Flail Mower Let's talk flail mowers

[IslandTractor]

Well here's my new to me ford 917 including a pic of the blades that are on it. Only real mechanical defect I found on it was a previous owner had let bad bearing go on the roller to the point it wore a hole in the housing. Guy I bought it from had replaced the bearing with a sealed unit. If I keep it long enough for the sealed bearing to go out I may take it to the machine shop and let them braze it up and repair it correctly. I also got a bag full of the mounting rings and some spare blades in the deal. The belt guard came with it as well, it's just not on at the moment, guy had taken it off so I could inspect the pulley system. <img src="http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/files/attachments/378060-lets-talk-flail-mowers-flail-1-jpg"/> <img src="http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/files/attachments/378061-lets-talk-flail-mowers-flail-2-jpg"/> <img src="http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/files/attachments/378062-lets-talk-flail-mowers-flail-3-jpg"/> <img src="http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/files/attachments/378063-lets-talk-flail-mowers-blade-jpg"/> <img src="http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/files/attachments/378064-lets-talk-flail-mowers-flail-damage-jpg"/>

That was a deal for $500. Looks beefier than the Caroni and the Caroni is plenty strong.

 

[leonz]

As I said in response to your other posting call agrisupply and ask for Rodney Barbour.
Mr. Barbour is the import manager for the Caroni line of implements carried by agri supply.

The person who told you that is absolutely wrong and they make these mowers everyday as well as the parts.

 

[nova3930]

That was a deal for $500. Looks beefier than the Caroni and the Caroni is plenty strong.

I thought so. I went fully prepared to haggle and couldn't do it in good concience. Thought it was probably worth a bit more than $500....

 

[mjstef]

Which way are these flails turning? My limited experience was with a Dandl in the late 80's. It was a forward rotating rotor so it would lift the grass knocked down by the tires pretty well. From what i am seeing everything out there is reverse rotation. I do remember the Dandl being VERY smooth as it has a Pendulum mounted bearing at each end of the rotor which allowed the rotor to self balance.

 

[dieselscout80]

Well here's my new to me ford 917 including a pic of the blades that are on it. Only real mechanical defect I found on it was a previous owner had let bad bearing go on the roller to the point it wore a hole in the housing. Guy I bought it from had replaced the bearing with a sealed unit. If I keep it long enough for the sealed bearing to go out I may take it to the machine shop and let them braze it up and repair it correctly. I also got a bag full of the mounting rings and some spare blades in the deal. The belt guard came with it as well, it's just not on at the moment, guy had taken it off so I could inspect the pulley system.

I love my 917.

Those knive are what mine has (three rows of 11) work great. They cut lawn grass, clip pastures and even do light bushhog type cutting.

I sharpen mine with a 4.5" angle grinder with a flap wheel.

Great score.

 

[oldtoyboyd]

Does anybody have or know where a 918H is for parts?
I am looking for some hitch parts and skids for mine.

 

[nova3930]

I love my 917.

Those knive are what mine has (three rows of 11) work great. They cut lawn grass, clip pastures and even do light bushhog type cutting.

I sharpen mine with a 4.5" angle grinder with a flap wheel.

Great score.

I put a new CNH belt on it and tried it out yesterday. It worked pretty well although I think the blades need a good sharpening. Due to the rocks, we've been unable to cut the front part of my place so it was overgrown with weeds. Mower tended to bog down in some of the heavier woodier weeds like pigweed. Also seemed like it was missing some strips.

Also could potentially be the tractor I was borrowing didn't have enough PTO power for that size mower. I was using a Kubota L3800 HST which only has about 29HP @ the PTO. On top of that I may not have had it adjusted correctly being the first time I've used it and all.

I may just go ahead and put new blades on it so I know they're in good shape before I use it again.

 

[TNhobbyfarmer]

I love my 917.

Those knive are what mine has (three rows of 11) work great. They cut lawn grass, clip pastures and even do light bushhog type cutting.

I sharpen mine with a 4.5" angle grinder with a flap wheel.

Great score.

I also have a new to me 917. Dieselscout, do you take the knives off when you sharpen them with the flap wheel or are you able to do it with them still on the flail?

I used the 917 for the third time yesterday. I changed the belt prior to using. I didn't have belt failure but just thought I would preempt any potential problems. The old belt looked pretty worn.

I use it at my property a couple of hours from home. I have a cabin and cut the yard area the first couple of uses. Yesterday I cut a grown over food plot area. The grass/weeds were about waist high. I wasn't sure what to expect. It is a six foot mower on a Kubota 3430, 34/29.5 HP. The cut was excellent compared to a bush hog and barely lugged the tractor at all. A flail is truly a good dual purpose cutter. It works well for finish type cutting and getting into the taller stuff as well. By the way, I got mine for $400.00 on CL. It has been trouble free so far, knock on wood.

 

[Sub-Cadet68]

I'm leaning towards this unit vs. the Caroni I ALMOST bought. FM-62 Flail Mower - WoodMaxx Mowers & Tillers

It's a little more money... but I like the fact that the rear baffle can be opened up & rear discharge to negate mulching in really high material.

My only concern is that the PTO on my machine is rated at 20hp and their unit calls for 25hp vs. 20hp on the comparable Caroni.

I spoke with Will from Woodmaxx for about 25 minutes on my lunch break today. He told me in no uncertain terms that the unit would be under powered on my tractor in very high grass/brush... but I'd be just fine using it for finish mowing/striping the majority of my lawn and knocking down a quarter acre or so that is rough and overgrown. It sounds like I'll just need to mow the rough stuff in low range at 1/2 to 1/4 speed.

Does anyone here use one?

 

[leonz]

now that I have seen thier video I can candidly say "no dont buy it" for two reasons.


There are no tubular weldments to hold the shroud and side weldments square and
to prevent it from racking/ twisting and thats never good.

The other reason is the side plates are bolted to the mower shroud.

That is not good simply because the mower can still twist and rack
even with thick steel plate that looks substantial. that is the reason
you see high quality flail mowers with tube frame construction and
full welds.


I would rather see you purchase a four foot Caroni with the F rotor and yes they
will order them and import them for you.



Disclaimer: The opinions offered by me are mine and mine alone alone and based
on my 30 plus years of ownership and operating flail mowers as a consumer.