Leonz, I was hoping to use this belt to test it out cutting once I install the new hardware on the main shaft. Blades, shackles, bolts and nuts, as per your suggestion. I'd really like to evaluate it for my applications before putting any more money in it than is necessary. I saw it run, but it wasn't adjusted to cut properly, and it wasn't my property. Is there a risk of damaging anything if it breaks?
You suggested to use the kevlar belts to better handle shock loads, but don't think you mentioned any sellers. How the heck could you tell the belt was original? What are the clues to look for?
Blades. I remember several sources listed in various posts. What type should I go with? Are duck foot blades the only style Deere recommends for this unit, or was that just OEM and other styles may be considered. I bought it to replace the bush hog. I wondered if heavier blades might be a better choice for me? I have plenty of small volunteer trees that I'll push over with the Kubota 4740, but I anticipate roots being left and possibly sticking up. I always have small branches after a storm that I'd love to be able to just mulch in place.
Does anybody have experience with these?
GE709-P without HardoniteTM * - $1.68 : Hard Hitter, Wear Parts With Muscle
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Hello Ribz,
You can use the OEM belt sure just be sure to have new spares handy to install.
Keep the spares and the belts cardboard sleeve in a heavy black garbage bag to keep
them from being exposed to the ozone in the air.
The JD25A, JD290 and the JD390 have a flail mower rotor that can use both the side slicer and "cup knives" being the proper term for what many refer to as scoop or duck foot knives.
brief flail mower history:
The smaller cup knives for brush mowing were modeled and developed after the larger cup knives used on flail crop shredders for Cotton, Peanut, Potato and Sugar cane stubble after harvesting.
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OK NOW:
You can mount a bicycle flag on the long side of the mower using a muffler clamp of some kind to keep track of it while mowing near fence rows and trees and then you can just mow close by and use a weed wacker to trim it better
You can either flip the mower on its back or raise it above the ground using lots of hardwood blocking to work under it but putting it on its back is faster to do as the entire rotor will be exposed to the light.
Make sure you take the photo images of the flail mower rotors three mounting paddles to the dealer to show them what you need and they will either sell them to you or order them for you and then you can pick them up and install them.
The knife hanger straps and individual knife hanger rings are the same for both types of knives used on these mowers. The mounting bolts are the same also.
I want you to go ahead and purchase the replacement manual and spare parts you need from the local JD dealer as you will not need that many and then go ahead and mow with it after you you change the oil, adjust the mowing height, grease the flail mower rotor bearings and the rear roller bearings and the V belt snubber pulley(there should be a grease fitting on the snubber pulley arm).
It will cost you a bit more for the parts you need but you will have them in your hand and then you can mow the next day if you install them the day you buy them from the local dealer.
Just be sure to buy a small bottle of blue loctite to secure the coarse threaded nuts they will sell you.
to do list:
Oh, if you have some emery paper sand off the rust on the snubber pulley and buy a can of JD green paint to fix it when you get around to changing the belt
