sickle mower

jamie majors · Apr 29, 2013

when were john deere 8w sickle mower made? and how dependable r they?
thanks

Bret4207 · Apr 30, 2013

I don't know just when they were made but dependable depends on what shape they are in. If it's all there, if the lead is set right, if the sections and guards are aligned right and everything is set up properly they cut as good as most other mowers of the era. If the ledger plates are dull and loose, if the bar is lagging, the joints worn and loose, if the knives are dull and chipped...it's not worth a bucket of warm spit.

Hayrack · Apr 30, 2013

The 8 and 8w mowers were a huge leap forward over the 5... but they still had their flaws. Bret had it right on the cutter bar... they are only as good as the parts on them. The 8's also had a poor slip clutch assembly inside the chain box... broke a few of those in my day. There is also a higher speed version. Different sprokets on the chain drive to make the sickle go a little faster. They will do the job, but I like my 38 a lot better with the belt drive. Where are you located? I have a couple of 8w's for parts in southern MN..

jamie majors · Apr 30, 2013

southwest ia i put new plates and bar guides on it last year and got new sickle for it also just gonna use it till it breaks and find something else i hate pulling a john deere products behind my farmall

Bret4207 · May 1, 2013

Then look around for a 27V IHC sickle bar mower. There were zillions made. I never saw one that I thought worked worth a hoot, but the old timers tell me they worked good behind a Farmall.

By plates I assume you mean ledger plates and by guide bars I think you mean wear plates? The biggest problem I've had with sickle bars is getting the cut right and taking up the wear up in the bar to frame area. I've had to machine new pins when I couldn't take up the wear to adjust the lead right. A lagging bar simply won't cut well and a bar with excessive space in the knife/ledger pate interface rips the hay rather than cuts it. The Amish around me really work at this stuff since they're depending on sickle bars and not haybines or discbines. It's a feakin' science to get one as close to perfect as possible. They use stub guards close to the head and some have a 2nd mower with all stubs for 2nd cut.

There's a lot to it when you get into them.

sickle mower

jamie majors

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Bret4207

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Hayrack

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jamie majors

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Bret4207

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