Mowing Finish mower

[cabin kioti]

I am in the market for a kioti finish mower either 3 pt.or belly mower to go on my ck 30. I would need to take the B H off to use either one .I was just wondering if anyone out there has any experience with the cutter.Thanks

 

[TractorLegend]

I have the 72 inch kioti italian made rear finish mower.It works acceptably. I considered the mid mount as I was upgrading from a garden tractor. The final decision was the want to not have to wrestle a heavy mid mount deck in and out of place. I imagine its like a riding mower deck removal and install except a hundred and some pounds more.
Then I considered the usefulness on my own lot of being able to back the rear mower deck into places one couldnt get with the mid mount and being able to lower the running deck down onto brush and tall grass back there.

 

[300wtby]

i have the 60"rfm, cant tell you about long term durability but i can say that it cuts good,the only thing that i dont like is the retaining pins,lost two of them already have only had it for 4 months,dont like the little steel loop thats supposed to keep it from falling out of the main pin,i have replaced them all.

i mow about 4 acres and alot of its pretty rough so it gets a shakin....chris

 

[County Sawyer]

I have a Woods RD-6000 which is a rear discharge finishing mower. I had this mower prior to the purchase of my Kioti, CK-35-HST and use it weekly if not more often, cutting about 4 acres. In my opinion Woods make the best mowers on the market although I have heard excellent reports on the Rhino as well. My two cents worth, Ron.

 

[TractorLegend]

the only thing that i dont like is the retaining pins,lost two of them already have only had it for 4 months,dont like the little steel loop thats supposed to keep it from falling out of the main pin,i have replaced them all.

The only times I had that happen is when I backed the mower into stickers, etc and the pins got caught. It looked to me like one could cure that by either using traditional tractor pin retaining pins or large cotter pins.

 

[BTI]

TL we use 1/4" bolts and double nut them.
But that only works if you don't adjust ht often or you don't mind grabbing a wrench if you need to.

I like the rear mount mower.
Mid mounts are brand specific and are a pain to take on and off.
More costly too.
Unless your tractor has a woods hoe on it you can't run a mid-mount with a hoe anyway.

KO

 

[PA hayseed]

I had a belly on my last tractor and switched to a rear. There are advantages and disadvantages to both, but the MMM is a pain in the butt to keep taking off everytime you do FEL work, driveways, etc. The last one I had had four wheels on the mmm but only two would rotate, the other two were fixed, so if you don't have alot of room or a lift system, you will be swearing every time you remove it.

The RFM took a little seat time to get used to. I getting a bigger one here shortly.

 

[DViau]

I just bought a new Kioti CK20HST with a BackHoe and a front loader, and I first asked the dealer to put a belly mounted mower.

Before he delivered the tractor he just called me and asked if I was to have the mower on for the entire season of if I will have to mount and dismount the mower eache and every week or so. When I said that it will be almost everyweek because I will need the BackHoe very often, He told me that I will HATE him very soon with a belly mower and he sufggested me to have a rear mower and that it was cheaper.

I appreciate the fact that he called me prior to deliver the tractor.

My two cents

Denis

 

[300wtby]

It looked to me like one could cure that by either using traditional tractor pin retaining pins or large cotter pins.[/QUOTE]

Exactly:

 

[IslandTractor]

I always thought the Kioti belly mower was a rip off in addition to being essentially incompatable with the backhoe subframe. Don't even dream of getting a MMM if you have a Kioti backhoe subframe. That is an afternoons work to take off and remount.

I had the Rhino 60" rear discharge mower on my CK20, great mower for the limited time I had it. Mine was used but in fine condition and worked very well.

Having said this, I am now converted to flail mowers. They cut like a finish mower but are just about as tough as a bush hog and are much shorter than rear mowers so are more manuverable. I have the Caroni TM1900 on a DK40se and that one is too big for the CK20 but the TL1500 would be a nice match for the CK20. I think a CK30 would run a TM1900 like I have very well. Might be slower in bush hog mode but would do just fine as a finish mower. Quieter than even a finish mower too.

