RFB
Platinum Member
I was notified yesterday that Agr-Supply shipped me the mower. Due to arrive on 08 August.
Flail Mower Let's talk flail mowers
- Thread starter TNhobbyfarmer
- Start date
bandit67
Veteran Member
- Joined
- May 27, 2004
- Messages
- 1,588
- Location
- Lake Hartwell, SC
- Tractor
- 2012 B3000 HSDCC 2020 Z251 Zero Turn
Following up on my recent purchase. I received my special order Caroni TM1600 in March. I told my wife when I ordered it that we'd probably have an overly dry summer since I shelled out $2k for a new mower. I was right.
However, I have had a chance to use the mower a number of times this summer, and am very happy with it. Seems to be holding up well. Greased the roller again last weekend after realizing that a lot of folks grease it each time they use it. No side-to-side slop, and felt to be well greased prior to pumping more grease into the fittings. My roller does a lot of rolling over rocks, since the grasses are so sparse on our property.
One of the deciding factors in purchasing a flail was that I wanted as much organic material being deposited back to the ground, and the flail's ability to shred everything to better decomposible material is a nice benefit. Also, I don't have to let the grasses grow as tall as I did previously with the rotary mower, so can mow more frequently. In time (years), I expect the flail to help the grasses thicken up with the way it deposits the clippings, and with being able to mow more frequently, that tends to kill off our weeds, thus allowing more grasses that we want to continue to grow & spread.
However, I have had a chance to use the mower a number of times this summer, and am very happy with it. Seems to be holding up well. Greased the roller again last weekend after realizing that a lot of folks grease it each time they use it. No side-to-side slop, and felt to be well greased prior to pumping more grease into the fittings. My roller does a lot of rolling over rocks, since the grasses are so sparse on our property.
One of the deciding factors in purchasing a flail was that I wanted as much organic material being deposited back to the ground, and the flail's ability to shred everything to better decomposible material is a nice benefit. Also, I don't have to let the grasses grow as tall as I did previously with the rotary mower, so can mow more frequently. In time (years), I expect the flail to help the grasses thicken up with the way it deposits the clippings, and with being able to mow more frequently, that tends to kill off our weeds, thus allowing more grasses that we want to continue to grow & spread.
bandit67
Veteran Member
- Joined
- May 27, 2004
- Messages
- 1,588
- Location
- Lake Hartwell, SC
- Tractor
- 2012 B3000 HSDCC 2020 Z251 Zero Turn
Following up on my recent purchase. I received my special order Caroni TM1600 in March. I told my wife when I ordered it that we'd probably have an overly dry summer since I shelled out $2k for a new mower. I was right.
However, I have had a chance to use the mower a number of times this summer, and am very happy with it. Seems to be holding up well. Greased the roller again last weekend after realizing that a lot of folks grease it each time they use it. No side-to-side slop, and felt to be well greased prior to pumping more grease into the fittings. My roller does a lot of rolling over rocks, since the grasses are so sparse on our property.
One of the deciding factors in purchasing a flail was that I wanted as much organic material being deposited back to the ground, and the flail's ability to shred everything to better decomposible material is a nice benefit. Also, I don't have to let the grasses grow as tall as I did previously with the rotary mower, so can mow more frequently. In time (years), I expect the flail to help the grasses thicken up with the way it deposits the clippings, and with being able to mow more frequently, that tends to kill off our weeds, thus allowing more grasses that we want to continue to grow & spread.
However, I have had a chance to use the mower a number of times this summer, and am very happy with it. Seems to be holding up well. Greased the roller again last weekend after realizing that a lot of folks grease it each time they use it. No side-to-side slop, and felt to be well greased prior to pumping more grease into the fittings. My roller does a lot of rolling over rocks, since the grasses are so sparse on our property.
One of the deciding factors in purchasing a flail was that I wanted as much organic material being deposited back to the ground, and the flail's ability to shred everything to better decomposible material is a nice benefit. Also, I don't have to let the grasses grow as tall as I did previously with the rotary mower, so can mow more frequently. In time (years), I expect the flail to help the grasses thicken up with the way it deposits the clippings, and with being able to mow more frequently, that tends to kill off our weeds, thus allowing more grasses that we want to continue to grow & spread.
bandit67
Veteran Member
- Joined
- May 27, 2004
- Messages
- 1,588
- Location
- Lake Hartwell, SC
- Tractor
- 2012 B3000 HSDCC 2020 Z251 Zero Turn
As a side note, I still have a spare brand new British Metrics extension for the gear box if anyone is interested in purchasing it. You have to buy 2 of them to meet their current minimum order requirements.
RFB
Platinum Member
I saw your post too late...as I sit here looking at them and wondering why when I ordered one they charged and sent two.
Wow, that is a lot of information.
I am definitely leaning towards a flail over a finish mower.
We have just over 4 acres that we need to mow. It is 99% grass and we use a JD lawn tractor with a 48" deck to mow it. It gets mowed pretty much weekly during the summer. I'm looking for something that I can hang behind my JD 850 so both of us can be mowing at the same time (I am fortunate to have a woman that loves yard work and mowing with the little lawn tractor!).
Question is how big can I go? My JD is rated for 22 PTO HP. Rear track of the tractor is almost 6'. But from what I read here I don't have enough PTO HP for a 72" flail.
What do you all suggest? I could go smaller as long as it was offset so that I could get close to fences, etc...
Thanks!
I am definitely leaning towards a flail over a finish mower.
