Sickle Bar Barn Find - Sickle Bar Mower

[Creamer]

I have been wanting a sickle bar mower for a few years and found one - a NH 455. Got it for $300. It has not been used for at least 20 years and the sickle is rusted bad and stuck maybe due to corrosion. It also has a busted lift spring and cable and needs a little paint. Otherwise everything looks good. Even the belt looks to be in fine shape.

I am excited to tear apart the bar and make it run. I grew up with sickle bars and always loved how they cut! Always had Deere and IH though. This is my first time with an NH!

 

[Don87]

Good find.
Are you planning a complete restore, or just getting it field worthy. Give us updates on your progress

 

[MIKE R]

Looks good. Them mowers are fairly easy to work on.

 

[Creamer]

Just a field worthy. I have a pond that I wanted a bar to flop over the bank edge and keep it trimmed, cutting small brush, rose, etc. on the edge of tree lines and a little grass area cutting. I probably did not need it but it sure makes it easier to trim around the pond than a string trimmer. As I get older I think of those things!

 

[Don87]

Just a field worthy. I have a pond that I wanted a bar to flop over the bank edge and keep it trimmed, cutting small brush, rose, etc. on the edge of tree lines and a little grass area cutting. I probably did not need it but it sure makes it easier to trim around the pond than a string trimmer. As I get older I think of those things!

You and me both. I dread getting out the string trimmer more and more every year.

 

[whistlepig]

It sure looks like it is in great condition. I love to watch the sickle bar mowers cut also. Just something that I always thought was fun to watch.

 

[flusher]

Nice mower. Have fun on the rebuild. So far I've rebuilt two 7-ft sickle bars. My Allis Chalmers is a tow-behind like yours.

 

[Creamer]

I tried hooking it up to my Ford 1710 this evening and it is obvious the drawbar is too short. I never pull anything but a trailer with the 1710 I just use the 3 pt. What is the best way to extend the drawbar so I get the 14-20" from the end of the PTO shaft? I have toyed with a drawbar in my 3 pt whic should work as long as somebody does not raise the 3 pt.

 

[Dozernut]

Check your drawbar, there should be a large pin that holds it in place. If it is like my drawbars on my tractors you can shorten or lengthen it by removing the pin and slide the bar out. There should be at least three holes in the bar for adjustment. Maybe yours is different but it would not hurt to look.

 

[Creamer]

Dozernut - I did look at it and it is bolted solid to the rear end housing - four bolts that mount it - no adjustment. I found this strange as I grew up with IH M's JD 4020 and the like and they all had exactly like you say - drawbars that had a single pin and they could swing side to side if they were let loose but this one instead of being a single drawbar is a clevis type where the pin is about two inches behind the tip of the PTO shaft and bolted solid.