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Wendell Bragg

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Sickle bar update


wwbragg

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Received the new hinge and bracket.  The bracket was AC yellow - - -can't have that so after about an hour media-blasting and a day or so waiting for paint to dry, here are the parts, ready to install.  But wait!  What's that I see on the cutter bar?  Is that another wobbled bolt hole?  And same thing on the matching hole on the lever assembly.  Man. if it isn't one thing it is something else.  the fun never ceases.  I took the bar and lever to the machine shop where they will drill the holes to a bigger size.  I figure all of these wobbles and peened surfaces contributed to the violent shaking, so when this thing is done, you won't even know it is running.

2017-09-21 20.48.07.jpg

lever assembly.JPG

cutter bar.JPG

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gwiseman

Posted (edited)

Lots of moving parts so lots of possible wear areas. Keep us posted Wendell. 

I've got 1 of mine operating, just need to figure out how to make it available to you.  

 

 

Edited by gwiseman
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wwbragg

Posted (edited)

I'll have to learn how to use the video feature on my camera, but will post something when it is done.  But the previous owner used some kind of funky cone washer on the hinge shaft.  He sure took a lot of short cuts (curse his hide).  Paint does not a restoration make. Does anybody have a Simplicity part no 101049 (item 48 in the picture below)?

part no 48.gif

Edited by wwbragg
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I have mowed maybe 5 acres with mine but spent nearly as much time working on it to do that.

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wwbragg

Posted (edited)

They really take a beating and they have to be TIGHT.  Wobbled out bolt holes, and improper keys and washers leave too much slop and it will beat itself to death.  I wonder if the extra power of that HF 13 HP motor is contributing to the problem.  Once I get mine running, maybe I will just save it for the local parades.

Ooooh, look, daddy.  Just like yours only smaller."

Edited by wwbragg
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wwbragg

Posted (edited)

Here are some pics of the original parts.  I thought I had posted them elsewhere but now I can't find them.  I guess that's the advantage of using a blog. 

I took the bar to the machine shop to have the holes drilled out.  I also took in these old parts and had them rebuilt.  See the difference?  I'll put them up on ebay but if I can't sell them, I will keep them for backup.

2017-09-10 23.50.40.jpg

2017-09-10 23.53.19.jpg

2017-09-16 18.16.47.jpg

2017-09-16 18.17.16.jpg

2017-09-24 16.57.29.jpg

2017-09-24 16.58.08.jpg

2017-09-24 16.57.59.jpg

Edited by wwbragg
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I'm not saying "THE" previous owner, but certainly "A" previous owner took a lot of shortcuts.  Besides the peened over parts and wobbled out bolt holes here are some shots of other things I found.  In both pictures, the item on the left is incorrect and the one on the right is, well, right.  In the picture of the sickle head, not only were the bolts too long, but they were the wrong thread.  So even when I re-tapped the threads correctly, they stripped out completely when I tried to install the correct bolt.  

If you look at the right side of the sickle head, you can see that there is not much material left.  So I bought a reproduction part (Thank you rokon2813) and drilled the three bolt holes out to 3/8; drilled the blade bolt holes to 21/64 and tapped them to 3/8-24.  

She is almost back together.  I'll borrow my grand daughter's helmet cam and take a video (if it works).

SB MIssing incorrect 01.jpg

2017-10-31 00.59.21.jpg

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Dallas Cizek

Posted

i have a sickle mower for the large frame tractor but need the lift cable and pulley for side of tractor can i get pic and size of parts so can make one    

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wwbragg

Posted (edited)

I'm not sure, but I think your sickle bar is part no 1690030.  See if this parts list looks familiar:  http://www.partstree.com/parts/simplicity/accessories/1690030-simplicity-46-sickle-bar/sickle-group/

Mine is the smaller unit so I have no lift pulley to photograph.  Was thinking about adapting it for cable lift but I have had enough problems just getting it this far.  

Unless you are going for restoration competition, you could probably come up with a pulley system with parts from Tractor Supply.

 

Edited by wwbragg
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wwbragg

Posted (edited)

I have had everything back together for some time now but have been somewhat intimidated to test it out.  I have had so much trouble with this thing that I was afraid of what I would find.  But the other day I thought, "What the heck?  What's the worst that can happen.  First I had to file out the carb jet on the Predator motor.  She would only run on half choke.  Did that and now she runs fine - - - sort'a.  

Then I tested it out in tall grass and took a couple of videos.  I'll add them as soon as I figure out how to do it.

 https://drive.google.com/file/d/1411iycS6pnNLWGVtDz8B0dasORrL79Rd/view?usp=sharing ,

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1mn8bxace3kZAz1y8RA5rMqhhXpancwM3/view?usp=sharing ,

and 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1056A5yZg10WROQ1p7IiJKYaOBAbRKrEI/view?usp=sharing, 

 

Please let me know if anything is missing ( except the handle _ I took that off) or if I am doing anything wrong.

 

Edited by wwbragg
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wwbragg

Posted

Here are some more clips of trial runs.  google wants them less the 1 gig so they are each just a couple of minutes long.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1FS0nLCuldmime863K7gU-xR970ZpHC6J/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1dvtFAkLSL27MCgIkOjpN19idN5yjlDeL/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1rAze-L1qPSLctskRRhGyAJdDOCjXBC4a/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/141UmbVocF3kGSifqaRJccJdce093tc9G/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/10A8xIi_vx7mxo2H4fo4fRIKNwGdUERmz/view?usp=sharing

I have pretty-well decided that grass hay that tall and thick is just too much for this little guy.  I'm going to quit foolin' around and break out the 5' Swisher.

 

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plastikosmd

Posted

I use mine, idle rpm and 1st gear it cuts well. I use it w/weed cutter to cut around obstacles in the fields prior to flail cutting

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Yeah, you have to rum 'em slow, else it will shake itself to death.  But I'm likin' my brush mower better and better.  That fool will cut down small houses.

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I think I finally got my sickle bar to run right. ( knock on wood) I managed to mow 5 acres without a break down.

Two things I think made the differance. I changed to another bar, the one the fingers bolt to. and one of the hold down things was allowing the cutting bar, the one the knives rivet to, to rise to far causing it to flex and eventually break.

The learning curve is pretty long on these things.

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4 hours ago, spi said:

I finally got my sickle bar to run right.

I haven't had the nerve to try mine again - - - but soon.

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18 hours ago, wwbragg said:

I haven't had the nerve to try mine again - - - but soon.

There is just so much dejection one can take.

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