Pairing Flail Mower Size And Cutting Conditions To Tractor PTO Horsepower

[leonz]

A larger tractor will have greater horsepower and torque to overcome heavy workloads and the demands of heavy brush mowing and crop shredding.

A larger flail mower like a flail crop shredder will have larger side slicer or scoop knives.

A larger flail shredder will have a much larger V belt which are typically large banded V belts with 3 or more v belts in the belt band and a greater cross sectional area to create a stronger banded V belt .

The larger flail crop shredders utilize either a spring tensioned snubber pulley or a screw tensioner to maintain V belt adhesion on the V belt pulleys which are under the V belt guard of the flail shredder.

The design of a banded V belt creates a wide drive belt that is more able to deliver the torque needed to handle and overcome the shock loading that comes with crop shredding.

A flail crop shredder/mower will have a larger drive and driven V belt pulleys.

A flail crop shredder/mower will have a larger diameter flail mower rotor and a larger gearbox and widths up to 20 feet which will be able to deliver the torque needed over a wider power range of power units/tractor model (mules) within the implements useable torque range to absorb the demands of shredding crop stubble and heavy grasses and brush.

The total width of a flail crop shredder/mower increase the available TOTAL cutting edge length to enable the mower to shred everything down to two inches which is the recommended height to allow winter kill of row crop and sod pests and reduce the damage to good hay sod from excess foliage left from the growth period after the last cutting of the hay crop.

 

[Cahaba Valley Farm]

A bigger tractor can just smoke the belts off a struggling flail mower, whereas a smaller machine might bog down. I hated running my 917 Ford on my JD6200. Felt like it was a real waste of fuel and tractor hours. Also, for some unknown reason, the bigger tractor would bust the mounting "Y" frame on the mower.

Hey Industrial Toys, thanks for sharing. Do you know what version of 917 you have and what the PTO requirements are for it?

 

[Cahaba Valley Farm]

I have spent the last week doing extensive research on the history of flail mowers. I have scoured the internet looking at everything from old brochures to operators manuals and full page ads from publications that are no long in print. What is really bizarre is there is no recommendations given for PTO hp for either the tractor or cutting conditions. The only thing I could even come close to was a statement made in a operators manual and print add stating that the flail mower could be used on tractors up to 50hp or up to 70hp but that neither stated whether it was engine hp or PTO hp. Furthermore, I decided to do some digging on rotary cutters and the same problem exists there. No recommendations made whatsoever on how much PTO hp is required to adequately run the cutter in light, medium or heavy cutting conditions. There have been numerous threads started on this site asking this same question over and over again but no satisfactory answers are ever provided nor any conclusions ever reached. I have concluded this far that no one on Tractorbynet knows the answer to this and the tractor implement industry is unwilling to publish it.

 

[K5lwq]

Not sure I understand. I just searched flail mower and Woodmax was on of the first pages that popped up. They had the HP range listed for every model. Are you wanting a single number rating? I don't think that would be feasible for manufacturers because it would limit sales.

If you are at the minimum HP rating listed you can cut most everything that you could with a tractor at the highest HP rating. You just might have to go slower or make multiple passes.

 

[CADplans]

I have concluded this far that no one on Tractorbynet knows the answer to this

WOW,,, That is a pretty arrogant statement by a guy that comes on the TBN forum,, and,, basically asks;
"What hammer do I use to drive a nail,,? "

There are so many answers to your question, all being right,, please reconsider your question,,,
If the question is specific, you can get a specific answer.

 

[zonedar]

I recently bought a flail mower for my little B2601. Was doing a bunch of shopping and looking on the net. Called a few distributors/manufacturers. Eventually spoke to a guy at Tractors Direct. We discussed what my needs were and my tractor. He recommended a Del Morino (132) (Branded as TX52). Didn't hurt that they were also $1K off at the time and cheaper than most of the other mowers, even the Chinese ones. So far it's worked perfectly and is the cat's meow for my needs.

As much at it's in the interest of the sales person to buy their product, it's also in their interest to make sure you're satisfied in your purchase.

So, long way of saying, talk to a few outfits and see what they think. My 2¢.

 

[Cahaba Valley Farm]

I recently bought a flail mower for my little B2601. Was doing a bunch of shopping and looking on the net. Called a few distributors/manufacturers. Eventually spoke to a guy at Tractors Direct. We discussed what my needs were and my tractor. He recommended a Del Morino (132) (Branded as TX52). Didn't hurt that they were also $1K off at the time and cheaper than most of the other mowers, even the Chinese ones. So far it's worked perfectly and is the cat's meow for my needs.

As much at it's in the interest of the sales person to buy their product, it's also in their interest to make sure you're satisfied in your purchase.

So, long way of saying, talk to a few outfits and see what they think. My 2¢.

Hey zoneradar, if you read my introductory post you will see that I contacted several tractor dealerships that sell flail mowers and it pretty much turned up nothing in terms of providing a real answer.

 

[Cahaba Valley Farm]

Not sure I understand. I just searched flail mower and Woodmax was on of the first pages that popped up. They had the HP range listed for every model. Are you wanting a single number rating? I don't think that would be feasible for manufacturers because it would limit sales.

So then how are consumers supposed to figure out how much power they need to buy for their cutting conditions?

If you are at the minimum HP rating listed you can cut most everything that you could with a tractor at the highest HP rating. You just might have to go slower or make multiple passes.

Not everyone has the time nor the desire to go slow.

 

[Cahaba Valley Farm]

WOW,,, That is a pretty arrogant statement by a guy that comes on the TBN forum,, and,, basically asks;
"What hammer do I use to drive a nail,,? "

I really have no idea what you are talking about

There are so many answers to your question, all being right,, please reconsider your question,,,
If the question is specific, you can get a specific answer.

I have made my question perfectly clear. You just simply don't have an answer.

 

[zonedar]

I really have no idea what you are talking about

I have made my question perfectly clear. You just simply don't have an answer.

Maybe there's not a simple answer?