Sickle Bar Mower

[doc623]

Have a chance to buy a sickle bar mower from a not too distant neighbor.
It is PTO driven.
What should I look for and waht would be a reasonable ball park price.
Yes I know it depends on condition for the price.
I just need some thoughts and guide lines to go by.
Thanks.

[Up North]

What you should look for is excessive wear/slop in the driveline machinery.
PTO knuckles, belt or pitman arm transferring power to the actual sickle bar.
Then inspect Sickle bar itself. Look for wear on the guides and shoes that the triangular sickle knife sections run against. Using thumb and forefinger(carefully), grasp each sickle knife section and give them the wiggle test. If they wiggle at all, they will need to be tightened or replaced. Do the sickle knife sections have large nicks or excessive wear? Some are serrated and some are smooth. If serrated there should be some teeth remaining on the serrated edge.
Prices vary for 3 PT vs. trailer mount models.
You have not stated a make or model #.
Rough estimate anywhere from $350 to $1,600 should buy a functioning used sickle bar mower....Just depends.

[rambler]

I've seen them go $30 to $550 at farm auctions. I got one in good shape for $200.

3pt, trailer, side mount, ????

Brand matters.

Wear matters more.

Wood pitman stick is the old style, new ones have a long veebelt drive & can handle vertical cutting, more angle. That will be the $1000 or more models.

First message was good info.

--->Paul

[haypoint]

when the cutter bar is in the cutting position, down, the far end should be a bit ahead of the base, so as the strain of cutting pulls on it it will be straight. check the bearing at the ends of the wood pitman arm.
what are your expectations? cut grass? thick weeds are trouble for most ground drive mowers compared to the pto models

[FarmboyBill]

If your tractor isnt around at least 20hp and if you have hilly land to cut, youll be in trouble. You want hp enough to maintain speed in the sickle when going uphill or in tough cutting. One make of mower will not fit another make of tractor without modification. I run a IHC simi mounted mower on a CC Case. I had to use a F-20 drawbar laid and bolted to my drawbar on the CC I had to make 2 U axle bolts to go around the axle and had to weld uprights from the F-20 drawbar up to the rear axles on the CC. It works, but just barely. Ive got plenty of power tho. Go to the end of the sickle bar and see if it wiggles. As stated, see if the end leads a bit ahead of the inner shoe. The bottoms on each end are called shoes, inner and outer. Does it have a grass board. If not youll have to make one. No problem, I made mine. If the sickle wobbles up and down in the rock guards (The pointie things the sickle runs back and forth in. Check the bearings in the wheel or wheels. If it is lifted with a cylinder does it have one and does it work, or will u have to buy one. Cause the inner shoe to be lifted a foot, and see how far the outer shoe lifts up. There should be a bit of a bow but very little. If it bows so bad the outer shoe is near the ground, give it up, it isnt worth it. Id replace the rock guards, and replace the sickle sections, then sharpen them by hand thereafter. If you choose to replace the sickle, replace only one at a time. Hav someone hold one end and lay the other in a vice looslytake a hammer and hit the back edge of the sickle shearing the 2 rivits holding it in place. Replace it by laying it with the rivit head on an anvil and hammer the heads down close and tight it will be hard to slide it back up the bars rockguards. Help will be appriciated. They sharpen on one side only. The upper side. I sharpen mine enough to cause a wire edge to curl over the back edge, then run the file up and down takeing away the wire edge on both sides. Thats about all I can tell you abvout fixing it. When you open a field, go around it with the sickle inside the field and the tractor close to the fence ect. Do not slow down or stop unless the sickle is raised. If the sickle plugs, raise it in nuitral then back up a few feet. DO NOT RUN IT. TAKE IT OUT OF GEAR SO THAT THE SICKLE ISNT MOVING. Then remove the grass/weeds ect clear the area ahead of the bar. Lower it, put the sickle in gear and go on. When the field is finished, you may find you have to finish the corners being new to mowing. Do the strip near the fence ect last. Good luck

[Ole Man Legrand]

There is much less maintenance on a belt driven machine. Timining is important. the knives should always stop in the middle of a guard during the stroke.

[doc623]

Thanks a bunch for the info.
This is a belt driven 3point mount old Ford model. It is not a ground driven type.
Only one rock shoe slightly bent but not interfering with operation.
2 cutter heads are chipped.
I have it mounted on a JD 1050 - 30-35HP and it fits well.
It has stabilizer bars that also mount to the 3 point arms to minimize sway.
It is a heavy piece.
I am looking to initially knock down weeds to open a field and eventually for hay making.
On cutting how large diameter of material will this handle?
Haven't checked the slant or angle of the outer shoe incomparison to the inner yet.
I have oiled after having cleaned the bar and blades.
I have greased all of the fittings that I can find.
I think that it has a grass board.
I have used this type of mower but that was years and years ago and then didn't pay much attention to detail.
Yes I always try to remember to turn off the PTO before doing anything to the equipment/attachment and even and always before getting off the tractor.
Too many people have been maimed/killed by PTOs/tractors in the past.\
This equipment commands respect and it should caution should be observed.

[doc623]

Forgot one of the important questions.
how difficult is it to find replacement/repair parts for a piece os used equipment such as this?

[Scrounger]

If it is a Ford model (515?), then it is fairly easy to find parts online or at a New Holland dealer. Sickle sections (teeth) are available at TSC or like stores.

[doc623]

Thanks.
I'll see if I can find a model number.

[doc623]

Just checked the mower is a 501 Series/Model

[doc623]

What RPM is a sickle bar mower usually run at?

[Kathie]

I grew up using a 501 and my son's prefer it to the disc mower. If it's set properly it will do weeds or hay. we custom baled when i was arround 10 i'm well past that now and i have the same 501 we used then.We used a 600 ford about 25-27 HP handled it just fine and i still have it.Parts are easy to find. Just my 2 cents.

[Kathie]

650 Rpm

[Scrounger]

Originally Posted by doc623

Just checked the mower is a 501 Series/Model

It's probably a 515 - the 501 was a pitman unit. It is in the 501 series, though.....

[agmantoo]

Most tractor implements are designed/engineered to be run with the tractor PTO at 540 rmp. Some tractors will have a 1000 rpm pto but that speed is for specific devices and is seldom used otherwise.

[rambler]

Originally Posted by doc623

Just checked the mower is a 501 Series/Model

Does it have a wooden stick driving the sickle back & forth? Then it is a 501 and is not a 'belt driven' type.

Sure, there is a Vee belt driving the pitman, but it's not the newer belt drive, where a longer belt drives the wobble head of the mower.

--->Paul

[rambler]

Originally Posted by doc623

What RPM is a sickle bar mower usually run at?

The standard 540 pto speed, tho I almost always am running mine a little slower than that.

--->Paul

[doc623]

Originally Posted by rambler

Does it have a wooden stick driving the sickle back & forth? Then it is a 501 and is not a 'belt driven' type.

Sure, there is a Vee belt driving the pitman, but it's not the newer belt drive, where a longer belt drives the wobble head of the mower.

--->Paul

It does have a wooden stick driving back an forth.
It does say 501 on the plate on the mower.
What adjustments do I need to look at?

[doc623]

I got lucky and down loaded a manual for this 501.

Another question pertaining to the same.
Would a brush hog cut/mulch hay too much to be able to rake and then bale?
I need information on what adjustments should be checked and how to make them.
Do I need to take the blades/cutter heads off to sharpen them?
Again thnaks as so far the info has been most helpful.