Sickle bar mower help

   / Sickle bar mower help #1  

powerscol

Veteran Member
Joined
May 25, 2010
Messages
2,323
Location
SW Colorado
Tractor
CT 235
I am looking to get a new or used sickle bar mower and rake for small hay production. The guy I currently use for my 3 acres has an old 6ft IH brand, but it wont fit my Bobcat CT235 due to the PTO adapter being different. He is getting out of the small acreage cutting, but if I cut and rake he will bail for me.

I know nothing about these units. I see single and double acting and all sorts of brands and pricing. I was also told rotary cutters are better.

Can anyone explain what to look for if going used or suggest brands - especially what to stay away from.

Thanks in advance
 
   / Sickle bar mower help #2  
What is the problem with the PTO connection? What tractor was he running the mower on? If it was used on some brand of American made/brand or import sold for US use it should have same PTO spline connection.
 
   / Sickle bar mower help
  • Thread Starter
#3  
Is has a smaller spline. He runs it on a very old MF. Also the PTO shaft is too long for my tractor after measuring.
 
   / Sickle bar mower help #4  
You have some options to go with and use this mower.
1. Shaft length is easy to shorten, pull it apart and cut some off each piece. I think Everything Attachments website has some instructions on how to measure and do this.
2. There are PTO adapters to install on the tractor and reduce the shaft size. Check out Tractor Supply website for some ideas.
3. Take the u-joint out of the PTO shaft and change the front (input) yoke to fit the standard 6 spline X 1 3/8" shaft on the tractor.
 
   / Sickle bar mower help
  • Thread Starter
#5  
I think I have confused you, and after reading my post I see way. Sorry for the confusion

He was willing to let me borrow the unit, not selling it to me, so to borrow and use I would need to find a new PTO shaft.

What I am really looking for is what are good used units, and or are the disk cutters better for haying
 
   / Sickle bar mower help #6  
I am looking to get a new or used sickle bar mower and rake for small hay production. The guy I currently use for my 3 acres has an old 6ft IH brand, but it wont fit my Bobcat CT235 due to the PTO adapter being different. He is getting out of the small acreage cutting, but if I cut and rake he will bail for me.

I know nothing about these units. I see single and double acting and all sorts of brands and pricing. I was also told rotary cutters are better.

Can anyone explain what to look for if going used or suggest brands - especially what to stay away from.

Thanks in advance

I'd look for a belt driven sicklebar rather than one driven by a pitman stick. Mine is a belt driven Massey Ferguson model 31 with 7-ft cutter bar. Buying old sicklebars is something of a crap shoot if you have no experience with this type of mower. I had to rebuild the cutter bar on my mower several times to get it to work decently. Even then it clogs frequently and leaves a strip of uncut hay at times. Have to constantly tinker with it. I paid $550 for the mower at auction and but in about $150 in new sickle sections (the sharp triangular teeth that move back and forth) and rock guards (the pointed things attached to the cutter bar), new belt.

Drum mowers are much easier to use and maintain and cut faster than a sicklebar. A new 5-ft drum mower costs about $3K. It's hard to justify that cost for only 3 acres but if you have enough headaches with a sicklebar maybe it's not such a bad deal.

Good luck.
 
   / Sickle bar mower help #7  
Rotary cutters are better, but I don't know if you have enough tractor to handle one.

As flusher said, you might want to look into a drum mower. They have models that will work on the smaller tractors.
 
   / Sickle bar mower help #8  
Rotary cutters are better, but I don't know if you have enough tractor to handle one.

As flusher said, you might want to look into a drum mower. They have models that will work on the smaller tractors.

I bought a RanchRite drum 65inch mower this last year that I use on my CT235. Works very good and easy to change blades. They are made in Turkey not perfect in beauty, but fine in function. I think if you have $2500 or so way better than going with a new sickle. The make a really nice windrow.
 
   / Sickle bar mower help
  • Thread Starter
#9  
Thanks abatis

I wanted the sickle bar type to lay the grass flat and not windrow at first. It drys better and is not subject to the wind blowing it around while it drys. However ill check into the drum mower too as my local agg dealer has them to rent.
 
 
Top