My NX5510H

[Threepoint]

"Funny" story concerning the door...

After all that hassle I managed to BUST the darn thing! Did, of course, something stupid (no need to expound on) and ended up having it explode on me: it's amazing how many pieces are in one of these doors! (picking it out of dirt and from around tree roots- I tried to remove all traces of the crime! I figured it was like writing "I will not operate tractor with door open" a thousand times on the blackboard

Happy to report that the new door (glass) works perfectly well.

Ha! Sorry that happened! But if misery loves company, here's my story. A few years ago, I was pulling my NX into the tractor bay, but stopped and got out to check something. I jumped back in and continued into the bay. Loud grinding sound and a POP!

The edge of the open door had hit the brick jam and the door snapped backwards on its hinges. The POP was the ball on the end of the gas strut's cylinder popping out of its socket!

Luckily I was going so slowly that the only damage was to the door's rubber weather stripping. I was able to pop the strut back into place, so no real harm. Not as harsh a lesson as yours, but I do know the feeling. It's a mistake I'm not likely to make again.

 

[DieselBound]

I wish that I had had that kind of luck! I squared that door edge right up and into a tree trunk! It didn't stand a chance. Temps were in the 90s and I was in and out of the cab quite a bit (AC wouldn't do me any good) so I just kind of had the door open. One last push of a pile of wood debris and I was going to be done!

Reminds me of snagging a truck door on one of those concrete-filled metal tube guards that are situation on either side of a fuel station island. I had the door open and was backing up to get closer and... It was a beater truck. Grabbed the bottom of the door and levered it back into working order That was when I was young and stupid. Sigh, now I'm old and stupid!

 

[Threepoint]

 

[DieselBound]

New toy (Nova Tractors MXZ220 flail)

:

Still trying to figure out how to hook it up to the Kioti (ha ha!):

They've got a lifting hook but, clearly, it's not balanced! Not that I plan on picking it up again: this was just to pull it from the shipping container. Threepoint: you should be able to see proof that I replaced the left cab door (shadow on the ground)!

It's a BEAST! It's going to tax the Kioti, but I needed something that was heavy duty AND wanted the widest cut I could get. 2 lb hammers. Have lots of tree debris: first mowing following winter storms there's a lot of branches, some too large to mow up- I'll be running with the grapple up front to fetch these. Looking forward to being able to shift the mower out so that I can nibble at brush w/o having to run the tractor into the brush; and, to mow ditch edges without playing chicken with gravity.

Got to get my other beast off the back first (needed for counter balance). I've been doing a bunch of dirt work with the box blade (which is about the same weight as this flail- 1,200 lbs-ish).

 

[DieselBound]

Oh, the unit was loaded in the truck lengthwise and on a pallet (which, obviously, wasn't 7'). Driver's pallet jack was too weak to jack things up. No way to turn things inside the truck in order for me to get my forks under it. Had to drag everything kicking and screaming (using the Kioti) to the tailgate and then off the tailgate. The pallet was something the delivery folks used and it was pretty hammered even before unloading: note the wood debris at about 3 o'clock in the first picture- splinters from the pallet. Thankful that nothing, other than the wood pallet, incurred any damage; and, thankful that the weather was nice (doing stuff like this when it's raining, though rain might have helped "grease the skids," not so nice).

 

[K5lwq]

That is nice! When I got mine it was on the pallet the same way. I used the forks to unload but man that was sketchy till I got it closer to the ground.

 

[DieselBound]

What flail did you get?

Vendor/manufacturer says that the larger flails are known to cause headaches for the smaller truck delivery guys. Total shipping weight was over 1,600 lbs. No way that my Kioti was going to be able to lift it along it's length (leveraging out over 7'); perpendicular, yes, but not parallel. I also wasn't able to get forks under the metal shipping frame due to the wood pallet (whose slots were running the other way). Not even a big forklift would have been able to overcome all of these obstacles. Fortunately the truck had a lift gate. I've suggested that the vendor/manufacturer include some notes to delivery folks on how best to approach handling these things.

 

[K5lwq]

I got the Victory 64" ditch bank flail. I am waiting on a new cylinder for the vertical rotation because the seal failed over winter. They are replacing under warranty. Here is a picture of it mowing some tall stuff.

 

[DieselBound]

Looks awesome!

I really had a tough time deciding on what type of flail. I considered a verge type but opted away from that because I have a lot more grass area: needed a wider cut to help reduce mowing time (wanted something wider than my 6' RC). Also, I have a lot of smothered saplings that I wish to rescue (future firewood), so full-on brush mowing is more problematic for me: I do a LOT of initial clearing work by hand (trail-blazing); that allows me to find out what lies beneath- lots of wood debris, stuff that wouldn't be too kind to a flail (I have a lot less concern with the RC, which will be relegated to doing hardcore brush cutting). That said, I still could put a verge flail to use! SO many attachments, SO little money

At any rate, looking forward to having less of a tail swinging around behind me. I was originally going to get a 5' or 6' for my B7800 so that my wife could mow with that combo (I don't want her running an RC), but after considering that the B7800 doesn't have rear hydraulics (and would be a pain to set something up- contemplated just dropping off the loader and using its hydraulics) and that I'm ever-increasing my grass area I decided that the money was better spent on getting a larger flail for the Kioti.

 

[K5lwq]

I bet you will love it! I struggled with my decision as I initially was planning on a 6' BushHog. I am glad I got the verge because of the ditch in front of my property and the way it floats over the uneven parts.

My neighbor loves to watch me mow with it. He always says it is fun to watch.

I find myself mowing with it full side shift most of the time because it is easier to see without having to turn around in the seat. I am getting lazy as I age.