Sickle bar mower

[Downeaster]

Have a John Deere #5 mower mounted onto a 2N. Like to improve how it works in the field. What's the proper speed of the tractor? At what RPM or throttle position for proper PTO speed? What angle should the cutter bar be set. Why would you change the set angle of the cutter bar, different conditions? Thanks

 

[gutterman]

i would like to piggy pack a question along with yours. is a 501 7' mower to big for a 8n. and would it be any easier on the tractor than a bush hog? im thinking that since it is driven in the mowed area insted of through the tall stuff it could be a bit cooler running. but i have never used a sickle mower and have no knowledge of them. it looks like the sickle mower would be easier on the tractor than spinning the blades of a bush hog, just grass mowing every couple of months. thanks.

 

[R Geiger]

If you are not going to remove the grass you cut you will b e better off using a rotary type mmower to chew up the grass or the next time you go to mow you will have all the dead grass clogging up the sicle bar.

 

[Downeaster]

You buy what's available and a good deal. Have been looking for a good deal for a 5' brush hog for some time now. I wanted to get a sickle mower to cut along the side of the road and around the edge of two farm ponds. So I don't need to drive the tractor over the area I want to cut and go into the pond or the ditch along the road..

 

[JerryS]

Downeaster: My reply is not based on my mechanical genius, because I have none, but rather on five summers spent mowing hayfields as part of a full-time haying operation. The first part of the equation is to have a sharp blade and properly adjusted guides. The second part of the equation is relative, depending upon the conditions in the field. As I recall (50 years later) we ran our 8N and Jubilee mostly in second gear, sometimes third, at about a third throttle. Something tall and spindly like oats or other grain, you could fly through. Heavy Bermuda or Bahia, you might have to take your time. If it’s a little bit damp, it can be problematic. You just have to adjust to whatever conditions you find yourself in.

As to blade angle, I see no advantage to setting the blade to anything other than 90 degrees to the travel of the tractor. (Someone tell me if I'm wrong.) The triangular shape of your blade knives already gives you the benefit of a skewed cut, and the teeth are set to gather the grass into the cutters, head-on.

To Gutterman: The 8N can handle a seven foot blade because it cuts clean at the bottom. Given sharp blades and appropriate adjustment to field conditions, the extra foot on a seven-foot blade exerts minimal additional stress on the tractor, unlike a bushhog which essentially beats the grass apart.

I agree with you that a sickle mower creates less stress on the tractor. A sickle mower doesn’t care how tall or thick the grass is—it CUTS it at a finite point just above the ground. The grass then instantly falls backward over the blade, out of the way. A bushhog has to deal with the total volume of grass under it any given moment, and it can quickly bog down in really heavy stuff.

That said, each device is good for its intended purposes, which are not necessarily the same.

 

[Plane Bart]

I will sell my New Holland 501 Sickle bar mower if intrested has all new teeth on it works great but for what I do my 5 foot Squealer 600 Brush Hog Suits my needs, I am in Virginia Fredericksburg VA area 22556 Zip.

 

[Devious]

Hi PlaneBart What kind of price would you have to have for your sickle mower. I know the freight would be tough but we never know till we ask. Devious

 

[gutterman]

thanks for the info. do you know if parts are still avaible for the 501? and how big a deal would the grass left laying be. i dont cut the field very often, late spring and early fall. sure would make a faster job useing 7'. there is one for sale locally for 400.00. looks good from what i can tell, but as i said before i dont know about them. have any info. on what to pay attenion to when looking?

 

[Devious]

I just watched some 501 mowers working in videos on the net and looks like to me they were doing a good job. Lots of mowers showing their stuff and raking and baling etc Nice videos. Devious

 

[Devious]

Saw an 8N on the Net doing a real fine job with a 7 ft sickle mower just a few moments ago. Lots of videos of sickle mowing and raking and baling on there to watch and recall from memory. Devious

 

[DanH01]

Besides what the other posters mentioned unless you have the Zane Thang installed you won"t have position control so will have to use limiter chains. And at 7 feet there might be some bounce at the end of the bar that could cause an uneven cut which isn"t too noticeable. With just a spring and fall cutting the clippings shouldn"t be a real big problem, but depending on what you"re cutting and how tall and thick the clippings might need longer to degrade. As far as RPM"s, gear(ground speed), and Pto speed you just have to go with the conditions of the area to be cut. If what you"re cutting is tall, thick, wet you"ll want higher rpm"s which will give you a faster PTO speed. You have to be the judge. Take a swipe check it out and make the necessary adjustments if needed.

Hope this helps some. PTO speed has a direct correlation to engine RPM. If your N is in good running order it should get 2200 to 2400 rpm"s at full throttle. So at three quarter throttle you get abt 1800 rpm"s which should give you abt 540 rpm"s at the PTO.

 

[Arlie]

I have a Deere 9W bought for 60 bucks. Go to John Deere web site it will ask you to enter the nearest dealer and establish a sign in. On this site you will be able to download a complete parts manual for free, most parts are are available from the dealer and if the parts are no longer available there is a company in Penn that sells obsolete parts, however they are $$$. Good Luck