Topper Choice

[GAM]

Thinking of buying a 9' topper, Fleming seems to be good value for money, what's peoples thoughts?

 

[A Sales representative]

Bit more info please, hp input, what are you cutting, flail or rotary, area to be cut?

 

[GAM]

Bit more info please, hp input, what are you cutting, flail or rotary, area to be cut?

MF4355, flat pasture/paddocks

 

[bobk]

MF4355, flat pasture/paddocks

Sheep

 

[Wellytrack]

Don’t buy a Fleming topper.

 

[rookswood]

I would rather a Teagle over a Fleming if it was my money. If the budget can stretch to a Joskin they are a very good topper, had mine for 12 years now and just worn out the second set of skids.

 

[Al R]

McConnell rhino Topper 9.

 

[Grass And Grain]

Anyone know what sort of money a new 9/10 ft rotary topper is?

And will they cope with a big crop of clover/grass AB9? Or stick to a flail?

 

[Al R]

Anyone know what sort of money a new 9/10 ft rotary topper is?

And will they cope with a big crop of clover/grass AB9? Or stick to a flail?

A McConnell rhino topper9 would cope, does bull rushes and gorse here. Last price I had was £3950 in 2019

 

[rookswood]

We cut a lot of game covers/set aside with the Joskin on a MF 4255. McConnel is a good topper but found it too be a bit too big and cumbersome on the little Massey.

 

[Grass And Grain]

A McConnell rhino topper9 would cope, does bull rushes and gorse here. Last price I had was £3950 in 2019

Thanks.
I've got a flail, but it's a verge mower, so lots of linkages joggling about and I don't want to wear it out cutting acres of AB9. So it's either a fixed flail or a rotary. Feldspar has previously said his Spearhead batwing was up to the job.

 

[Grass And Grain]

We cut a lot of game covers/set aside with the Joskin on a MF 4255. McConnel is a good topper but found it too be a bit too big and cumbersome on the little Massey.

Choice of either 100hp, 135hp or 150hp so for us I'd be inclined to go stronger/heavier built.

 

[Al R]

We cut a lot of game covers/set aside with the Joskin on a MF 4255. McConnel is a good topper but found it too be a bit too big and cumbersome on the little Massey.

For 20 years we had a 2wd JD 2650 (75hp?) no weights and did some quite big banks although independent’s got used a lot to steer

 

[tr250]

Sheep

Will be the cheapest option. We don’t own a topper

 

[A Sales representative]

If long term investment then I would say the Maschio flail toppers are well built and do a good job.

 

[bluebell]

that tom pembleton who posts alot on youtube, his a dairy farmer up north, i see he has a flemming offset topper, seems to do a good job?

 

[gmc541]

Thinking of buying a 9' topper, Fleming seems to be good value for money, what's peoples thoughts?

Wylie with the manx rotor is a good topper

 

[snarling bee]

that tom pembleton who posts alot on youtube, his a dairy farmer up north, i see he has a flemming offset topper, seems to do a good job?

Just coz he's on Utube doesn't make it a recommendation for the topper. Cynically I would say the opposite

 

[Spear]

Another thing to watch out for is gearbox hp ratings. Seen some 9ft toppers with very small gearboxes.

 

[Andy26]

Thanks.
I've got a flail, but it's a verge mower, so lots of linkages joggling about and I don't want to wear it out cutting acres of AB9. So it's either a fixed flail or a rotary. Feldspar has previously said his Spearhead batwing was up to the job.

Flails got to be bettter where Stewardship options requires clippings to be mulched or removed?

I've had a MccConnel Rhino 9 topper in the past, good heavy duty machine, but the gearboxes are not P&B quality, I think they are generic ITL (owned by JCB) and are definitely its weak point.

A 3m Spearhead Rotary is about £8k https://www.afmachinery.co.uk/product/spearhead-multicut-300-for-sale/

2.8m Kuhn flail will be circa £6k

Weaving now do a flail the WKN that looks very much like a Kuhn VKM, which is a bit cheaper:

Weaving Machinery | Flail Mowers & Flail Toppers for Sale

Weaving Machinery has partnerships with leading European brands in order to supply the UK market with a range of multi-purpose flail mowers and flail toppers.

www.weavingmachinery.net

Most of the cheaper Fleming type rotary toppers are just not strong enough for big tractors and forward speed will be dictated by mowers ability.