Flail Mower Ford 917 flail mower

[deputyrpa]

I picked up a Ford 917 offset flail mower today for what I think is a great price. Here's a few pics. The cutting width is about 6'4", and it has either 36 or 48 hammers with shackles. I didn't count them because I saw there were less than 50, and that's all I cared about. The body is heavy & solid, except for a short length of an inside joint to the roller cover. Everything turns smoothly, the belt is fine and the bearings appear to be fine. It apparently had been lubed well, from all indications.

What puzzles me is the box beam that has been cut off. Can anyone tell me what the heck that was for? I'll even take jokes!

Also, can the offset be adjusted? It almost looks like it can, but some welds puzzle me.

Thanks for any help.

 

[JoelD]

Nice looking mower, sorry can't help with the questions, never owned a flail before.

I've heard they work real well though.

Looking forward to shots in action.

Joel

 

[Hooked_on_HP]

I have seen some flails with guage wheels mounted on that bar. If you go on N/H parts web site and type in the model # you can see what goes on the end.
Bill

 

[IslandTractor]

What puzzles me is the box beam that has been cut off. Can anyone tell me what the heck that was for? I'll even take jokes!

Also, can the offset be adjusted? It almost looks like it can, but some welds puzzle me.
quote]

You will love the flail. Looks like a real solid unit (though it is in need of some orange paint).

I am guessing that the box beam is part of the offset system. On my flail I need to unbolt part of the 3pt hitch to offset the cut but perhaps yours was originally designed for hydraulic operation so the 3pt hitch slides along that box beam. If that is not currently functional then perhaps the prior owner welded the thing in place midline.

(Edit: oops, I just saw that the box beam is on the back of the mower not attached to the 3PT in front. That blows my theory but makes the gauge wheel theory feasible. I don't understand why one would use gauge wheels on a flail though as the rear roller serves that purpose.)

 

[LarryD]

Pictures can be deceiving but it looks like that gear box is not centered on the mower, therefore has a permanant offset. I can't say for sure but the lower lift arm attachment point or my tiller has u-bolts that allow the unit to be shifted left or right. I don't see those in your pictures.

Very nice unit though, still searching for my own "cheap" flail that needs some TLC.

 

[deputyrpa]

Hooked on HP is correct.....theat box beam is a gauge wheel bar. The wheels' clamp assemblies affix to it. I can't understand why it needs wheels either Island.

 

[Opti-Mist]

The original design intent was to be able to cut pretty close to buidings and other obstructions on the short side. The others are correct about guage wheel attachment, and I agree about redundancy. Cutting height is controlled by top link adjustment to rotate the cutter on the roller. Sorry but I don't have anything to offer regarding the cut off tube. It's a good rig. There were a couple of different types of cutters, thatching for example.

 

[dieselscout80]

Pic from Fords parts catolog.