Farmall Cub

2 basic questions for the cub22 sickle mower.
1. When lifting the mower with hydraulics does the cutter bar fold up? I don't think it is suppose to, but I just want to make sure I've connected it correctly.

2. When mowing a gentle slope like a ditch does the slope hurt the mower when it bends at the joint by the far end of the pitman (tractor at bottom and mower on high side)?

Todd

Todd, The cutter bar does not fold vertically with the TC. You have to do that manually with the stay rod and stay rod crank nut. As there is a possibility of the cutter bar moving, make sure you do not have any fingers or other body parts anywhere near the blades when you raise it. If there is too much of an angle, there is a risk of binding and breaking the pittman. Listen for any significant change in sound and try to keep the angle to a minimum.

Bob

The cutter bar can be safely operated 30 degrees above horizontal and 15 degrees below horizontal. Horizontal is relative to the tractor.

There also should be a little stop down inside the hinge on the cutter bar that catches the knife/pitman far end when you fold the cutter bar vertical so it doesn't fall down to the ground. Can't stress enough to watch where you place your fingers when lifting the cutter bar. It can and will slide in the cutter bar at any time you start lifting it. Also, keep any pets locked up when you are using it. They'll run around the tractor and won't comprehend the cutter bar out sliding through the weeds. You can't stop the knife fast enough.

Scrivet wrote:There also should be a little stop down inside the hinge on the cutter bar that catches the knife/pitman far end when you fold the cutter bar vertical so it doesn't fall down to the ground. Can't stress enough to watch where you place your fingers when lifting the cutter bar. It can and will slide in the cutter bar at any time you start lifting it. Also, keep any pets locked up when you are using it. They'll run around the tractor and won't comprehend the cutter bar out sliding through the weeds. You can't stop the knife fast enough.

It can be a dangerous pieces of machinery....You may want to contemplate making a guard for the bar also...

A guard is a smart safety device to have on a sickle bar mower. As a kid, I remember an incident that happened where a neighbor's wife mistakenly walked into the semi-raised guards of a sickle bar mower on our family farm. The couple were visiting and when they left after dark, the yard light failed to illuminate the mower and she thought she was just walking along side the tractor to the car when her left shin ran into the the bar. The guards punched some pretty nasty holes in her leg. Obviously, dad felt terrible that he had failed to raise the bar and secure it to the vertical.

Bob McCarty wrote:Todd, The cutter bar does not fold vertically with the TC. You have to do that manually with the stay rod and stay rod crank nut. As there is a possibility of the cutter bar moving, make sure you do not have any fingers or other body parts anywhere near the blades when you raise it. If there is too much of an angle, there is a risk of binding and breaking the pittman. Listen for any significant change in sound and try to keep the angle to a minimum.

Bob

challenger wrote:Obviously, dad felt terrible that he had failed to raise the bar and secure it to the vertical.

In which case, she could have run into it face first. The results could have been nuch worse. I mostly worry about walking face first into the grass rod on a raised cutter bar. Along with a sheet metal guard for the cutter bar, I keep a section of garden hose that I double over and stick on the 2 ends of the grass rod.

Not as good as Jim's garden hose suggestion, but I keep some bright pink surveyor's tape tied to the grass rods when not in use.

Hi Todd,
I think this is what you wanted to see, here's how the mower originally is held up in the transport position. You have to lift it up there by hand. The pics show the rod that holds up the bar, and the nut with crank handle. The other guys already wrote to be careful of the sliding knife bar when you lift up the bar.

Before I was old enough or big enough to drive Rex '48, I was belted to the horse drawn McCormick Deering Steel wheeled mower. I was just tall enough to step on the pedal to raise the blade. I can still here Dad teaching hands always stay away from the rock guards. Raising was done by starting on the very end then finished by a flat hand on the back of the cutter bar. I've seen the knife slip down under it's own weight when it finally gets vertical. The same thing applies to sickle bar mower you ever use - even one that can run vertical.

Dad's Line Rings True "Son, there are some things you just make mistakes on". Sickle bar mowers are definitely on the short list for this statement.

Ken

I saw that in the barn Saturday. Someone else who has had the honor of riding a McCormick mower. Did you ever get heavy enough to use the foot pedal. Pulled it with a doodle bug then a John Deere B. Raked with a horse drawn rake, then bunched and put it in the barn loose. I sure do not miss that. See you tonight.

Cecil wrote:I saw that in the barn Saturday. Someone else who has had the honor of riding a McCormick mower. Did you ever get heavy enough to use the foot pedal. Pulled it with a doodle bug then a John Deere B. Raked with a horse drawn rake, then bunched and put it in the barn loose. I sure do not miss that. See you tonight.

Cecil, recall now that my brother used to take his belt off to belt me to the seat in an almost standing position, so I could get the cutting bar part way up. We pulled ours with the '29 Regular. We too used a dump rake to make the windrows and pitch it on by hand. I used to pitch the hay till it got too tall for me to reach - then it was up on the wagon to spread.

In the Dutch Barn we are restoring - we had the hay hook in the rafters that would pick the whole load of hay up at one time and drop it in the moue. We pulled the load up with Rex '48 in the same spot the horses used to pull from. We're going to be doing that process again once the Dutch Barn is restored.....

Looking forward to this evening.

Ken

I can testify to the need for care. A few years ago, the bar on my cub was vertical and the engine off. I was holding it vertical while attaching the nut to hold it in place. The cutter bar suddenly slid down, and two fingers on my right hand had my fingerprints, plus some meat, removed. A good finger surgeon did a good job sewing me back, but the two fingers are still numb and thinner than their left-handed mates. I'm a tad bit more careful these days.
Charles