Flail Mower Let's talk flail mowers

[Cahaba Valley Farm]

Eezeemow FX155 - NZ made - manual side shift - just over 5ft - weights around 460lbs - recommended HP @ 20 = around $8000

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tenor.com

And I thought the prices up here for that brand were stupid

 

[AndyCee]

That is AUD$8000 ... so approx USD$5900 ... but still lotsa $$

Hayes are probably the best Chinese flail here in Oz .. the heavy duty - 5ft wide - no side shift is about AUD$3000. There are a couple of guys in this thread that use them.

We can get "other brands" of Chinese mowers for less than AUD$2000 .... but as a no name brand, you kinda wonder how long it will last ..

as an example, you see 2nd hand for sale ads like this - no name Chinese Flail mower - 2 hours use with a collapsed bearing ... and they still want $1800!

 

[Cahaba Valley Farm]

as an example, you see 2nd hand for sale ads like this - no name Chinese Flail mower - 2 hours use with a collapsed bearing ... and they still want $1800!

That's insane.

 

[DieselBound]

Hi Guys,

I had hoped to get to the end of this thread before I posted my request for opinions ... currently on page 535, but have found myself in the situation where I need to make a decision ... so ...

I have a CK30 - gear tractor with 23PTO HP ... 3PL lift at 1764 lbs

As I am in Australia, we do have a somewhat limited range of available flails ... and due to current conditions, an even more limited range of what's actually in stock (or in stock soon). Looking at the manufacturers recommended specifications, most (if not all) recommend a higher PTO power than what I currently have, but using the mantra on this forum - "if you can lift it, you can turn it", and "5hp per foot" ... I am looking a 5ft wide mowers.

I have 30 acres of flat to sloping ground. It's an equestrian facility, so we have horses to do alot of the pasture mowing. As horses are fussy eaters, they tend to eat parts of the paddocks (2.5 - 5 acres) down to 1" ... and leave parts to grow to 8". I intend to use the flail to mow down to about 2" ... mulch and spread the manure piles, and then leave the pastures to recover to about 4" before putting horses back. The property is fairly good, with only small areas of some woody weeds, and a couple of blackberry patches I am trying to control.

So .... my choices seem to be between


Hayes - Chinese made - just over 5ft - manual side shift - weights about 1124 lbs - recommended HP @ 35 = around $5000

Muthing Eco-Top 160- German made - manual side shift - just over 5ft - weights around 770lbs - recommended HP @ 30 = around $8500

Del Morino Flipper 152 - Italian made - manual side shift - 62" - weights around 635 lbs - recommended HP @ 30 = around $6000

Berti Park/P 145 - Italian made - manual side shift - just under 5ft - weights around 825 lbs - recommended HP @ 25 = around $9200

all have hammer blades - seems difficult or special ordered (read: 4 month wait) to get Y blades.

Very interested in everyones feedback and opinions on the best options, and if I will "be able to turn" these effectively

Thanks

Andrew

There's initial "clearing" and then there's maintenance. No single piece of equipment can excel at both of these tasks.

I've run 5' rotaries behind my 30hp (23hp @ PTO) Kubota for years. Crept through some really nasty stuff initially: 10' tall grass; blackberries; tree/logging debris; car parts!; and MORE blackberries! Once things got more or less cleaned up it was a lot easier. As the areas under grass increased I started looking at another solution; having gotten a larger tractor I was able to look at larger attachments.

Although I have some "lawn" around the home area my primary mowing is in rough fields (with lots of trees).

I went with a 7' Nova Tractor flail (yes, Chinese). It spec'd out very close the to top of the line ones. Parts quality was the only question. Had an initial issue with loose bolts (probably a good idea to check anything one gets, even high-end stuff [had an Italian-made tiller get hammered in shipping- same thing, headaches up-front!]) but after that it's worked really well through its first season- I've got no regrets.

I will continue to use rotary cutters for initial clearing, though I do use the flail to nibble at the edges.

Conditions change. Optimal solution for initial work might not be optimal later on. Equipment which is less than optimal initially might be optimal later on. I'd lean toward the later and accept going just a bit slower up-front. For easy maintenance a 6' flail would likely be fine: I see minimal gains of opting for a flail that's the same size as a rotary (a rotary with good blades can do a pretty decent job of cutting grass); flails are more complex and require more maintenance- the acceptable trade-off, to/for me is being able to cut a wider swath (as well as the ability to side-shift [fence lines and ditches for me; also trees]). There are also finish mowers that might be a viable option (I don't know anything about them).

 

[shaeff]

Took my $300 JD25A out for a spin this past weekend in the wet, soggy field. Just tuned the carb on the old MF35 and needed to load it up to test it.

 

[Cahaba Valley Farm]

Took my $300 JD25A out for a spin this past weekend in the wet, soggy field. Just tuned the carb on the old MF35 and needed to load it up to test it.

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What kind of knives do you run?

 

[shaeff]

What kind of knives do you run?

