Flail Mower Let's talk flail mowers

[kenmbz]

i was running my flail yesterday in the woods, cutting the 2' high stiltgrass when I hear a loud boom.
Thought I hit a rock, but it was only a branch. Checked the hammers and no more damage than already known.
I have had to pull rocks from every path during the winter to make the trails flail compatible
But it is nice to have and if i use the bucket low i usually find the bad stuff first.

It's so nice to take only an hour to do two trails that used to take me days with the brush cutter.

 

[leonz]

New tractor owner and first time poster here.

After reading a lot of this thread and some others, I settled on a flail mower instead of a brush hog.

I ended up getting this Titan FL135 from a dealer in my state. Apparently these are not very popular in Alabama and this dealer was the only one I found that stocked small flail mowers.

I haven't seen much info out there on this model, so I thought I would share.

This is an Italian mower made by Cosmo and imported by Titan Implements (not palletforks dot com). I paid $2000 for it at Dixie Horse and Mule Company. It came with hammers installed but also included the Y blades. I wouldn't say it's QH compatible but I was able to connect it to my QH.

My little Kubota BX has no problem at all running it and I have been abusing it quite hard clearing some woods. I have been very pleased so far.
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Hello and good afternoon Axelman,

I want to welcome you as the newest resident member of the "Flail Mower Nations"
from the Great State of Alabama.

You need to replace the two rivets on the mowers identification plate that are missing
with 2 small bolts and nylock nuts to hold it in place before you mow again.

You have a very well built flail shredder in you Cosmo flail shredder that was designed and built to the
European Union/CEMA farm equipment safety standards that will outlast your current mule and will provide
you with a high quality mowing and shredding finish.

Is the owners manual printed in a dual English/Italian language format?

 

[Axleman27]

Hello and good afternoon Axelman,

I want to welcome you as the newest resident member of the "Flail Mower Nations"
from the Great State of Alabama.

You need to replace the two rivets on the mowers identification plate that are missing
with 2 small bolts and nylock nuts to hold it in place before you mow again.

You have a very well built flail shredder in you Cosmo flail shredder that was designed and built to the
European Union/CEMA farm equipment safety standards that will outlast your current mule and will provide
you with a high quality mowing and shredding finish.

Is the owners manual printed in a dual English/Italian language format?

It came with separate Italian and English manuals

 

[Riddlewitz]

Curious if anyone knows how to replace the belt on a vintage Mott model 72? Is there a trick to making this fit? It is a factory belt but I couldn't find a green kevlar style belt. Thanks in advance

 

[dieselscout80]

The spring loaded idler pulley has to be pushed away (up) from the belt.

Turning the pulley will also help roll it into the groove of the pulley.

Then when you let it back down it will go on and let it will tension the belt.

 

[toolslinger]

That idler looks odd compared to my Mott 72... Yours looks like a V-Groove pulley, and the idler, (both original, and replacement) on mine is just a flat face, without the deep V. I could see that being a pain to fit. That said, either pull it back, or disconnect the spring, and get the belt and pullies in place, then throw the spring back on if you must. I haven't been able to find a kevlar belt for mine either.

 

[ColdRider]

Hi all, New flail owner. After reading almost all this thread, I bought a Titan fl165. Not impressed with cut I'm getting. It has the hammer blades on it and I'm trying to cut heavy clover and hay that hasn't been mowed this season. It will bog my L3800 hst unless I just crawl. I'm wondering if the included y grass blades would work better. They are not as sharp like the hammers are. Hammers are packing full of hay and not cleaning out. Running at 540, level and in 2nd hole from highest setting. Ground is rough but not terrible was planted in oats with grass seed mix last season.

 

[Riddlewitz]

dieselscou80 and toolslinger: thanks for the replies. the idler pulley does not move. It seems like it was fixed in a certain position. Perhaps welded along the base. I tried to remove the spring so the arm connected to the idler pulley could loosen. even with the idler pulley off the belt is too tight. Seems strange that it would be this tough. Thanks

 

[toolslinger]

Riddlewitz: That arm should move freely, and really has to, so you need to start there. It wasn't hard to take it off on mine, so unless they welded it for some reason, it is likely just bound up badly somehow. Could you take a photo of the arm that the spring is attached to? It kinda looks like it's on there backwards in the one photo. That would screw things up for you.

I also noticed that you've got the odd square gearbox on yours. I kinda recall that's for a higher input RPM than 540. Possibly a 1k unit? Don't know for sure, but it isn't a 540 gearbox.

 

[toolslinger]

I wonder, since you've got a V pulley on the idler, and the tension spring looks backwards to me, is yours supposed to tension the belt from the inside, so it would make a triangle shape, rather than a kidney shape with the belt?