Ford 501 Sickle Mower Help

[FF117]

I am new to sickle mowers and have been wanting one to mow around the pond and some various other areas. I picked up this Ford 501 at an auction for $300. I didn't get a chance to look it over before bidding, but it seems in decent shape for the price. I greased everything up and it works fine, but I have a few questions.

1. It has what appears to be some kind of stabilizers that should attach to the 3 point hitch arms. The left one doesn't fit my tractor very well and the right one doesn't fit at all. Are these needed?

2. The cutting teeth are obviously dull and I am debating whether to sharpen or replace. Does anyone have suggestions on where to purchase new teeth and how much I should expect to spend?

3. Is there anything else that I'm forgetting?

Thanks for the help.

 

[sweettractors]

I am new to sickle mowers and have been wanting one to mow around the pond and some various other areas. I picked up this Ford 501 at an auction for $300. I didn't get a chance to look it over before bidding, but it seems in decent shape for the price. I greased everything up and it works fine, but I have a few questions.

1. It has what appears to be some kind of stabilizers that should attach to the 3 point hitch arms. The left one doesn't fit my tractor very well and the right one doesn't fit at all. Are these needed?

2. The cutting teeth are obviously dull and I am debating whether to sharpen or replace. Does anyone have suggestions on where to purchase new teeth and how much I should expect to spend?

3. Is there anything else that I'm forgetting?

Thanks for the help.

TSC or webbs sickle service are good places to get parts. You will need to figure a way to attach the mower left arm to the tractor lift arm. This one carries your cutterbar when you raise your mower with the 3 point lift. The right side is a stabilizer and does not need to be used, if you stabilizer the mower with your tractor sway chains. Ken Sweet

 

[farmerdean]

old guy i used to work for had a sickle grinding set up with v shaped wheel. i'm pretty sure he made his. he also had a tool to change blades without pulling the whole thing out of the mower. around here you would get parts at feldmans or orschelns.

 

[sweettractors]

I am new to sickle mowers and have been wanting one to mow around the pond and some various other areas. I picked up this Ford 501 at an auction for $300. I didn't get a chance to look it over before bidding, but it seems in decent shape for the price. I greased everything up and it works fine, but I have a few questions.

1. It has what appears to be some kind of stabilizers that should attach to the 3 point hitch arms. The left one doesn't fit my tractor very well and the right one doesn't fit at all. Are these needed?

2. The cutting teeth are obviously dull and I am debating whether to sharpen or replace. Does anyone have suggestions on where to purchase new teeth and how much I should expect to spend?

3. Is there anything else that I'm forgetting?

Thanks for the help.

If you don't use 1 or both of those cast clamps that came with the mower, I would be interested in buying them. Ken Sweet

 

[FF117]

If you don't use 1 or both of those cast clamps that came with the mower, I would be interested in buying them. Ken Sweet

Thanks for the help. I think the left one will work, just have to play with it a little, but I don't think there is any way to make the right one work. I don't really understand how the cutter bar weight is supported by the clamp. I will have to mess with it again tomorrow. I will let you know if I can't use either of them.

There is a piece that folds down from where the left 3pt arm connects. I can't figure out where that is supposed to attach.

 

[sweettractors]

Thanks for the help. I think the left one will work, just have to play with it a little, but I don't think there is any way to make the right one work. I don't really understand how the cutter bar weight is supported by the clamp. I will have to mess with it again tomorrow. I will let you know if I can't use either of them.

There is a piece that folds down from where the left 3pt arm connects. I can't figure out where that is supposed to attach.

Here is what your left clamp should look like. The lift arm of the tractor just lays in the lower groove and the toe clamp holds it in place. Ken Sweet

 

[FF117]

Here is what your left clamp should look like. The lift arm of the tractor just lays in the lower groove and the toe clamp holds it in place. Ken Sweet

Thanks. Sorry for all the stupid questions. I'm still new to tractors.

 

[farmerdean]

can't help on that one. sorry.

 

[FF117]

I found an online manual for the 501 and had some time to work on the mower Sunday. The manual was very helpful and many of the adjustments were way out of wack for my tractor. I was able to get the bottom portion of the left clamp to work but I had to attach it forward of the extendable lift arm release. The fold down portion of the clamp won't reach that far and even if it did, the release would get in the way. It's difficult to explain, but hopefully you can tell by the pics. I think that portion of the clamp just holds it from sliding on the lift arm and you can tell on the pics that it can't really slide anyway. Hopefully it won't cause any odd stress on my lift arm or the mower.

I got the knives replaced. Got them from the local farm store for $10 for a package of 10. I wanted to use bolts instead of rivets, but don't think that there is enough clearance under the knife clips.

Ken - I may be interested in selling the right clamp. PM me if you still want it.

 

[farmerdean]

use rivets. get one of the tools i told you about. one end punches out the old rivet, the other sets the new one. you can do it in the field on the mower if you knock a knife out on a rock.