OK, second time replacing the guards and sections on my 7' 451. I have 2 cutter bars that I switch between in case I break a section. The sections are pretty worn out by now and pretty dull. Couple weeks ago before it started raining, it was real dry so I cut about 10 acres and it was working fine. Then I went over to the other field after it rained and it won't cut for crap. Grass bogs up in mower, leaves lots uncut.
So I got new sections. ebay 233443775471 from reliable aftermarket parts. I've gotten serviceable stuff from them before. The guards (NH 219190) I got from Quality Farm Supply GUARD NEW HOLLAND 219190 . They had 3 types, $8, 10, and 14 ones. I got the cheapest because I didn't find the others until after I ordered. So,
Any recommendations on rebuilding the bar? I have new wear plates which I did not put on the last time. Also last time after installing everything, I had to take a large pipe wrench and long 5' pipe to bend the guards up so they would at least meet the sections. It seemed to work, but didn't seem right. I'm going to try to get things oriented better this time. I do have the user book on the 451.
I've got all the sections off one bar now except for the ones that are between the 2 bars, near the drive side. I'll have to drill out the rivets, I can't seem to punch them out. In the past I've always used about a 2 lb hammer and a large 225 lb anvil to rivet the sections on. I did buy a large 7/8" grade 8 bolt that I'm going to drill a dimple in to hold the oval head of the rivet. The anvil has a square hole to hold the 7/8" bolt. I was thinking about doing the same with another smaller grade 8 bolt for the top side to hammer them on although just flattening the top seems to work OK. I might weld an arm on the smaller bolt to hold it off to the side to do a neater job.
I haven't gotten the guards yet, should I have gotten the German made guards for $14? They're supposedly double hardened. The original guards seemed better made than the last ones I got and may have been the German made ones, and I have maybe 3-4 years on the current guards and they're fairly worn. The first original guards look sharper than my current ones, at least they have an edge on them.
I try to cut my 20 acres about 3x a year. It takes me about 6 hours each 10 acre field with a JD2020, but realize I'm in the foothills of the Blue Ridge and it's hilly and one field has a lot of trees to get around so it's not just a rectangular field. I just start on the outside and work my way in as best as I can. The 451 cuts the fields in less than half the time I can with a 5' rotary mower. And it cuts better.
So I got new sections. ebay 233443775471 from reliable aftermarket parts. I've gotten serviceable stuff from them before. The guards (NH 219190) I got from Quality Farm Supply GUARD NEW HOLLAND 219190 . They had 3 types, $8, 10, and 14 ones. I got the cheapest because I didn't find the others until after I ordered. So,
Any recommendations on rebuilding the bar? I have new wear plates which I did not put on the last time. Also last time after installing everything, I had to take a large pipe wrench and long 5' pipe to bend the guards up so they would at least meet the sections. It seemed to work, but didn't seem right. I'm going to try to get things oriented better this time. I do have the user book on the 451.
I've got all the sections off one bar now except for the ones that are between the 2 bars, near the drive side. I'll have to drill out the rivets, I can't seem to punch them out. In the past I've always used about a 2 lb hammer and a large 225 lb anvil to rivet the sections on. I did buy a large 7/8" grade 8 bolt that I'm going to drill a dimple in to hold the oval head of the rivet. The anvil has a square hole to hold the 7/8" bolt. I was thinking about doing the same with another smaller grade 8 bolt for the top side to hammer them on although just flattening the top seems to work OK. I might weld an arm on the smaller bolt to hold it off to the side to do a neater job.
I haven't gotten the guards yet, should I have gotten the German made guards for $14? They're supposedly double hardened. The original guards seemed better made than the last ones I got and may have been the German made ones, and I have maybe 3-4 years on the current guards and they're fairly worn. The first original guards look sharper than my current ones, at least they have an edge on them.
I try to cut my 20 acres about 3x a year. It takes me about 6 hours each 10 acre field with a JD2020, but realize I'm in the foothills of the Blue Ridge and it's hilly and one field has a lot of trees to get around so it's not just a rectangular field. I just start on the outside and work my way in as best as I can. The 451 cuts the fields in less than half the time I can with a 5' rotary mower. And it cuts better.
