MF 31 Sickle Mower Refurbish

[Optiker]

Agreed

Is this pic "in use"? Or is it partially disassembled?

I can't imagine how that could do ANYTHING but fold the weeds in half and jam them into the guard. The shearing edge of the section needs to slide directly on the guard below, to create the shearing action.

What is causing the section to rise so far above the guard? Is the sickle 'track' full of weeds, lifting it up? Is the bar bent? Is there a block that rides ontop of the sicklebar keeping each cutter section down low against the shearing edge (that you may grind sharp) of the guard?

Not in use, but installed for lack of any replacement guards. The sickle track is not full of weeds, but clean. Actually, it hasn't looked a weed in the face in three years!

I understand the need for the section to ledger plate gap to be adjusted to around 10 mils, just haven't started trying to do anything with this yet. You're right...won't do anything but jam the way they are shown in the pictures.

When I took those pics, I don't even recall for sure if I had the hold down clips set. I'm at the point where tomorrow I will first set the clips, then start adjusting gaps and hope for the best. It's hard to tell from the pics, but it looks like the gap was wedged, not parallel...as if the guards were loose and hanging down a little, or the cutter bar was tipped, ie, clips not set. I really don't recall. I mainly took those pics to show the wear on the ledger plates.

Thanks for your comments!
Optiker

 

[Optiker]

See the picture of my "test drive" of the MF31 sickle mower, subject of this thread. I guess by the looks of the results, the process was a success, and even in time to stick with my mowing schedule. Schedule is important since I irrigate on a schedule, so have to work in a cutting between irrigation sessions, and also avoid any forecast rain - this time of year, there's always a good chance of getting it rained on, or blown away by high winds.

I have to give credit where due. We're Christians, and there was a lot of prayer go into this refurbish project. In between my numerous mistakes and doubts, there were sprinkled a number of "coincidences" that resolved problems. Y'all know what a coincidence is, don't you? It's when God wants to remain anonymous!

I only did a couple of swipes today since I had to spend the rest of the day trimming around sprinkler risers with a string trimmer - couldn't see most of the risers since the grass was so tall. Tomorrow is the big day when I'll finish mowing.

Anyhow. I guess it's not the result in favor of Sodo since I won't be selling it to him for parts.

Thanks for all of the replies and encouragement.

I guess this will close this thread.

Optiker

 

[Creamer]

Looks like it is working. how did it sound? Like it was working or chugging or did it cut real smooth? The results look good.

BTW - serrated sections will work fine for this type of grass. We always went by the rule that the more flexible the stem that you were cutting the more you needed serrated sections to hold the stem from sliding away from the section. Stiff stems like a wheat grass or wheat or alfalfa it was best to use smooth sections where you could sharpen them. Different people have different theories though so use whatever works for you!

 

[flusher]

Looks like that old mower is alive and well once again. Congrats.

 

[Optiker]

Sounded great. One very slight bind when hand-turned that I couldn't find, but running, sounds pretty smooth.

Thanks!
Optiker

 

[Optiker]

Yup! Hopefully, by the end of the day today, first cutting will be down.

Thanks!

Optiker

 

[Sodo]

nice pic of cut grass…...grumble grumble.....well I'm glad someone's cutting grass….

Be sure to grease the bearing at the forward end of the crankshaft. On my MF31 all OTHER bearings were in fine shape (lots of grease & obvious care/maintenance), But this forward bearing had the 'original factory grease' in it (nearby) and no other grease. There was a bolt in the grease fitting hole and it appears that the owner never greased the bearing. I suspect this bearing failure caused the wobble crank to shake so much that the heavy adjustable sheave (at other crank end) broke off.

Note that it's a "special bearing" DISCONTINUED by MF & Agco. It's like gold ($76), don't let it go bad! (plus it's no fun to replace). The original 19mm wide bearing had a 4mm thick wheel-bearing type seal on it. I think I'm going to just replace mine with a sealed 6205 ($8) The 6205 is 15mm wide instead of 19mm original. I'll remove the inner seal so I can pump grease on thru.

I talked with a knowledgable fellow at Nolts eqpt, Newville, PA, who said they had 2 rebuilt MF31s for sale and that they were a very nice, smooth mower. He said normally nothing goes wrong with the boxes, and the wear parts are all available.

 

[Optiker]

Hi Sodo...

Sounds like you're making progress! The metal plate showing grease points on the wobble box is nearly gone. Fortunately I bought a manual years ago when I bought the mower. All the zirks are there, and got a good shot before I started it up yesterday.

Got my hay down just in time to have it rained on! Oh well...who hasn't been there...especially you guys from the west side!

It's been so long since I've mowed, I've had to relearn a bunch...like just how far out 7 ft really is. I only knocked over one sprinkler riser though. And, I really appreciate the break-away...managed to use it a few times.

Lord willing, and dry tomorrow, maybe I can think about raking on Saturday if the top dries out a bit tomorrow.

Good luck on getting your 31 running!

Optiker

 

[Sodo]

Got my 31 running, it's smooth and quiet, I like it. I need some new guards though and at least 2 blades too. Where did you get your guards?

 

[Optiker]

Hi Sodo...

Good for you! I haven't really found a source for guards, so am using what I have even though the ledger plates are badly worn. If I adjust the section-to-knife clearance reasonably well, it is cutting just fine. I have a box of guards from my old NI-30, and found that if I take an angle grinder to them and grind the face that contacts the bar down a bit, they fit and work fine. At least no problems so far.

I have had some problems. I swapped out the bar that the sections are attached to for one adapted from my old New Idea 30 - I think I described that in an earlier post. I didn't have the rivets to attach the "spring" (as it's called in the parts book) that connects the wobble arm to the cutter bar) so used some flathead bolts. Apparently one of those worked loose enough to allow a little play, and the spring broke at one of the three rivet (bolt) holes. I ordered a replacement through a local Agco dealer and that set me back a couple of weeks in the middle of a cutting, and $130 for the part (shipping would have gotten it to me quicker, but was outrageous at $50). I went ahead and ordered a box of the correct rivets as well ($13 for a pound box - I needed 3) since I couldn't find any that would work locally. It went together smoothly and is working great.

I accidentally got the inboard end into some driveway gravel and chewed up the cutting edges of that first section, but it finished the cutting OK. Guess I'll need to use another three rivets next season when I replace that section since, if I recall, I need to remove the spring to get to it. I also haven't found any sections locally that are an exact fit. The local Ford/New Holland dealer, where I bought the last box, was out of them, but hopefully, I'll find some, but if not, will recycle the best of what I have.

It's a constant battle, but then from what I hear from folks I know who have used sickle mowers for years, that's a part of the game!

Optiker