Gravely Sickle Bar Attachment

[MMH]

Saw one advertised for $100. Do not know anything else about it. Will it fit a 16-G tractor? Would it be suitable for bush hog type work?

 

[FlaDon]

Saw one advertised for $100. Do not know anything else about it. Will it fit a 16-G tractor? Would it be suitable for bush hog type work?

Depends on the type knives on it 2" ones, no. 3" are fine for light brush. But the unit isn't really designed for on the front of the 4-wheelers. The sickle bar mower is better suited to the Gravely 2 wheelers as they are designed to run at a near dead slow PTO speed. The 4-wheel 16-G can't provide that as it only has a 1 speed PTO. Older 400s could as they were built on the 2-wheel tranny and had 2 speed PTOs.

 

[hawkeye08]

I have a 42" unit (they made 60" units also). I use it on the front of my 816s with the proper adapter, but as mentioned above, you have to run low throttle or it tears it up. I just bought over a $100 in parts (still need about $50 (knives and guards) to finish repairing it after running too fast. I cut over 5 acres with it, barely more than an idle, got greedy as I was almost done (may 1/2 acre left) and ran it faster... big mistake.

 

[mariner1]

I also have a 42 inch sickle bar that I have used on my old LI walk behind to cut small brush of an inch or so in diameter. It's true that a speed above an idle will shake the assembly apart. I disassembled my unit and applied medium strength thread lock to the internal bolts and the wear bearing bolt at the end of the actuator lever. Those bearings are expensive to replace if lost.

 

[FlaDon]

There also was a sidemount unit made by Haban for the 4-wheelers. One of those at that price would be a steal.

 

[jimdereynier]

Gravely Sickle bar attachment:

I have used my L for the last 40 years hauling logs- Built a wheel barrel over the engine. Last week for the first time, I used the Sickle bar attachment- cuts anything under 3/8"
For some reason the previous owner had the first subassembly, after the PTO, turned 90 degrees. So the blade is not parallel to the tires. Blade is off maybe 20 degrees. I looked at several YOUTUBE pictures and all had the bar parallel to the tires.

Any comments? ( When I bought the bar 20 years ago the guy said he had solved the vibration problem- but I was not listening to him)

Thanks Jim- 860-305-1582

 

[RichardTX]

I find it hard to believe that he solved the vibration problem unless he used some sort of ultra lightweight bar made from titanium. It is the action of throwing that mass back and forth that is the cause. Reduce the mass and the vibration will be reduced. An end driven sickle is easier to reduce the vibration of by virtue of the counterbalanced drive pulley/wheel typically used.

The sickle bar is made for cutting hay/straw. A man could cut and bale enough hay to take care of his cow all winter using a Gravely. Indeed it is slow and idle speeds are demanded.