Offset Flail MOwer

[TroyC]

Looking at a 72" flail mower and see lots of them offset to the right. I see the advantage for getting close to things without hitting the tractor tires. For those of you that use these offset mowers, do you find that you snag them on trees and such? Can't decide whether to get the cheaper offset one or pony up for a centered unit.

[newoodguy78]

I recently picked up two flail mowers cheap at an auction. One a 6' center mount the other a 7' offset. Used the offset quite a bit going around field edges, I really like it. Wish it was a wider with an even further offset truthfully. Allows getting for getting under stuff without so much potential for damage to the cab or myself if on an open station. The offset on mine is to the right side which is natural for me to be looking.
The potential for hitting something that will stop you dead or breaking something is certainly reality. Like any machine or implement though once you're used to it it becomes second nature.
I'm actually surprised you mentioned the offset being cheaper, when I was looking around for used in my area it was just the opposite. For me and what I do around here the offset is my choice. 
One other thing to keep in mind is the rotation of the head. Forward or backwards spinning makes a difference in cut quality. 
Recently there was talk about it in another thread but can't remember the name of it. As usual plenty of good info was shared. Someone else might be able to point you in the direction. 

[newoodguy78]

Well I went searching around looking for that other flail mower thread to share with you only to find it was one you started. Second page of the general board if you're looking  :D  
Best of luck finding what suits you. Looking forward to hearing about  what you end up with. 

[TroyC]

There is a nice Black Friday sale on a Titan so I'm going to try the 72". Figure if I don't like it that I can probably sell it easily.

[newoodguy78]

I've been around a few Titan implements have been impressed with the price to quality ratio. 

[Southside]

I have a grapple, bale squeeze, and man basket from them, all excellent value. 

[TroyC]

I have their 5' medium duty bush hog and have been pleased with it. Hope the flail does as good as the bush hog.

[Gere Flewelling]

I prefer 3PH flail mowers over rotary mowers for pasture mowing. Around here we have a lot of rocks that just give a quick hit on the flail knives where a rotary hits them over and over before you get past them.  Plus every one in a mile radius hears you when you are on top of one.  In an open field I think the rotary is much more efficient, but in tight turning areas a flail with a 12" offset is ideal.  I have an old Ford flail on my JD 5300 tractor that works very well.  I have a lot of invasive barberry, and multi-floral rose in my pasture and my offset mower will chop it down a foot at a time without hurting the old mower.  
A front mounted mulcher on a skid steer would be ideal around here except I am operating on a very small budget so old tractor and flail mower it is for now.

[hedgerow]

Over the years I have done a bunch of mowing CRP, pastures, fields and road ditches. Probably average 100-200 hours a year bush hogging mostly with a 14 foot flex wing. I have owned two flail mowers in that time one was a three point with a off set and a 14 ft pull type. They both worked ok but the cost of up keep was just too high. Blades just didn't last in my area. For me the flex wing works the best and is the cheapest per hour to operate. 

[TroyC]

Ordered the Titan 72" offset during the Black Friday sale price. Scheduled delivery next week. I plan to mow 6-8 acres several times a year at the hunt camp. Have been using the bush hog and going over it again with a small JD rider but it left a pile of clippings that sometimes I would have to gather up and burn. Problem with the bush hog is that it won't mow low enough to make camp area look like a lawn. Looks nice after the rider but then I have to deal with a thick layer of clippings plus I have twice the time in doing it. Hopefully this flail mower will mulch up the grass/hay and pine needles so the place looks nice. I'll post pics next week of the delivery and assembly. So far communication with Titan has been awesome, took care of all my questions quickly.

[Crusarius]

I wish I could get an offset zero turn. I mow along the edge of the driveway with ditches and around the pond. if I could just have 6" offset to one side it would be amazing. Save me alot of weedeater time.

[Tom King]

I have a zero-turn with a 72" deck, and it has enough "offset" on both sides to get close to and under fences, as well as under the edges of shrubbery, and down to the edge of the water at the waterfront.  We had a few Azalea bushes at a rental house that didn't allow access for the 72" deck, but I solved that problem by pulling them up.

[Crusarius]

mine is only a 52" deck and I have several trees I cannot get between. not willing to remove trees. but still wish zero turn manufacturers would start offsetting the decks. it would be so much nicer for alot of things.

[TroyC]

OK, Flail delivered today, no problems. Unloaded box from truck, set it in shop. Been sawing the large log today. Should finish up the sawing and get mower together in a couple days. First job is to mow a food plot. I usually do that with the bush hog and in September the plots are so grown up that I have to rake the cuttings to the side. Hopefully this flail will pulverize the biomass and put the nutrients back in the soil.



 






  

[JD Guy]

Looking forward to o the unveiling  8)

[TroyC]

Well, good news and bad... ..


 

 

Got it out of the box, bolted a few pieces together, put oil on gearbox, greased all the fittings. Hooked it up. So far, so good. Went for a test ride, figured I'd try it out on a food plot. Needed mowing anyway, pretty safe, nothing to hit there, right?

On the way to the food plot, mowed this little test strip. So far, so good.

Below is the food plot. Gonna go slow, don't need full PTO speed, 1st gear. Got to back side of plot and about the time I saw the pole it was too late. Hidden in the grass. (This might should go in the 'Did Something Dumb Today' post). My buddy had fabricated some sort of feeder hanger on a 20' thinwall EMT pipe. The top had a crosspiece that got sucked up in the flail. Clutch, raise flail, shut tractor off! The pipe thingy was relatively easy to untangle, no apparent damage to mower. Pipe thingy, not so lucky......
Ok, everything clear so we crank up, mower engaged, PTO spinning, flail not turning. Quick check, shear bolt missing.


