About a 501 sicklebar mower

[CostaRica]

Hello all, I'm new to sicklebar mowers, but I bougth a used Ford 501 one several weeks ago, for a Kubota L3400, and I have a couple of questions,
1) Are they normally really difficult to attach, 'cause its taking me 2 persons and about 25 min. + attack tools to attach it to the tractor.
2) When I cut the grass for the horses, as I'm not in a hurry, I drive the tractor in 1 - 2 nd. gear, at about 1300 rpm and the tractor + mower seem to work super easy, it cuts good and the tractor feels like it has nothing on the PTO, but it vibrates, and if I go higher than those 1300 rpm, the engine+hood look like are going to vibrate off the rest of the tractor, is this normal or do I have to adjust something to avoid this vibration (the tractor lower arms are tight and the pto bar from the mower its 90 deg with the tractor)
Thanks.

 

[BOTAMAN]

We had a 501 mower when I was at home on the farm and it was difficult to hookup, if I remember correctly getting the stabilizers clamped onto the tractor lift arms was the hardest part.

Sickle bar mowers due to their design have a certain amount of natural vibration, but normally the vibration lessons at higher rpm's. Have you checked your pto shaft for loose universal joints ? Also check to be sure the shaft is not bent.

 

[slowrev]

The 501 sickle mower attachment difficulty canbe greatly reduced by properly blocking up the attachment when disconnecting it.

Ben

 

[Farmwithjunk]

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Ben
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Precisely! I have a New Holland 451 7' sickle bar mower. It's a belt-drive instead of pitman, but none-the-less, a sickle bar mower. I made a platform out of angle iron that securely holds the mower when it's off the tractor. It sets at the right level to hook up with minimal difficulty. Otherwise, they're a bear to wrestle with.

Sickle bar mowers, ESPECIALLY the ones with pitman arms, tend to vibrate some. There isn't that much "mass" so the vibration isn't destructive, as much as it is annoying sometimes. Just make certain everything is good and snug.

When cutting hay or just clipping weeds, I've found it best to keep up some groundspeed. They tend to plug less that way.

Some of the belt drive mowers have variable speed drive pulleys that can be shimmed to give full speed operation with less than full 540 RPM PTO "input speed". Using a 7'er on a 60 HP tractor, I have my New Holland set to run as if it was at 540 RPM, only with the tractors PTO only turning around 420 RPM. Saves LOTS of fuel that way. (A 7' sickle mower, in good shape, probably only needs 20 or 25 HP, if that)

If you keep your pastures cut relatively short, a sickle bar is MUCH cheaper to mow with than a bush hog, and still get good looking results.

As a matter of fact, I'm headed out in a couple hours to cut around 5 acres of pasture with mine!

 

[slowrev]

I am in the process of rebuilding a 501. Got it for $20 and should be able to get by with about another $200 of parts to get it in near perfect shape. I have helped my friend cut hay with his 501, they are ok, but the new holland he has (maybe a 451), is a better rig.

Ben

 

[Farmwithjunk]

The Ford 501 (pitman arm mower) and then the 515 (No pitman) are good, if not GREAT mowers. The 451 New Holland is about the cream of the crop. I've always wanted a model 350 Deere, just can't find one at a fair price. I've latched on to 1 good 451, and a couple "donor models". So far, I haven't needed much from either, and have been considering rebuilding one to sell. They are smooth operating compared to all the others I've owned. I also had a Massey Ferguson #41 Dyna-Balance mower a few years back. They were made by Vermeer for Massey. Smooth running too. Whenever I can, I use a sickle bar instead of my bush hog. MUCH easier on the tractor, uses less fuel, quieter, and if everything is in good shape, gives a nice clean cut.

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

Here's what I've found out while using mine. I bought a used JD 350 9 footer and restored it. I've got about $1000 wrapped up in it. It likes to run about 500-520 PTO rpm. Very smooth at those speeds. It doesn't take much power at all to run it but it won't fit smaller compacts due to the frame that cradles it needs the arms fairly wide. Run it at 5-8 mph for best results. This makes the grass fall back out of the way.

I usually alternate between the sickle bar and the shredder because the sickle bar leaves hay on the ground and the shredder helps mulch it.
I bought it primarily to trim around our pond. We have some weeds that grow around the edges and the 9 footer can get almost all of them. Sure makes the pond much nicer looking.

JD has all the parts available for these. Just make sure if you find one that the "wobble crank" is still good.

 

[Dachshund]

The Ford 501 and 515 mowers are EXCELLENT machines! They were originally designed for use with the "N" series tractors. They ARE a pain it the you-know-what to hook up and TUNE correctly, but once you get it figured, you'll have it forever. Use the blocks idea or build yourself a "rack" to set it in when it's off the tractor. This will GREATLY improve your install time.

 

[rambler]

Back up to it, lower the 3pt. Hook up the left lower arm first - it is the lowest.

Lift the 3pt a little, and hook up the right lower arm. You can tug or push on the far end of the cutter bar, good leverage, to line it up.

With the spring pin removed (that big spring attached to the upper arm), hook up the upper arm to the tractor by slightly raising the 3pt.

Attach the pto onto the tractor.

Raise the 3pt all the way up, put the pin in that big spring/ upper arm to reconnect them.

Lower the 3pt.

Attach the contol lift arm on the left side lower arm - the one that lifts the bar.

Raise the 3pt, and you should be good to go - unless your tractor doesn't have sway bars, and you have to use those little angle parts of the mower - my tractor has good sway bars as part of the 3pt, so never fooled with those.

Anyhow, doesn't take me as long to hook up as it took me to write this.

--->Paul