Sickle Bar Finally

[Racinbob 11,040]

Every since we moved back up here I've been looking for a sickle bar mower to trim the briars back on our paths. Only because I knew it couldn't hurt I posted a wanted ad on Craigslist. By golly I got a call yesterday from a guy just minutes away. He had one that he intended to on his hydro tractor but the transmission took a dump. Well, he stopped by with it this morning and 5 hours later he pulled out of the drive leaving the sickle bar mower on my driveway. He thought it was a 48" but it's a 42" which is fine for what I need to do. I'd say it's in pretty good condition but could stand being cleaned up. I think 4 Franklins is pretty decent. My intensions are to go over it mechanically, throw it on my 854, get the paths cleared and then think about a good cleaning and maybe slap some paint on it. I finally got another sickle bar mower and made a new friend too. That's a good day. I've also been looking for a furnace blower and he thinks he knows where a couple are. 

 

 

[WHX?? 48,762]

Nice Bob  good to see you finally scored! I would be tempted to open up the wobble box just to make sure everything is copasetic and change the oil. Check the bearings in the mule drive too. Also check that blade drive pin. I see @Lane Ranger has got some need be. 

42/50 Sickle Bar Mower Drive Pins - Wheel Horse for Sale - RedSquare Wheel Horse Forum

[Racinbob 11,040]

Good advice Jim and that's pretty much what I planned on doing. Maybe a make it more pretty later.. I've had pm's with Lane and hope to check it out better tomorrow to see if I need one of those gizmos. Time just got away from me today. 

[Lane Ranger 10,945]

Lowell sells the repo arm that goes in a bracket on The tractor tower .  The rod holds the sickle arm up when not in use.   I recommend getting one if you don’t have one Bob. 

[Racinbob 11,040]

I did get one Lane but I won't be using it. I'll set up a chain connection like I did a couple of decades ago. That allows me to hold it in any position I want. It will be used at about a 45 most of the time. Right now it looks like the only thing he didn't have was the 3495 lift rod. 

[Lane Ranger 10,945]

Lowell sells that too! Lowell sells the repo arm that goes in a bracket on The tractor tower .  The rod holds the sickle arm up when not in use.   I recommend getting one if you don’t have one Bob. 

[Racinbob 11,040]

I've got the arm that holds it in the vertical position but as I said, I won't be using it. The 3495 is the lift rod that connects to the tractor lift to raise the entire unit up off the ground.

[AMC RULES 37,127]

Congrats Bob on your incredible luck/score there.

Like to plant a seed here and officially call dibs here.

If you ever decide to...let me know please.

Would love to make that road trip!

[Racinbob 11,040]

You got it Craig but don't hold your breath. I've been looking for one for over 3 years. I can't believe I found one only 5 miles away. 

[Racinbob 11,040]

Well, my initial plan on mounting this and opening my paths up and then look into a refirb went up in smoke. Too many things rusted tight. Time to tear things apart and get the E-tank going. First up, the frame. Besides cosmetic issues the bracket on the back is locked up tight. It has to pivot. How far does it extend into the tube? I had to cut the bolts on the pulley side and one of them is behind the pulley making removal of the a necessity now. Of course it giving me fits. Right now it's getting intimate with some PB Blaster. 

 

 

After cooking a couple days it cleaned up quite nicely. 

 

 

As expected it didn't free up the mounting yoke. I'm hoping I can find the leverage to make it start turning so I can work it out. 

 

Another question. According to the diagram it looks like the lift arm should simply slide off after the frame is removed but it's not wanting to budge. Is this the case? I don't want to get violent with it if there's a possibility of something else holding it. 

 

Next E-tank victim is the pulley assembly. We've got some running to do so I'm going to wait a couple days. I don't want to leave the tank running when I'm gone.

 

 

I'm afraid this guy is going to give me fits. The shaft will spin but it sounds bone dry. 

 

Don't hesitate to throw any advice at me. It's all appreciated. 

[AMC RULES 37,127]

Bob, heat applied to that frozen yoke and tube will be your friend there.

May have to get it red hot for it to break free.

[Racinbob 11,040]

I'll try that Craig but I don't have the stuff to get to red hot. How far does it go in the tube?

[Lane Ranger 10,945]

My sickle yoke rebuild had the same problem Bob  but I kept adding K & W Knock em Loose (available at NAPA in a large spray can)  it took patience and several days off and on but it finally loosed and moved forward and back.  New or rebuilt pulleys with good bearings key to drive belt moving on the sickle.  
 

I found the Kock er Loose to be much better than P B Blaster.

 

 

Edited September 21, 2021 by Lane Ranger

[Racinbob 11,040]

Thanks Lane. I want to try a couple things first but I'm thinking that's what I'll do.  I'll even stop by Napa and see if I can get some of the Knock'er Loose. PB has always worked well for me but I'm always open to trying something different. Thanks. 

[WHX?? 48,762]

Food for thought here Bob... drill some small holes in it to get penetrant in along the length?

2 hours ago, Racinbob said:

How far does it go in the tube?

I thought the yoke shaft went all the way thru? I'll have to go out and look. 

[Racinbob 11,040]

That's some good eats there Jim. My thought was to drill past the end and pump in some juice. BUT.....if it goes all the way through that thought goes up in smoke. From what I remember from 20+ years ago it doesn't.  If you could verify that it would sure help. 

[Lane Ranger 10,945]

19 hours ago, Racinbob said:

Well, my initial plan on mounting this and opening my paths up and then look into a refirb went up in smoke. Too many things rusted tight. Time to tear things apart and get the E-tank going. First up, the frame. Besides cosmetic issues the bracket on the back is locked up tight. It has to pivot. How far does it extend into the tube? I had to cut the bolts on the pulley side and one of them is behind the pulley making removal of the a necessity now. Of course it giving me fits. Right now it's getting intimate with some PB Blaster. 

