Matching 501 sickle bar to 8N tractor

[countryguyvt]

Our family has an 8N and we recently acquired a Ford 501 sickle bar mower (14-339). The mower has a 1-3/8" 6-spline PTO shaft, while the 8N has a standard 1" 6-spline shaft.

We found an adapter at Tractor Supply that almost worked; it wouldn't quite fit onto the 8N shaft, but quite close - we couldn't use it. Any ideas or comments would be greatly appreciated.

 

[John0829]

The N tractor, if it still has the OEM PTO shaft, will be a 1 1/8". Adapters should be readily available at most any frm store. A better option if you intend to use it regularly IMHO would be to change out the PTO shaft with modern replacement that is the standard 1 3/8" size. Four bolts and done, don't even have to drain the oil if you park it nose down in a ditch.

It is not necessary to use an ORC with a sickle mower but I would just the same if it were me.

 

[ROUSTABOUT]

The N tractor, if it still has the OEM PTO shaft, will be a 1 1/8". Adapters should be readily available at most any frm store. A better option if you intend to use it regularly IMHO would be to change out the PTO shaft with modern replacement that is the standard 1 3/8" size. Four bolts and done, don't even have to drain the oil if you park it nose down in a ditch.

It is not necessary to use an ORC with a sickle mower but I would just the same if it were me.

You can get overrun clutches for small tractor shaft and modern output shaft. Buy one and be done. Like you said, it needs overrun anyway because it don't have it.