Belt driven mcconnell hedgetrimmers

[andybk]

only have a few acres of hedges to do a year , have a old twose trimmer at present the head driven by mcconnell pump but needs repair , just saw an old mcconnell for sale locally with a belt driven head are they any good ? presume a bit unstable as no oil tank on opposite side to head , just wondering for right price .

 

[peewit]

If it is a mcconnel power arm driven with a flat belt to a cutter bar then forget it. We had one a long time ago and it would easily qualify as the worst machine ever owned. Need a creeper box to go slow enough or it would continually block or break the connecting rod also the worst job on the farm was clearing up after it.

 

[andybk]

If it is a mcconnel power arm driven with a flat belt to a cutter bar then forget it. We had one a long time ago and it would easily qualify as the worst machine ever owned. Need a creeper box to go slow enough or it would continually block or break the connecting rod also the worst job on the farm was clearing up after it.

no not cutter bar , pa22 v belt driven , just wondered what the power of head was like without the oil driven head , (its what we have at present) we prob only do 40 - 50 acres a year so speed isnt important , just making a decent job in one pass with ash growth , current twose has grass flails , does a decent job but sometimes needs two passes if its thick

 

[ste]

We have run one from new for the past 37 years. Gone from having it on a DB 885, 996, Case 1394 and now on a Ford 7840. Manages everything I've thrown at it from annual trim to several years growth. Its not over keen on verge mowing and has a tendency to slip the belts on that. Anything gets stuck needs the PTO killing straight away or will eat the head belts. All belts are available from your local bearing supplier, depending what flails the head has will depend if you can still get them. Ours had something special that wasn't produced for years and are now obsolete, it's currently on Bomford shackles and wider McConnel boot flails.

Does a good job but may need a 2nd pass on some heaver branches and sometimes on the top of the hedge for ash. Belts are easy to adjust and check, cables are expensive from McConnel but put a complete set of levers and cables on from Cabletec 5 years ago for a fraction of the original cost. I just run it in 1000 pto and half revs on the Ford and it ticks along nicely. Can be a pain to get the stabilising arm on and pins in, but a big pry bar and someone in the cab working the hydraulics helps

Keep saying I'll change it, but it has cost so little to run and does everything I ask so think it'll be staying a while.

 

[andybk]

We have run one from new for the past 37 years. Gone from having it on a DB 885, 996, Case 1394 and now on a Ford 7840. Manages everything I've thrown at it from annual trim to several years growth. Its not over keen on verge mowing and has a tendency to slip the belts on that. Anything gets stuck needs the PTO killing straight away or will eat the head belts. All belts are available from your local bearing supplier, depending what flails the head has will depend if you can still get them. Ours had something special that wasn't produced for years and are now obsolete, it's currently on Bomford shackles and wider McConnel boot flails.

Does a good job but may need a 2nd pass on some heaver branches and sometimes on the top of the hedge for ash. Belts are easy to adjust and check, cables are expensive from McConnel but put a complete set of levers and cables on from Cabletec 5 years ago for a fraction of the original cost. I just run it in 1000 pto and half revs on the Ford and it ticks along nicely. Can be a pain to get the stabilising arm on and pins in, but a big pry bar and someone in the cab working the hydraulics helps

Keep saying I'll change it, but it has cost so little to run and does everything I ask so think it'll be staying a while.

thanks thats what i was hoping to hear , good info , will try and see what flails it has , cheers

 

[ste]

Flails direct have always been very helpful with getting us stuff. We had the part numbers for ours and then they managed to source what we needed to change over. Also all bearings are standard ones so no need to go to the main stealer, and if you get a manual the parts are listed in the back with most bearings listed in there in std bearing numbers

From seeing my neighbour with his new type one, hazel, ash and blackthorn usually need 2 passes on top no matter what machine you have lol

 

[andybk]

Flails direct have always been very helpful with getting us stuff. We had the part numbers for ours and then they managed to source what we needed to change over. Also all bearings are standard ones so no need to go to the main stealer, and if you get a manual the parts are listed in the back with most bearings listed in there in std bearing numbers

From seeing my neighbour with his new type one, hazel, ash and blackthorn usually need 2 passes on top no matter what machine you have lol

the current twose has 3 v belts between slave oil motor and main rotor , so being careful on thick stuff is second nature lol . up until now i assumed the mcconnell belt ones were inferior cutters , thanks for info