Mowing Is anyone running a flail mower on a 1526?

[jaredyates]

I've been reading about flail mowers, in part because I'd like to be able to mow the creek bank with an offset mower. Has anyone been running one on a 1526? I'm wondering how big of a flail mower it can safely handle.

 

[DieselMonk]

I am running an orsi offset flailmower on mine to cut the sides of the pond and roads

 

[jaredyates]

Thanks, I have a few more questions if you have time. Do you have a model number of the Orsi so that I can look up specs, or know how big it is? Does it run at a fixed offset or hydraulic? How far off the side of the tractor does it reach when you are mowing?

I was thinking about a 5-foot Woodmaxx model with hydraulics but am concerned about it being too much weight off center for the tractor. A fixed offset is probably not going to work since I'll need to drive it through narrow places to get to the creek.

One fellow who seems to know a lot suggested a sickle mower instead, but comparing new prices, the sickle is twice as expensive. Reading accounts from folks who use old sickles, it sounds like they aren't so good at cutting weeds and such.

 

[Aaron L]

A 5' offset flail mower will be fine on a 1526.

 

[DieselMonk]

My 1526 is a HST with FEL and loaded rear tires. The flail mower is made by Orsi, model: Young 165. The flail mower swings out hydraulically on an arm. Once the mower is fully out, as long as things are level, no problem. You may want to put something heavy into the FEL to keep the front tires planted.

 

[Aaron L]

Loading the rear tires will help too.

 

[jaredyates]

I called up the Woodmaxx people to see if they had any input about using the FM62H on the 1526. The fellow pointed out that it is just under the recommended PTO HP rating, which we already knew. I also asked for help understanding their published shift dimensions, since my main concern is being able to cut off to the side. He said that in their chart, the little vertical line is the centerline of the tractor, and the numbers are the outer body of the mower. If we figure a tractor width of 60 inches, then that puts their mower 6" left of the tractor when shifted full left, and 13 inches right of the tractor when shifted fully right. When considering that the cutting width is less than the overall width, those numbers can be reduced by another 3-4 inches. So even a hydraulically shifted 62" mower is not going to be much use for offset mowing on the 1526.

This points me back towards the sickle mower, though that Orsi looks compelling. It looks like it needs a few hydraulic functions, how many remote valves did you add? Were you able to find a dealer in North America or did you have to import it direct from Italy? If you've already talked about this in another thread, please let me know.

 

[belman]

Just bought this unit for my 34hp tractor ! Tractor Tools Direct | T62 Hydraulic Offset Flail Mower

 

[jaredyates]

Just bought this unit for my 34hp tractor ! Tractor Tools Direct | T62 Hydraulic Offset Flail Mower

That one looks very similar to the Orsi. Reading the specs for the two it seems that the del morino is a hundred pounds lighter and a tiny bit smaller, though their recommendation for minimum tractor size is a little bigger than Orsi's, and a little bigger than the 1526. Are you running yours off of rear remotes or the FEL connections?

 

[belman]

That one looks very similar to the Orsi. Reading the specs for the two it seems that the del morino is a hundred pounds lighter and a tiny bit smaller, though their recommendation for minimum tractor size is a little bigger than Orsi's, and a little bigger than the 1526. Are you running yours off of rear remotes or the FEL connections?

I did'nt want to spend the money for rear remotes that's why I went with the Del Morino unit. The hydraulic lines are designed longer so as to properly reach the FEL connection. I have removed my FEL while using the flail and both my front and rear tires have been loaded. The Del Morino unit appears to well built and weighs over 800lbs! Since I recently purchase this unit I've had little time mowing so far due to heavy rains. However with what I've managed to cut so far, it definitely is meeting my expectations. I like you have a pond as well as a long row of pine trees spaced out which I use to have to weed eat along with the pond edges! The one problem I encountered was the quick connects on the Del Morino unit were not the proper size to connect to my FEL. Other than that issue I'm quite pleased with this model.