buster the 9N gets his first PTO operated implement... AKTIV TD series?

[Kondoge]

welp I managed to save this thing.. its a Swedish made AKTIV TD series sickle bar mower my great grandpa said he was gonna haul to the scrapyard, it sat outside torn apart for 29 years. I said well ill take it if you don't want it, its all torn apart it sat outside in the rain snow and storms for 29 years and honestly I have no idea how this thing works or how it goes back together. I hear its a rare exported model here in Alberta but I don't know much about it no pictures exist on the internet yet so no reference as to how it goes back together. all I know is there's parts and its seized and I was told it was a waste of time but I'm determined. here's the serial plate don't know if this helps. zny help is appreciated but mostly just wanted to share busters first powered implement in a long time.

heres the cover for the belts

this is the mower as it sits torn apart but recovered from the weeds.

 

[Tall T]

welp I managed to save this thing.. its a Swedish made AKTIV TD series sickle bar mower my great grandpa said he was gonna haul to the scrapyard, it sat outside torn apart for 29 years. I said well ill take it if you don't want it, its all torn apart it sat outside in the rain snow and storms for 29 years and honestly I have no idea how this thing works or how it goes back together. I hear its a rare exported model here in Alberta but I don't know much about it no pictures exist on the internet yet so no reference as to how it goes back together. all I know is there's parts and its seized and I was told it was a waste of time but I'm determined. here's the serial plate don't know if this helps. zny help is appreciated but mostly just wanted to share busters first powered implement in a long time.View attachment 166129heres the cover for the belts View attachment 166130
View attachment 166131this is the mower as it sits torn apart but recovered from the weeds.

Doesn't look like it will be would be easy restoring the cutting edges and having the bars slide well.

Tempting piece but for whatever functions it is applicable to, I'd put my energy into renovating a used rotary cutter (aka Brush hog) instead.

I got this Ferguson cutter for $200. and needing some repair (broken cast seal retainer" and tail wheel.
Drive shaft was complete and got him to throw in a shaft guard.
Didn't find out about the broken casting until I turned it over.

 

[Kondoge]

well Tall T, I tried putting the cutter bar in and it slid in well and I was able to make it move back and forth in 25 minutes. this mower was designed to work with a te20 or 8N Ford my 9n will work with it. this aktive has a hairline crack filled top cover on the gearbox it should be fine I just need to bypass the powered lift mechanism that goes through it. as for the guides for the cutter bar my great grandpa has spare ones so I can replace the one that's missing. for a free implement deemed scrap because he thought it couldn't be put back together it isn't in that bad of shape really. also I'm sorry that happened to you with your mower.

 

[Tall T]

Here's a photo from a Glenn Ford movie, showing he and his wife sharpening the sickle mower using a big sharpening stone.
A fixed sharpener as opposed to using a hand held Makita.

The 1953 promo video for the new Jubilee tractor has a good section on sickle mowing.

 

[Kondoge]

so umm I found another TD for parts that has everything I'm missing. serial 014104 less than 70km away that I bought today. mine has serial 013108, what are the odds of this happening I'm not sure but uh lucky me. this one is oliver green with very faded rusted clover white wheels. anyways I can make the AB Westerasmaskiner Aktiv TD work again hopefully tomorrow (well today as of 12:34pm) I will end up trying to make a pitman stick from the rotted one 014104 came with

 

[T@G]

Thats pretty cool. I have Aros TH myself ( 3-point installed), as new except modified cutting bar. Its also made by Westeråsmaskinern.

Aktiv was their entry-level, Aros a little better, what ever that meant. Post more pictures.

 

[Kondoge]

I was a little sad when I read the history of westerasmaskiner. anyways progress was made tonight I got the new cutter bar from 014 ready to go on 013108 just about now I just have to get that on, gotta get some belts, have the jaw for the pitman arm welded, and make a knife bar.

Also aros? the Aktiv TH was the TD's little sister the TH was the three point hitch variant of the TD which was trailed and rolled on castors. The TD was for machines that didn't have 3pt lift or didnt have the lift power of the incredible Hulk. As of now this is the best picture of a fully assembled TD we have (I've never seen another on the internet this one is of 014104 which is the one I've been gutting for parts).

should also mention I learned Buster still has his 1940 1 1/8 spline shaft, the shaft itself isn't in bad shape but is useless in that size without an adapter.

 

[T@G]

I really appreciate you decided to restore one to working order. That dont look too bad. Theres for sale, and ive seen, countless 3-point variants of sickle mowers, but never seen trailed one in flesh ( if you dont count horse drawn ones, im speaking of tractor drawn).

About incredible Hulk.. Ferguson TED20 handled Aros TH just fine, even modified.

 

[Kondoge]

I really appreciate you decided to restore one to working order. That dont look too bad. Theres for sale, and ive seen, countless 3-point variants of sickle mowers, but never seen trailed one in flesh ( if you dont count horse drawn ones, im speaking of tractor drawn).

About incredible Hulk.. Ferguson TED20 handled Aros TH just fine, even modified.

mine is no incredible hulk anymore he's old drippy just leaks oil from everywhere possible can lift 300lbs maximum full rating if I help it manually either way I will upload a video of the TD cutting and its first test run when I am finished failure or not I will post a video of it.

 

[Kondoge]

well we got the Automatic lift to lift the cutter bar up and down for the first time in 30 plus years powered by buster the 9N himself. and here's the best part I filmed it. https://www.youtube.com/shorts/NPGLE8kIdMQ no the clanking is not buster its a PTO shaft rattle from an ever so slightly loose fit plus a loose fitting 1 1/8 to 1 3/8 adapter, either way it spins and it lifts now onto making the knife bar slide and getting the pitman all hooked up.

 

[Kondoge]

new question Where can I find sickle bars? the knife backing bars we have are all snapped or welded and both heads we have are slightly damaged we don't know how to work with spring steel or cast iron what do we do.