Sickle Bar Do I really need a drawbar??

[whirly]

I'm in the market for a sickle mower but I've read that you need to
attache some chains to the drawbar for it to operate properly. Problem
is ... My tractor doesn't have a drawbar - see attached.

Is there a way I could hook up a sickle mower without the drawbar. I have my fingers crossed :tractor:

 

[Gary Fowler]

You could likely fit the chains to the brackets on each side of the PTO and make it work without an actual drawbar.

 

[Gordon Gould]

Maybe there is something I am not understanding about your question but I have a sicklebar mower and don't use the drawbar or need any chains on the drawbar. It is a Superior or First Choice mower. Sweet Farm carries them and is where mine came from.

 

[whirly]

You could likely fit the chains to the brackets on each side of the PTO and make it work without an actual drawbar.

I was hoping I can do something like that but don't quite understand the mechanics of the need yet.

Maybe there is something I am not understanding about your question but I have a sicklebar mower and don't use the drawbar or need any chains on the drawbar. It is a Superior or First Choice mower. Sweet Farm carries them and is where mine came from.

I've been reading here and elsewhere about the subject and the issue of needing the drawbar seem to come up quite often. It may be only certain mowers need to use the drawbar but that is the purpose of this thread.

According to several threads, without the chains to the drawbar, the cutting bar can't be raised.

Since I don't own a sickle mower yet, I'm trying to get as much information pre-purchase so I don't make any big mistakes. If there are sickles that don't require the chains then I'm all ears.

 

[schmism]

without a draw bar, and with out a rops, any time you want to chain something to the rear to pull on you risk hooking it up to a point above the axle. this results in flipping the tractor and killing you. As a FF i responded to just that thing a couple of years ago.

get a draw bar.

 

[Gary Fowler]

I think that there is a linkage chain that you attach to your drawbar or in your case to one side of the plates by your pto, as you raise the 3 point lift it tightens the chain that then pulls the sickle bar up. It wont raise it all the way but if I remember back from childhood only goes about 45 degrees. For transport, you have to manhandle it to fold it over the cutter and lock it in place. Watch those fingers on the blades ( only lift from the back side of the sickle bar)as they tend to move as you fold it over and will cut off a finger if it is in between the finger guides for the sickle blade.

 

[whirly]

... get a draw bar.

All good points. Thank you :thumbsup:

However, I won't be towing anything. In addition, the 3PTH was developed BECAUSE ground engagement implements, such as plows and subsoilers, attached to the drawbar caused tractors to flipover backwards. Prior to it's invention by Harry Ferguson in 1929, drawbar implement attachment was the number one cause of agricultural fatalities.

In this case, if needed, the chains are from an attachment (sickle bar mower) mounted on the 3PTH.

 

[whirly]

I think that there is a linkage chain that you attach to your drawbar or in your case to one side of the plates by your pto, as you raise the 3 point lift it tightens the chain that then pulls the sickle bar up. It wont raise it all the way but if I remember back from childhood only goes about 45 degrees. For transport, you have to manhandle it to fold it over the cutter and lock it in place. Watch those fingers on the blades ( only lift from the back side of the sickle bar)as they tend to move as you fold it over and will cut off a finger if it is in between the finger guides for the sickle blade.

Thank you:thumbsup:

That's the information I was looking for.

 

[soulasphil]

Some models may use the draw bar, but mine doesn't. It uses the usual 3 pt hitch plus two stabilizers hooked to the lower holes under the 3rd point. There is a safety device that frees the implement if it catches on something hard and there's no way it can make the tractor roll or capsize.

 

[whirly]

Some models may use the draw bar, but mine doesn't. It uses the usual 3 pt hitch plus two stabilizers hooked to the lower holes under the 3rd point. There is a safety device that frees the implement if it catches on something hard and there's no way it can make the tractor roll or capsize.

Now THAT is one heck of a sickle mower. Unfortunately, I'm pretty sure it's way out of my price range. I'm looking for a used one that is less than $2K.