Sickle Bar Sickle Bar Mower

[armyret]

Hope some of you old time farmers reply to this. I have a 7ft sickle bar mower and it cuts fine except that the end keeps clogging up with hay. Only the very end aprox 6 to 8 inches.
Am I doing something wrong? Also I am mowing with a B78oo kubota with hydro transmission. What gear should I run it in?
How fast should go? I am running it at the recommended rpm to achieve 540 pto output. [/list] <font color="#666666"> </font>

 

[Darren]

I run as fast as ground conditions and the grass will allow. With the L3710 (hydro) that means in the mid-gear range. The idea is to have the grass fall backwards over the bar as it's being sliced. Sometimes in heavy grass if mowing too slow you may push the grass forward and have it fall forward creating a problem. There's no one speed that will work in all conditions. Wiry grass may require a slower speed to avoid jamming the knives.

One solution to the grass clogging at the end is to replace the last knife with a double point knife rather than a single point.

As far as RPM, the manual for my sickle bar (scissors action- both knives and guards move) recommends running below 540 rpm.

 

[HayDR]

You may want to use a half-knife section on the end, this will help with end clogs. Also remember that if the grass is wet a sicklebar mower will clog more often. Even the high maintenance double action sicklebar mowers have trouble with wet grass. A sicklebar mower is good for trimming up around the edges of fields, around ponds & creeks and around rocks. If you want to stop the clogs you might want leave the hay harvesting to a newer technology like a drum mower designed for a B7800 Kubota.

 

[Egon]

Pehaps you have a little slack and the bar knives have a little clearance from the ledger plates. There may be shims that can be used if this is the case.

Are the ledger plates sharp and is the sickle bar sharp?

Egon

 

[Darren]

I'm curious about your comment that double action sickle bars are high maintenance. I've used one for three years and other than greasing it before using it, I haven't seen any maintenance problems. it's been a dependable piece of equipment and great to operate once you learn how fast you can push it. What are you seeing?

My NH451 on the other hand was a PITA in the heavy grass no matter what speed I ran. I was constantly on and off the tractor.

 

[HayDR]

We distribute thousands of US$ worth of parts a year for these double action mowers. The OEM G&S guards are stamped sheet matal and one stick 1/2" in diameter can do hundreds of $ worth of damage in seconds. We have 20 years of experience in selling these double action sicklebar mowers. If there are any trees around or rocks, you had better stay away of these double action mowers. We still sell them but tell customers up front that these double action sicklebar mowers must be used in clean fields with no rocks.

 

[ZJ_HR]

CCM,
Just a curious question: what brand of double mowing sickles do you sell Gribaldi&Salvia (GS), Gramip (GD) or Gaspardo?

 

[HayDR]

Gribaldi & Salvia from the old WWII tank factory.

 

[ZJ_HR]

We had 3 of their side mounted models (single move) in last 35y.
Pretty durable machines, even license build by Gramip.

 

[sweettractors]

<font color="blue"> I haven't seen any maintenance problems. it's been a dependable piece of equipment and great to operate once you learn how fast you can push it. </font>

I agree with you, We have 20 years of selling thes "G&S" Superior double action machines and have had no problems at all with them--I guess, If I had to complain about them at all? They are cutting into the number of new Disc Mowers and Drum Mower that we sell annually. I have customers that are mowing round for round with thier neighbors Vicon, Lely,Vermeer,NH etc Disc Mowers. Now if it is raining, The disc mower will out perform the double action. We have had first hand experience on our farm with that /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif--Ken Sweet
Sweet Farm Equipment LLC *New 5-6-7 Ft Double Action Sickle Mowers by First Choice*