Ford 917 flail mower and JD 4300?

[BRBurns]

There is a used 917 flail mower 6' for sale. I'm thinking it may be too much for my John Deere 4300 HST with 26hp at the PTO. I don't have any flail experiance to base this on though. Is it too much?

 

[farmfun]

The general hp to mowersize is 5HP PTO to 1ft mower width. Having stated that it, depends on how heavy the material you will use it in is.

If light, just grass it will just work but be prepared to slow down if going gets thick.

If your use is heavy with a lot of brush growth it may be too much.

 

[BRBurns]

It will be mostly grass, clover in waterways and such. There is one spot that has what I call swamp grass that it may be a problem. It's REALLY thick there. I now have found a 5' Mott that may be decent.

 

[greg_g]

The 917 is a fine mower, but heavy. I think mine is something over 800 pounds. You call it a six footer, but it's technically a 74-incher. The type rotor and knives have a lot to do with how much of what it will cut well, but I have to agree - it's probably too much mower for a 4300

//greg//

 

[whirly]

My Mott 72 weighs in at 935#. These old guys are a little thick skinned so your model 60 is going to be over 750#. You will love the cut with 152 knives you won't have any "stripes" in the lawn. All parts are available and there is a great thread on rebuilding a model 60 here .

 

[dieselscout80]

I have a IHC 424 tractor with 32 PTO HP and I use a 74" 917 Ford flail mower all the time. I don't know what HP my 424 has now that it's +40 years old, but if it's like me it's lost a step or two.

Your tractor's HST transmission will allow you to go much slower and maintain full PTO speed than the geared transmission does in my IHC 424.

I can really tell when I cut through +16" weeds taking a full cut.

If you are clipping pastures with it you will be fine.

Keeping the knives sharp makes a big difference too.

The weight of the 917 is much closer to the tractor than with a bushhog.

 

[denmarktwp]

There is a used 917 flail mower 6' for sale. I'm thinking it may be too much for my John Deere 4300 HST with 26hp at the PTO. I don't have any flail experiance to base this on though. Is it too much?

I think this would work fine. I have a 90" 917H that I use with with my JD 955 and it works fine. As others have pointed out you may have troubles with really heavy stuff, but you can take smaller widths, lift the mower a bit while and/or slow down while cutting. When I bought the 955 it came with a 6' finish mower. I compared the finish mower to the flail mower and the bigger flail performed better in heavy grass than the smaller finish mower. Once you have the heavy stuff knocked down, the larger mower will be more desirable, assuming maneuverability isn't an issue.

 

[leonz]

I think this would work fine. I have a 90" 917H that I use with with my JD 955 and it works fine. As others have pointed out you may have troubles with really heavy stuff, but you can take smaller widths, lift the mower a bit while and/or slow down while cutting. When I bought the 955 it came with a 6' finish mower. I compared the finish mower to the flail mower and the bigger flail performed better in heavy grass than the smaller finish mower. Once you have the heavy stuff knocked down, the larger mower will be more desirable, assuming maneuverability isn't an issue.

I love it when a plan comes together!!!

It is certainly nice to have another satisfied flailmower owner
on the TBN forum.

Flail Mowing Season will be here shortly unless we get snow of course YAY!!!!!.

 

[denmarktwp]

I love it when a plan comes together!!!

It is certainly nice to have another satisfied flailmower owner
on the TBN forum.

Flail Mowing Season will be here shortly unless we get snow of course YAY!!!!!.

And no windrows of grass