HP? to pull a 60" Flail Mower

   / HP? to pull a 60" Flail Mower #1  

chazzy

Bronze Member
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Jul 20, 2005
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I am looking into a buy a new tractor to mainly pull a New Holland 60" flail mower 918H (see attached photo) to clear the 5 acre field (all flat). The New Holland website only shows the MAXIMUM pto rating which is 70 HP for the 918H, but not the minimum.

> What do you think is the adequate HP tractor for this kind of job?
> Should I get a manual/gear drive or HST?

Thanks in advance.
 

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   / HP? to pull a 60" Flail Mower #2  
I'd go 45 to 60 and gear drive. You don't need hydro for this type of work and while many will tell you that 35 is enough hp, I think you'll appreciate having some reserve.

Andy
 
   / HP? to pull a 60" Flail Mower #3  
I run a 72" Ford flail with 32 PTO HP with no problems.

mark
 
   / HP? to pull a 60" Flail Mower #4  
I run a 72" fine cut with 24hp (gear) and it is borderline. It depends on how long you let things get. I can mow grass all day. 2' high stuff tends to bog it down.
 
   / HP? to pull a 60" Flail Mower
  • Thread Starter
#5  
Thanks for the relplies.

I called a dealer and he recommended 35 hp gear as a minimum. Of course, I want to go bigger but I have to consider the extra $$, manuavability in tight spots and storage issue. I just don't want to get a too small HP tractor that can't do my intended main job. I used to use a 1973 Ford 2000 3-cyl diesel and it was OK (but not great), mainly stayed in 1st LO gear and sometimes 2nd.
 
   / HP? to pull a 60" Flail Mower #6  
About 30 years ago I put a 72" FMC flail mower on a little Deere 850 with turf tires to mow several acres of lawn. Had to weight the front to keep it on the ground. Get into high, thick bermuda and it would blow black smoke like a drag pull tractor. Not reccommending going that small but that 3 cyl Yanmar, about 26 hp, did the job for several years with no problems. It also pulled a 5' rotary cutting pasture weeds and sprouts.
 
   / HP? to pull a 60" Flail Mower #7  
The HP tractor is the adequate:)
 
   / HP? to pull a 60" Flail Mower #8  
I think most of these are gross overestimates for pulling a 5ft flail mower. I'd suggest that for lawn cutting you could use a 20-25hp tractor (just like if it was a finish mower) and if you are doing bush hogging then perhaps 5hp more.

Why should a flail mower require more HP than a finish mower to mow lawns???

I pull a 6ft rough cut flail with a 40hp tractor and can do deep heavy grass/brush running at significantly less than PTO speed.
 
 
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