Flail Mower Let's talk flail mowers
- Thread starter TNhobbyfarmer
- Start date
After some searching, I found a Bradey pull-behind crop shredder flail mower -- an old one in good shape, 6 foot model. I'm doing about 20 acres of really rough territory, old industrial site (old brick yard). The flail on this are big and heavy, and it does a beautiful job. But -- I think it may to too heavy duty for my little 30 hp Ford 1920 diesel. Also, there is no shear pin on the pto.
It takes a LOT of power to get the flail turning, but once it is turning, it has a lot of power (like a fly-wheel effect) -- so it keep turning when I shove in the clutch and I'm concerned it will tear up my tractor's transmission if it hits one of the many obstacles hidden around (or the many dirt undulations).
Will a tractor-mounted slip clutch be adequate -- or is this simply too much flail mower?
(I think the flywheel effect is because this machine was probably buil in the 1950's, so extra power was generated by the flywheel, as the tractors were much smaller then, and less powerful).
BYW -- I also picked up an old Alamo 6 foot flail that needs a lot of work -- basically all the teeth -- but machanically seems pretty good -- it is a lot easer to turn than the Bradey (no flywheel effect).
Any thoughts on putting a slip clutch on the tractor PTO for the Bradel? Should I not even be using this type of mower for this tractor (I really like it, as it is so heavy duty -- but don't want to wreck the tractor).
Jim
It takes a LOT of power to get the flail turning, but once it is turning, it has a lot of power (like a fly-wheel effect) -- so it keep turning when I shove in the clutch and I'm concerned it will tear up my tractor's transmission if it hits one of the many obstacles hidden around (or the many dirt undulations).
Will a tractor-mounted slip clutch be adequate -- or is this simply too much flail mower?
(I think the flywheel effect is because this machine was probably buil in the 1950's, so extra power was generated by the flywheel, as the tractors were much smaller then, and less powerful).
BYW -- I also picked up an old Alamo 6 foot flail that needs a lot of work -- basically all the teeth -- but machanically seems pretty good -- it is a lot easer to turn than the Bradey (no flywheel effect).
Any thoughts on putting a slip clutch on the tractor PTO for the Bradel? Should I not even be using this type of mower for this tractor (I really like it, as it is so heavy duty -- but don't want to wreck the tractor).
Jim
I don't quite get your logic.
The inertia (flywheel effect of the rotating mass) is acting against whatever is being cut/chopped/shredded, or in the worst case HIT and stopping the flail.
Without a slip clutch or shear pin a BIG JAM could stall your tractor, but the amount of inertia of the flail should make little/no difference to what happens in a stall - other than more inertia is more likely to munch through more obstructions, so the probability of stalls is lower.
I've stalled my tractor a few times, typically when running the rototiller too slow.
Even with a slip clutch properly set up, if you don't have the revs (inertia) it is possible to stall a tractor and unless it is a FRAGILE tractor the risk of damage is low.
Flails will absolutely EAT tarps and stall if the revs are low, or spin the slip clutch if the revs are high.
I was a bit slow figuring out the SUCK FACTOR around flails, so it happened more than once (-:
The inertia (flywheel effect of the rotating mass) is acting against whatever is being cut/chopped/shredded, or in the worst case HIT and stopping the flail.
Without a slip clutch or shear pin a BIG JAM could stall your tractor, but the amount of inertia of the flail should make little/no difference to what happens in a stall - other than more inertia is more likely to munch through more obstructions, so the probability of stalls is lower.
I've stalled my tractor a few times, typically when running the rototiller too slow.
Even with a slip clutch properly set up, if you don't have the revs (inertia) it is possible to stall a tractor and unless it is a FRAGILE tractor the risk of damage is low.
Flails will absolutely EAT tarps and stall if the revs are low, or spin the slip clutch if the revs are high.
I was a bit slow figuring out the SUCK FACTOR around flails, so it happened more than once (-:
Thanks, Reg.
I've given it more thought, and it seems that this old crop shredder was probably made for a tractor like the Farmall H I grew up with -- and it seems that had less torque than my Ford-New Holland diesel. So, the flywheel effect should be okay -- I just need to get the hang of starting it slowly until the revs get up, then giving is some more juice -- unlike the tractor mounted flail motors I've used before, that are easy to turn, and rev up (and slow down) quickly.
I'll give it another go, and see how it does. I must say -- it sure shreds everything nice and even -- much nice than the other flail mower I was using before.
Jim
I've given it more thought, and it seems that this old crop shredder was probably made for a tractor like the Farmall H I grew up with -- and it seems that had less torque than my Ford-New Holland diesel. So, the flywheel effect should be okay -- I just need to get the hang of starting it slowly until the revs get up, then giving is some more juice -- unlike the tractor mounted flail motors I've used before, that are easy to turn, and rev up (and slow down) quickly.
I'll give it another go, and see how it does. I must say -- it sure shreds everything nice and even -- much nice than the other flail mower I was using before.
Jim
Eagleview
Veteran Member
Maybe a little late on this but , no slip clutch is required on any flail mower as the belts are designed to slip before mechanical damage is done .
spo307
Gold Member
AMEN.. I have the alamo flail 88 heavy duty, just re furbished it paint and all have pictures on here under photos. cuts super
spo307
Gold Member
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nh DRAGON
Gold Member
Great job! spo307, I am keeping an eye out for a bit smaller one. Thank for the pics.
dcyrilc
Super Member
WOW, great job. Looks brand new by the time you finished. How did you prep it for repainting? Did you dissassemble and sandblast it?
spo307
Gold Member
7 foot flail, I took the whole thing apart a lot of wire brushes, 4" wheel, 6" wheel, new bearings, belt, all stainless bolts, zerk fittings, primed painted, my buddy, made the decals, paid $700 used, put about $300 new parts, a new heavy duty 7' alamo flail runs between $6k-$8k, I pull it with a kubota L4400, no problem with 5 foot grass and weeds, my neighbor was using a brush hog and after constent hitting of rocks and the ground blew the bearing, it was a lot of work but i am very happy, weighs about 1k lbs.
a lot of wire brushes, 4" wheel, 6" wheel, new bearings, belt, all stainless bolts, zerk fittings, primed painted, my buddy, made the decals, paid $700 used, put about $300 new parts, a new heavy duty 7' alamo flail runs between $6k-$8k, I pull it with a kubota L4400, no problem with 5 foot grass and weeds, my neighbor was using a brush hog and after constent hitting of rocks and the ground blew the bearing, it was a lot of work but i am very happy, weighs about 1k lbs.