Flail Mower Let's talk flail mowers

[GinNB]

Hello I had a question on a rears mfg flail. I have managed to blow to bearings up in the course of 6 months and I have no idea why. I grease it everyday once a day in the morning as I use it during our busy season for mowing in between our orchard rows. When I pulled the first bearing out I found metal fragments but nothing was wrong with the bearing from what I could tell and so I replaced it and when I ran it again I blew the second one. I could really use the help thank you.

First thing- use the recommended grease. Second thing- give it maybe one squirt per day. Don't overgrease. It'll push out the dust seals and help dust/crud get back in when they go back in place. Three- make sure it's in balance. Missing teeth are hard on bearings and the main mower frame. Four- Make sure you aren't winding grass, string, or whatever around the shaft next to the bearings. That'll cut the seals and cause premature failure.

That said, it's pretty rare to have two factory bearings go out in only 6 months. Tons of hours or only a couple of hundred? Cuttershaft bearing life should be measured in thousands of hours, not hundreds, unless one of the four above issues aren't happening. I wonder if they got a bad batch of bearings or maybe put some cheapos in? Possible improper installation if they've had staff turnover? Just guessing here though. I've never had a Rears though so I can't offer brand-specific experience. Some brands are a lot better surviving harsh use than others, but from what I've read Rears is a good brand.

p.s. One flail manufacturer recommended to me to NEVER grease cuttershaft bearings, but if they've been greased once to keep greasing them. They were getting thousands of hours on ungreased (factory grease only) bearings on their personal machines. They pulled the zerk and put in a plug. I've tried it and didn't magically increase my bearing life but I couldn't tell a difference between that method and normal greasing.

 

[scootr]

I'm a greaser of bearings and pivot pins. So far 3 or 4 yrs on the flail mower with no known problems.
Bestco 84" HD

 

[Ricn]

you sir are greasing wqy to much! flails use sealed bearings needing grease very infrequent. I say this after blowing mine out twice when new and finding out from a reliable bearings manufaturer why this happened. Now, and for several years, I grease them twice during the summer months pending how much I do mow and then just a couple pumps in each side. I have learned to listen to the mower as it tells us when something is amiss. Inspection is also worthwhile, look at the belts and all else several times each season, adjust as needed. Flails are great mowers but not without needs, they require more than just using them followed by parking someplace until next time. I never leave mine outside in the weather, it goes in the shop when not in use. Surely some will disagree here but time has proven what I've said plus, the manufacturer of the bearings I installed, (the best ones I could find being made in Japan) said over greasing is one of te biggest issues in the bearing world.

 

[Ever Grow]

GinNB

First thing- use the recommended grease. Second thing- give it maybe one squirt per day. Don't overgrease. It'll push out the dust seals and help dust/crud get back in when they go back in place. Three- make sure it's in balance. Missing teeth are hard on bearings and the main mower frame. Four- Make sure you aren't winding grass, string, or whatever around the shaft next to the bearings. That'll cut the seals and cause premature failure.

That said, it's pretty rare to have two factory bearings go out in only 6 months. Tons of hours or only a couple of hundred? Cuttershaft bearing life should be measured in thousands of hours, not hundreds, unless one of the four above issues aren't happening. I wonder if they got a bad batch of bearings or maybe put some cheapos in? Possible improper installation if they've had staff turnover? Just guessing here though. I've never had a Rears though so I can't offer brand-specific experience. Some brands are a lot better surviving harsh use than others, but from what I've read Rears is a good brand.

p.s. One flail manufacturer recommended to me to NEVER grease cuttershaft bearings, but if they've been greased once to keep greasing them. They were getting thousands of hours on ungreased (factory grease only) bearings on their personal machines. They pulled the zerk and put in a plug. I've tried it and didn't magically increase my bearing life but I couldn't tell a difference between that method and normal greasing.

we run them about 12 to 15 hours a day for 6 to 7 days out of the week and this is between our weed season we like to keep the grass cut for the harvest and irrigation purpose. what would you recommend on grease for a 7 month period? And each bearing runs about $400 and that’s from a dealer. I appreciate this information it has opened my eyes I greased the bearing once a day with 8 pumps so I’m sure I blew the bearing from over greasing.

 

[LouNY]

The amount of greasing will depend on the bearing and it's seals. If it is a greaseable bearing the seals will be a one way type seal which will allow excess grease to escape past the seal easily. If a bearing is not designed to be grease often the seals will be a double lip seal, sealing in both directions. Losing bearings that fast that are being greased daily leads me to believe something else is going on, bent or bowed shaft or out of balance assembly.

 

[workinonit]

If any of those are his problem he wouldn't be able to stay on the tractor.

 

[leonz]

GinNB

we run them about 12 to 15 hours a day for 6 to 7 days out of the week and this is between our weed season we like to keep the grass cut for the harvest and irrigation purpose. what would you recommend on grease for a 7 month period? And each bearing runs about $400 and that’s from a dealer. I appreciate this information it has opened my eyes I greased the bearing once a day with 8 pumps so I’m sure I blew the bearing from over greasing.

How many acres of orchard are you mowing in total?

How many acres per day on average is mowed in 7 months?

Which model rears flail shredder do you have??

SPF FLAIL

IFA FLAIL

600 SERIES MOWER

SANITATION MOWER

OMF FLAIL

LSH/ASH SHREDDERS

POWER SHREDDERS

FLAIL CHOPPER

CANE SHREDDER

PWE FLAIL

ADH FLAIL

Engine Driven Shredder

Please tell me this so I can help you.


Does it have a single row roller bearing for the flail mower rotor or a 2 row sperical roller bearing?

The rears grease seal design for the sperical roller bearings prevents over greasing in their line of
larger flail shredders.

 

[blitzen]

Hi I am hoping someone can point me in the right direction. I have a Seppi offset orchard mulcher that takes the SMW hammers and am looking to replace them and the bolts and nuts that hold them in place. I have bought from flail Master in the past but they are out of business and was hoping that someone had a place they were getting hammers from. Can anyone point me in the right direction?

 

[John0829]

Flail Master is alive, well and doing business.

 

[Xfaxman]

Website:

Flail Master

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