Trip back to shop, insert new bolt. Made 1 lap and new bolt sheared. Guess I'll head to TS for a M8x50 grade 2 sheer bolt soon.

[Southside]

On a good note the shear bolt assembly passed the test. 

[Walnut Beast]

Man that makes a guy mad! And it's usually when you have something new! Should work great for you!

[hedgerow]

TroyC  That's the kind of luck I have. Seems like when I put on a new set of blades on the bat wing mower or the zero turn I go out and find a hidden prize in the grass. Enjoy that new mower. 

[JD Guy]

Troy C That looks to be a nice piece of equipment and you will enjoy it for many years. Your luck runs about like mine at times  arg-smiley arg-smiley

Seems every time I would put new cutters on my disc mower for hay I would find a rock, piece of barbed wire or some other objects to screw up a cutter or three! Usually would just sharpen those and move on.

At least you found that metal and it's one less headache to worry about :laugh:.

[TroyC]

 

 

Got it done. I like it. Mows close, does not bunch up clippings like the bush hog does. It would have been a waste of time to bush hog that plot today but the flail made it look like a lawn!

[newoodguy78]

Did you notice any horsepower difference required to run the flail mower compared to the bush hog? The field looks good. 

[TroyC]

Can't really tell yet. I will usually be using it on a Ford 2600 diesel. Today I had the flail on a Mahindra 4540 diesel. I haven't had the hog on the Mahindra but in the spring when I mow I'll update. I could tell the flail likes the rpm higher but it definitely cuts smoother.

[TroyC]

Trying to find M8x50 Grade 2 bolts seems near impossible. Plenty of grade 8 and higher, but standard bolts in that size seem scarce in USA. Box stores, Ace, local bolt supply houses, all have the hard ones.

Only solution I know is to drill out the 8mm and use 5/16"" which are available at TS by the pound.

8mm5/16 Inc0.31496 Inches Chart says they are the same but the 5/16 was a tick too big for the original flange hole.

[btulloh]

Drilling it out to 5/16 will eliminate years of frustration trying to have M8's on hand. Or chuck the 5/16 bolt in a drill and use a file to turn it down to fit the existing hole. . 

[stavebuyer]

If it is for a shear pin the hard bolt is what you want.

[TroyC]

Titan specified the grade 2. I'm afraid a harder bolt might break the casting the shear bolt goes thru.

Good suggestion turning the 5/16 in a drill. It's really close and wont take much. Pays to put things out there on the FF. Thanks!

[thecfarm]

Looks the same thing on my snowblower, but mine is only ¼ inch.
Well it's ¼ inch now.  ;) It was 7mm? All I know it was almost ¼ in size. Took no time to make it bigger. Just ran it through as easy as could be. That's how I made mine into American size.  ;D
It snaps them American size bolts off just fine. And they are much cheaper.
I had a frail mower on the back of a 30hp tractor and never broke a shear pin. But the wife used it most of the time too.

[customsawyer]

Check with Rawls there in Dublin. They probably have the bolt.

[TroyC]

Lindsey had some but they were threaded all the way and I think they were grade 5. At least it got me going last week.

[TroyC]

Update on the flail mower-

Good news is that the thing mowed really nice. Did the food plot again and around the camp, looks like a zero turn mowed it.

Bad news is that on the way back to the barn it started shaking bad, really bad. Shut it down and checked it out, seems the cutter tube somehow is warped about 3/8". Shook so bad two of the nameplate rivets broke! The food plot has been mowed numerous times, it is clean, nothing to hit. Not only is the tube warped but the housing appears to be warped.

Claim to the company last week, so far have had one automated response (Due to Covid and an unusually high volume of claims, we are experiencing longer than normal wait times.............) and finally an email from them wanting me to get a local repair estimate. It has about 2 1/2 hours on it and it needs a tube and housing. Needless to say, I'm disappointed with it.

[customsawyer]

I hate to hear that. I was hoping it was going to get a better report.

[21incher]

Didn't you hit a big pipe with it when new? I wonder if that stressed the shaft or damaged  a weld and it took a while to surface. 

[beenthere]

That pipe may have caused the bent tube, and finally it just popped off the rivets to then give the violent shake.

https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?topic=120784.msg1946406#msg1946406

[TroyC]

Hit 1 1/2" thin wall emt pipe, shear pin broke. Ran couple hours fine after that fine. No visible damage underneath. Shear pin did not break a at this last event.

[RetiredTech]

  I love the flail mower but hate the offset. It makes snaking through the woods difficult. I have the 72" Caroni. It's been a tough piece of equipment. I rarely use the bush hog anymore. The flail eats everything in sight and lays it back down as mulch instead of slinging debris everywhere. The flail stays on my tractor most of the time. Even in the winter it servers a extra ballast on the rear when using the FEL bucket, grapple or forks.

[TroyC]

Totally agree. The offset would be very easy to snag a tree. I only have a couple hours on mine, mowing foodplots. Love the way it mows and mulches, but you really have to be careful around objects.

[JD Guy]

Since I ran a 8 foot disc cutter for hay, the offset is natural for me and I prefer it. There is a learning curve but soon it will become second nature to you. The main issue you may have is gauging your distance to objects and making turns early on. Stay with it, you'll be fine !