Flail Mower Purchased a Mott Flail Mower - Question

[14paradise]

I picked up a Mott Flail mower off of CL. Condition looks very good. I have been working through the document archives on the Alamo Site and scouring for manuals. The unit is a 5' Finish mower, although I am a bit not sure of the model. Nameplate is no where to be found. I am able to cross reference back to the old diagrams for the Mott mowers for the knives/drum/bearings etc.. and many items match up. The one piece that is still a mystery is the gear box. The unit has a square gearbox with a top cover and all the manuals are showing banjo style gear boxes. I am trying to nail down what actual model this is, and also what to be looking for in this gearbox and recommended lubricant. Photos attached. Any insight would be much appreciated.

 

[rgr33]

I have 2 Mott flails, a 48 and a 60 inch. Both are at least 25 years old, and both have the banjo gearbox. I use 80-90 at gear oil in them and they have never had a problem with the gears. An old timer down the road got tired of his gearbox leaking, so he pumped in grease. That was many years ago and he mows a lot more than I do each year, so far so good. The thing to watch on these mowers is to make sure the blades are all on or it throws the balance off on the shaft and that will ruin the bearings on each end. They are far more expensive than the blades. Flail mowers are my most used implement and Mott is among the best in my opinion.

 

[leonz]

I picked up a Mott Flail mower off of CL. Condition looks very good. I have been working through the document archives on the Alamo Site and scouring for manuals. The unit is a 5' Finish mower, although I am a bit not sure of the model. Nameplate is no where to be found. I am able to cross reference back to the old diagrams for the Mott mowers for the knives/drum/bearings etc.. and many items match up. The one piece that is still a mystery is the gear box. The unit has a square gearbox with a top cover and all the manuals are showing banjo style gear boxes. I am trying to nail down what actual model this is, and also what to be looking for in this gearbox and recommended lubricant. Photos attached. Any insight would be much appreciated.

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Hello Neigbor,


I want to welcome you as the newest member of the Flail Mower Nation.
what you have there a Mott finish mower with 54 mounting stations.
It is also known as a Mott Interstater.

The gearbox tells me it is a simple right angle spur gear drive that is splash
lubricated. On one of the exposed sides you should find a drain plug.

I am not sure if it has a square drain plug or a flush drain plug with a 1/4,
3/8 or 1/2 square plug to receive a male ratchet or breaker bar to loosen it.

Take off the old belt and replace it with new one after you flush the gear box.

Drain the oil, pour in a bit of kerosene spin the gears and and drain it and then
put in some 90 wt. oil to the full mark/over full drain plug.

Be sure to check the output and input shafts where they enter and exit the gearbox
as you want to be sure that the seals are not leaking.

Order a paper catalog from Flail Master for spare knives. Be sure ot have a stock
of fine threaded bolts and nylock nuts when you need to change any knives.

Your mower can also use dethatching blades too I believe liek most of the Motts.

 

[leonz]

I picked up a Mott Flail mower off of CL. Condition looks very good. I have been working through the document archives on the Alamo Site and scouring for manuals. The unit is a 5' Finish mower, although I am a bit not sure of the model. Nameplate is no where to be found. I am able to cross reference back to the old diagrams for the Mott mowers for the knives/drum/bearings etc.. and many items match up. The one piece that is still a mystery is the gear box. The unit has a square gearbox with a top cover and all the manuals are showing banjo style gear boxes. I am trying to nail down what actual model this is, and also what to be looking for in this gearbox and recommended lubricant. Photos attached. Any insight would be much appreciated.

======================================================================================================


Hello Neigbor,


I want to welcome you as the newest member of the Flail Mower Nation.
what you have there a Mott finish mower with 54 mounting stations.
It is also known as a Mott Interstater.

The gearbox tells me it is a simple right angle spur gear drive that is splash
lubricated. On one of the exposed sides you should find a drain plug.

I am not sure if it has a square drain plug or a flush drain plug with a 1/4,
3/8 or 1/2 square plug to receive a male ratchet or breaker bar to loosen it.

Take off the old belt and replace it with new one after you flush the gear box.

Drain the oil, pour in a bit of kerosene spin the gears and and drain it and then
put in some 90 wt. oil to the full mark/overfull drain plug.

Be sure to check the output and input shafts where they enter and exit the gearbox
as you want to be sure that the seals are not leaking.

Order a paper catalog from Flail Master for spare knives. Be sure ot have a stock
of fine threaded bolts and nylock nuts when you need to change any knives.

Your mower can also use dethatching blades too I believe like most all of the Motts.

You need to order some knives before mowing season here in the Fingerlakes.
You have several pairs that are bent and the mower will not be safe to run while mowing.
Any bent knives will interfere with other the knives and you will have rooster tails
of uncut grass.

 

[14paradise]

Yes, I am planning to pick up some cutter knives to keep on hand.

I opened up the cover to the gear box and took a look. Below is what I found. There is no drain plug of any type anywhere on the gear box. I also took a look at the belt and found a broken spring on the tension pulley.

 

[Rocky Hoffler]

Mott was bought by Alamo it still looks the same Flailmaster.com is a great vendor you can still download manuals for Mott

 

[gbart14]

Gentlemen, I have this exact same 48" Mott mower and am just getting to understand it. I started another thread a few days ago not knowing about this one. Does anyone know the model number? I have no ID info that I can find on mine. It has the same square gear box and right side drive mechanism. Here is the link to the other discussion: http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachments/386266-flail-mower-identification.html#post4881449