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The TRACTOR thread

billybob_81067 said:
Do they handle bigger stuff well? Like the guy above knocking down 4" trees? :grinpimp:
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Our 50yo 5ft ford flail mower can chew up whatever a 4500# tractor can drive over, so yes. Just go slow. Might make a couple of passes. If done properly it doesn’t leave a spear sticking out like a rotary tends to do, important if you plan to drive through there later with rubber tires.
 
Levigarrett76 said:
What are the downsides of flail? Ive neverknown anyone who runs one
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Like mentioned above its no fun when it hits fence wire but is usually easily unwrapped in a few minutes.

The BIGGEST downside and it has only happened to me twice. Running over a root ball that has had the trunk rotted off of a smaller tree. The flail can grab it and if it is the perfect size it can wedge into the top side between the deck and rotating assembly. When this happens you need to manually turn the hammer drum backwards to release the root ball. Its tough to get enough leverage to get it to turn when it gets wedged in there.


They are very forgiving due to being belt driven and the rpm they run at, I believe mine runs at 2200rpm. My 5ft rotary mower would often stall my tractor on bigger material where as the flail rarely stalls. It will slow down, or slip the belts a bit giving me enough time to back off.
 
back woods said:
Like mentioned above its no fun when it hits fence wire but is usually easily unwrapped in a few minutes.

The BIGGEST downside and it has only happened to me twice. Running over a root ball that has had the trunk rotted off of a smaller tree. The flail can grab it and if it is the perfect size it can wedge into the top side between the deck and rotating assembly. When this happens you need to manually turn the hammer drum backwards to release the root ball. Its tough to get enough leverage to get it to turn when it gets wedged in there.


They are very forgiving due to being belt driven and the rpm they run at, I believe mine runs at 2200rpm. My 5ft rotary mower would often stall my tractor on bigger material where as the flail rarely stalls. It will slow down, or slip the belts a bit giving me enough time to back off.
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how frequently do you have to replace chains/flail blades that tear off?
 
WTF? said:
how frequently do you have to replace chains/flail blades that tear off?
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I mowed hundreds of acres of CRP when I was a teenager with ours, mowing down a thousand trees, probably close to 100 that were 3"+. Never lost a chain or a knife.

ETA: Most were cedar trees or soft hardwoods like maple, but probably 10% or more were hedge or mulberry
 
WTF? said:
how frequently do you have to replace chains/flail blades that tear off?
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Not very often, there are cast and forged hammers. The cast can break if you hit a big rock or brick. Other than that, touch them up with a grinder once in a while.
 
OutlawRider said:
Any way you can get an offset flail that won’t die cutting down younger growth trees?
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betstco.com

Betstco Tractor Impliments

The leading distributor of 3 point tractor implements such as backhoes, flail mowers, wood chippers, log splitters, tillers and more! High quality products at low prices.
betstco.com

They make some good units that are super expensive.
 
[486] said:
sorta like a single stage snowblower with flappy blades instead of an auger

and much heavier guarding, lol
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shorter stroke more rpm so more chew less bludgeon? Sounds like the right tool for sapling size stuff.
 
The Outdoors with Eric YT guy uses one on his little Kubota to clean up some properties. I am pretty amazed at the shit it will eat and not hurt his little 25-30hp tractor. messy tangle of sprouts and vines? no problem it will chew it up. goes over it a couple times and it's more or less chips/mulch
 
Wades_76_cj7 said:
The Outdoors with Eric YT guy uses one on his little Kubota to clean up some properties. I am pretty amazed at the shit it will eat and not hurt his little 25-30hp tractor. messy tangle of sprouts and vines? no problem it will chew it up. goes over it a couple times and it's more or less chips/mulch
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A quick look and it appears that he's using a $10-12k PTO Forrestry mulcher which is a bit more aggressive than a flail mower, and will certainly eat up almost anything in its path with relative ease

That company does make a flail mower at about half the cost though
 
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my bad i thought it was just a flail. I have seen them but never used one personally
 
Wades_76_cj7 said:
my bad i thought it was just a flail. I have seen them but never used one personally
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no big deal- the only reason I now know that is because when i looked up the manufacturer specs, the flail mower didnt look like what is shown in the videos.

And i was today years old when i learned that someone makes a PTO driven mulcher which is certainly cool. The only ones i have ever seen were hydro attachments for skidsteer or excavators.
 
JR4X said:
Can you make a bladed brush hog into a flail mower by replacing the blades with the whip chains?

Edit: nope. Flail doesn’t look like what I thought a flail mower was.
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I have seen this done with like heavy logging chain....think like 3/4-1" link chain...
 
my outside mowers are hydraulically driven off the front pump. the rear is PTO driven.
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Welded my beat up bush hog back together, she spit a 7/16 shear bolt within 1 minute of operation as a rigid unit.
IMG_4940.jpeg
The only thing i had on hand was a grade 8 bolt to replace it, so YOLO'ed it. 2 of 5 of my cold weld repairs cracked again, and a couple new repair areas made themselves known.

I keep losing front end weights- she was missing 2 when she came back to the barn last, at one point today I was only down 1, then I was down 3 and ended up back to down 2 at dusk.. :homer:
 
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Kriptonite said:
Got a good start on the limb risers and cab guard today.
IMG_20241008_131726583_HDR.jpg
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Are those the tubes your using for mock-up and are actually going to use some heavier tubing as limb risers? Otherwise they are just going to bend up and destroy your machine.
 
How are you going to open your hood? Doesn’t the front bumper have to tip forward for clearance?

I have to open mine about every half hour to blow it out in tall weeds/grass on my MX6000.
 
The one inch tubes are 3/16 thick and that's what I used on my other tractor with no problems. To tilt the grill guard I just remove the two bolts at the front, hood clears the risers fine. And yeah I have to open the hood around every 2 hours when the chaf is heavy. Oh and the tires are factory.
Thanks for y'all's concern :flipoff2:.
 
Someone mentioned grooving tires in a previous post.
I grooved the fronts on my BX and it made a noticeable difference in the snow. I haven’t done the rears but may in the future.
 

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