Flail Mower Caroni TL1500FSC Flail Observations

[Rusty]

Since most Caroni flail owners on TBN have TMs, I thought there might be interest in my initial observations on the smaller TL-Series, on a smaller CUT. My Caroni is a TL1500FSC, received 4/1/11, at a price of $1,756.35 including delivery to ZIP 48732 in Michigan. I just finished mowing my 5 acre pasture for the first time this year. Most of the grass was as tall as the hood of my B7500. The pasture was as long as it has ever been when I cut it, literally like cutting a hay field. Because of the initial grass height, I double-cut the field. The flail was on the highest setting, about 4".

Horse Power: Caroni rates the TL-Series flails for 20-40 Tractor HP. The B7500 has 21 Engine HP and 16 PTO HP. I mowed at 2,600 RPM (540 PTO). The heaviest grass dropped engine RPM by 100-150 RPM.

Noise: Noise is different, less air noise under me, more mechanical noise behind me. Hearing protection either way. Flails clang when the rotor stops.

Chaff: My MMM ejects fine material from under the deck front as well as from the discharge chute. This fine material is drawn into and collects on the grill screen, radiator screen, shutter plate and radiator. In dry conditions, it is not uncommon to have to have to clean everything every 30 to 60 minutes. Some of the fines also find my eyes, nose and mouth. I cleaned the cooling system twice in 10 hours of flail operation. Coolant temperature never went above normal. Nothing hit my eyes, nose nor mouth.

Cut Quality: I have mowed this pasture with a RRM, MMM and now with the flail. IMHO, the flail gave the best finish, for both the first and second cuts. No windrows, but a lot of clippings. During the second cut in the opposite direction, the right side skid accumulated clippings from the first cut and shed them into piles. I am anxious to see the cut quality when cutting reasonable height grass.

Weight: My B7500 HSD-R weighs 1,367#. Kubota specifies a maximum 42 flail (no weight given, but they specify a maximum 430# for a 49 tiller) for the B7500. The TL1500FSC is 59 and 485#. I had no problem lifting or transporting the Caroni. The front end of the B7500 did not feel light.

Gear box oil: The gear box oil was at the low level mark on the dip stick, as received. I installed the British Metrics extender (Thanks, IslandTractor!). No oil out of the dip stick hole in the first 10 hours of use.

Ground speed: I can mow at a faster speed than I can ride. I mowed in low range at about 3.5 mph. It took me about one hour per acre.

Conclusion: My B7500 appears to be able to handle the TL1500FSC; add my name to the list of happy flail owners!

[leonz]

Since most Caroni flail owners on TBN have TMs, I thought there might be interest in my initial observations on the smaller TL-Series, on a smaller CUT. My Caroni is a TL1500FSC, received 4/1/11, at a price of $1,756.35 including delivery to ZIP 48732 in Michigan. I just finished mowing my 5 acre pasture for the first time this year. Most of the grass was as tall as the hood of my B7500. The pasture was as long as it has ever been when I cut it, literally like cutting a hay field. Because of the initial grass height, I double-cut the field. The flail was on the highest setting, about 4".

Horse Power: Caroni rates the TL-Series flails for 20-40 Tractor HP. The B7500 has 21 Engine HP and 16 PTO HP. I mowed at 2,600 RPM (540 PTO). The heaviest grass dropped engine RPM by 100-150 RPM.

Noise: Noise is different, less air noise under me, more mechanical noise behind me. Hearing protection either way. Flails clang when the rotor stops.

Chaff: My MMM ejects fine material from under the deck front as well as from the discharge chute. This fine material is drawn into and collects on the grill screen, radiator screen, shutter plate and radiator. In dry conditions, it is not uncommon to have to have to clean everything every 30 to 60 minutes. Some of the fines also find my eyes, nose and mouth. I cleaned the cooling system twice in 10 hours of flail operation. Coolant temperature never went above normal. Nothing hit my eyes, nose nor mouth.

Cut Quality: I have mowed this pasture with a RRM, MMM and now with the flail. IMHO, the flail gave the best finish, for both the first and second cuts. No windrows, but a lot of clippings. During the second cut in the opposite direction, the right side skid accumulated clippings from the first cut and shed them into piles. I am anxious to see the cut quality when cutting reasonable height grass.

Weight: My B7500 HSD-R weighs 1,367#. Kubota specifies a maximum 42 flail (no weight given, but they specify a maximum 430# for a 49 tiller) for the B7500. The TL1500FSC is 59 and 485#. I had no problem lifting or transporting the Caroni. The front end of the B7500 did not feel light.

Gear box oil: The gear box oil was at the low level mark on the dip stick, as received. I installed the British Metrics extender (Thanks, IslandTractor!). No oil out of the dip stick hole in the first 10 hours of use.

Ground speed: I can mow at a faster speed than I can ride. I mowed in low range at about 3.5 mph. It took me about one hour per acre.

Conclusion: My B7500 appears to be able to handle the TL1500FSC; add my name to the list of happy flail owners!

Congratulations to another fine member of the Flail Mower Nation.

Once you go flail you never go back.

[F1520]

Hey Rusty, thanks for posting this! I've been considering this mower for my Ford 1520 (~20HP PTO) and was wondering if the tractor could handle it. Now I know. Thanks!!

[joemd11]

I've had my TM1900 flail now for about 3 weeks and I am really pleased with it. Rusty's observations are pretty much what I have experienced also. I still have to do the oil dipstick modification. I filled the gear box about half full and sure enough it burped it out.

[IslandTractor]

Great to hear about your experience with the TL series. As you noted there aren't many posts about the TL which is too bad as there are many tractors under the 30-35hp range needed for the TM1900. Sounds to me like your TL did pretty much what I would have expected a TM to do in similar length grasses. In very high grass I see about a 100-150rpm drop with my TM1900 and a 41hp tractor so your drop off was about the same. From your experience it seems the TL is certainly up to pasture mowing in thick grasses so maybe the onlly real difference between TL and TM would be when mowing brush.

[davcog]

I have a BX23 with 60 in MMM and after reading this and other flailing posts, am considering a flail mower. Besides Caroni what other brands make a comparable unit in quality and price. That would fit my BX rated @ 23 HP.

[IslandTractor]

Most flails made in the USA are heavy duty and very expensive. Besides Caroni (Italian) the only other "reasonably priced" flails for smaller tractors seem to be the Befco units sold via ebay. There are a handful of TBN users who have the Chinese made Befco units and they seem happy. I have the Caroni and am more comfortable with the supply chain and longer history from this well respected Italian company.

[602466]

"I installed the British Metrics extender"

What is this and where to buy, as I also have the TM1900?

Thanks!

[leonz]

"I installed the British Metrics extender"

What is this and where to buy, as I also have the TM1900?

Thanks!

The British Metrics extender is the longer gearbox oil level dipstick and pipe fittings which makes oil level monitoring easier and avoids burping gear oil out the vent.

Some of the folks have purchased fittings from Mcmaster and have also purchased the kits from Agrisupply

[IslandTractor]

This is the link to the source of the metric extension for the dipstick: http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/1497353-post19.html

I don't know if AgriSupply now stocks them as well. When I was trying to figure out a solution for the oil burb problem they did not have a clue. The extension from British Metrics works fine. It is inserted into the dipstick fitting and the dipstick is then put through it. Only trick is that you only fill with oil to the very bottom of the dipstick as the extension obviously throws off the original markings. Near empty = just right.