Sickle Bar Do I really need a drawbar??

[whirly]

I'm in the market for a sickle mower but I've read that you need to
attache some chains to the drawbar for it to operate properly. Problem
is ... My tractor doesn't have a drawbar - see attached.

Is there a way I could hook up a sickle mower without the drawbar. I have my fingers crossed :tractor:

 

[Gary Fowler]

You could likely fit the chains to the brackets on each side of the PTO and make it work without an actual drawbar.

 

[Gordon Gould]

Maybe there is something I am not understanding about your question but I have a sicklebar mower and don't use the drawbar or need any chains on the drawbar. It is a Superior or First Choice mower. Sweet Farm carries them and is where mine came from.

 

[whirly]

You could likely fit the chains to the brackets on each side of the PTO and make it work without an actual drawbar.

I was hoping I can do something like that but don't quite understand the mechanics of the need yet.

Maybe there is something I am not understanding about your question but I have a sicklebar mower and don't use the drawbar or need any chains on the drawbar. It is a Superior or First Choice mower. Sweet Farm carries them and is where mine came from.

I've been reading here and elsewhere about the subject and the issue of needing the drawbar seem to come up quite often. It may be only certain mowers need to use the drawbar but that is the purpose of this thread.

According to several threads, without the chains to the drawbar, the cutting bar can't be raised.

Since I don't own a sickle mower yet, I'm trying to get as much information pre-purchase so I don't make any big mistakes. If there are sickles that don't require the chains then I'm all ears.

 

[schmism]

without a draw bar, and with out a rops, any time you want to chain something to the rear to pull on you risk hooking it up to a point above the axle. this results in flipping the tractor and killing you. As a FF i responded to just that thing a couple of years ago.

get a draw bar.

 

[Gary Fowler]

I think that there is a linkage chain that you attach to your drawbar or in your case to one side of the plates by your pto, as you raise the 3 point lift it tightens the chain that then pulls the sickle bar up. It wont raise it all the way but if I remember back from childhood only goes about 45 degrees. For transport, you have to manhandle it to fold it over the cutter and lock it in place. Watch those fingers on the blades ( only lift from the back side of the sickle bar)as they tend to move as you fold it over and will cut off a finger if it is in between the finger guides for the sickle blade.

 

[whirly]

... get a draw bar.

All good points. Thank you :thumbsup:

However, I won't be towing anything. In addition, the 3PTH was developed BECAUSE ground engagement implements, such as plows and subsoilers, attached to the drawbar caused tractors to flipover backwards. Prior to it's invention by Harry Ferguson in 1929, drawbar implement attachment was the number one cause of agricultural fatalities.

In this case, if needed, the chains are from an attachment (sickle bar mower) mounted on the 3PTH.

 

[whirly]

I think that there is a linkage chain that you attach to your drawbar or in your case to one side of the plates by your pto, as you raise the 3 point lift it tightens the chain that then pulls the sickle bar up. It wont raise it all the way but if I remember back from childhood only goes about 45 degrees. For transport, you have to manhandle it to fold it over the cutter and lock it in place. Watch those fingers on the blades ( only lift from the back side of the sickle bar)as they tend to move as you fold it over and will cut off a finger if it is in between the finger guides for the sickle blade.

Thank you:thumbsup:

That's the information I was looking for.

 

[soulasphil]

Some models may use the draw bar, but mine doesn't. It uses the usual 3 pt hitch plus two stabilizers hooked to the lower holes under the 3rd point. There is a safety device that frees the implement if it catches on something hard and there's no way it can make the tractor roll or capsize.

 

[whirly]

Some models may use the draw bar, but mine doesn't. It uses the usual 3 pt hitch plus two stabilizers hooked to the lower holes under the 3rd point. There is a safety device that frees the implement if it catches on something hard and there's no way it can make the tractor roll or capsize.

Now THAT is one heck of a sickle mower. Unfortunately, I'm pretty sure it's way out of my price range. I'm looking for a used one that is less than $2K.

 

[Gordon Gould]

On my First Chouce 7' mower I can lift the blade horizontally with the 3pt height lever to go over a stump or boulder or cut above ground level or I can change the blade angle to cut along a bank with the angle cylinder on the mower. No draw bar required. The mower has a large counter balance spring to keep the weight more evenly distributed on the two link arms and it does not need a chain to hold the light side down when you lift it off the ground. There is also a safty release that lets the whole cutter arm swing back if you hit something.

 

[whirly]

So, if I have this correct, the chain is there on some mowers to counter the weight of the cutting bar keeping the left side down as the bar is raised.