Duck foot/scoop knives.

Great for non-woody overgrowth.

 

[Cahaba Valley Farm]

Duck foot/scoop knives.

Great for non-woody overgrowth.

What's your opinion of the cut quality?

 

[shaeff]

What's your opinion of the cut quality?

Considering that I've never replaced any of the knives aside from what was damaged or missing when I got it, nor have I ever sharpened any of them- I'd say the cut quality is pretty dang good. In dry conditions at the lowest cutting height it'll take my overgrown field (seen in pics above) and make it look like I mow it weekly in just one pass. The cut quality is orders of magnitude better than a brush hog/rotary style cutter. If I hold the back guard up in wet brush it'll blow the clippings out in a smoother fashion than if it's super wet.

The key is to make sure the flail is set up right, don't let it nose dive into the ground. It takes a few minutes of careful adjustment on the threaded top link to get it to sit just right, but once set, it's great.

If I run over a small tree, something woody about 2-3" diameter at the base, it'll just shred all the small branches and leaves off of it and leave the main trunk mostly untouched. A hammer flail would likely mulch that up. But as I said, I paid $300 for this thing, it came with a coffee can of extra knives (which I had to replace six or seven of...) and top off the gear oil. I've been running it for about six years.

The plus side of the duckfoot/scoop knives is that they leave a flat cut like a lawnmower blade does. It looks more "finished" even though there are only 36 knife stations. If my zero turn dies I can use the flail to knock my yard down while I wait on parts, it still looks really good after I'm done.

 

[Cahaba Valley Farm]

If my zero turn dies I can use the flail to knock my yard down while I wait on parts, it still looks really good after I'm done.

Thanks for your detailed reply. That is what I have always been curious about, is the cut quality as good as a top notch zero turn like a Grasshopper, Exmark or Scag?

 

[Racenut]

Got my new Novatractor MFZ155 hooked up dialed in and then got a little rain so we could try it out without starting a fire. So far, I'm super pleased with it. It's so great when something works exactly how you expected. Maybe any flail would do the same, but this thing munches up berry bushes and other brush so good. This is exactly what I needed.

 

[Fallon]

Thanks for your detailed reply. That is what I have always been curious about, is the cut quality as good as a top notch zero turn like a Grasshopper, Exmark or Scag?

If you had a reasonably light tractor on turf tires running on smooth ground a flail should be equal to a zero turn for turf quality, possibly better. It will mulch better & not leave clumps. A heavy tractor, especially on R1 or maybe R4 tires would be much more likely to leave ruts or tear grass on tight turns. The roller on a flail gives an even cut, but the width of a flail could in theory cause issues on non-smooth ground. A zero turn & flail are both orders of magnitude better than a rotary cutter or finish mower as wide as the flail though.

 

[Cahaba Valley Farm]

A zero turn & flail are both orders of magnitude better than a rotary cutter or finish mower as wide as the flail though.

I think you're right because finish mowers just can't produce enough lift to cut the grass as cleanly. However, I will say that Trimax makes some rotary cutters for tractors that will blow your mind.

 

[Fallon]

I think you're right because finish mowers just can't produce enough lift to cut the grass as cleanly. However, I will say that Trimax makes some rotary cutters for tractors that will blow your mind.

There are a pile of mowers out there that will get super high cut quality. Stuff you usually find on a golf course or what not. Reel mower, stuff with a large number of articulated rotary heads, etc. But they are expensive & not as durable. Flails seem to be a better overall compromise, other than being more expensive than equivalent rotary cutters.

 

[Cahaba Valley Farm]

But they are expensive & not as durable.

That is a good point. Durability is not going to be the same due to the intended application.

 

[1savoy]

I haven't been around in quite a while and sorry for the long post. So I recently bought a Kubota B26TLB that has a claimed 19.5 HP at the PTO. I am in the process of buying 20 acres that is mostly wooded but has some areas that were previously cleared/ mowed and need to be mowed again now so we can get moving forward on building a shop and then a home. I would really like to go the flail mower route and wanted one years ago when I was still in western NY instead of using the rotary cutter. Main question is anyone's thoughts on the Land Pride FM2560 flail mower. There is one used locally with the ducks foot blades for what I think is a decent price. From what I have read the Land Pride seems quite expensive to swap blades and rotors if needed. Kubota does not recommend this mower for the B26 and actually none of their flail mowers for the B26. They only recommend the 48" for the L47 and M62. I assume Kubota is being very conservative in their recommendations.

Land Pride lists the weight at 965 lbs. and Kubota lists the B26 at lift at 1676 lbs. 24 inches behind 3 pt. hitch lift point. I have read some say if you can lift it then you can spin it but I'm thinking this may be just too much mower for the little Kubota? What I will be cutting is not real thick and I know I can take smaller bites. The Land Pride looks well built from what I have seen. Seems like most 60" flail mowers are out of stock. The Novatractor mentioned above appears to be in stock and would that be a better route? There is also a used Maschio Birba 135 around that looks to be in good condition but fairly small. My other option is to pick up a 60" rotary cutter for getting going on things and wait for the flail mowers to come back in stock and also keep waiting for the "right" used one to show up. What do you guys think? Thanks for any input.

