Mowing Flail Mower for DK35

[kruszert]

First I should say that I am new to this forum and to tracors (unless you count a 1954 Farmall Cub). I purchased a new DK35 in Feb. of this year with backhoe and loader with 4 way bucket. Added a tooth bar after reading comments on this forum.

The DK35 started out being a big disappointment - - - the dealer messed up when putting on the attachments. The first couple of months were very frustrating as hydraulic oil sprayed everywhere and parts came off due to untightened fittings and bolts. After giving up on the dealer and going over it with a wrench, Loctite and fitting sealer - - - all is well and the tractor is great! I am finished with the dealer and wouldn't ark him the time of day much less a tractor question!

I am now looking at a flail mowers and wondering how large a flail mower this tractor will handle. There is a 72" New Holland 918H and 80" John Deere on Ebay that are in my price range. Also, a 72" advertised locally. Will this tractor handle that size flail mower and if not is 60" okay?

thanks for your help,
Reggie

 

[HODAK]

I ran a 60" on a CK30 for a few years in grass and light brush - no problems at all. As a matter of fact, I was looking for a six foot flail, but went with a six foot finish mower instead. I would think the 72" on your DK35 would be fine.

 

[TractorLegend]

Agri Supply® is a US Supplier of the Caroni brand Products & Parts

I was considering trying one of these on my CK30HST based on positive feedback from members and price...shipping is a killer to WA.
I have a 72 inch Kioti finish mower but think this may be more ideal for the terrain and growth on my land. I was told the 73 inch Caroni would do well. I wasn't aware of these when I bought my tractor.
Others report that the grass looks the same after mowing using a flail as opposed to a finish mower---I just have field grass, not a golf course

 

[IslandTractor]

I have a Caroni TM1900 (75 inch cut) and love it. Tough as a bush hog and cuts just about like a finish mower. I got it from AgriSupply just as TractorLegend noted.

I have run over tires, wheels, angle iron (in photo), rocks, and assorted abandoned and decayed farm equipment. No problem. I only needed to stop once to untangle the angle iron and that was just a matter of a minute or so.

 

[kruszert]

Thanks for the respnses and the website. Sounds like I should have no problem with a 72" mower and the website gave me prices of a new Caroni mower so I have a better idea of what to spend on ebay. I won't be paying much more than $1000 (plus having to drive 3 hours to pick it up) when I can a get a new one for less than $1900.

Reggie

 

[IslandTractor]

Be aware that there are big differences amongst flail mowers. There are very heavy duty flails used by highway departments that cost $3000 and up. Then there are a few companies like Caroni that make a middle duty flail. There are also some imports from China showing up (on eBay) through a company in Seattle I think (West coast anyway) and they are fairly cheap but I haven't seen any reviews of those.

 

[XCAT]

I have a Caroni TM1900 (75 inch cut) and love it. Tough as a bush hog and cuts just about like a finish mower. I got it from AgriSupply just as TractorLegend noted.

I have run over tires, wheels, angle iron (in photo), rocks, and assorted abandoned and decayed farm equipment. No problem. I only needed to stop once to untangle the angle iron and that was just a matter of a minute or so.

in that thicker scrub that Island Tractor has placed a pic of would you normally back the flail mower or must it be driven forward over it ?? and up to what diameter trees / scrub will it handle?? cheers

 

[IslandTractor]

in that thicker scrub that Island Tractor has placed a pic of would you normally back the flail mower or must it be driven forward over it ?? and up to what diameter trees / scrub will it handle?? cheers

In thick stuff I usually do back in but not always. I don't have any trouble backing into 2 inch bushes. I slow down and let the sound of the mower beating on the bush guide me to how fast to back in. Here are a series of photos showing a stand of bushes then the remains of the first bush which had several approximately 1.5-2 inch stems.

 

[IslandTractor]

Here are another set of photos showing thick brush and the Caroni flail. I drove one direction (forwards) then turned around and came back widening the cut. In this area I knew the field used to be mowed and did not have a lot of debris in it so I lowered the closed grapple as a probe and just drove through. The cut is pretty fine and what is really noteworthy, compared to doing this with a bush hog, is that there are not a lot of broken sticks tossed around. The flail really mulches the brush much better than a rotary mower.

 

[XCAT]

thanks for that , i was looking a buying a new slasher (i think you guys in the states call them brush hogs) but might see whats around here in australia
cheers