 

[soulasphil]

Now THAT is one heck of a sickle mower. Unfortunately, I'm pretty sure it's way out of my price range. I'm looking for a used one that is less than $2K.

I bought mine 3 years ago for 9K€. But it is not exactly what you are looking for, more of a hedge trimmer than a mower. You don't need the long arm and want something stronger.

 

[SPYDERLK]

All good points. Thank you :thumbsup:

However, I won't be towing anything. In addition, the 3PTH was developed BECAUSE ground engagement implements, such as plows and subsoilers, attached to the drawbar caused tractors to flipover backwards. Prior to it's invention by Harry Ferguson in 1929, drawbar implement attachment was the number one cause of agricultural fatalities.

In this case, if needed, the chains are from an attachment (sickle bar mower) mounted on the 3PTH.

Makes me wonder how those drawbars differ from todays fixed/swinging drawbars. They are the safest place to pull from.
larry

 

[whirly]

Makes me wonder how those drawbars differ from todays fixed/swinging drawbars. They are the safest place to pull from.
larry

Drawbars have remained essentially the same since the beginning. Here is a little sketch on why pulling type tractors flip. Flipping is/was/ and still is a danger with any pulling situation.

 

[yelbike]

Drawbars have remained essentially the same since the beginning. Here is a little sketch on why pulling type tractors flip. Flipping is/was/ and still is a danger with any pulling situation.

I'm not sure I understand? Is the furgasson system in current day 3 point hitch? Is there any flipping risk with my jd 2320??

 

[whirly]

The simple answer is ... unless you hook up an antique you should be OK.

Using a 3pth implement for ground engagement (plow, ripper, subsoiler, etc.) is much safer than if you use the drawbar to tow the ground engagement implement on wheels. That being said, there are no ground engagement implements being sold commercially (new) today.

The other part of the question is the drawbar. You can still flip over backwards if whatever you are towing on the drawbar gets hung up to the point the tractor can no longer move forward. Most small tractors (Less than 20 HP) will just stop and maybe kill the engine. However, if you have sufficient power, a short wheel base and insufficient weight in the front (a light engine with no forward ballast) any hangup could induce the a back flip. Forward weight is your friend and the farther forward the friendlier it is.

Just remember, a ROPS may stop you from being crushed, but it won't stop you from being upside down or lord forbid you don't use your seatbelt, getting thrown off and injured. I believe in ROPS and think everyone should have one. The point of my original comment was that the drawbar is or can be more dangerous than many folks realize.

 

[s219]

Drawbars have remained essentially the same since the beginning. Here is a little sketch on why pulling type tractors flip. Flipping is/was/ and still is a danger with any pulling situation.

If the drawbar is located under the axle line, then it will not allow the tractor to flip due to a pulling force (it would be physically impossible due to the moment created -- the harder you pull, the more it will resist a backward flip).

The real danger comes from drawbars, or other pulling points including the three-point hitch, that place the pulling point above the axle. All modern tractors I have seen put the drawbar below the axle for this reason.

The bottom image in that sketch shows the flipping moment created when you have a pulling point above the axle. The top image shows a contraption that alleviates the problem on tractors with pulling points above the axle. If your pulling point is below the axle, none of this is an issue to begin with.

 

[SPYDERLK]

If the drawbar is located under the axle line, then it will not allow the tractor to flip due to a pulling force (it would be physically impossible due to the moment created -- the harder you pull, the more it will resist a backward flip).

The real danger comes from drawbars, or other pulling points including the three-point hitch, that place the pulling point above the axle. All modern tractors I have seen put the drawbar below the axle for this reason.

The bottom image in that sketch shows the flipping moment created when you have a pulling point above the axle. The top image shows a contraption that alleviates the problem on tractors with pulling points above the axle. If your pulling point is below the axle, none of this is an issue to begin with.

Pretty full discussion in below threads:

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/buying-pricing-comparisons/146173-why-4-wheel-drive.html

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/owning-operating/215952-preventing-tractor-back-flip.html

 

[foggy1111]

I'm in the market for a sickle mower but I've read that you need to
attache some chains to the drawbar for it to operate properly. Problem
is ... My tractor doesn't have a drawbar - see attached.

Is there a way I could hook up a sickle mower without the drawbar. I have my fingers crossed :tractor:

Look into a Ford 501 Sickle mower. If you google this....you can see the hook up. I cant see where you would need a drawbar as long as you can secure the 3 point from side sway.