Sickle mower - Drive Link Heim Ends

[SmilinSam 3,623]

Got Questions here so I can make up a drive link to replace the original welded solid drive link on this early mower. 1) Are the threaded heim ends 3/8" or 1/2" ? 2) Are the holes in them 3/8"?, or are they 1/2" or larger? using reducer bushings to go around the 3/8" bolt. 3) How tall is the lift assist Spring bracket thats welded to the main frame above the frame? I need to weld a bracket on this one to finish the conversion from hand lift to cable lift.

[Ronald Hribar 70]

Usually the hole and the treaded portion of the heim joint are the same size.

[SmilinSam 3,623]

Thats what makes me think they must be 1/2" since the bolt is 3/8" with a bushing between tht and the heim. But I would like to know for sure so I can buy the correct size ends.

[CarlH 364]

1) 1/2" fine thread 2) 1/2", you will need spacers/bushings 3) I believe Dutch had a drawing but I don't think it had that dimension. I will measure mine tonight to get that dimension.

[GregB 879]

Sam, I made my heim Joint link, after the original Dogbone unit failed. I did take pictures, have them at home. If you want tonight I'll dig them up and add dimensions and sizes. I do remember that the threads inside the link were Right hand and left hand threads. Had to by a special tap. Let me know about the dimensions.

[SmilinSam 3,623]

Just going to use the dogbone I have to get my length off of. I thought it should be 1/2" but wasnt sure. All the simplicity sickle mower parts manuals I have that use the heims show 3 heims on each mower and all three are the same part number, so it would appear that they would all be the same thread from the factory rather than having a right or left, so I'm not going to go to the trouble of cutting a left hand thread I think. I'll get back to work on this again tomorrow. Thanks guys!:)

[CarlH 364]

The 'dogbone' on my planetary sicklebar had RH threads for both Heim joints. The coupler was RH threads all the way through.

[GregB 879]

When I made mine, I did not even think of checking the other versions parts list :(. I just knew that turn-buckles have both right and left threads to get the exact right length. I guess on the link, anything within a half a turn is close enough. As usual I have once again "over engineered" the solution sm03

[Al 6]

Hi, I got the ones for my John Deere (Owatonna) from rod end supply. I wil get a phone # or you can ck on the net. They are great to work with. Their primary customers are race cars. Al Eden

[Killer_A-C 0]

Sam they are 1/2-20 threads with a 1/2 eye in them.They use a special bushing in the eyes to allow 3/8 bolts to be used..

[BLT 708]

I think this was the mfg for Simplicity. I had a Simplicity number on it in mfg packaging . http://www.alinabal.com/mtd/rodends/a_series.shtml

[GregB 879]

Here's the one I made. Pretty sure that I bought the heim ends from McMaster-Carr. No bushings needed.
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[CarlH 364]

Sam, the bracket for the spring is 3/16" x 1.25" strap. The hole for the spring hook bolt is approximately 3" above the mower frame. I got bronze bushings from McMaster Carr or you can do like Greg and use a 3/8" coupler with 3/8" Heim joints with no bushings. I don't see why the 3/8" Heim joints wouldn't be strong enough and it would probably be a little cheaper.

[SmilinSam 3,623]

WoW! Great posts and pic guys! At the moment I just bought Some Heim ends off Ebay. Theres loads of racing vendors on there selling Heim ends. I got two 1/2" x 1/2 20 male RH heim ends along with a 1/2" x1/2 20 female RH for my Super Cubs power Steering . Total bill to me shipped was $14.25. Cub Cadet wanted $50.00 for just the one end. Talk about mark up!:Oyell:|| Ed also gave mea bucket of mower parts today. half a dozen decent sickle sections, and two 3/8" heim ends and a used 1/2 heim end. So, I could go either way 1/2 or 3/8. Also got a pair of bronze 1/2 to 3/8 bushings for $4.50 at the local farm store. Hope I make my links look as nice as you guys's stuff. Looks like rain all day tomorrow, so should get some headway on cleaning welding and repainting the mower.

[Killer_A-C 0]

My machinest friend thinks bronze would be to soft for the bushings. He made mine from tool steel....

[SmilinSam 3,623]

Well, what I can do is keep a close eye on how the bronze performs. Run it a bit and pull one and see what it looks like. Then just keep doing that every so often.

[SmilinSam 3,623]

Hey.................. What did you guys use to thread the ends into? I looked at 3/8 pipe but the normal walled pipe looks like it would be a bit on the thin side when drilled and tapped.

[GregB 879]

Sam, I used a piece of bar stock. Chucked in a lathe, drilled and tapped. The lathe made it easy to keep on center. With a good centerpunch, vise and a drillpress it should work also.

[Chris727 1,709]

Question for Greg and Matt, on you're new pitman arms is there any way to grease the joints or is it not needed? The original had fittings that needed to be lubed every few hours. I'm getting ready to do the same sort of repair on mine as one end has bad bushings.

[SmilinSam 3,623]

quote:

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Originally posted by SmilinSam
Hey.................. What did you guys use to thread the ends into? I looked at 3/8 pipe but the normal walled pipe looks like it would be a bit on the thin side when drilled and tapped.

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I ended up using a 7000 series steering rod. Alreadey threaded on both ends for 1/2"x20, so all I needed to do was cut it to length, mark the center on the undrilled end, drill and tap.

[SmilinSam 3,623]

Well I made it 20 minutes on its maiden test run. Ran till the nut came loose on the bolt holding the inner end of the pitman arm to the drive. Ran back to the shop and installed a new bolt and nut and used Red Loktite this time. Also did a once over and found 4 sections had loosened up , so I tightened up the rivets . Also found that one of the three bolts holding the drive bracket to the cutter bar had worked loose. Used Blue Loktite on them this time around. Heim ends seemed Ok as did the bronze bushings. Will be running it again today to see how long ot lasts this time around.

[UCD 14]

Peen the ends of the bolts.

[dentwizz 6]

More torque.

[BLT 708]

This is what I have for my 1/2" Heims http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1-2-3-8-HIGH-MISALIGNMENT-SPACER-HEIMS-HEIM-JOINTS-_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem562d70f606QQitemZ370129565190QQptZRaceQ5fCarQ5fParts You will still need a spacer or flat washers to fill up the gap to keep everything in place.