 

[Cahaba Valley Farm]

I haven't been around in quite a while and sorry for the long post. So I recently bought a Kubota B26TLB that has a claimed 19.5 HP at the PTO. I am in the process of buying 20 acres that is mostly wooded but has some areas that were previously cleared/ mowed and need to be mowed again now so we can get moving forward on building a shop and then a home. I would really like to go the flail mower route and wanted one years ago when I was still in western NY instead of using the rotary cutter. Main question is anyone's thoughts on the Land Pride FM2560 flail mower. There is one used locally with the ducks foot blades for what I think is a decent price. From what I have read the Land Pride seems quite expensive to swap blades and rotors if needed. Kubota does not recommend this mower for the B26 and actually none of their flail mowers for the B26. They only recommend the 48" for the L47 and M62. I assume Kubota is being very conservative in their recommendations.

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Land Pride lists the weight at 965 lbs. and Kubota lists the B26 at lift at 1676 lbs. 24 inches behind 3 pt. hitch lift point. I have read some say if you can lift it then you can spin it but I'm thinking this may be just too much mower for the little Kubota? What I will be cutting is not real thick and I know I can take smaller bites. The Land Pride looks well built from what I have seen. Seems like most 60" flail mowers are out of stock. The Novatractor mentioned above appears to be in stock and would that be a better route? There is also a used Maschio Birba 135 around that looks to be in good condition but fairly small. My other option is to pick up a 60" rotary cutter for getting going on things and wait for the flail mowers to come back in stock and also keep waiting for the "right" used one to show up. What do you guys think? Thanks for any input.

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I can answer this. I would strongly recommend staying away from that flail mower. To begin with, those flail mowers made by Kubota are crazy heavy and weigh a ton. They weigh more then what your little B26 can adequately handle. It could easily push your tractor around and cause a real safety concern. Secondly they are very hp hungry flail mowers and no way would I recommend taxing your 26hp engine down with one. And thirdly the replacement cost for knives is beyond stupid, it's just straight up robbery. Take my advice and stay away!

What I would recommend instead is a flail mower made for low horsepower tractors such as the Befco H40-S line, Vrisimo Mini Max Series, Trimax Ezeemow and Maschio makes a flail for lower hp tractors but I would look at the first three first.

 

[1savoy]

Hey CVF,

Thanks so much for all that great info. You confirmed what my thoughts had been. I keep seeing it listed but have not contacted the seller due to thinking it is too heavy and HP hungry. I contacted Woodmaxx about a week ago and they had two of the WoodMaxx FM-62H left. I thought on it for a day or two as I was not sure if I wanted the hydraulic shift and then they were both gone. I snoozed and lost out.

This Maschio Birba 135 is on TractorHouse and I almost called the dealer to see what location it is at. Wasn't sure if it was too small and I would be disappointed? I could possibly have it shipped or a bit of a road trip.

https://www.tractorhouse.com/listings/farm-equipment/for-sale/206123557/2015-maschio-birba-135

https://www2.maschio.com/catalog/product/birba-usa/en_US

 

[Cahaba Valley Farm]

Hey CVF,

Thanks so much for all that great info. You confirmed what my thoughts had been. I keep seeing it listed but have not contacted the seller due to thinking it is too heavy and HP hungry. I contacted Woodmaxx about a week ago and they had two of the WoodMaxx FM-62H left. I thought on it for a day or two as I was not sure if I wanted the hydraulic shift and then they were both gone. I snoozed and lost out.

This Maschio Birba 135 is on TractorHouse and I almost called the dealer to see what location it is at. Wasn't sure if it was too small and I would be disappointed? I could possibly have it shipped or a bit of a road trip.

https://www.tractorhouse.com/listings/farm-equipment/for-sale/206123557/2015-maschio-birba-135

https://www2.maschio.com/catalog/product/birba-usa/en_US

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Savoy, glad to help. The Birba is made for your kind of tractor. However, and this is just my opinion, I think Befco or Vrisimo is the better choice because they have more knives. But with that being said, I have no experience running any of the three I have recommended but I have run a Peruzzo that did a fantastic job on my property and it had a lot of knives and I am getting ready to purchase one of the three I have recommended to you. I will also add that flail mowers are a world unto themselves and there is still so much I don't know about them and want to know but struggle finding resources to turn to that have the information to provide. I wish you well in your journey to becoming a new member of the flail mower nation.

 

[1savoy]

Sounds good and thank you. Good to hear that the Birba may be a decent fit for the B26. I'll keep reading a little and searching for the other brands that you mentioned. I'll also probably contact the dealer to find out more about the Birba. I'll keep you guys posted on what I do and good luck in your next flail mower purchase.