PTO flail buying desk
PTO flail mower reviews and buying guides
Match cut width and horsepower before you buy a flail.
Flail Path is an independent spec desk covering 18 Woodmaxx and MechMaxx PTO flail mowers. Cutting width, PTO HP, weight, and side-shift are checked against manufacturer product pages, last verified August 5, 2026. We spec-check; we do not field-test.
PTO horsepower
Tom BrennanI put this together so you can match a flail to your tractor.Pick the cut first.
Rear, offset, or bank work changes the shortlist before the brand does. Counts are live from the catalog.
Size it to the tractor.
PTO band and job. Submit opens a ranked page or the sizing guide on this site, not a checkout. No catalog min sits under 3.0 HP per foot of cut. Use the published band as the gate.
Value pick · direct, no affiliate
MechMaxx EFS48
48″ · 15–35 PTO HP · $1,499. MechMaxx purchase links go to the manufacturer. We still list it when width-per-dollar beats a Woodmaxx SKU in the same band.
Full catalog · 18 models
Sorted by cutting width. Size by PTO HP in the guide, or use the sizer above. Review pages stay on Flail Path.
Swipe sideways to see all columns
| Model | Job | Cut | PTO HP | Offset | Weight | Warranty | Price | Review |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Woodmaxx FM-54 | Rear / fixed offset | 47″ | 15–25 | Fixed offset | 410 lb | 2 yr | $2,990 | Review |
| Woodmaxx FM-62 | Rear / fixed offset | 55″ | 20–45 | Fixed offset | 641 lb | 2 yr | $3,630 | Review |
| Woodmaxx FM-62H | Hydraulic side-shift | 55″ | 20–45 | Hydraulic | 716 lb | 2 yr | $4,230 | Review |
| Woodmaxx FM-78 | Rear / fixed offset | 70″ | 30–65 | Fixed offset | 710 lb | 2 yr | $3,900 | Review |
| Woodmaxx FM-78H | Hydraulic side-shift | 70″ | 30–65 | Hydraulic | 804 lb | 2 yr | $4,620 | Review |
| Woodmaxx FM-96H | Hydraulic side-shift | 85″ | 50–90 | Hydraulic | 1,351 lb | 2 yr | $5,825 | Review |
| MechMaxx EFS48 | Rear / fixed offset | 48″ | 15–35 | Fixed offset | 379 lb | 1 yr | $1,499 | Review |
| MechMaxx EFS60 | Rear / fixed offset | 60″ | 15–35 | Fixed offset | 406 lb | 1 yr | $1,699 | Review |
| MechMaxx NAM60 | Rear / fixed offset | 60″ | 30–60 | Fixed offset | 595 lb | 1 yr | $2,299 | Review |
| MechMaxx NAM68 | Rear / fixed offset | 68″ | 30–60 | Fixed offset | 662 lb | 1 yr | $2,499 | Review |
| MechMaxx NAM72 | Rear / fixed offset | 72″ | 45–85 | Fixed offset | 684 lb | 1 yr | $2,699 | Review |
| MechMaxx NAM68H | Hydraulic side-shift | 68″ | 30–60 | Hydraulic | 732 lb | 1 yr | $2,799 | Review |
| MechMaxx NAM72H | Hydraulic side-shift | 72″ | 45–85 | Hydraulic | 745 lb | 1 yr | $2,999 | Review |
| MechMaxx VAM65 | Ditch-bank | 65″ | 30–60 | Ditch-bank | 701 lb | 1 yr | $2,999 | Review |
| MechMaxx VAM48 | Ditch-bank | 48″ | 25–50 | Ditch-bank | 613 lb | 1 yr | $2,499 | Review |
| MechMaxx VAM60 | Ditch-bank | 60″ | 25–60 | Ditch-bank | 657 lb | 1 yr | $2,699 | Review |
| MechMaxx KDK63H | Hydraulic side-shift | 63″ | 50–75 | Hydraulic | 1,041 lb | 1 yr | $3,399 | Review |
| MechMaxx KDK72H | Hydraulic side-shift | 72″ | 50–75 | Hydraulic | 1,085 lb | 1 yr | $3,699 | Review |
Comparisons · 10
Comparison index- Woodmaxx vs MechMaxx Flail Mowers
FM-62 (55″ mid-duty) vs EFS60 (60″ light-duty). Not a brand-wide steel verdict.
- Woodmaxx FM-62 vs FM-62H
Is hydraulic side shift worth ~$600 on the 55″ Woodmaxx flail?
- Woodmaxx FM-78 vs FM-78H
70″ center-mount vs hydraulic side shift — when the H package pays for itself.
