15–25 PTO HP
47–48″ cut classSubcompact tractors. Stay at or below 48″ to avoid stalling the PTO on heavy grass.
HP chartUpdated September 14, 2026
What size flail mower do I need?
Size the deck to published PTO horsepower, then confirm three-point lift. Acreage only decides how long the job takes. No spec-checked min in this catalog sits under 3.0 HP per foot of cut. EFS60 equals that floor, and that 15 HP / 60″ pairing is a light-grass deck.
By Tom Brennan · Editor
Start with the tractor
PTO band and job
Pick a PTO band to jump to catalog matches on this page. Pick a job type and we send you to the matching hub. Numbers come from manufacturer pages, not a field test.
The chart
HP-per-foot for every model in the catalog
HP/ft is manufacturer min divided by feet of cut. Treat anything at 3.0 as the catalog edge, not a brush rating. Woodmaxx names are not cutting width: FM-54 cuts 47″, FM-62 cuts 55″, FM-78 cuts 70″, FM-96H cuts 85″.
Swipe sideways for HP/ft, weight, and price
| Model | Cut | PTO HP | HP/ft | Machine wt | Hitch | Type | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Woodmaxx FM-54 | 47″ | 15–25 | 3.8 | 410 lb | Cat 1 | Rear | $2,990 |
| MechMaxx EFS48 | 48″ | 15–35 | 3.8 | 379 lb | Cat 1 | Rear | $1,499 |
| MechMaxx VAM48 | 48″ | 25–50 | 6.3 | 613 lb | Cat 1 | Bank | $2,499 |
| Woodmaxx FM-62 | 55″ | 20–45 | 4.4 | 641 lb | Cat 1 | Rear | $3,630 |
| Woodmaxx FM-62H | 55″ | 20–45 | 4.4 | 716 lb | Cat 1 | Shift | $4,230 |
| MechMaxx EFS60 | 60″ | 15–35 | 3.0 | 406 lb | Cat 1 | Rear | $1,699 |
| MechMaxx VAM60 | 60″ | 25–60 | 5.0 | 657 lb | Cat 1 | Bank | $2,699 |
| MechMaxx NAM60 | 60″ | 30–60 | 6.0 | 595 lb | Cat 1 | Rear | $2,299 |
| MechMaxx KDK63H | 63″ | 50–75 | 9.5 | 1,041 lb | Cat 2 | Shift | $3,399 |
| MechMaxx VAM65 | 65″ | 30–60 | 5.5 | 701 lb | Cat 1 | Bank | $2,999 |
| MechMaxx NAM68 | 68″ | 30–60 | 5.3 | 662 lb | Cat 1 | Rear | $2,499 |
| MechMaxx NAM68H | 68″ | 30–60 | 5.3 | 732 lb | Cat 1 | Shift | $2,799 |
| Woodmaxx FM-78 | 70″ | 30–65 | 5.1 | 710 lb | Cat 1 | Rear | $3,900 |
| Woodmaxx FM-78H | 70″ | 30–65 | 5.1 | 804 lb | Cat 1 | Shift | $4,620 |
| MechMaxx NAM72 | 72″ | 45–85 | 7.5 | 684 lb | Cat 1 | Rear | $2,699 |
| MechMaxx NAM72H | 72″ | 45–85 | 7.5 | 745 lb | Cat 1 | Shift | $2,999 |
| MechMaxx KDK72H | 72″ | 50–75 | 8.3 | 1,085 lb | Cat 2 | Shift | $3,699 |
| Woodmaxx FM-96H | 85″ | 50–90 | 7.1 | 1,351 lb | Cat 2 | Shift | $5,825 |
Bank = MechMaxx VAM, manufacturer-limited to green or tender grass. Shift = hydraulic side shift. Prices are last manufacturer check and will drift.
Named setups
Tractor examples, not HP bands in the abstract
These are class matches from published PTO bands, not a fitment guarantee for a specific serial number. Always read the tractor manual’s PTO rating and three-point lift.
Swipe sideways for setup and pick
| Tractor | Cut class | Start here | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kubota BX-class (~17 PTO HP) | 47–48″ | FM-54 or EFS48 | A 55″ FM-62 lists 20–45 PTO HP. BX-class tractors sit under that floor. |
| Deere 3025E-class (24 engine HP) | Confirm PTO first | 47–48″ until PTO is known | The 24 hp figure is SAE J1995 engine output, not PTO. Use the manual’s PTO number before you look at 55″. |
| Compact near 40 engine HP / ~35 PTO HP | 55–60″ | FM-62, FM-62H, or EFS60 | Still the compact class. NAM72’s published floor is 45 PTO HP, so a ~35 PTO tractor does not belong on 72″. |
| Compact 20–45 PTO HP, fence lines | 55″ hydraulic | FM-62H (FM-62 if you skip shift) | Same PTO band as the non-H twin. Side shift needs a rear remote; it does not change the HP floor. |
| Utility 50–90 PTO HP, open acres | 70–85″ | FM-78 / FM-96H after lift check | FM-96H is Cat 2 and 1,351 lb. If the hitch or ballast story is weak, stay at 70″. |
Model picks by tractor size
Four cut classes, with the catalog shortlist
20–45 PTO HP
55–60″ cut classThe usual compact class. 55″ is the common pick; 60″ EFS60 if purchase price matters more than build and blade choice.