Third photo shows big chunk of metal debris wrapped around mower...took a few minutes to peel if off and then kept on mowing. No damage.

 

[Highbeam]

I expected to see a lot more flails/hammers/teeth on the flail mower. Since they appear to cut more vertically is the finish flat or all jagged looking?

How do you control the mowing height without any wheels? Drag it along or just modulate the 3ph alot?

 

[IslandTractor]

I expected to see a lot more flails/hammers/teeth on the flail mower. Since they appear to cut more vertically is the finish flat or all jagged looking?

How do you control the mowing height without any wheels? Drag it along or just modulate the 3ph alot?

The TM version has fewer and bigger flails. The TL is more the finish mower and had double the number. The cut looks pretty flat to me. I have been mostly cutting in brush so far so don't have that much experience with a lawn but the finish with the mower is way closer to the finish type mower than to a bush hog. It mulches sticks to pulp rather than leaving big chunks the way a bush hog does.

I have been modulating height with the 3pt but you can also lower the set of skids/skis on the side of the mower.

 

[Highbeam]

Thanks IT. I have learned to appreciate the shortness of the flail as well as the much lower likelihood of pitching debris into people or cars. Small lot work in the suburbs is extremely risky with the rotary cutter. I'll have to run this one into the ground though.

I wonder if a guy couldn't affix swiveling wheels to the flail mower like a gauge whell to help maintain the length of cut while on the fly.

 

[IslandTractor]

I wonder if a guy couldn't affix swiveling wheels to the flail mower like a gauge whell to help maintain the length of cut while on the fly.

I'm not sure there would be any benefit. The flail is short enough that you don't get the "lever" effect you see with the much longer finish and bush hog mowers extending off the back of the tractor. I haven't experimented yet with the skids but I think the idea is to set the skids so they are not quite touching the ground and then mow by lifting the mower just slightly. The skids would then prevent any scalping. There is a big roller at the rear of the mower that essentially serves that purpose anyway so I don't know if the skids have any real critical role. The brochure from Caroni makes it sound like they are optional even though the mower comes with the skids standard.

 

[Double Orange]

Island tractor that mower put the hurtins to that debri! Just out of curiosity how much would you set up set me back? Thanks Frank

 

[Steverino]

Island tractor that mower put the hurtins to that debri! Just out of curiosity how much would you set up set me back? Thanks Frank

D.O. here is a link you might find of interest. Enjoy!

Flail Mowers

 

[IslandTractor]

Island tractor that mower put the hurtins to that debri! Just out of curiosity how much would you set up set me back? Thanks Frank

I recall the mower, a Caroni TM1900 (75 inch cut) cost about $1700 delivered. Got it from Agrisupply which may be the only US dealer (not sure). I wouldn't hesitate to put one on a 30hp tractor but mine is 41hp. With a 30hp tractor you might need to go a little slower in heavy stuff.

 

[Kendrick]

MMMMM front mount... i may have to get one of these... ug I am begenning to regret getting my fm now

 

[IslandTractor]

MMMMM front mount... i may have to get one of these... ug I am begenning to regret getting my fm now

Are you referring to the front mounted Caroni flail?? It is essentially identical to the FM1900 except that it is set up to run off a front PTO. I'd love one too as I've always been jealous of the PowerTrac guys who can bush hog front first. Seems so much more natural than either twisting around to see where you are going or running through big stuff you are trying to cut ahead of the mower. Too bad front PTOs are such a rare option on CUTs. Surprising in a way as the potential for snowblower applications would be tremendous and lots of CUTs are owned by snowbelters.

 

[millpond]

Islandtractor that did it for me. If Caroni flail with hammers can run after that
picture with metal wrapped around the drum I figure a few rocks aren't go'in
to make a bit O difference. TM1900 for Spring 2008.