Sickle Bar’s

[AMC RULES 37,130]

On 5/2/2023 at 8:29 PM, Achto said:

 

95 's around your place & you can't find one to be a dedicated sickle mower???? 

You have met him, right Dan?

[Lee1977 6,656]

On 5/3/2023 at 6:56 AM, kpinnc said:

If I had one, I'd wear it completely out. I'd cut hay in my back pasture with it! 

 

Then I'd need a tedder and bailer! 

Those of us that could really use one can't find one. That may be the problem any in that area would be worn out, way past repair.

[davem1111 2,030]

5 minutes ago, Lee1977 said:

Those of us that could really use one can't find one. That may be the problem any in that area would be worn out, way past repair.

 

Yeah, same here. I'm gonna need to rent something in the spring to get the pastures under control. Really could use a sickle bar. 

[peter lena 8,610]

@WHX??  would love to go thru one of those , every one I have seen , was a neglected wreck . just thinking of the  changes I  would make .  Pete

[AMC RULES 37,130]

 

[953 nut 55,189]

On 5/3/2023 at 10:32 PM, oliver2-44 said:

On 5/3/2023 at 7:30 PM, 953 nut said:

I've about finished the Eaton 1100 transaxle swap into the GT-14 so parts and pieces are out of the way. Let me know when you are ready to come get the 953.

Hoping there will be an as-built thread on that project.

Just about had the project finished when I had the stroke. Making some good progress toward recovering and hope to be able to work in the shop again this spring.

Once the GT-14 Eaton swap is done I will be able to get at the 953 to take some pictures if @cafoose hasn't found another one by then. Just lookin forward to being able to get back out there. I haven't had grease under my fingernails or driven a  since May.        

I have taken several pictures and plan to do a build thread on the transaxle swap when I'm finished. About the only difference from @19richie66's Eaton Widening thread and what I was doing is the arm going back to the three point hitch required some linkage changes. 

[cafoose 3,354]

3 minutes ago, 953 nut said:

if @cafoose hasn't found another one by then.

I got the one from @Ed Kennell that he had at the show. I traded him a Ber-Vac snow thrower and some cash for it. I'm still interested in your 953 @953 nut. I'm in the process of remodeling and building a new garage at the moment. Takes lots of time and cash. I should be ready to get it sometime after the weather gets nice. No hurry, I slowed down after I retired and moved to Tennessee

[953 nut 55,189]

2 minutes ago, cafoose said:

No hurry, I slowed down after I retired and moved to Tennessee

No hurry on my end too, when the time is right we can compare notes on how good retirement is.

[jeffy20 5]

On 5/6/2023 at 6:34 AM, Thegearhead0324 said:

So who else here has a sickle bar they gotta git done?? 

Just picked one up this past week. Need to check my parts shelf to see if I got everything I need to put it on my raider 14

[Cody 276]

Here's one of my Didier sickle bars on a C160. I should dig them out for better pictures 

[Lane Ranger 10,968]

I have owned several 42 and 50 inch wheel horse sickle bar mowers.  I have also owned a Haban 414 on a Wheel Horse B-100.  
 

Currently, I still have a 50 inch sickle bar on a 1964 1054.   The 50 inch for 953/1054 was one inch wider for fit the wider frame (different from the other Eheel Horse tractors).

 

These attachments are very useful but also extremely finicky and must be in good working order to use.  Belts, bearings, pulleys and grease, grease, grease.

I have also owned and operated the RJ/Suburban CBR-32 front cutter bar and the CBR-327 chain drive front sickle bar.  I restored five or six. 

 

When operating these side sickle bar mowers you are very, very busy . Shifting gears in the tractor, steering, looking out for obstacles and obstructions,  lifting the bar and engaging and disengaging the clutch to run the sickle blades.  
 

All in all they operate pretty well.  There are also a couple other makers that supplied sickles. 

Edited April 1 by Lane Ranger

[cafoose 3,354]

@Lane Ranger I'm still interested in some more detailed pictures of the mounting of the sickle bar on the 1054 if you could get them. I just about got my new garage and workshop completed and will soon be ready to start figuring out how to put my SMS-50 on my 953.

[kpinnc 12,005]

I always wanted a sickle bar. You guys have some nice toys! 

[buckrancher 2,679]

[Lane Ranger 10,968]

On 3/31/2024 at 10:08 PM, cafoose said:

@Lane Ranger I'm still interested in some more detailed pictures of the mounting of the sickle bar on the 1054 if you could get them. I just about got my new garage and workshop completed and will soon be ready to start figuring out how to put my SMS-50 on my 953.

 

 

Ok. next week I will be up to my brothers where the 1054 with the 50 inch sickle is stored.   I know the bar/plate piece that attaches to the front of the transmission to hold the sickle up under the tractor frame is not an original.   We had to make the part in dad's blacksmith shop as I recall.

