Went to look at a flail mower (what a mistake)

Treemover

Member
Location
Offaly
Went to look at a second hand flail mower yesterday for my little 35hp kioti. I brought the tractor to the dealer (if you could call it that) to make sure the tractor could lift it. Even with free delivery I knew if I had any issue comeback would be difficult with this lot.

When I started up the flail it was a mess, lots of noise and vibration. We have a bomford hedge cutter and if I loose a flail, youd know it. Put a flail back on, and it would be fine. This yoke, had all its flails on and all like new. , but was like it was out of balance or seemed out of balance.

A new rotor is £1000. I walked away as they were looking for too much for it, (half the price of new) but it might just need to be balanced. I aint going back, but it got me thinking are these flails easy to throw out of balance? I hit some stuff with the hedge cutter and it will throw a flail, before it does harm, maybe an advantage of the older lighter stuff??

Just wondering as If I go and buy new, will I be faced with a new rotor bill early on?
 

melted welly

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
DD9.
Went to look at a second hand flail mower yesterday for my little 35hp kioti. I brought the tractor to the dealer (if you could call it that) to make sure the tractor could lift it. Even with free delivery I knew if I had any issue comeback would be difficult with this lot.

When I started up the flail it was a mess, lots of noise and vibration. We have a bomford hedge cutter and if I loose a flail, youd know it. Put a flail back on, and it would be fine. This yoke, had all its flails on and all like new. , but was like it was out of balance or seemed out of balance.

A new rotor is £1000. I walked away as they were looking for too much for it, (half the price of new) but it might just need to be balanced. I aint going back, but it got me thinking are these flails easy to throw out of balance? I hit some stuff with the hedge cutter and it will throw a flail, before it does harm, maybe an advantage of the older lighter stuff??

Just wondering as If I go and buy new, will I be faced with a new rotor bill early on?

would depend what you hit with it...... It’s probably why the 2ndhand one got traded in. You did the right thing walking, we bought a Vogel and noot 2nd hand, was a bit shakey so they threw in some new blades and off we went happy. Never been right, can sometimes find a sweet spot around 975rpm and it settles, but not making that mistake again.
 

Treemover

Member
Location
Offaly
This thing def hit something, and it had an auction number on it. If it ran alright, I would have taken a gamble on it, but I would either have self destructed or shaken the tractor to bits in an hour, no messing!!
 

haybob

Member
Livestock Farmer
At work we used to have a Kuhn fitted with hammer type blades. We found they make a good job but they are not very forgiving if you hit a stone. Like a big lump of metal hitting against the flail shaft. Ended up trading in for another with a smaller narrow type flail blades with a shackle type fitting holding them on . They seem a bit easier on the flail shaft when they hit something.
 

Treemover

Member
Location
Offaly
I did notice the rotor had a few bangs as you say haybob. This machine was sat up for a year or two or three, the rear roller was seized and I was amazed the rotor even turned. Very interested to hear what others say. I dont think the make is the issue, its the person who used it last is the issue here!!!
 

Dave W

Member
Location
chesterfield
I did notice the rotor had a few bangs as you say haybob. This machine was sat up for a year or two or three, the rear roller was seized and I was amazed the rotor even turned. Very interested to hear what others say. I dont think the make is the issue, its the person who used it last is the issue here!!!
The man selling it is the issue!! Probably hadn't even run it up himself.
if he can't be bothered to take auction no off what hope is there he knows if it runs or not.
You should've charged him for your wasted time
 

Classichay

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
The moon
Either a bent rotor bad bearings or someone’s welded on a blade mount on / combination of old flails and new and out balanced the rotor. Think it’s about 300 for a balancing votex in Hereford do it I’m sure / frank Alviti
 

john432

Member
Location
Carmarthenshire
The number of flail toppers that appear for sale with Hewitt Salvage is enough to steer me away from them. My ideal would be a triple rotor topper built to the spec of say the Spearhead Destroyer. Winter prodject 🤔
 
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