Shearex HM-88LV front-mount mulcher

Where the HM-88LV sits in the range

The HM-88LV is the width-for-production head in the Shearex HM front-mount mulcher range. It runs 220 cm of cutting width on the same 178 to 288 L/min flow window as the HM-70SV, with the same 25 cm target diameter, a 140 hp minimum carrier and a weight of 1,760 kg. Above it, the HM-90SV adds a little more width and a much bigger 40 cm appetite on 170 hp carriers. The HM-88LV is the head a contractor chooses when the contract is measured in hectares on traversable ground, such as solar farm sites, broadacre reclamation and fuel-reduction programs, and the material is moderate rather than heavy.

What the published figures mean on site

The 220 cm cutting width is the reason to buy this head over the HM-70SV: on the same hydraulics it covers roughly 16 per cent more ground per pass, which on a flat 200 hectare solar site is a meaningful number of hours. The optimal target material diameter of 25 cm is the stem size the rotor processes continuously at a productive rate. Regrowth, woody weeds, wattle and light plantation residue fit; regular 40 cm material does not, and pricing a job on an occasional maximum is the classic mistake explained in maximum diameter versus production diameter.

At 1,760 kg the head belongs on a dedicated mulching carrier or the very largest compact track loaders with manufacturer approval, because that mass sits ahead of the tracks and governs stability and ground pressure. Continuous flow of 178 to 288 L/min and the 140 hp minimum confirm that it is not a conventional skid steer attachment.

Carrier matching

Carrier horsepower is the first filter; 140 hp is the published minimum and a comfortable carrier sits well above it, for the reasons the HM-70SV page works through on the same flow window. The deciding figures are the high-flow circuit rating in L/min and bar, the case drain and return arrangement, the motor build the head is supplied with, and the carrier’s cooling capacity through an Australian summer with screens loading up with fines. Weight must be checked against the carrier’s rated capacity and attachment guidance. See hydraulic matching, hydraulic cooling and heat and the skid steer and track loader class page.

Typical work and production considerations

The head fits solar and wind farm site preparation, broadacre bushfire fuel reduction and farm clearing, shelterbelts and orchards where old rows and regrowth cover large areas. Quote on hectares per productive hour at the agreed finish class, and track first and second passes separately. A wide head tempts operators to chase a fine finish with more ground contact, which multiplies dust, fuel and tooth wear, so agree the finish standard in writing before work starts. Rocky paddocks and old fence lines favour carbide teeth; blades cut faster and cleaner in clean green material. See blades versus carbide teeth.

Limitations and when to step up or down a size

Width is only an advantage where the carrier can drive it: on batters, in drains, behind barriers and on steep or wet ground an excavator head such as the VM-50SR works where this head cannot, as excavator mulcher versus skid steer mulcher explains. Transport also matters: a 220 cm head on a dedicated carrier can push float width and permit requirements. Step down to the HM-70SV where corridors are narrow or the carrier is smaller. Step up to the HM-90SV when 40 cm material is regular rather than occasional.

Options and hydraulic circuits to settle at quotation

There is a single HM-88LV variant, so the quotation decisions are tooling, motor build, the case drain and return arrangement, and the electrical control on the carrier’s harness. The one specific to this head is transport: at 220 cm it is wide enough to affect float width and permits, so settle how it will be moved between sites before the order rather than after the first mobilisation.

Wear parts and support

A 220 cm rotor carries more tools than a narrower head, so a full set costs more and should be priced per hectare rather than per set. That is the number to compare against the HM-70SV, because the width advantage only pays if the tooling cost per hectare holds. Fines and dust load

Confirm before ordering

• Carrier meets 140 hp minimum and its high-flow circuit sits within 178 to 288 L/min continuously at pressure
• Case drain, return pressure and motor build matched to the carrier
• Head weight of 1,760 kg against the carrier's capacity and attachment guidance
• Cooling pack capacity and cleaning access for continuous summer work
• Transport width and permit implications for the carrier and head
• Blade or carbide tooling for the site's rock exposure
• Australian stock and price of a full tool set, holders, belt and bearings
• Delivered price including mounting plate, hoses and electrical harness

Frequently asked questions