Flail Mower Let's talk flail mowers
- Thread starter TNhobbyfarmer
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Here's how I welded my Titan uprights to the top link.
The Woodmaax is still made in China, but it is vastly better. The bearings are Japanese, the belt has a spring tensioner, the roller is larger, the grease zerks are protected, the chain mesh deflector is solidly mounted, the driveshaft has a slip clutch. There are multiple lift points.
I hate buying Chinese crap but Woodmaax is a reputable company and can supply parts at least.
mangler
Gold Member
It may turn into 2-3 acres, with some trails, maybe another 1/2 acres worth. I do own a garden tractor with a 54" deck, but some areas are a bit too woody and uneven for it. I feel bad using the mower for that (overgrown areas, edge of the laneway). Plus I have a bumper crop of poison ivy in those areas, so it would be nice to have a dedicated brush mower to keep contamination to a minimum.
Here's both the Titan and new Woodmaax together a month ago mowing. You can actually see the Titan mower housing warped. You can't see it, but the roller is ready to fall off and the roller won't turn, so I just dragged it. It did mow OK; the gearbox / drum / hammer knives have been fine. The one thing with the hammers is that when the cutting edge strikes a rock or other obstacle, it sort of forms a lip. Doesn't prevent cutting but it does cause grass to build up and cake on the flail, which eventually causes vibration and very poor cut quality. Every so often, I'd have to stop and shut down, and clean the grass buildup off the knives. Other hammer knives have a ridge down the middle that prevents this buildup, but not Titan.
mangler
Gold Member
Nice , you just doubled up at the weak points. Wonder if welding flat bar across to form a space frame (similar to what is stock on the woodmax) would do the same thing. You are basically trying to avoid bending at the weak point.
Good points on the improvement found on the Woodmax, this is quite the list. Don't know who would sell a belt driven implement without a spring tensioner. Larger roller is nice. Protected zerks are nice. Bearings I can change out. Slip clutch is nice, but more maintenance. Probably worth 1k more, especially if they well established and you can reasonably expect to get parts for 10 years or so. It will all depend how much I can get a chinesium landed here at my door direct from china. If I can get ia 60" for less than 1k I can fix a lot of things on it, especially since i won't be wearing it out
mangler
Gold Member
Great comparison, and highlights the weakness in the Titan "base" model. I assume both flails have similar hours? Looks like the Chinesium would be more of a project than I thought.
No, the Titan flail has 146 more hours on it than the Woodmaax.
If I was to buy another Titan brand new again, I'd do several things before I used it: weld additional bracing at the weak point of the uprights, possibly weld the brace across the back as you mentioned, and weld 3/8" bar stock in tow places across the back of the mower housing, much like a rotary cutter. This would strengthen it and prevent the warping of the housing, which also leads to the roller falling out. Further, I'd change the angles on the grease fittings of the roller. So far, the extra grand seems well spent. I would love a new Vrismo (I have a 1990 model but its only 48" and has been incredibly reliable) or an Alamo, but the price tag is 3x the Woodmaax.
mred2
Platinum Member
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I think he may want to look at what type and size will he pull with his tractor. I assume his tractor ck2610 is 25hp with less than 19 at the pto. Anyone here pull a flail with a 25hp tractor?
Sure, I pulled my Vrismo MightyMax flail with my Kubota L2501...but the flail mower was only 48" wide. I suspect it could run a 5-foot flail fairly well, so long as the grass wasn't dense and the ground was flat.
HarryVanderpool
Gold Member
Just bought a new Pac-Flail, model SPF made in Eugene Oregon by Rears MFG.
SPF flail -- Rear's Manufacturing
It is really built well and works GREAT!
The entire unit is of 1/4" steel.
I ordered it with the heavy duty, dual position mast because I don't have remotes.
VERY happy with this mower.
If you like Made In America and like the aspect of all parts available in the US, consider paying a little more and getting A LOT more.
SPF flail -- Rear's Manufacturing
It is really built well and works GREAT!
The entire unit is of 1/4" steel.
I ordered it with the heavy duty, dual position mast because I don't have remotes.
VERY happy with this mower.
If you like Made In America and like the aspect of all parts available in the US, consider paying a little more and getting A LOT more.