Sickle Type Mower Conditioner

[jwcinpk]

I'm looking for a sickle type mower conditioner to back up my disc mower and for times when I know I will want to square bale. I'd be pulling it with about a 65 pto hp tractor. What brands and models have the best reputation? Do any manufacturers still offer the sickle type new?

 

[jimg]

Yes, I think all the big names still make a sickle moco. I know both JD, NH and AGCO do. (The JD machine is sold under the Frontier line.).

The technology in a sickle moco is pretty much static. The guts of my MF 725 are nearly identical to the NH mdls. I know my machines have done thousands of acres and while they dont look that great still work very good. Id chose based on parts availability and support rather than brand alone.

One advantage perhaps a new mower would have over one thats old is the technology in the cutter. I wonder if new ones are easier to maintain (bolts vs rivets, sectional bars, rollers bearings that sort of thing)?

As for reputation in my area NH is king although there are a number of MFs too.

 

[HayDR]

I'm looking for a sickle type mower conditioner to back up my disc mower and for times when I know I will want to square bale. I'd be pulling it with about a 65 pto hp tractor. What brands and models have the best reputation? Do any manufacturers still offer the sickle type new?

Are you looking at new or used? As a backup you likely are considering used. Where are you located? You will find Hesston, New Holland, Gehl and JD pockets around the country. The prices vary because of many factors. If you find a Hesston haybine is New Holland country you can buy it for a song. The same with any of the other mfg's.

 

[zzvyb6]

I like to add that a Tractor Supply Co. stocks all sections, hold down clips, guards, chains, belts, etc. for all the sickle mowers I've worked with. Changing a cutter bar from rivetted to bolt-on sections is no big deal. Buy the bolts, slide the bar thru the loose jaws of a vice, wallop the section with a hammer (shearing the rivets) and install bolt and nut. Neat job in about an hour with a battery impact. Bolted sections are convenient for in-field service. Get one where the wheels/tires are interchangeable (as in lug spacing and loaded radius), in case you ever pop a tire.

 

[jwcinpk]

Almost certainly used. I want something in good condition though. I'd prefer with bolt on knives. I'm in SE KY. CCI you sold me a new Rebel roller a few years ago through Valley Farm Equipment when I bought my new tractor.

 

[Robert_in_NY]

Depending on the condition of the knives you can always buy a new bar with the knives bolted on and have the bolt on knives. Or as you replace the knives just bolt the new ones on. Easy way to tell what knives have been replaced already. When I played around with the NH 489 I kept the generator in the bed of the truck and the grinder up front with the rest of the tools. I use to use the grinder a lot but not so much now.

I am not a real big fan of the haybine/moco's. They do their job but require more care then a discbine.

 

[jimg]

A question about changing over to bolts...Ive read that when the conversion is done new high clearance hold downs are also needed. It sounds like you all didnt need those. Correct?

 

[Lindblom Lawn Care]

On the old Heston 1014 we would convert from rivets to bolts, it didn't require any modifications. Guards stayed the same etc (two piece guard). I think it depends on the application.

 

[zzvyb6]

The high clearance hold downs are a function of the cutter bar construction, not the fastener. Bolts and rivets are approximately the same height. Most cutter bars are compound bars. They have a main length and another piece where the drive bushing is attached. These parts are overlapped and longer bolts are used to attach the bar, knife and bushing section in a sandwich. When you are all done, the nut still passes under the holdowns. If someone were to use the wrong length bolts (long ones in the main bar instead of short ones), then it would interfere with the clips. I buy bolt kits at TSC which have all 3 bolt lengths used for main bar, and the two staged thickness bushing bar used in my NH mower.

If someone were to use all long bolts in the bar, they would need "the sign", as in "here's your sign".

Considering the price of knives at the end of the season, I stock up and change the bars over the winter. My NH stores a spare bar in the suspension frame so I always have a sharp cutter. I use overserated knives for grass and alphalfa.

 

[rdbigfarmboy]

I paid 200 for my Badger 9 ft cut (aka mf925) and its in pretty good shape. New belts 60.00.
Im switching to bolt on sickles.

 

[jimg]

Good deal on the 925! BTW Badger (or Miller or whatever they called the company) sold the hay tool line to Artsway in IA. Not sure how thats going to work out for spare parts if MF doesnt have them.

What bolts are you using for the sections on your 925? Sometime this winter Im going thru my mowers so theyre ready for spring and at that time Im going to replace all of the rivets along w/ some broken sections.

 

[zzvyb6]

Sickle tooth bolts are a special formed deal with serations on the shank to grip into the cutter bar. These serations self-form into the hole left by the rivet. This usually means that you will need to pound them into the hole to get a nut started. Once threaded, the nut will pull the bolt through until the head seats. This makes changing the knives a breeze because the bolt will stay in position when later you remove/replace a knife. In fact you can do this without removing the cutter bar by moving it to an open section between the guards. Keep a short 3/8" box wrench in the tractor toolbox for this (and some extra nuts (they tend to crawl away in the middle of a field). TSC has boxed kits of bolts and nuts for this purpose with suffiicent quantity of all 3 required lengths. The nut is special, too. It has a rounded top to slide under clips with a crimped indent to lock the bolt in place. No washers are used.