Sickle Bar Mowers

[Truck207]

I am somewhat new to the sickle bar mowers and was wondering if a JD 2320 can run a 6' sickle bar mower? The one I am looking at is a 6' Dearborn Mower. How are the Dearborn sickle bars, any good, bad, etc.?

Any info is appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[SPYDERLK]

Virtually anything can run a sickle bar mower. A 6' sickle bar takes about 5 HP. Now, if it has a sweep like a haybine to clear the grass off the blade you can go fast and use quite a bit more power. A 7' sickle bar haybine can use 20HP+ in thick grass.
larry

 

[Farmerford]

Power should not be a problem. I drive a John Deere 350 sickle mower with a 9 foot blade with my 24 hp Kubota B2400 HST. I think it has 18 hp at the pto, and it does not strain at all.

The problem is the offset weight, particularly with belt drive mowers because the heavy drive head (wobble head) hangs out beyond the outside of the tractor's tires. When the blade is lifted to make turns, etc. the combined offcenter weight of the cutter bar and drive head all rests on the right hand lift arm of the three point hitch. My B2400 could barely lift it, and I felt that I would greatly shorten the life of the TPH. So I built a backhoe style subframe to hold the mower, and it works pretty well.

I am not familiar with the size of your tractor. If it is about the same weight capacity, etc. as the B2400 I think a 6 foot belt drive mower will be too much for the TPH to handle comfortably. But if the mower is a pittman drive, the offset weight is much less; in that case I think a B2400 size tractor would handle it okay.

 

[sweettractors]

I am somewhat new to the sickle bar mowers and was wondering if a JD 2320 can run a 6' sickle bar mower? The one I am looking at is a 6' Dearborn Mower. How are the Dearborn sickle bars, any good, bad, etc.?

Any info is appreciated.

Thanks!

I don't think you can run a Dearborn without doing mods on your tractor. There is no place under your right rear axle for the trip bar to mount to and if you did have, the bar is probably going to be too long to stay under the axle. They a lot of trouble to put on and take off. I have 2 of them. Ken Sweet

 

[Truck207]

Thank you for replying. My JD 2320 is about the same size as your B2400, 24 HP and 18 HP at the PTO. I attached some pictures; is it a belt drive? Sorry for the pictures being so small.

 

[Truck207]

OK, thanks for the info. I was wondering where that bar was suppose to go. What type and model sickle bar would be good for my tractor?

 

[sweettractors]

OK, thanks for the info. I was wondering where that bar was suppose to go. What type and model sickle bar would be good for my tractor?

Maybe something like these. Ken Sweet

Used Ford 501 Sickle Bar Mower, 6 Ft. CAN SHIP CHEAP | eBay

http://cgi.ebay.com/Used-Massey-Fer...ultDomain_0&hash=item2310f23757#ht_1318wt_700

 

[Truck207]

OK, thanks. So pretty much anything without the trip bar I can run on my tractor? Should I try and find a 5' or is will a 6' be OK?

 

[sweettractors]

OK, thanks. So pretty much anything without the trip bar I can run on my tractor? Should I try and find a 5' or is will a 6' be OK?

There are not many 5 Used ft sickle mowers available. If you have 20+ hp, you should be ok with a 6 ft. Only approx 15-20 lbs heaver than a 5. We do have new 5 ft double action Superior "Micro" sickle mower for $2995. Ken Sweet

 

[Truck207]

Yeah, I haven't seen many 5' sickle mowers, but I figured a 6' would be fine. My tractors hp is 24 and 18 hp at the pto.