Converting manual sickle mower to hydraulic lift and position unit

[Boeing]

Guys, for years I've fought a losing battle trying to mow the sides of my 3/4 mile drive what with tall weeds, briars and encroaching tree branches. My arms and shirts torn up by briars....grrr.
I looked at sickle mowers years ago but there are many saplings and even young trees established along this drive and a sickle mower riding the ground won't handle that. I envision broken teeth or jammed units.
I recently saw an ad for a "boom hedge cutter" that looked interesting; expensive and tall to try to get into my shop/garage.
Soooo, I thought how about that sickle mower and ADDING a hydraulic lift so I could raise it as I approached saplings and blockages. First, my Kubota has no rear hydraulics but as I recall there are 1 or 2 capped off hyd lines behind the FEL hydraulic controls....maybe they can be extended to the rear. I found a single lever hyd control on-line AND I see many hydraulic cylinders available to raise/lower the cutter. The geometry is beyond me so a machine shop would have to be involved.
Have any of you guys done this or have suggestions to move me in the right direction?
Thanks

 

[Sportsman762]

A sickle is not the best for woody material, You will need a sickle that is pitman-less to allow the sickle to run at an angle. Mowers with pitman arms have a very limited range on what they can run for an angle.

You could put a hydraulic cylinder on the mower to lift it, however it would not let it float.The best solution will probably be a cable setup that allows the sickle to float up and the hydraulic cylinder will pull on the cable. Also most 3pt sickles go over center and fold back on themselves. You will most likely want to prevent this from happening as you will have to get off the tractor to unfold it.

The geometry is beyond me so a machine shop would have to be involved.

If this is the case it would be more economical to buy a unit that is setup to do what you want. You will have a lot in cost having some one else do the fabrication.
Some examples of units that might work for you.

FH-CHJ Sickle Brush Mower | Betstco Sales, Parts, and Service:

Got ditches to mow, hedges to trim? Brush overgrowing your driveway? Shrub that needs to be controlled? Our sickle hedge cutter is a perfect solution for maintaining hedges, ditches, and shrubs along side roadways and fields.

betstco.com

Skid Steer 72" Wolverine Sickle Bar Mower Hydraulic Skid Steer Attachment Bobcat | eBay

72" Wolverine Sickle Bar Mower. It doesn't matter if it is a CAT, Bobcat, New Holland, John Deere, Case, Kubota, Caterpillar, ASV, Wacker Neuson, Volvo, or any other make. Mini Skid Steers. Skid Steer.

www.ebay.com

Searching on craigslist and facebook marketplace for "skidsteer sickle" will normally also yield results.

First, my Kubota has no rear hydraulics but as I recall there are 1 or 2 capped off hyd lines behind the FEL hydraulic controls....maybe they can be extended to the rear.

Adding more hydraulic remotes is not this simple sadly. You have three options.
1.) Add a diverter valve to either the lift, or curl function of the loader and once you flip the switch it will change the flow from that function to the new hydraulic remotes
2.) add an OEM kubota rear remote
3.) add a valve with a power beyond sleeve before the loader valve and feed the loader valve from the new valve. This requires a strong knowledge of the hydraulic system. The valve you have in a photo does not have power beyond and will not work.

Keep us posted on what you decide to do!