917 Ford Flail

[TNhobbyfarmer]

Found a 5' for sale on CL. My Kubota 3430 is 28.5 PTO HP. Is it big enough to handle this flail?

 

[bubbacuse77]

Yep, I think it will. My PTO is 30 HP and i threw a 6' 907 flail i found behind the neighbors house on my tractor this year. No issue at all with the power.

 

[greg_g]

You need to specify cutting swath and model: 917L or a 917H. Makes a big difference at the PTO. I've got a 74" Ford 917H flail, turned by 2011 John Deere 3720 (35 PTO hp). It's got a new set of T-knives/hangers/brackets, and is used primarily for simple pasture management. Drive pulleys have been cleaned and polished, twin V-belt brand new. It worked fine behind my 45hp open station - sometimes to the point of smoking the belt - but now struggles more often than I like behind the John Deere. It's clear that PTO horsepower was the difference.

//greg//

//greg//

 

[allen in texas]

I ran the 6 foot rears with my L3240 with 25 PTO HP. never really felt the need for more power. I traded up for other reasons but I use the same flail with 50 PTO HP.

 

[ncridgerunner1]

My BX-23 pulls a 50" Ford 917L with no problems. 23hp with 16hp at PTO.

 

[TNhobbyfarmer]

You need to specify cutting swath and model: 917L or a 917H. Makes a big difference at the PTO. I've got a 74" Ford 917H flail, turned by 2011 John Deere 3720 (35 PTO hp). It's got a new set of T-knives/hangers/brackets, and is used primarily for simple pasture management. Drive pulleys have been cleaned and polished, twin V-belt brand new. It worked fine behind my 45hp open station - sometimes to the point of smoking the belt - but now struggles more often than I like behind the John Deere. It's clear that PTO horsepower was the difference.

//greg//

//greg//

What is the difference between the L and H model?

 

[greg_g]

Big differences; L is for light (duty), H is for heavy (duty). More tractor is necessary for a 60" 917H than for a 917L. H will cut rougher stuff than the L. Not too many common parts either.

//greg//