Disc Mower questions

[RFox]

I recently bought a well used NH 463 Disc Mower. Been using a Ford 501 sickle for several years. A couple questions in case someone out there has familiarity with the 463: it doesn"t have a crop seperator on the end - the curved piece of metal that sticks out of the tarp to keep the rows of down hay apart - does that matter? Will it work without? Also, I see where there was supposed to be a chain that allows it to float that hooks to the tractor, its not there either - do I need it?
Any advice much appreciated! Thanks!

 

[Troy21]

u dont need the swath board..thay probly took it off so it will lay out and not bunch up the grass.. u dont need the chain neather if u have sway bars..

 

[RFox]

Good to know - Thanks for the info!

 

[Anonymous-0]

I have a NH 615 and it has chains which limit the lowering of the 3Pt. hitch . The operator man. says not to lower past 24 in. off the ground or you can damage the mower .

 

[RodinNS]

We broke the swath board off our 465 on the first round of the first field it cut..... This one probably met the same fate. It's worked fine ever since without it.
The limiting chains on those mowers were never anymore than an arsehole affair anyhow. You'll get by without it provided you have stabilizers. It was mostly there to keep the mower centered behind the tractor as much as it was to set the height. Both can be accomplished without the chain, although I still use it on mine. Just keep the mower high enough that it doesn't wrap hay on the shaft. That's the biggest worry.

Rod

 

[Ken Macfarlane]

Rod, how do you make out drying hay down without a conditioner down there?

I struggle on 3 days here. 2 days if exceptional. This is with conditioner and tedding.

 

[RodinNS]

Ken,

We're on roughly the same timeline with the discbine. It takes a day longer without the conditioner. That said, we're often fairly late when we get to the hay anyway, so it doesn't take as much to dry then.
Last year was a bugger even with the discbine.... I think the field you looked at got rained on twice before it got baled, and it still wasn't dry.... it just got baled and left there. It went/is going for mulch anyhow.... but it was a hard year for hay. This year is not looking to be much better unless it straightens up soon.
So how's your hay going?

Rod

 

[Ken Macfarlane]

Had our home fields all done by June 18 I think it was. We had spectacular weather but has turned to rain. Cutting a few fields soon for low cost sheep hay for my sister. They won't eat the nice hay, only want weeds.

Our partners are mowing today but the hay has long headed out. They bought a new baler and I hope it works well.

I was hoping I could save some money on a M-C and get a straight mower. A lot easier to get to some of our smaller fields.

 

[RodinNS]

We're just getting ready to go here. Neighbours started a few days ago.... and we really ought to be at ours too, but it'll be late in the week before we get rolling. Alfalfa is just prime to go now.... The rest of the older fields could use some time to bulk up a bit more though. It's not really marquee stuff anyhow, so I'd sooner a little more volume.
I know you guys are probably close to a month ahead of us on maturity up there too.... so that does buy us some time. There wasn't really much growing here up until 10-14 days ago.

Rod