 

 

After cooking a couple days it cleaned up quite nicely. 

 

 

As expected it didn't free up the mounting yoke. I'm hoping I can find the leverage to make it start turning so I can work it out. 

 

Another question. According to the diagram it looks like the lift arm should simply slide off after the frame is removed but it's not wanting to budge. Is this the case? I don't want to get violent with it if there's a possibility of something else holding it. 

 

Next E-tank victim is the pulley assembly. We've got some running to do so I'm going to wait a couple days. I don't want to leave the tank running when I'm gone.

 

 

I'm afraid this guy is going to give me fits. The shaft will spin but it sounds bone dry. 

 

Don't hesitate to throw any advice at me. It's all appreciated. 

Bob,  I completely rebuilt the frame plate with new shaft (12 inch with keyway all thru shaft) , new drive pulley and new bearings.  
 

Bob Maynard years ago came up with an alternative to the costly 3/4 bearings used in sickles and snowblowers by buying a bigger 7/8 bearing and adding a brass bushing to make a bearing that would accept a 3/4 shaft.  The bearing I used were about five dollars or less compared to bearings costing more than $30 each.    I have done this twice now and it works fine.   The two set screws in the bearing can have longer set screws placed in them to hold the bearing and bushing with drilled holes on the shaft. 

 

Also regarding the 3/4 solid rod in the frame yoke it goes all the way through on the sickle I worked on.   I believe it was made this way to adjust to different frame lengths on Wheel Horse tractors.  As you know the back yoke portion goes in the frame holes in front of the transmission and the front goes in the hole in the frame plate.  

Here are a few pics of my frame plate rebuild for a 42 inch sickle.

Note: the three hole round bearing plates in picture two only go on outside of plate not inside.  

Edited September 22, 2021 by Lane Ranger

[Racinbob 11,040]

That looks great Lane. I'm hoping not to have to go that far but I'll do whatever it takes. I'll have to determine what I need when I get it apart. I can get a new keyed shaft, collars, the flange bearings and pulleys at Surplus Center. I may have to go with 4 hole flange bearings. 

 

Regarding the shaft on the yoke. It seems to me that if it goes all the way through it would only fit one wheelbase. How would do you adjust it for a different wheelbase?

 

Is the lift handle on the right side supposed to come off once the frame is removed? It looks like it should but it won't budge. If there's something else holding it I don't want to force it. 

 

[Racinbob 11,040]

Well, it may be a tiny victory but I'll take it. I was certain the flange bearing bolts would either break or have to be cut off. I was going to wait until I tanked it but just for giggles I grabbed a 1/2" wrench and gave it a shot. It was kinda like going to pick something up that you think weight a ton only to about throw it in the air because it was only a few ounces. They were barely finger tight. I'm pretty sure it will take a bandsaw to get it fully disassembled though.  

 

[Lane Ranger 10,945]

Yes lift handle comes off .  Big washer between wobble box and handle and a big cotter key. 
 

 

It could be that the 3/4 rods in the yoke setup were different or were improved making one different from another but you normally only need two or three inches for different length Wheel Horse tractor frames (or 702 vs B-80).  Plus the large and long hex bolt on the plate at the end is supposed to butt up against the frame plate when the yoke shaft goes through the center hole. 
 

 

[Racinbob 11,040]

I decided to take the easy but more expensive way out. The more I looked at it the less I liked what I was seeing. Out comes the band saw.

 

 

 

Shaft collars (bulk pack of 25} and bearings from Ebay, Keyed shaft and pulleys from Surplus. Total for everything to the door was $121.04 which I didn't think was too bad. I'm not sure any of the parts were saveable. Next up is the E-tank for this part and attack the frozen yoke. 

[Handy Don 12,141]

19 minutes ago, Racinbob said:

I decided to take the easy but more expensive way out. The more I looked at it the less I liked what I was seeing. Out comes the band saw.

 

 

 

Shaft collars (bulk pack of 25} and bearings from Ebay, Keyed shaft and pulleys from Surplus. Total for everything to the door was $121.04 which I didn't think was too bad. I'm not sure any of the parts were saveable. Next up is the E-tank for this part and attack the frozen yoke. 

Given field position and the time remaining in the game, this seems like a good tactical decision to me! 

I have a pair of those 3-hole bearings from a snowblower that seem like they have life in them, but you're past that now.

Edited September 23, 2021 by Handy Don

[WHX?? 48,762]

2 hours ago, Racinbob said:

Out comes the band saw.

Ouch... well to gotta do what you gotta do. You should be able to reuse the bearing retainers yet tho.

 

I did go the @rmaynard route on the replacement bearings that Lane mentioned. Somewhere out ther Maynard has a thread on this. My replacement bearings were the set screw not the eccentric collar type so I had to drill and tap the bushing for the setscrew. 

[Racinbob 11,040]

Not too much of an ouch Jim. I may not have needed to resort to the saw but it just seemed easier (not wiser). The new bearings have a carrier and I think they are identical to the original. I'll try to salvage whatever I can. 

[WHX?? 48,762]

On 9/22/2021 at 9:07 AM, Racinbob said:

How would do you adjust it for a different wheelbase?

The collar on the yoke shaft... snapped this one for ya. 

 

Something else I just noticed in looking at yours and Lanes's pic is in my part with the adjusting bolt is broke off. I had thought it was supposed to be like that because it's a real clean break. Wonder should weld it back on? Also wonder if a guy should put a grease zerk in the tube to help it pivot easier? 

I also have a bushing in the end.

Edited September 23, 2021 by WHX??