Sickle Bar Mower

[Matthew27808]

I have a John Deere #5 sickle bar mower for mowing ditch banks. I'm thinking of changing the wood pitman arm with a aluminium tube and adding a slip clucth on the PTO. Any thoughts on this subject. Thanks

 

[Briar Hill Brittanys]

My inquiring mind wants to know............why?


Part Number: Z9298H
Part Price: 23.61 USD
On Hand: 0 Check Other Stores
Description: Pitman Arm - MOWER PITMAN
Package Quantity:
1

Alternative Part
A-Z9298H Pitman - PITMAN WOOD - 20.89 USD

 

[zzvyb6]

I have a John Deere #5 sickle bar mower for mowing ditch banks. I'm thinking of changing the wood pitman arm with a aluminium tube and adding a slip clucth on the PTO. Any thoughts on this subject. Thanks

The spruce pitman is intended to shear asap when you lock up the sickle bar. This can save the knives (riveted) and the guards (rusted bolts). Also when you engage the pto with the bar elevated by mistake. Take you chances with the slip clutch and aluminum will fail from fatigue.

So buy a lot of tubing and carry spare bars, knives, guards and tubes with you. It will look pretty, though !

 

[Creamer]

Yep! Dump the green paint and buy a NH or IH. Eliminate the pitman stick completely. They are only good for level, even fields with no rocks or mounds - situations very few of us have.

My brother on the farm I grew up on has a JD 37 and an IH 1100. He doesn't use them in the field anymore as he has moved onto mower conditioners. Even though he bleeds green he would give me the JD but he would not part with the 1100 which is still used for ditches and trimming.

Growing up we and our neighbors tried many things to make a stronger pitman stick to no avail. This was on #5's, #7's, #9's and then 37s. The solution was to change color.

 

[Matthew27808]

Yes, I guess this sickle mower I have wasn't meant to cut the things I cut. I just need to break down and buy a more modern mower.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

It's a simple fix, just buy a NH451!!

SR

 

[tcreeley]

I had a 1948 Farmall Cub with an underbelly sickle bar mower. The original wood pitman arm was on it and it finally rotted and broke on me. It was made with some hardwood, oak I think from the looks of it so I replaced it with a piece of red oak that I matched up, sawed and drilled. Worked great. I like wood.

 

[Oldtractorfixer]

The number 5 came while a PTO shaft that had a slip clutch in it. Big spring arrangement with serrated teeth.

 

[Mace Canute]

The spruce pitman is intended to shear asap when you lock up the sickle bar. This can save the knives (riveted) and the guards (rusted bolts). Also when you engage the pto with the bar elevated by mistake. Take you chances with the slip clutch and aluminum will fail from fatigue.

So buy a lot of tubing and carry spare bars, knives, guards and tubes with you. It will look pretty, though !

Absolutely true! Wood has a natural resiliency and will outlast many "modern" materials.

 

[Matthew27808]

I have a John Deere #5 sickle bar mower for mowing ditch banks. I'm thinking of changing the wood pitman arm with a aluminium tube and adding a slip clutch on the PTO. Any thoughts on this subject. Thanks

I couldn't find anyone that carried a pitman arm. Tractor supply or Agri supply. So I bought a hickory wheel barrow handle and made one. So far its working.