We have just over 4 acres that we need to mow. It is 99% grass and we use a JD lawn tractor with a 48" deck to mow it. It gets mowed pretty much weekly during the summer. I'm looking for something that I can hang behind my JD 850 so both of us can be mowing at the same time (I am fortunate to have a woman that loves yard work and mowing with the little lawn tractor!).
Question is how big can I go? My JD is rated for 22 PTO HP. Rear track of the tractor is almost 6'. But from what I read here I don't have enough PTO HP for a 72" flail.
What do you all suggest? I could go smaller as long as it was offset so that I could get close to fences, etc...
Thanks!
leonz
Super Member
About your mowing needs,
You could purchase a flailmower with a
hydraulic shift kit to allow you to mow
close to fences and trees.
But- you have to be more worried about your tractors-
1. three point hitch and its maximum weight lifting ability.
a. The available horsepower at the Power Take Off at the 540 R.P.M.
engine setting on the tachometer of your tractor for various mounted integral implements.
2. whether it has a hydrostatic transmission which is a very large power drain on the
power train of a small tractor.
b. this will also affect the tractors ability to mow under full load.
You cannot get better finish on good turf or old pasture to good turf you
are attempting to improve with mowing, seeding and herbicide use for
broad leaf weeds and invasives.
You could purchase several brands of 48 inch flailmowers that are three point
hitch mounted if desired and not be limited with overloading your three point
hitch weight.
There are brands of these mowers I will not recommend due to a number
of reasons.
I would like you to contact Ken Sweet through the forum here about a rear
mounted flail mower for your tractor as he is a forum sponsor in good standing
and he can help you with this if you decide to pursue this type of finish mower.
______________________________________________________________________________________
Once you go flail you never go back:thumbsup::licking::drool:
Pronovost or not at all!!!:thumbsup::licking::drool:
You could purchase a flailmower with a
hydraulic shift kit to allow you to mow
close to fences and trees.
But- you have to be more worried about your tractors-
1. three point hitch and its maximum weight lifting ability.
a. The available horsepower at the Power Take Off at the 540 R.P.M.
engine setting on the tachometer of your tractor for various mounted integral implements.
2. whether it has a hydrostatic transmission which is a very large power drain on the
power train of a small tractor.
b. this will also affect the tractors ability to mow under full load.
You cannot get better finish on good turf or old pasture to good turf you
are attempting to improve with mowing, seeding and herbicide use for
broad leaf weeds and invasives.
You could purchase several brands of 48 inch flailmowers that are three point
hitch mounted if desired and not be limited with overloading your three point
hitch weight.
There are brands of these mowers I will not recommend due to a number
of reasons.
I would like you to contact Ken Sweet through the forum here about a rear
mounted flail mower for your tractor as he is a forum sponsor in good standing
and he can help you with this if you decide to pursue this type of finish mower.
______________________________________________________________________________________
Once you go flail you never go back:thumbsup::licking::drool:
Pronovost or not at all!!!:thumbsup::licking::drool:
IslandTractor
Super Star Member
- Joined
- Sep 15, 2005
- Messages
- 17,101
- Location
- Prudence Island, RI
- Tractor
- 2007 Kioti DK40se HST, Woods BH
With 22hp at PTO speed mowing a lawn weekly, I would think a minimum of 60" finish flail but would entertain the idea of a light/medium duty 72 or 75" flail seriously. A six foot flail is far too big for serious bush hogging with 22hp at PTO but you are talking about a weekly lawn mowing. While 3PT lift might be a consideration in theory I'd be surprised if that was a practical concern especially as the flail weight would partially rest on its own rear roller.
What you really need to do is try out the 60" and 72/75" flails on your own lawn. Unless you are very lucky to have a dealer with demo models available that is a difficult comparison to do. Alternative is to bite the bullet and just buy one and use it. If it doesn't work out then sell and buy the other size. I would personally be very confident about the 60" with your needs and if I were able to gamble a bit of money I might lose on resale of a barely used flail, then I'd be tempted to get the 75" Caroni with finish rotor.
The key point from my perspective is that you are doing planning only regular weekly lawn mowing. For that duty, I don't think the oft quoted 5hp per foot is as relevant. 5hp per foot of cutter width is appropriate for true bush hogging. You have 22hp so with 4hp per foot could easily lawn mow with a 5.5ft mower.
What you really need to do is try out the 60" and 72/75" flails on your own lawn. Unless you are very lucky to have a dealer with demo models available that is a difficult comparison to do. Alternative is to bite the bullet and just buy one and use it. If it doesn't work out then sell and buy the other size. I would personally be very confident about the 60" with your needs and if I were able to gamble a bit of money I might lose on resale of a barely used flail, then I'd be tempted to get the 75" Caroni with finish rotor.
The key point from my perspective is that you are doing planning only regular weekly lawn mowing. For that duty, I don't think the oft quoted 5hp per foot is as relevant. 5hp per foot of cutter width is appropriate for true bush hogging. You have 22hp so with 4hp per foot could easily lawn mow with a 5.5ft mower.
Last edited:
DavisHollow
Member
- Joined
- Jan 21, 2011
- Messages
- 30
- Tractor
- Yanmar 2610D
General question about flail mowers. Are they useful on piles of cedar slash (up to 1.5" in diameter)? I assume it would work great on cactus, currently I use a shredder for field mowing (lots of limestone outcropping that I have to watch out for). I ask about cedar because when I don't chip it I just pile it up, and most of that could be shredded but I havent used the shredder much on slash.