MF model 31 sickle bar mower

[keegs]

Hey guys. I use a sickle bar mower to trim back the edges of my fields and ditches and around a small pond. I also have about 10 acres or so that I mow once a year. I have an MF 41 Dynabalance that's in pretty good condition but I'm thinking about a backup. I found an MF 31 for sale at (from what I can tell so far) a pretty good price and I'm considering having a closer look. Can anyone review the 31 for me? Are any of the parts interchangeable with the 41?

 

[Farmer495]

31 is pitman drive I think. I am thinking the cutterbar items (fingers, sections, ledger plates etc) are the same.

 

[keegs]

Thanks Farmer495.. ..my research so far has the model 32 and 42 w/pitman drive. I recall online conversations about the wobble box on the 31 and 41 are an expensive repair and parts are hard to come by. I thought it might be handy to have a backup and/or spares but not sure how much the parts are interchangeable. It makes sense that the bar and blade assembly and maybe the pullies and belt... are interchangeable.

 

[Working on Rust]

The 32 and 42 are pitman drive. The 31 and 41 are wobble box.

The 30 and 40 series are very different. The 31 and 32 are Massey built. The 41 and 42 are actually Vermeer. I have worked with a 32 and I have to say it is not that good. I am sure when they are in good shape they work fine but I cannot recommend a 30. I have looked at the 40s and they look like a better machine.
I understand that wear parts are available for both and seem high but other parts are scarce, more so for the 40s.

 

[keegs]

Thanks WOR.. I read somewhere a while back that the 41 was a rebadged Vermeer. It's (the 41) a smooth running machine with very little shimmy shake. The owner/seller of the 31 hooked it up to his tractor and sent me two videos of it in operation. It appears to be running fine. The wobble box on the 31 appears a bit different from the 41 but I'll have to take a closer look at it to confirm. I'm going to take a look at it on Saturday.