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Posted: 5/7/2024 12:10:43 PM EDT
I'm looking to buy a used flail mower for my JD 3020 gas tractor. Its 78 hp. I've seen several people recommend, and talked to a neighbor who uses, 7.5-8' wide flail for mowing grass. What exactly am I looking for and are there any brands to stay away from? Anything I should be looking at in particular when assessing used one? I'm only doing a few acres a couple times a year, don't need to spend big money. I feel like I've seen Alamo brand ones pop up fairly frequently at reasonable prices.
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Posted: 5/7/2024 12:24:18 PM EDT
[#1]
main shaft bearings are the big one, followed by condition of the knives. Both are basically a wear item. So run one long enough and you'll replace both but you don't want that hassle if you're only running it a few times a year.
You've got more than enough power, I grew up running a 5 or 6 foot Mott on a 20 horse Farmall A. They do a nice job if the knives are sharp. Tend to put a lot of shit in the air, but if you run them backwards (if your knives are double sided) they were basically the first mulching mowers. It's been a hot minute since I've run a flail. |
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Posted: 5/7/2024 12:29:49 PM EDT
[#2]
I picked up a Ford 907. Did some welding, replaced some bearings and after a season sprang for all new flails and links.
You can keep them going forever. |
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Posted: 5/7/2024 3:48:03 PM EDT
[#3]
Guess nobody else likes to flail things.
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Posted: 5/7/2024 3:49:26 PM EDT
[#4]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By UndrGrndPrdcts: Guess nobody else likes to flail things. Ask in this group and be patient, good answers will come. https://www.ar15.com/forums/outdoors/Homestead-Farm-andamp-Garden/19/ |
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AL, USA
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Posted: 5/7/2024 4:02:18 PM EDT
[#5]
Got 2 Fords 5 ft and 6 ft. Not a good cut as a finish mower but not supposed to. Mine does have general purpose blades though.
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Posted: 5/7/2024 4:06:00 PM EDT
[#6]
Why do you want a flail over a rotary? Rotary is a lot cheaper and probably faster, although quality of cut is rougher.
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Posted: 5/7/2024 4:08:22 PM EDT
[#7]
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Posted: 5/7/2024 4:11:32 PM EDT
[#8]
Have an attachment called a "Perruzo " , an Italian made 48" flail collection mower with verticutter knives, collects debris in a hydraulic dumped hopper . Make sure you can get parts .
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Posted: 5/7/2024 4:22:41 PM EDT
[#9]
A cheaper bush hog type mower won't work?
I know nothing of flail mowers Ask here the Arf of tractor shit 
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MI, USA
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Posted: 5/7/2024 4:55:05 PM EDT
[#10]
I use a tow behind brush hog with my Kawasaki Mule.
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WI, USA
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Posted: 5/7/2024 5:09:22 PM EDT
[#11]
I had a Alamo that I bought used, I think it was about 5-6 ft, used it on a 45 hp Deere.
Sold both and downsized. I now have a 4ft flail that I use on a 25hp Deere. Advantages of flail over brush hog, much more maneuverable due to its smaller size, mowing curvy trails, smaller turning distance. Safer to run, doesn't throw stuff like a brush hog. Much more indestructible, can hit stumps and rocks without the worry of bent shafts or broken blades. All our county uses for mowing ditches is flail mowers, some with mower on a articulated arm that can trim brush along the road. |
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Posted: 5/7/2024 5:16:21 PM EDT
[#12]
I've got an 8' Rhino (Alamo). A 60hp Kubota runs it fine, no bogging. Advantage over rotary is they don't throw things as far (rocks into windows), they don't stick out as far off the back and they don't windrow. Disadvantage is they don't cut as well if the grass is super tall, you might have to cut it twice.
If cutting grass get a knife type over a hammer type. You can sharpen both sides of the knives and then flip them over when one side gets dull. There's a place in Murfreesboro TN called Flailmaster that has most parts for any of them. |
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Posted: 5/7/2024 5:19:04 PM EDT
[#13]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By bansil: A cheaper bush hog type mower won't work? I know nothing of flail mowers Ask here the Arf of tractor shit Tractor By Net is about a dozen or so people that post on every post whether they know what they are talking about or not, mostly not. That shithole of a forum can't hold a candle to this one. |
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Posted: 5/7/2024 5:19:34 PM EDT
[#14]
Don't run it over any old hidden wire fencing. Don't ask because you don't want to know. It'll suck up a miles worth of it before you have enough time to say "WTF is going on". Said wire then becomes so tight and strong that scrapping the mower and buying a new one will be your choice.
