Sickle mower opinions

[Steve08]

Sirs,
What are the advantages/disadvantages of a 3pt. vs. pull type sickle mowers?

Thanks

 

[old]

Hands down 3 point is the best. You can back them up easy and get in tight spots but the pull type pretty much go forward and no tight places. But what is even better is a belly mount because you do not get a score neck from watching things

 

[spacechem]

Old is right- mostly. The pull-types hung on because some guys mowed with tractors that didn't have a three-point hitch, and the early 3pt mowers weren't the easiest the connect. For that matter, neither were the semi-mounts (JD5,8,38). Pull type, you just back up, drop a pin, connect the driveline, and go.

I've never run a belly-mount. Seems like they'd be kinda un-fun to get attached, and you can't make square corners with one unless you pull out and loop around at each corner. Also, if you rake with the same tractor, the belly mount might drag in the cut hay. Further, you're committed to a specific tractor that the brackets will fit. 3pt will fit anything (almost).

3pt definitely the way to go...

 

[MirageFlatter]

Nothing wrong with a pull type trail mower, if you can back a two wheel trailer, you'll get along fine. Three-point is no doubt easier to back up with, where the tractor goes, so does the mower. But if the tractor goes in a hole or ditch, or over a big bump of some kind, the three-point mowers going with it, whereas you can probably get stopped or slowed down to where a trail mower won't. I like a trail mower better on rough ground because it has it's own wheels/tires to absorb some shock, if you're on nothing but smooth fields, probably not an issue. You can also gain a little reach to the side with a trail mower by offsetting the tractor drawbar to the side a few inches, can be helpful for things like mowing road sides, and puts no more strain on the driveline of the mower than turning corners in the hay field. You can actually cut square corners easier with a belly mount sickle mower than any kind of pull behind sickle mower, as the bar is in front of the rear tractor tire, and has the corner mowed down before the rear tire gets to the corner, you simply drive to the corner and turn. You can also, if you like, do things like rake hay, or whatever, with a belly mount mower still on the tractor, simply raise the mower, pin it up, and off you go. When I was a kid, my uncle had a JD belly mount sickle mower mounted on a JD 60, and pulled a pull type New Idea crimper behind the tractor, mowing and crimping the alfalfa at the same time. Worked great!! :wink:

 

[flying belgian]

I replaced my sickle mower with a disk mower and after using it for 2 yrs now I won't even look at a sickle anymore. I don't care how it is atached.

 

[old]

When I do hay I'm lucky enough to have a tractor for each job plus maybe a back on for most stuff. The belly mount set up if you know what your doing does a real good job and the one I have is on a trike so making a corner is fast and easy

 

[James Howell]

The 3 pt sickle mower makes a <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BYxv_HsWGHg">square corner</a> much easier.

The 3 pt sickle mower is easier to <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1iN6TnVTHHA">back up</a> and change directions.

The 3 pt mower never has flat tires.

The 3 pt mower never has hydraulic line/cylinder problems.

 

[TomH in PA]

I think the difference between pitmnam vs. pitmenless is a lot bigger than trailer vs. 3pt.

If you're just mowing an open field of hay, any of them will get the job done in about the same time. If you're trimming banks, around trees, etc. go with the most modern set-up.

 

[W R]

The pull type are a lot less hassel to hook up.