cycle bar mower timing

maxwell99

Well-known Member
will a cycle bar mower that is this far out of time cut anything but big weeds?

is it hard to retime and MF #32 cycle bar mower.

can I just cut off the pitman rod about 3/4 of an inch and it should be back in time.
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It's easier on the machine if the knifebar is in time with the guard and also makes cutting more efficient and clean-cut. I would replace the existing knives with new serrated knives. Check to see if something else is going on but if you can't find another reason for the timing then by all means cut the pitman back.
 
Unless it has the wrong pitman fitted you should not cut the pitman back as this will only partially fix the issue. Check the register of the mower as follows:

1. Check and set the cutter bar lead, usually ¼" for every foot of cutter bar length.

2. Turn the flywheel until the knife is as far in as it will travel. Note the position of the knife section tips in relation to the guards. Are they centered in the guards?

3. Turn the flywheel until the knife is as far out as it will travel. Note the position of the knife section tips in relation to the guards.

You need to know from the Owner's Manual or Parts List or a reliable source the correct pitman length. You need to make sure that this length pitman is fitted. Once this is done, if the register is still incorrect, you need adjust it as per Owner's Manual. It is a great mistake to fit the correct pitman and attempt to set the register by sawing the pitman down.

NOTE:
a). When you alter the lead, the register will alter with it; always set the lead first.
b). The motion of the flywheel means that the pitman is not always parallel with the cutter bar in one axis of an x and y graph; therefore use the correct pitman.

Because of these factors, simply altering the length of the pitman will not set the register correctly.
Good luck,
SadFarmall
 
I bought the pitman from the mf dealer for my #32
mower.

The register is off about the same amount when the
blade is pulled back toward the mower.

I looked at the register adjustments, but they have
not been moved since the machine was new 1960.

I did break the pitman once and I replaced it, so
the register has been off for a while.

Will study on it some more and see if the adj is
worth it. Looks like the bar is out as far as it
will go.
M
 
"Th register is off about the same amount when the
blade is pulled back toward the mower."

That sentence says it all.

You CAN'T fix what ain't broke!

If the center of the knife sections passes the guard centerline by the same amount on the "in" and "out" stroke, all is well!



Typically, the stroke of the sickle drive is a bit more that the center-to-center distance on the guards, and it is NORMAL for the center of the knife sections to pass the guard centerline on the "in" AND "out" stroke.


(BTW, it is a SICKLE mower!)
 
But if it's on the same side, then it aint right. If it doesn't travel far enough through by 3/4" on one side, and over travels by 3/4" on the other (which is the way I understand it), then it's not set right. I've only ever had to reset the register on our Hesston 1014+2 because when we got it, it was off by atleast a 1/4". That's completely different in how it's set over something like this...

Donovan from Wisconsin
 
Don"t recall which piece of equipment I had but per the manual the section came out 1/4" each side for exact timing. I think it was a JD9 sickle mower. Newer swather is centered.
 
had a friend look at the MF #32 mower today, he said its out of time.
showed me with the book and machine how to correct the problem,

so, that is a project for next week.

you learn something all the time about this old equipment.
 

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