Ford 501 mower

[Anonymous-0]

The bar on my 501 mower has too much lead. The bar is angled forward at least 4 inches more at the outer guard than the inner. I understand this should be only about 1-1/2 inches. The eccentric adjustment can't seem to move it any more. I thought of maybe shimming just the front two bolts on the yoke, but i'm not sure it won"t throw off the knife register. Looks like if i run it this way, i am in for a lot of broken pitmans. Any ideas??

 

[Welding man]

Ford 501 mowers were bad about breaking off at the weld where the head welded to the pipe,could it be that yours was broken off and not welded back in the right place? If it has you can cut and reweld it.

 

[Huskerman]

I am having the same problem only going the opposite direction, I'm off about six inches backwards. My eccentric will not adjust also. My only option, after Ford/NH dealer did not want to deal with it, is to cut off the head and reweld it. My question is do I set it at the right distance with the eccentric in the middle of the adjustment or at either adjustment end?

 

[Anonymous-0]

I'm not sure what part you mean by head. Do you mean on the left or rght side? Is there a way to check if the weld was in right place, that is, is there some dimension i could verify?

 

[Welding man]

Maybe this picture will help.Most of the ones that I have repaired over the years have been a clean break and were fairly easy to get lined back up. If you have to cut it back off I would not cut it completely off, just on the back side and heat the front and pull it back to where it needs to go and reweld.

 

[Anonymous-0]

Weld- you were right, there is a seam right there that looks like maybe it was done twice. I assume you aren't in new england to reweld it for me, huh?
How would you have me tell the welder to set this one right? any dimensions i can use? i'm not sure the string down the length of a pitman arm and cutter etc is gonna be too helpful to the welder setting up the job, or is it?