3-Point Hitch Wrong Pin Size for Three Point Side Bar Cutter

Big Thom · Sep 17, 2009

Need some help: I have a JD 790, bought an old JD side bar cutter at an auction to cut ditch banks and levees. Got the side cutter home and tried to hook it up to the three point hitch tonight. Problem: The pins on the side cutter are to big to fit through the ends on my three point hitch. Is this a
simple fix of changing out the pins on the side cutter for two that will fit
my three point hitch ends? Or am I in deep doo-doo with a side cutter too
big for my little 790?

mfreund · Sep 17, 2009

You can buy the pins at Tractor Supply,Theisen's, Farm and Fleet or any farm related store. You would likely need pins for a Cat 1 hitch.

jdbower · Sep 17, 2009

Sounds like the cutter may be a CAT2 implement - if it's offset like that it may have a lot of weight. Do you have a model number for the cutter?

kennyd · Sep 17, 2009

What you have is called a "sickle bar" mower. Sounds like the pins on it are CAT2 as mentioned, CAT1 pins are cheap and readily available

How long is the cutter bar?

ctlguy · Sep 18, 2009

Category I lower arm pin size is 7/8 while center link is 3/4
Category II lower arm pin size is 1 1/8 while centler link is 1"

Not all mfg stick to the true category measurements typically the lower priced attatchments are not always what they should be. But that is usually more along what is meant for width and height for quick hitch use.

Big Thom · Sep 19, 2009

Thanks, I went to Tractor Supply and bought the smaller pins. Changed them out and they worked fine.
I hooked up the sickle bar cutter and took some time to find all the grease zerks to make sure I got them all. I filled up the gear box with good gear oil which it took a lot to get it filled up. I sprayed all the parts with that stuff to loosen up rusted parts. When I started the tractor and engaged the
PTO, the thing worked! I took it out of the barn into the field and after some playing around, figured out how it all worked. I found it slow going, I had to run the tractor in the low range to keep the RPM's up and not too go to fast to clog up the bar. Not like using a bush hog.
It says on the side of the sickle bar "John Deere Mumber 5", the sickle bar
looks to be about nine feet long.
Thanks for all the help. When I was done for the day, I noticed the gear
box where the end to sickle bar rotates was leaking gear oil. Do they make
a rebuild kit for these old units? I would think the seals are shot. Where would I get a set of replacement seals for this old dog?

mfreund · Sep 19, 2009

Fill the gear box with grease instead of lube. Cheap and works!!!

If you change the seal it will leak again because usually the seal has cut a groove in the steel.