30–65 PTO HP
70″ cut classUtility tractors. NAM68 is 30–60 HP; NAM72 is 45–85 HP and 72″. Do not buy NAM72 under 45 PTO HP.
50–90 PTO HP
85″ cut classCat 2 territory. FM-96H is 85″ and 1,351 lb machine weight. KDK is 63/72″ at 50–75 HP.
Ditch-bank tilt is a different family. MechMaxx VAM articulates; the manufacturer limits it to green or tender grass, not brush.
Second gate
Lift capacity and weight
PTO HP is not the only limit. Use machine weight for the three-point hitch. Use shipping weight for freight. If lift or ballast is marginal, drop a cut class before you “make it work.”
Swipe sideways for machine vs shipping weight
| Model | Machine (lift) | Shipping | Hitch |
|---|---|---|---|
| MechMaxx EFS48 | 379 lb | 470 lb | Cat 1 |
| MechMaxx EFS60 | 406 lb | 503 lb | Cat 1 |
| Woodmaxx FM-54 | 410 lb | 500 lb | Cat 1 |
| MechMaxx NAM60 | 595 lb | 662 lb | Cat 1 |
| MechMaxx VAM48 | 613 lb | 723 lb | Cat 1 |
| Woodmaxx FM-62 | 641 lb | 800 lb | Cat 1 |
| MechMaxx VAM60 | 657 lb | 772 lb | Cat 1 |
| MechMaxx NAM68 | 662 lb | 732 lb | Cat 1 |
| MechMaxx NAM72 | 684 lb | 783 lb | Cat 1 |
| MechMaxx VAM65 | 701 lb | 820 lb | Cat 1 |
| Woodmaxx FM-78 | 710 lb | 900 lb | Cat 1 |
| Woodmaxx FM-62H | 716 lb | 860 lb | Cat 1 |
| MechMaxx NAM68H | 732 lb | 820 lb | Cat 1 |
| MechMaxx NAM72H | 745 lb | 871 lb | Cat 1 |
| Woodmaxx FM-78H | 804 lb | 1,000 lb | Cat 1 |
| MechMaxx KDK63H | 1,041 lb | 1,168 lb | Cat 2 |
| MechMaxx KDK72H | 1,085 lb | 1,232 lb | Cat 2 |
| Woodmaxx FM-96H | 1,351 lb | 1,432 lb | Cat 2 |
Sizing questions
Do I size a flail mower to engine HP or PTO HP?+
Use published PTO horsepower from the tractor spec sheet, not the engine rating on the hood. Size to the manufacturer min–max band. A 2–3 HP/ft grass heuristic undershoots every spec-checked floor in this catalog.
What size flail mower do I need for a compact tractor?+
Most 20–45 PTO HP compacts land on a 55–60″ deck (Woodmaxx FM-62/H or MechMaxx EFS60). True subcompacts in the 15–25 HP band should stay at 47–48″ (FM-54 or EFS48).
Can a Kubota BX run a 55-inch flail?+
Usually no. A typical BX lands near 17 PTO HP and belongs in the 47–48″ class (Woodmaxx FM-54 or MechMaxx EFS48). The FM-62 lists 20–45 PTO HP.
What size flail mower for a 41 HP tractor?+
Use the PTO figure, not 41 on the hood. A compact advertised near 40 engine HP often publishes around 35 PTO HP. That is still the 55–60″ class. Do not jump to a 70–72″ NAM72; that model’s published floor is 45 PTO HP.
Does acreage decide flail mower width?+
No. Acreage sizes your time, not the deck. A 47″ FM-54 still mows 10 acres; it takes more passes. Stall risk and three-point lift are the gates. Buy width only after the tractor’s PTO band and hitch can carry it.
Why can’t I put a NAM72 on a 30 PTO HP tractor?+
MechMaxx publishes NAM72 / NAM72H at 45–85 PTO HP. NAM68 is the 30–60 HP, 68″ option in that family. The 45 HP floor is the stall gate, not a suggestion.
Does 3-point lift capacity matter besides PTO HP?+
Yes. Confirm the hitch can lift the published machine weight, not only the freight number. The FM-62H is 716 lb machine / 860 lb shipping. The FM-96H is 1,351 lb machine. Undersized lift arms strain hydraulics and make mounting unsafe.
Does hydraulic side shift change the HP I need?+
No. Woodmaxx H models share the same published PTO band as the non-H twin. You still need one rear remote the factory does not supply. Skip hydraulic shift for open fields; buy it when fence or edge work is weekly.
If the tractor is a compact
Next step for 20–45 PTO HP
Most compact owners land on a 55″ Woodmaxx. Take the FM-62 for open ground. Take the FM-62H when fence lines are weekly work and you have a rear remote.