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Mounting a Tractor Hedge Flail

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awemawson:
The 'Man in a Van' hose repairer has just left having replaced the burst hose.

I took the opportunity to rotate the pump so that the restraint lug points upwards, and I'm now chaining it to the top link in the absence of anything else at that height to fix it to.

So now to try it spinning. With a great woosh of air through the system as it sorted itself out, a spinning sound and yes we have a big scary flail spinning at a rate of knots. This would do you very considerable damage if you went too close  :bugeye:

As soon as it starts being used in earnest all that superficial rust will be knocked off down to bare metal by the stuff it flails, ready to rust again over the coming winter  :(

awemawson:
So far the 'control standard' has been outside the cab, but it needs adjusting and inserting though the back window before I can use the flail.

What's preventing me at the moment is one frozen joint - The top of the vertical 1"  bar sits in a socket so that it can be rotated to suit and then locked by a set screw. It's been stuck all the time I've had the flail, and has been liberally anointed with plus gas for weeks. This morning I tickled it with the oxy-acetylene torch and managed to turn it by a few degrees in one direction as I could brace it against a block of wood resting on the articulating arm. Can't move it the other way as nothing to brace it against  :scratch:

It needs more heat on it, but the thing it supports is the three way hydraulic spool valve block, and I daren't put to much heat near it or I'll ruin it's o ring seals. Now the control arms are telescopic, and if completely withdrawn would let me unbolt the spool valve, slip it out of harms way, and roast the stuck joint - easy peasy.

...well life's not like that is it  :bang: The telescopic arms are set to length then each locked by a 1/4" whitworth grubscrew. Two loosen nicely - the third is rounded on its 1/8" hex socket and refuses to budge. I was just setting up to cook it a bit more when Mr Hose man arrived - so back to the grind stone ...

DMIOM:

--- Quote from: awemawson on July 29, 2014, 05:36:52 AM --- .......... and I'm now chaining it to the top link in the absence of anything else at that height to fix it to.......
--- End quote ---

Andrew - once everything is in use, I know the pump won't "flail" around but it'll probably rock&roll a bit as the rig moves and/or the head/pump power is varied. Can't tell from the photo how close the chain is to the inboard end of the top link sleeve, or how much scope it has to move - but I wonder if that chain may scuff the threads on the top link.  I know parcelling it with baggy-wrinkle wouldn't last but wonder if some slightly more robust anti-chafing might be needed IF the chain is as close as it looks.

Dave

RussellT:
Hi Andrew

Could you unbolt the control valve block and use the movement in the levers to pull it away a few millimeters to prevent heat conduction?

Failing that how about drilling out the grub screw - easy to keep centred and probably with a shaped point so it should release before you have to drill the threads.  You might then be able to unscrew the remainder.

Russell

awemawson:
DMIOM - the 'Heavy Duty' top link was delivered this PM so I'll be removing it anyway and looking for a more satisfactory locating method - I agree about the threads chaffing

Russell, your suggestion is what I actually did, except I completely removed it - see below:

OK setting too to remove that grub screw, firstly I tapered a larger allan key and tried tapping it in - no go. Then I heated the collar with oxy-acetylene and tried again - no go. Then I re-heated until the grub screw was red (and thus soft), then drilled it out with a 5.1 mm drill (tapping size for 1/4" Whitworth) which freed the three sliding rods

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