 

But it works fine and I will get you some information and photos.

 

 

[Treepep 564]

On 3/31/2024 at 8:16 PM, Lane Ranger said:

These attachments are very useful but also extremely finicky and must be in good working order to use.  Belts, bearings, pulleys and grease, grease, grease.

 

@Lane Ranger.  Did you manufacture the guards on your sickle mowers?  I ran one on a DB as a child.  It was a bit unnerving and unfortunately some critters gave the ghost in the process.  I would love to find another for my 2 wheel tractor but not a priority right now.

[peter lena 8,610]

@Thegearhead0324  personally would like to do a  detail rebuild on one of those , the dragging , belt bounce is showing you the way , belt bounce is started with bearing rotation , resistance , every  movement hang up is drag , stop start . related gearing is long over due . those , IDLER PULLEYS WITH TINY BEARINGS  , would be my first change out , shuttle box lubrication , hi temp / stress . spring tension , etc. . state of engine tune , sounds off , nothing sarcastic , just what I see / hear . my experience with W/H attachments  , good original intent , poor  connection set up , having said that , made  drive / linkage / levers , rotation points , went from a rock in a garbage can , to smooth , solid , easy . build a lot of stuff , sitting on a stool , at function areas , and eliminating , drag points . you can always re paint it red , greasy , pete  

[Thegearhead0324 1,255]

@peter lena I did a rebuild twice on mine. The first time was just to get it going and clean it all up and paint. The second time I did do a thorough redo. Bearings, seals, grease, lube, wobble box, belts, etc. all but the cutter bar knives which I only sharpened. Then did a quick repaint. Works nice I just don’t use it as I keep it on there for a nice piece that’s hard to find. 
 

Fluid film is my “go-to” lubrication. I use it for everything on everything. 

[squonk 41,068]

I may be getting my hands on an Allis-Chalmers garden tractor sickle bar when the weather breaks. Don't know the make and condition. Friend of mine cleaned out a barn and wanted to know if I would be interested. Got 3 tractors and a pile of attachments 

[cafoose 3,354]

On 4/3/2024 at 8:07 AM, Lane Ranger said:

I will get you some information and photos.

@Lane Ranger did you get the photos of the 953 SMS-50 yet? I got my 953 in the garage today and trying to match things up looks like the shaft support is too far back but it's the only frame holes that match up

 

 

[Lane Ranger 10,968]

On 4/3/2024 at 9:16 AM, Treepep said:

 

@Lane Ranger.  Did you manufacture the guards on your sickle mowers?  I ran one on a DB as a child.  It was a bit unnerving and unfortunately some critters gave the ghost in the process.  I would love to find another for my 2 wheel tractor but not a priority right now.

 

the guards on the blade are those plastic covers used on chain link fences at little league and high school baseball fields.  They sell on eBay in colors.

[Lane Ranger 10,968]

22 hours ago, cafoose said:

@Lane Ranger did you get the photos of the 953 SMS-50 yet? I got my 953 in the garage today and trying to match things up looks like the shaft support is too far back but it's the only frame holes that match up

 

 

 

caboose:  do you have the correct manual for your sickle bar mower? If not start with finding that first! 
 

[cafoose 3,354]

2 hours ago, Lane Ranger said:

 

caboose:  do you have the correct manual for your sickle bar mower? If not start with finding that first! 

I downloaded it and also found a hard copy for the SMS-50. I just checked my side plate setup. @Pullstart mentioned that your side plates are on the outside of the frame and mine only fit on the inside of the frame. I have a couple 63-64 round hood frames and the side plates I have will fit the outside of the frame on those round hoods. Also they have holes in the frame by the attachomatic that line up perfectly with the holes in my side plates. Therefore, I think my side plates are for a round hood and the actual sickle is for a 953/1054. These pictures were taken at the show in 2022. This looks exactly like my side plates.

Edited May 7 by cafoose

[cafoose 3,354]

Just put in an amazon order for these to mount the sickle bar. The shaft is 26" long

[Lane Ranger 10,968]

19 hours ago, cafoose said:

I downloaded it and also found a hard copy for the SMS-50. I just checked my side plate setup. @Pullstart mentioned that your side plates are on the outside of the frame and mine only fit on the inside of the frame. I have a couple 63-64 round hood frames and the side plates I have will fit the outside of the frame on those round hoods. Also they have holes in the frame by the attachomatic that line up perfectly with the holes in my side plates. Therefore, I think my side plates are for a round hood and the actual sickle is for a 953/1054. These pictures were taken at the show in 2022. This looks exactly like my side plates.

 

so you have a “married” set of sickle bar parts.