Help needed identifying a flail mower...

[Titanic]

We have recently moved to a smallholding and several of the paddocks have been neglected, with masses of nettles, brambles and bracken.

So, to try and clear it, I bought myself a secondhand flail mower to trail behind my quad bike.

It has worked great for the two fields.... but the third, with a lot of bracken, has killed it. The belts have shredded.

The guy I bought it from kindly supplied six assorted replacement belts... but for the life of me, even with the tensioner wheel removed completely, I can't get the back belt on.

Can anyone help identify the mower so I can try and find a manual, or come up with helpful suggestions about how we might get the belt on - is there some other part that can be slackened off to make this possible?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Bald n Grumpy]

Just looking at the pic with the pulleys in I'm assuming you've removed whatever idler pulley was on the belt tensioner?

 

[Dave W]

That's a nondescript Chinese made machine. Doubt an instruction manual ever existed.
you've no proof the belts supplied are correct. There should be a number on them. Probably Bxx (xx is the length in inches B65 for example)
Offer up the belt you have. It's no good anyway so maybe cut it and offer up. Then measure the gap between ends of belt. Add that on to the size in belt and you should be able to figure out the correct length.
Don't forget to put the idler on first and remember it runs on the flat back side of the belt

 

[HolzKopf]

IMHO that looks a bit wee for 'masses of nettles, brambles and bracken'. 12hp at the engine. When you've identified the belt and you know everything tickety-boo flails, belts, shafts etc why not get someone with a pto driven machine to get the first and worst down then use that and your quad to keep it under control - unless of course you have local barn owls in which case leave a bit of it untidy for them

Give these people a ring for advice - you could then buy the belts from them

 

[Titanic]

That's a nondescript Chinese made machine. Doubt an instruction manual ever existed.
you've no proof the belts supplied are correct. There should be a number on them. Probably Bxx (xx is the length in inches B65 for example)
Offer up the belt you have. It's no good anyway so maybe cut it and offer up. Then measure the gap between ends of belt. Add that on to the size in belt and you should be able to figure out the correct length.
Don't forget to put the idler on first and remember it runs on the flat back side of the belt

You may be right on Chinese... but It doesn't feel like that ... it weighs an absolute ton - the steel is as thick as a decent quarterpounder and I would guess is 20/30 years old.

certainly agree on the belts question... although the front one fits OK,so I was thinking there must be a trick to getting the back one on as it is the same size??

 

[Titanic]

Just looking at the pic with the pulleys in I'm assuming you've removed whatever idler pulley was on the belt tensioner?

Yes - big wheel with a bearing... seems to be spinning OK.

 

[HolzKopf]

ps does it look as if it's been running on one belt?

 

[Dave W]

You may be right on Chinese... but It doesn't feel like that ... it weighs an absolute ton - the steel is as thick as a decent quarterpounder and I would guess is 20/30 years old.

certainly agree on the belts question... although the front one fits OK,so I was thinking there must be a trick to getting the back one on as it is the same size??

You've lost me. If one fits then the other will fit. You put the one on nearest the engine first. Don't try put it straight on though. Get it on the outer grove first then turn it on to the back groove

 

[Chae1]

I'm a bit rough! But could you slacken the bolts that mount the Honda engine onto flail to let it tilt downwards to give you a bit of slack?

 

[Dave W]

Pretty sure they are sold by kellfri btw. But won't be made by them

Flail mower ATV with electrical start-up | Grassland machinery | Kellfri

Flail mower with electrical start-up, powerful 15 hp engine and openable flap. Ideal for stud farms and for keeping your grasslands in good shape. Buy from us at Kellfri.

www.kellfri.co.uk

 

[Titanic]

ps does it look as if it's been running on one belt?

No definitely two when we got it... and two shredded!!

 

[Chae1]

Was a great thread on flail mowers a few years ago I seem to remember!

 

[Dave W]

Was a great thread on flail mowers a few years ago I seem to remember!

Burning clutches out because the engines weren't big enough if I recall

 

[Bald n Grumpy]

If you can't fit the belts with the idler wheel slackened right off I would think they are not the right ones
Have you got a local belts supplier?
Pop it on a trailer and take it to them and get belts, always fit 2 new ones together and maybe get a spare set while your there and to make life easier next time make a note of the sizes somewhere

 

[agrimax]

It looks like an older version of one of these...

ATV MOTORIZED SHREDDER - Geo Agric agricultural implements - Italy

www.geo-agric.com

Downloadable parts and operator's manuals but there are many versions and different belt sizes, so likely not much help...

 

[Mur Huwcun]

By front and back belt you mean the first and second groove? If so get a belt onto the first groove on both pulleys then move it over to the next groove, use a flat screwdriver to lever the belt and rotate the pulley to get it on, get both belts on then fit the tensioner/idler

 

[Titanic]

Thanks that's a great suggestion. We'll give it a try.

 

[Titanic]

It looks like an older version of one of these...

ATV MOTORIZED SHREDDER - Geo Agric agricultural implements - Italy

www.geo-agric.com

Downloadable parts and operator's manuals but there are many versions and different belt sizes, so likely not much help...

That looks very much like it. Thanks

 

[Jimdog1]

It's not a dissimilar colour of a Wessex?

 

[Dave W]

It's not a dissimilar colour of a Wessex?

It's not a Wessex.