Flail Mower Let's talk flail mowers

[saxtonhill]

Agree that is at least part of his problem but I'd think there would be many others with similar complaints if it was just the lack of crawl speed. He has a tractor that puts out about 10 more HP than mine does and I don't need to "crawl".

I know I'm reporting to an old post but hopefully someone sees it and it's of some use:

After reading this thread since the beginning starting a week ago, I figured I'd do a test. My setup is a Kubota L4600 and a TM1900BSC that I bought used this year. I have replace all crappy flails and a few shackles that were binding. My roller is set to the 2nd lowest setting.

I have lots of pasture type acreage (40 areas of hillside and sort of flat) that I mow usually once a year after the birds are done nesting. I also have about 8 acres that I mow between my walnut trees. By the time I mow the grass and weeds are 5 foot tall.

Today I mowed about an acre with the Caroni on float using 2nd gear low range. With a few stops here and there due to very thick grass sections, it mowed without issue and resulted in a gorgeous bed of mulch.

I am amazed at the difference from using my Woods BX72 (?). Although I could go faster, 3rd gear low range, I had to set it at about 10" and it did a messy job.

Anyway, that's the test. Love the Caroni so far.

 

[jthibodeau89]

I can't stand it any longer. I just got to get me one of these damn FLAIL mowers. I live in north central Louisiana and we have no dealers in my part of the woods. I have been looking at a CARONI brand mower 73" for about $ 2600.00

Do any of you guys have any info on this brand. this REDNECK COONASS needs some help. My tractor is 65 HP.
Thanks for info,
Allen

A Deere 390 will run very well with 65HP

 

[allen ledford]

Thanks for the info. I have another question. The Caroni has 2 belts. some of the other brands have 3 belts for the same size mower. Is 3 belts better?

 

[allen ledford]

Please try to explain the pully diameter factor.

 

[Beeenvenue]

Thanks for the info. I have another question. The Caroni has 2 belts. some of the other brands have 3 belts for the same size mower. Is 3 belts better?

Typically more are better. In the end it is more about belt width - wider means more hp can be transmitted (so 3 are usually wider than 2 but depends on the belt). For the same hp, wider belt means less stress on the belt.

hpwever you DO want a weakest link - slipping a belt, even if it has to be replaced, is a good way to prevent damage should you jam the rotor.
Then there is belt material; Kevlar type are typically better and last longer.
Finally you can get combo belts, where you can buy one wide belt that is the same width as 2 (or 3) standard belt. Advantage there is there is no “matching” of lots to ensure different belts don’t have slightly different characteristics.
However proper belt run design with tensioner, etc and proper tensioning and pulley alignment is far more critical to belt life than the belt itself. There is a large amount of science around belts that can be used; depends on the machine manufacturer which is one reason why the Chinese imports are regarded as slightly inferior to US/Italian models which typically draw on that body of engineering knowledge more heavily

 

[Beeenvenue]

Please try to explain the pully diameter factor.

Beside Determining the speed ratio, in general a smaller pulley is worse on belts because of the lower contact area (allows more slippage) and greater bending (wear on the belt) so more tension is required to properly transmit HP. Those are general considerations though and depends on specific design calculations which vary by total belt path, belt width, hp to be transmitted, potential desire to allow slippage to reduce shock loading, etc.

 

[TheFarmerInAdell]

As far as belt quantity goes, my Alamo SHD88 only has 1 belt, a size C belt. As far as I know all Alamo mowers use 1 belt. I've had the belt shred when I've hit things I probably shouldn't have hit (logs that jammed the rotor tight). Otherwise it would last for a long time. I think the belt is the "shear pin" on my mower. It saves the gearbox from certain demise when my mower finds things my eyes didn't. It provides more of a cushion than a slip clutch would. I just keep an extra belt on hand at all times as I typically only go through 1 a year.

Belt tension mechanisms are important. It's best to have an extra pulley as the tensioner. I feel spring tensioners are better than solid tensioners. I've seen the Chinese mowers use the jack shaft (between the gearbox and the belt) as the tensioning mechanism. That is a poor design in my opinion. It does not guarantee parallelism between the pulleys. Pulleys that are not parallel will cause all sorts of issues with the belt(s).

 

[Menagerie-Manor]

As far as belt quantity goes, my Alamo SHD88 only has 1 belt, a size C belt. As far as I know all Alamo mowers use 1 belt. I've had the belt shred when I've hit things I probably shouldn't have hit (logs that jammed the rotor tight). Otherwise it would last for a long time. I think the belt is the "shear pin" on my mower. It saves the gearbox from certain demise when my mower finds things my eyes didn't. It provides more of a cushion than a slip clutch would. I just keep an extra belt on hand at all times as I typically only go through 1 a year.

Belt tension mechanisms are important. It's best to have an extra pulley as the tensioner. I feel spring tensioners are better than solid tensioners. I've seen the Chinese mowers use the jack shaft (between the gearbox and the belt) as the tensioning mechanism. That is a poor design in my opinion. It does not guarantee parallelism between the pulleys. Pulleys that are not parallel will cause all sorts of issues with the belt(s).

I found the Jack shaft simple and effective as long as the gearbox which has vertical adjustment is adjusted with the output shaft.

 

[leonz]

I can't stand it any longer. I just got to get me one of these damn FLAIL mowers. I live in north central Louisiana and we have no dealers in my part of the woods. I have been looking at a CARONI brand mower 73" for about $ 2600.00

Do any of you guys have any info on this brand. this REDNECK COONASS needs some help. My tractor is 65 HP.
Thanks for info,
Allen

Hello and good morning Mr. Ledford,

You have come to the right place for information about flail mower in general.

The first thing you should really do is read the lets talk flail mowers and then
come back and ask questions.

My Brother in laws joke about a coonass was this;
"What's the difference between a coon ass and a dumb ass??; Answer, The Sabine River.

Once you have read the flail mower thread and asked questions you will know which type
of flail mower you need.

 

[DieselBound]

I can't stand it any longer. I just got to get me one of these damn FLAIL mowers. I live in north central Louisiana and we have no dealers in my part of the woods. I have been looking at a CARONI brand mower 73" for about $ 2600.00

Do any of you guys have any info on this brand. this REDNECK COONASS needs some help. My tractor is 65 HP.
Thanks for info,
Allen

What are you looking/needing to mow?

I'm running a 7' flail on my 55hp Kioti and am mowing all sorts of crap, in which case I had to have a mulcher type of flail (as well as having hydraulic side-shift): the flail is rated for 60hp to 120hp machines (I have to operate at slower ground speeds so I figured I could get by being a bit under-powered). Prices have gone up and are now around $4,300 for this flail: I got mine for $3,500. Lighter-duty flails are, of course, less.