Hydrraulic shift flail/ditch mower for BX-1850?

[montelatici]

I would like to cut under fences and hard to reach places, knock down some encroaching brush (by lifting the mower to 12 o'clock, for example).

I have a BX-1850 that I use for mowing the lawns with a belly mower that has unused loader hydraulics . I have a BX-24 TLB which would handle some of the flail/ditch mowers at 23 HP but I don't want to remove the backhoe to use the flail mower. I have an L-3700 that has a rotary mower that I could remove and replace with a flail mower, but the loader is using the hydraulics.

I would like to use the BX-1850, but many of the even smaller flails say that 20 HP is the minimum HP. The BX-1850 would be the optimum choice as it has available hydraulics.

What can these smaller flail mowers cut? 1/2 inch, 3/4 inch brush? Like this one that can go with as little as 15HP.


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[diesel85]

I run a regular 62" Woodmaxx flail on my BX2200, and it lifts/turns it just fine, but it's putting the machine at it's max.

Not sure how a BX1850 would run that.

 

[montelatici]

Just spoke to the guy that imports these, he says the Bx-1850 would be fine for this, but he says I need to add weights to the front and maybe left front wheel. I also need hydraulic line extensions to the front loader valve,

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[Fallon]

Power wise you can generally just go slower. Your big problem would be weight, especially offset weight.

 

[ericm979]

If you need to run hydraulics on either tractor why not use the L3700 which is much more appropriate for having all that weight way out there.

 

[montelatici]

I will need front weights for the BX 1850. And maybe left front wheel weights too.

The BX 1850 has unused loader hydraulics (no loader), the L3700 has a loader attached. Plus, the L-3700 is a big tractor for getting around the lawn areas. Although it's great for the fields with the rotary mower. If I decided to go the L-3700 route I would get a full sized flail mower minimum 72 inch.

 

[montelatici]

My conclusion is that the BX 1850 is just too light, even with weights, for even a small flail mower that would be lifted though 90 degrees. Ericm979 was right. However, cost of additional rear hydraulics and a larger flail mower on the L3700SU makes it interesting to look for an old industrial highway tractor with a flail mower already on it. We shall see.

 

[ericm979]

Adding rear remote valves is not difficult. You'll need to fabricate a bracket for the valve body and one for the quick connects at the back, and run some hydraulic hoses. A two spool valve body with float is about $250. The hoses and fittings and couplers would be $150 or so depending on how long the hoses you'd need.

 

[montelatici]

Locally, I have found a nice running New Holland/Ford 250C with two 72" flail mowers (one rear and one side that lifts 90%). I have offered 2.5K for it. If he accepts or maybe I'll bump it to 3K then it is a much cheaper option.

 

[ericm979]

Looks super clean from the pic! Around here that'd cost at least 4x what you offered.