You've been warned. Same happened on a mulcher while taking out overgrown fencerows. NOT cool. Walk your area diligently before getting after it. |
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Posted: 5/7/2024 5:23:13 PM EDT
[#15]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By explodingvarmints: Don't run it over any old hidden wire fencing. Don't ask because you don't want to know. It'll suck up a miles worth of it before you have enough time to say "WTF is going on". Said wire then becomes so tight and strong that scrapping the mower and buying a new one will be your choice. You've been warned. Same happened on a mulcher while taking out overgrown fencerows. NOT cool. Walk your area diligently before getting after it. |
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Posted: 5/7/2024 6:56:35 PM EDT
[#16]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By dusty3030: Tractor By Net is about a dozen or so people that post on every post whether they know what they are talking about or not, mostly not. That shithole of a forum can't hold a candle to this one. Here's a 🍺....it has been good to me over the years, as long as you weed through the shit, kind of like thehulltruth 90% rich fuckers that spew shit when they pay $800 a day for fuel to fish every day on 3/4 million dollar boats...still good info there also |
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Posted: 5/7/2024 8:04:21 PM EDT
[#17]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By dusty3030: I've got an 8' Rhino (Alamo). A 60hp Kubota runs it fine, no bogging. Advantage over rotary is they don't throw things as far (rocks into windows), they don't stick out as far off the back and they don't windrow. Disadvantage is they don't cut as well if the grass is super tall, you might have to cut it twice. If cutting grass get a knife type over a hammer type. You can sharpen both sides of the knives and then flip them over when one side gets dull. There's a place in Murfreesboro TN called Flailmaster that has most parts for any of them. How tall is too tall? The whole reason I'm considering a flail is for a better looking cut. |
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Posted: 5/7/2024 8:38:35 PM EDT
[#18]
Thigh to waist high or taller
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MI, USA
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Posted: 5/7/2024 9:32:21 PM EDT
[#19]
I have a 48" Betstco commercial duty that I've used on the back of my Kubota L2800 for about 3 years now.
It cuts grass very nicely, but the skids do leave a mark in uneven terrain, and it tends to dig in a little on tight corners. That being said, I don't use it for finish mowing so don't really care about that. I cut walking paths with it around our hay field, and woods. It works fine for that. I run hammer blades on mine and it will turn sticks and brush into fine mulch. I hired a guy with a front mount skid steer brush hog to clear a bunch of Russian olive and honeysuckle for us as driving over it with the tractor to get the flail on it was beating the tractor up. When he was done there was a mess of sticks and branches. I've gone over it with the flail mower and it's turned them into nice mulch. I questioned going with the Betstco one, but couldn't find the bigger brands in stock. I've not regretted the Betstco yet. I did get the commercial grade one, as it is a lot thicker gauge steel on it. |
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Posted: 5/7/2024 9:42:34 PM EDT
[#20]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By dusty3030: Tractor By Net is about a dozen or so people that post on every post whether they know what they are talking about or not, mostly not. That shithole of a forum can't hold a candle to this one. Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By dusty3030: Originally Posted By bansil: A cheaper bush hog type mower won't work? I know nothing of flail mowers Ask here the Arf of tractor shit Tractor By Net is about a dozen or so people that post on every post whether they know what they are talking about or not, mostly not. That shithole of a forum can't hold a candle to this one. |
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AR, USA
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Posted: 5/7/2024 10:15:42 PM EDT
[#21]
I also am interested to hear from flail mower experts. Thinking about getting one for my little Kubota B7100 HST.
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Posted: 5/7/2024 10:48:32 PM EDT
[#22]
I like Rears, and Flory flails.
Only see Alamo run by municipalitys and they have a million hours on them by the time they are at auction. |
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Posted: 5/7/2024 11:24:10 PM EDT
[#23]
They use a flailer for sage brush removal, works well.
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Posted: 5/8/2024 8:28:50 AM EDT
[#24]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By OregonShooter: I like Rears, and Flory flails. Only see Alamo run by municipalitys and they have a million hours on them by the time they are at auction. I've just been looking on FB marketplace. |
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