Betstco FH-EFGC155 Flail, New Hammers But Problem With Cut.

[JethroB]

Flails and their tracks. It’s some stem-y winter weed that pops up. Should die out soon when the Bahai grass returns. This was cut about 5 days ago. Cotton was planted on the right two days ago.

 

[oosik]

I wonder - if OP would have stayed with new Betstco hammers would the cut have been OK. Do Betstco hammer create more "lift". For whatever reason - those outside hammers are not doing their job. You might try switching the outside hammers to an inside position and see if the uncut stripe follows the hammers.

 

[310-510]

To verify if it is tire interference, cut a swath in reverse.

 

[JethroB]

This old pasture was mowed two days ago. I lowered the cutting height to 4 inches so the cut is better. Mostly just Bahai now. I’ll just have to learn to live with the tire tracks. It is fun to play a bit with the striping made by the roller laying over the grass.

 

[Jack Yuan]

Went out and did a 3.5 acre field. Nice an flat with 5-8 inch natural field grasses and weeds. Pretty tame stuff.
Ran at a 2.5 inch cut and took my time.
Then end result is terrible. Looks like it was done with a crappy, unleveled brush hog with bad blades.
You get one nicer strip of cut grass but then you also get strips of grass that is 3 inches taller.
It is really disappointing.
If it didn't leave these stripes it would be a really nice cut.

I don't think there is anything you can do about it.

View attachment 744283

I suggest you check if the flail mower front flaps missing, the spinning flail mower rotor creat big suction and bring big air flow come from the front, this will help to get up the grass which were pressed down by tractor wheel, then the flail hammer can cut them.

This is one of the reason why most flail mower use front flaps instead of chain.

 

[Timothy Price]

I am having the same problem with the tire tracks not cutting.

Most of the grass is an old pasture, and is a mix of clover, timothy, fescue, and weeds. The finish mower would leave noticeable tire tracks, but only barely. With the flail mower, the tire tracks are several inches higher, by the time the spring back up, the next day. Its a little bit better in the straight fescue, closer to the house, but still leaves noticeable tracks.

It is an off brand mower I bought 2 years ago, when the tree roots in the yard, finally, had damaged my MK Martin finish mower beyond the point where I was willing to repair it. I actually don't even know the brand. I bought it off an importer in Leduc, Alberta. Its grey in color and has a tag with the model JAM-155T.

I wonder if a different style blade would help. The mower came with hammer blades, and the guy importing them doesn't order any other types of blades. The hammers were quite blunt, when new, but I sharpened them.

My initial thought was to try a different style blade, but I have not been able to determine where to get any that would fit. I have searched for blades and the JAM-155T model number, but I keep coming up with blades for other machines.

My second thought was, perhaps, it does not rotate fast enough. All I know is the input RPM, but I don't know how the flail speed compares to other machines. I could speed it up some with the pullies, but only so much.

The unit did not come with a flap, or chains at the front, as mentioned in the previous post. Perhaps I should try find a way to attach a flap, before anything else.

I hope I can get it cutting better. Apart from the tire track issue, I like it far better than the finish mower. The tree roots don't bother it at all, provided I go over them in the correct direction. Also, since I work so much, I often don't get a chance to cut the grass as often as I should. When the grass gets too tall and thick, it cuts it way faster than the finish mower could handle.

 

[Jack Yuan]

I am having the same problem with the tire tracks not cutting.

Most of the grass is an old pasture, and is a mix of clover, timothy, fescue, and weeds. The finish mower would leave noticeable tire tracks, but only barely. With the flail mower, the tire tracks are several inches higher, by the time the spring back up, the next day. Its a little bit better in the straight fescue, closer to the house, but still leaves noticeable tracks.

It is an off brand mower I bought 2 years ago, when the tree roots in the yard, finally, had damaged my MK Martin finish mower beyond the point where I was willing to repair it. I actually don't even know the brand. I bought it off an importer in Leduc, Alberta. Its grey in color and has a tag with the model JAM-155T.

I wonder if a different style blade would help. The mower came with hammer blades, and the guy importing them doesn't order any other types of blades. The hammers were quite blunt, when new, but I sharpened them.

My initial thought was to try a different style blade, but I have not been able to determine where to get any that would fit. I have searched for blades and the JAM-155T model number, but I keep coming up with blades for other machines.

My second thought was, perhaps, it does not rotate fast enough. All I know is the input RPM, but I don't know how the flail speed compares to other machines. I could speed it up some with the pullies, but only so much.

The unit did not come with a flap, or chains at the front, as mentioned in the previous post. Perhaps I should try find a way to attach a flap, before anything else.

I hope I can get it cutting better. Apart from the tire track issue, I like it far better than the finish mower. The tree roots don't bother it at all, provided I go over them in the correct direction. Also, since I work so much, I often don't get a chance to cut the grass as often as I should. When the grass gets too tall and thick, it cuts it way faster than the finish mower could handle.

Flail mower in working should be supported by its rear roller instead of side skids.

 

[Timothy Price]

Flail mower in working should be supported by its rear roller instead of side skids.

It is. The skids only come into contact when crossing tree roots.

 

[wirlybird]

I suggest you check if the flail mower front flaps missing, the spinning flail mower rotor creat big suction and bring big air flow come from the front, this will help to get up the grass which were pressed down by tractor wheel, then the flail hammer can cut them.

This is one of the reason why most flail mower use front flaps instead of chain.

Flaps are all intact and functional.
I can even see it trying to create some suction if I look back at it while mowing but it just doesn't cut the grass where the tires ran.
I think one issue is that it is a counterrotating flail so I think that the blades are more apt to lay the grass that is bent over back down. It does this to flexible, small saplings also.
I tried my Ford 917L and my JD 25A which both spin in the direction of forward wheel travel and they did better handling the grass at the tire tracks.

It might do a little better as the ground firms up and the grass dries. Or I hope anyway!

 

[Rebeldad1]

and you never had this problem before you changed hammers?