- Woodmaxx FM-54 vs MechMaxx EFS48
Subcompact 47–48″ flails compared: warranty and build vs sticker price.
- MechMaxx NAM72 vs Woodmaxx FM-78
72″ NAM72 (45 HP floor, 50.4 lb hammers, $37/in) vs 70″ FM-78 (30 HP, 40.7 lb hammers). Do not buy NAM72 under 45 PTO HP.
- Woodmaxx FM-62H vs MechMaxx NAM68H
55″ Woodmaxx H vs 68″ NAM-H. 16″ slider travel is not cut-edge-from-PTO. Neither tilts.
- Woodmaxx FM-78H vs MechMaxx NAM72H
70″ PTO-edge H vs 72″ 16″-travel H. 30 HP vs 45 HP floor. Geometry first.
- MechMaxx VAM65 vs NAM68H
Grass-only tilt (two remotes) vs 16″ side-shift (one remote). Not the same offset job.
- MechMaxx VAM65 vs Woodmaxx FM-78H
65″ articulating grass-only VAM vs 70″ no-tilt Woodmaxx H. Tilt vs lateral reach.
- Woodmaxx FM-96H vs MechMaxx KDK72H
The Cat 2 pair: 85″ FM-96H vs 72″ KDK. Hitch first. KDK has heavier individuals, less total hammer mass.
Guides · 4
Guide index- How to Choose a PTO Flail Mower
Pick rear, hydraulic side-shift, or ditch-bank first, then hitch and remotes. Width and HP live in the sizing guide.
- What Size Flail Mower Do I Need?
HP-per-foot chart for the catalog, tractor examples, and lift weights. Manufacturer min is the gate.
- Flail Mower vs Rotary Cutter
When a flail beats a bush hog — and when a rotary cutter is still the smarter buy.
- Hammer vs Y-Blades for Flail Mowers
Order-time blade choice: hammers vs Y-knives. Y-blades are Woodmaxx FM only; some hammer SKUs (VAM) are grass-only.
How the numbers get here
About the deskSpec-check, not field-test
We read manufacturer product pages. We do not run the mowers, publish owner surveys, or pretend otherwise. Missing specs stay blank.
No paid placement
A model lands on a shortlist when the published specs fit the job. We do not sell rank on Best PTO, Side Shift, or Ditch-bank.
Questions before you pick a flail
Do I size a flail mower to engine HP or PTO HP?+
Use PTO horsepower from the tractor spec sheet, not the engine rating on the hood. A tractor advertised at 25 engine HP often delivers about 18–20 PTO HP at the shaft. A 2–3 HP/ft grass-load heuristic still loses to every published band in this catalog — no spec-checked model floors under 3.0 HP per foot of cut (EFS60 equals 3.0). Use the manufacturer min as the gate.
Can a compact tractor run a 55-inch flail mower?+
Most subcompacts cannot. A Kubota BX-class tractor around 17 PTO HP belongs on a 47–48″ deck such as the Woodmaxx FM-54 or MechMaxx EFS48. The Woodmaxx FM-62 lists 20–45 PTO HP and about 716 lb on the H version, which fits compact tractors that can lift it, not a BX.
Do I need hydraulic side shift or a ditch-bank flail?+
Side-shift offsets the deck for fence lines and orchards while the tractor stays on the same plane. Ditch-bank heads (MechMaxx VAM) tilt down a slope. Open pasture does not need either. VAM models are listed for green or tender grass only, not brush. H-series side-shift needs one rear remote; VAM typically needs two circuits.
Is Woodmaxx worth more than MechMaxx for a PTO flail?+
Woodmaxx usually costs more and ships a 2-year parts warranty with hammer or Y-blade choice on FM models. MechMaxx is the width-per-dollar catalog with a 1-year warranty and hammer packages on EFS, NAM, VAM, and KDK. Pick the job and PTO band first, then compare a specific pair such as FM-62 vs EFS60.
Should I get hammer blades or Y-blades on a flail mower?+
Hammers handle brushy grass, saplings, and rough ground. Y-blades leave a finer pasture finish. Woodmaxx lets you choose at order on several FM models; that choice is not a later swap. MechMaxx EFS, NAM, VAM, and KDK lines in this catalog ship hammers.
Should I buy a flail mower or a rotary cutter?+
Buy a rotary cutter (bush hog) for open acres of heavy saplings where finish does not matter. Buy a PTO flail when you want a finer mulch, less thrown debris, or safer work along fences and roads. A flail will not replace a heavy rotary on thick woody brush.