Victory Ditch Bank Flail or Bush Hog 216 Rotary Mower?

[K5lwq]

See post #611 in that same thread for a link to a manual valve that might be an option.

Yes a manual valve would be much cheaper than what I did. Having a cab kinda dictated my path. I am happy with the results though.

 

[Ford850]

Yes a manual valve would be much cheaper than what I did. Having a cab kinda dictated my path. I am happy with the results though.

Yours looks great. I was only referring to the manual valve for Ismilealot since he said yours looked complicated.

 

[kthompson]

Sitting in my house trying to remove the hose routing on mine ditch bank flail mower. But my hoses are not just laying around as yours are. Will see about taking pictures and posting. Bought mine this spring being a Phoenix made by Sigma if memory is correct. One thing suggest you check be sure the pto shaft that is not binding when the mower is at full extensions and retraction. Easy to do with someone operating the controls with mower running at low rpm and someone outside the cab to listen for a clicking or light tapping sound.

As to float being a must or greatly need option, my tractor has float on one remote which we use on the tilt for the mower head but my third arm mount has slot to allow for floating of the mower itself front to rear when you lower it to cut. If yours does not have that, you might could use some chain for third arm to allow float action as many do with a rough cut mower. I have used a boom mower with flail mower a fair amount for at least 16 years and like them. Don't find I mow as fast with them as a rotary offset mower but not throwing debris and leaving more desirable chipped type debris, I also find my right hand does not leave the remotes far or for long when on ditch banks.

Hope you enjoy your mower. Hookup takes a good bit so much to do and verify. On the stand that can not be pinned in the up position can it be flipped upside down and stored that way coming in from the top of the holder?

 

[K5lwq]

Sitting in my house trying to remove the hose routing on mine ditch bank flail mower. But my hoses are not just laying around as yours are. Will see about taking pictures and posting. Bought mine this spring being a Phoenix made by Sigma if memory is correct. One thing suggest you check be sure the pto shaft that is not binding when the mower is at full extensions and retraction. Easy to do with someone operating the controls with mower running at low rpm and someone outside the cab to listen for a clicking or light tapping sound.

As to float being a must or greatly need option, my tractor has float on one remote which we use on the tilt for the mower head but my third arm mount has slot to allow for floating of the mower itself front to rear when you lower it to cut. If yours does not have that, you might could use some chain for third arm to allow float action as many do with a rough cut mower. I have used a boom mower with flail mower a fair amount for at least 16 years and like them. Don't find I mow as fast with them as a rotary offset mower but not throwing debris and leaving more desirable chipped type debris, I also find my right hand does not leave the remotes far or for long when on ditch banks.

Hope you enjoy your mower. Hookup takes a good bit so much to do and verify. On the stand that can not be pinned in the up position can it be flipped upside down and stored that way coming in from the top of the holder?

That did not work either. I fixed that one by drilling a new hole in the proper place so it functions now as designed.

The float is nice so the head can follow as the ground as the angle needs to change. For example, my ditch is steeper in spots and the angle changes constantly as I go. No way I could get a even cut trying to keep up with it manually. Front to back is fine using the slot on the top link for what I am mowing.

It did take some time going over and checking everything before using. Some of the time was spent in me just getting familiar with it's proper operation. Being my first flail, this was time well spent.

I did check the PTO closely and it is does not bind too much. It runs quiet and smooth in all positions.

 

[kthompson]

I used mine today and failed to get the float function on my rear remote to lock in float. Not sure dealer installed the linkage correctly. Hope come up with simple solution for your float. If you don't come up with hyd valve maybe you could install some chain between the tilt cylinder and the mower head sort of like some people do on a rough cut mower for third arm.

I finally was at my mower today and it has clamp blocks on it in a couple of places hold the hoses in place. You probably have but if not be sure the gearbox has necessary oil in it. Some if not all are shipped empty.

 

[K5lwq]

I used mine today and failed to get the float function on my rear remote to lock in float. Not sure dealer installed the linkage correctly. Hope come up with simple solution for your float. If you don't come up with hyd valve maybe you could install some chain between the tilt cylinder and the mower head sort of like some people do on a rough cut mower for third arm.

I finally was at my mower today and it has clamp blocks on it in a couple of places hold the hoses in place. You probably have but if not be sure the gearbox has necessary oil in it. Some if not all are shipped empty.

What brand is yours? I hope you do post some pictures.

My gearbox did not have oil either. I did tie up the hoses but there might be a better way of doing that. I originally purchased this mower just for mowing my ditch and some rough ground I have but it does such a good job, I have been mowing most of my place with it.

I wish the quick hitch would have worked with the mower. It would require a good bit of modifications for a quick hitch. I might do that one day. But for now, it will just stay on the Branson and I will use the Kioti for my other tasks.

Here is some pictures of the first day I used it.

 

[leonz]

Hello K5lwq,


You can better manage the hoses by using large loom clamps. Any good hardware store will have them in stock.

You will need to drill into the three point hitch frame steel on the mower frame to mount the loom clamps in place. Its better to do it this way rather than routing the hoses through some steel tubing welded to the frame.

About the middle picture image; can you tell me why the lower links of your mules three point hitch are not level??? Are you simply letting the draft control sink to follw the ground more closely??

 

[leonz]

I was typing while you and Mr. Thompson were chatting and my questions were answered

 

[K5lwq]

Hello K5lwq,


You can better manage the hoses by using large loom clamps. Any good hardware store will have them in stock.

You will need to drill into the three point hitch frame steel on the mower frame to mount the loom clamps in place. Its better to do it this way rather than routing the hoses through some steel tubing welded to the frame.

About the middle picture image; can you tell me why the lower links of your mules three point hitch are not level??? Are you simply letting the draft control sink to follw the ground more closely??

I have since found a more happy medium for the level of the lower links. When you side shift it lifts the one side up a bit. When the mower follows the tractor it is level. Where I have it now it is not as bad as that picture but certainly not perfectly level.

I am getting a very level cut where it is now so I don't see much issue with the swing. Not sure anything can be done to minimize change unless I wanted to adjust for when I want the mower to the side and readjust when I wanted the mower behind me. Without adding more remotes and a tilt cylinder, I would have to do this manually. Do you foresee a problem that I am not considering?

 

[leonz]

If you have 2 levers for the draft control I would take the left lever and lower it all the way to level the lower links to make sure it comes back to center.

The way the three point hitch it is set up now you essentially are burying the toe of the mold board plow for a deep suck. These mowers work well with both the lower links level when mowing.