JD350 sickle mower

[EcountyDave]

Happy 4th of July to all. I am a "newbie' to this here site and forum but have found a lot of interesting posts. I recently purchased a JD350 sickle mower from a friend. when I asked him how to adjust the height on the bar, he said he let it down to the ground and went. When I was growing up we had an old JD sickle, not a 3-point, and don't know the model, but I remembered the bar floating. About a month ago I went ahead and made one cutting of Johnson grass as my neighbor was already scheduled to bale it for me. This morning I put it back on my tractor to play with adjusting it. I came across this site and noticed James Howell, who is just up the road from me, seems to be a pretty good authority on the mowers. I would appreciate James contacting me thru this forum for now, and possibly e-mailing some info back and forth. Thank you, God Bless America!

 

[RobMD]

Adjust the mower so that the bar is completely level from one end to the other, about 3 Inches off of the ground. Cutting too low will burden the mower, and burden the grass.

 

[Tx Jim]

EcountyDave
Lengthening or shortening center link on 3pt will change height on a JD 350 sickle mower.

 

[EcountyDave]

(quoted from post at 04:12:24 07/05/09)
EcountyDave
Lengthening or shortening center link on 3pt will change height on a JD 350 sickle mower.

The bar attached to the spring is what is I am having a hard time adjusting. I understand it is supposed to be tied down with a chain and clevice to the hitch. The outer end of the sickle bar comes up but the skid plate still drags the ground. I adjusted the spring chain per what I read in another post that quoted a manual. Don't know about the other chain, if I should adjust it, or is it for transporting. Thanks for the replies and I'll try the center link idea, I may need to get a longer one.

 

[Dweitzel]

The height of the mower is adjusted by the shoe in closest to the tractor by 2 bolts. There are 3 holes to choose from. I have mine set to the middle holes. The outer grass shoe height is set in the same manner by the the sole plate attached to the outer grass shoe.

The float is adjusted by the number of chain links from the large spring to the bolt that holds the chain and how many links run through the center of the large spring. You want enough tension on the large spring so that there is not much weight on the outer shoe when the cutter bar is in the down or cut position.

The chain attached to the drawbar works with the the height the main frame is raised and also how high the cutterbar can be raised when lifting the 3 point. I put mine on the 2nd or 3rd link from the drawbar with a home made triangular plate that bolts to the drawbar and has a 1" eye bolt that sticks out the top.

Depending on your tractor and if you have the sickle in narrow or wide mode, you need to start with a manual, adjust the chains and the number of links to the starting point and play with it from there.

Be sure that when the cutter is in the horizontal cutting position that the frame stays high enough off the ground as to not drag the cut hay behind you when making additional cuts around the field.

You will need the serial number off the frame to order the correct manual and they are still available fro JD.

Also make sure to liberally grease ALL the zerks especially the 2 bottom ones partially hidden. If the bottom pin that drives the cutter head wears, that bottom casting alone is about $800.

Post some pics of your setup for more ideas.

Dw

 

[Dweitzel]

Just read your second post. You need to work on the chain attached to the drawbar and the second chain not attached to the large spring. I would get the chain to the drawbar on the 2nd or 3rd link with a clevis to the drawbar before adjusting the chain on the 350 frame. DW

 

[EcountyDave]

I have the mower on a Kubota MX5000 a 50hp tractor. The mower does not have a chain for the drawbar. I think my other chains are adjusted correctly. Will have to look in to getting a manual, would be nice to see one in action.