Lane Ranger 10,945 #1 Posted October 8, 2016 I have been working on a 0 inch sickle bar mower restore for several weeks and progress is occurring. I put new bolts, oil seals and bearing where I needed to.Last week I got the wobble box assembled and this week I took on replacing the bearings in the frame assembly. I had to find a 5 inch A Belt replacement pulley with a keyway and set screw, I had to get the old insert bearings on the frame assembly and install new ones. The Toro ones were $99 a piece but I got 7/8 x 52 mm x 1 1/4 wide insert bearings for $6 each. I bought One inch x 3/4 oiled brass bushings from McMaster Carr and longer set screws to install on the shaft. I had to drill out two holes on each bushing for the set screws in the bearing to install on the 3/4 inch frame assembly shaft. I used the vise to set the bushings in the new bearings lined up with the two holes I drilled for the set screws. The frame assembly for the 50 inch sickle bar now has new bearings and should run fine , 10 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
benji756 341 #2 Posted October 8, 2016 looking real good, that's some clever thinking on the bearing/bushing combination, I'm very impressed 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
russellmc301 600 #3 Posted October 8, 2016 lane i just drool when i see the restoration jobs on your attachments/ tractors, and all the cool implements you have. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dclarke 4,032 #5 Posted October 8, 2016 Nice job, Lane! 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lane Ranger 10,945 #6 Posted October 8, 2016 (edited) Bob Maynard and Denny Clarke get the credit for using the 7/8 insert bearings and 3/4 bushings first on a Red Square thread Bob posted. How to make new insert bearings for your snow thrower By rmaynard in Implements and Attachments, January 8, 2012 If you are rebuilding your snow thrower, many models from the 60's, 70's and 80's, use the same bearings for the chain drive shaft. ST-323, 6-0200, 6-0201, 6-0202, 6-6212, 6-6213, 6-6214, 6-6215, 6-42ST01... 20 replies It is good to know the insert bearings can be used on the early snowblowers and the 42 and 50 Sickle Bar Mowers. and posted Edited October 8, 2016 by Lane Ranger 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lane Ranger 10,945 #7 Posted October 8, 2016 I bought two old front sickle bar mower blade sets at the Portland, Indiana Tri-State Engine Association Fall Swap Meet on Thursday. All I really wanted was the feet or two skids on one of the blade sets. I think these were early two wheel tractor sickle/ front cutter blade sets. What I learned after I started to take some of the parts off is that they contain the twin guards, blade clips and skids that were also used on the Wheel Horse Sickle Bar Mowers (42 and 50) and the CBR-32 Front Cutter Bar on the Wheel Horse RJ's. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ztnoo 2,298 #8 Posted October 8, 2016 Lane, Outstanding pictorial documentation. I'm completely stupefied, dumbstruck, and in awe! Wow! Great job! Regards, Steve 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lane Ranger 10,945 #9 Posted October 12, 2016 (edited) I placed skid/foot on my Wheel Horse 50 inch sickle bar mower last night. This skid came from one of two I bought last week at the Portland, Indiana Tri_State Engine Association Fall Swap Meet. I also happened to have three original Wheel Horse spacers that were mae just for the skid foot bolt! Two new ones were installed. The sickle is basically complete other than installing the drive pin and the wobble box oil . I may try installing on my 1993 Wheel Horse 314 8 speed. It still amazes me to see the way the 57 inch A drive belt makes the 90 degree turn on this sickle bar mower to run the blade back and forth! There are four pulleys that run the belt! All and all I enjoyed the challenge of putting this sickle bar mower back into operating condition with several upgrades on the hardware. It sat in my basement for six or seven years and I had ordered most of the new bolts and oil seals long ago. It took about three to four months to redo at a snails pace. The next challenge is a real world test! Edited October 12, 2016 by Lane Ranger 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ztnoo 2,298 #10 Posted October 12, 2016 Lane, You truly have become the sickle bar mower guru! Nice work! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
19richie66 17,500 #11 Posted October 12, 2016 Outstanding work Lane! It's like a "how to" lesson. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
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