Heavy Duty Flail Mulchers

[JCoastie]

A question. You get a HD flail mower that is rated to cut 5" material. How are you going to get at that 5" material?? Is your tractor designed to drive over and flatten this stuff? My understanding of flail mowers - they do not cut well in reverse.

Am I missing something - ?

I've been wondering the same thing.

 

[cstamm81]

I've been wondering the same thing.

see my previous response to this question.

 

[oosik]

Thanks much - cstamm81. Been trying to decide between a flail & a bush hog type. On my property it will mainly be mowing down brush. Buck brush - normal size is - 2 feet high - diameter of your yellow lead pencil. Getting tired of "ramming" my brand new JD X570 into these brush patches.

 

[Fallon]

A question. You get a HD flail mower that is rated to cut 5" material. How are you going to get at that 5" material?? Is your tractor designed to drive over and flatten this stuff? My understanding of flail mowers - they do not cut well in reverse.

Am I missing something - ?

With side shift you can hang the flail a couple feet to the side of the tractor & take small passes. That's how I got the 2-3" scrub oak in my previous post. That's slow going though & puts a lot of twisting force on the 3pt. If you want more that 3" you are best off getting a forestry mulcher that mounts to a skid steer or runs off a front PTO or something. Even if it's cut branches on the ground they will still kick up into your undercarriage when you drive over em. Tractor undercarriages aren't armored at all, plenty of hoses, linkages & filters perfectly exposed down there.

 

[Fallon]

Oh and flails don't cut for crap in reverse. Maybe mow 25% of the material. Not sure if it's because the roller lays it down or what, but unless it's stiff woody material you have to mow forward to cut it if you backed over it.

 

[oosik]

Thanks - Fallon. Forty years out here and haven't damaged either tractor with limbs, stobs, branches etc. I think I'll just continue using my big 'ol Stihl FS350. I have a modified head with three free-swinging carbon steel blades. It's slow but nothing gets damaged. It's slow because even with the harness for the Stihl, my back will only take it for about an hour or so.

Nothing damaged will keep me happy - sure will be a relief for my JD X570.

 

[cstamm81]

Looking around for affordable flails rates to cut 3” plus material, and I found this model by Lipa: LIPA TLS 180 Tractor Mounted Flail Mower (72″ Cut, 3Pt – With Side Shift) For 50-60 hp Tractors
The only other in stock brand I can find is the Betstco: 63" Super Heavy Duty Trail Cutter/Flail Mower, FH-D160 | Betstco Sales, Parts, and Service:
They have a 63” and a 72”. The Lipa is 72”. With any of these models, I’d only be able to run them on my 60hp Kubota. I spoke to a woman at Betsco on Friday, she was very nice and helpful, but I did not get he impression she knew much about the D series they sell. I like the idea of saving money, and I like the 5” rating, but something tells me the Lipa will be a much better machine than the Chinese Betstco.

 

[Menagerie-Manor]

Looking around for affordable flails rates to cut 3” plus material, and I found this model by Lipa: LIPA TLS 180 Tractor Mounted Flail Mower (72″ Cut, 3Pt – With Side Shift) For 50-60 hp Tractors
The only other in stock brand I can find is the Betstco: 63" Super Heavy Duty Trail Cutter/Flail Mower, FH-D160 | Betstco Sales, Parts, and Service:
They have a 63” and a 72”. The Lipa is 72”. With any of these models, I’d only be able to run them on my 60hp Kubota. I spoke to a woman at Betsco on Friday, she was very nice and helpful, but I did not get he impression she knew much about the D series they sell. I like the idea of saving money, and I like the 5” rating, but something tells me the Lipa will be a much better machine than the Chinese Betstco.

I have about 4 hours on the Bestco 48" HD mower and I cannot find much to ***** about. It's a beast going thru a wall of 6 to 8 foot brush. For my application it works but I can understand the need for a tough continuous duty piece of equipment. I was at their facility recently, nice group of people.

 

[the old grind]

I have ~ 50 hrs on my Betstco 53" 'med duty' flail after 3 1/2 yrs and really like how the hammers hold up to rocks up to fist size when I'm cutting to < 2". btw, JMHO but the 'FHD-160' would be my top pick for the OP's L5740.

 

[kenmbz]

I have a Betstco 48" HD. Other than chipping two hammers on rocks and the OEM belts throwing dust . It's been working great on taking out small branches and bushes. Chewed a small stump down by accident. Lots of noise but took it down a bit before I lifter the flail, was about 4" or so.