 inch) thick green grass I do need to mow in low and with a bit more RPM to get a good cut.

I would still imagine that a JD870 running at full PTO rpm and a relatively low gear would work though especially if the grass was dry. At worst you'd have to overlap a bit.

[leonz]

Yes, I've reached him and gotten details. Thanks.

I have the wheels, both front and back, set as wide as they will go, and both front and back are loaded. I always use front weights when working in the field with the loader off.

Really? I don't have a whole lot of area that flat. The steepest part is about 24 degrees, which I've been mowing up and down for 12 years and not seen any indication of the rig getting unstable. I do avoid sidehill operation when it gets over about 18 degrees.

You're saying to run the Bushhog with the side rails dragging the ground? That would leave terrible ruts straight up an down the hill which would soon erode into gullies.

But they can't cut the matted grass if it's laying above the level of the cut, can they? If they are turning in the direction that pushes down on the flattened grass, how well can they pick it up and cut it?

No, that was in direct response to my question about picking up the grass matted by the tires.

They normally use reverse rotation, but offer forward rotation too. When built for forward rotation the roller is moved back a bit to better clear the shreds which are thrown directly at the roller. The direction of rotation can be changed in the field, which works because they don't use an idler pulley in the belt drive, which of course can't be on the load side of the belts.

I don't understand - what do you mean by lowering the mower all the way to the ground? Are you saying the blades should be touching the ground? We're talking grass and weeds here, with occasional current-season locust trees (which don't seem to die, no matter how many times you mow them). I'd think I want to keep the cutting height at 2 to 3 inches to keep the sod healthy. Much lower than that and it dies out during dry periods and then I have an erosion problem.

Terry

terry what I am referring to is positioning the rear roller at its highest mounting position which creates the lowest mowing hieght for the flail knives, scoop knives, hammer knives, and they will shred the flatened brush ours does this with zero issues.

(The flail knives will not strike the ground unless there is a rock or surface root that is above the sod)

for the job at hand which why you want a very slow ground speed which will also tear up the flattened grass and brush with little fuss.


If you really wanto see some mean ground please look up iron horses pictures from Australia and the brush he clears with his flail mowers.


Once you go flail you never go back!!

[TerryR]

Thanks everyone for your additional comments. Though I'm not sure I'm more resolved now. :-/

I had about convinced myself that I needed to look for a 60" cut model because of my tractor, mowing habits, and the hills. But now several of you have suggested that I may be able to use a 72" cut.

Still pondering...

Terry

[beppington]

Thanks everyone for your additional comments. Though I'm not sure I'm more resolved now. :-/

I had about convinced myself that I needed to look for a 60" cut model because of my tractor, mowing habits, and the hills. But now several of you have suggested that I may be able to use a 72" cut.

Still pondering...

Terry

If you're desiring a 72" wide cut, I wouldn't hesitate to get the TM1900 for use with your 28 PTO HP ... My 31.5 PTO HP operates it great, & you have only ~11% less PTO HP than me (don't forget that I operate mine at an engine speed much less than my tractor's rated PTO RPM, so my guess is that I'm probably operating mine with somewhere between 25-30 PTO HP)