MF Sickle Bar Mower Question

Back with more questions - much thanks everyone's help with my other equipment posts!

A local fellow has a Massey Ferguson sickle bar mower and has offered me what I think is a very good deal - but I'm weary of this mower, parts and most importantly internet support via forums like this, just due to the lack of info I can find about the mower online and the shear number sold vs a New Holland.

The mower is a pitman type vs a dynabalance. The model number is washed from the id tag, but the owner (not the original) has a manual for it and that manual says MF model 42. Pics I've found on the internet that make me think it is a model 32.

While the mower is old and used, it looks like it's in pretty good shape. Doesn't look weathered or otherwise abused, has never been repainted as best as I can tell. The "Massey Ferguson" decal on one of the frame crossbars is unscathed, readable and intact. The pitman mechanism is driven by two short belts to a pulley with an offset attachment point to drive the pitman back and forth. It is a 7 foot mower. The pitman arm and their attachment point appear undamaged.

I see a lot of posts for the MF Dynabalance mowers, very few for the model 32 and none for the model 42.

What do you know about these model 32 and 42 mowers? Mechanically this mower looks pretty simple. Are any parts still available? Did someone like Vermeer make this mower for MF and if so, was it also sold under another name/model?

Any info on the good, bad and ugly of the MF 32 or 42 and how to tell them apart would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks again for everyone's help!
Bill

I have a #32 MF mower with a 6 ft blade. They are ok mowers, however parts may be hard to find.

Would be great if he would let you hook it up and try it out in some heavy hay.

Mine works ok to cut weeds, but it would be tough going in heavy hay.

I would get a disk mower if you can.

I have a #42. It was a good mower when new. It is now junk, It it wore out and parts are no where to be gotten unless you can find another mower.
I am going to junk mine after today. It has been nothing but trouble the last few years.

If you need any parts I might have them if not broken.

I just finished getting my Model 32 back together after replacing one of the drive shafts and a couple bearings. AGCO has all of the parts to rebuild one of these. Some of them were a little expensive though.

Thanks everyone for your comments on the MF32 or MF42 - again not sure which it is.

I haven"t decided yet if I"m going to take it off the guy"s hands. Like I said it is in good shape and the price is very good.

Basically at this point - whatever hay I mow and bale will be more of a hobby effort than a serious money making effort - for now, but that should change as we get our hands around our fields and just making hay in general.

From what I read, a pitman mower is not as desired as a belt driven one like a NH451 or a MF41. However, once you get past the pitman and the sickle is on the ground - is a pitman mower really any different in how it cuts vs a belt driven mower like the MF41 or NH451?

When I look at sickle bars around my neck of the woods, they are pretty much demanding a premium price and a lot of them are really ready for the scrap yard. I see a fair number of haybines for sale too, but again they generally look pretty bad for the price and a decent one is almost as much as a drum mower.

I"m thinking if I bought a sickle mower, this MF32/42 or a NH451 or MF41, later I would likely buy a new drum mower if the hay deal looks long term like something I want to continue. Either sickle mower or drum mower, I"ll probably get a tedder to speed-up drying.

Just curious - anyone still using a sickle bar mower of any kind to make hay?

Thanks again everyone!!!!!!!
Bill

picture of my #32
easy to hook up, but we got it new in around 1960, so its about 54 years old. I have replaced the blade sections, ledger plates, keep a number of new guards in the tractor box at all times. mowers with a pitman must be timed!!!!!!! I timed this one last year,


implements that need to be in excellent working condition or you will not be a happy camper: hay mower, corn picker, hay baler, combine.

others you can get by with lesser quality: plow, disc, cultivator

if you get a #32 I would try to find a junk one as you will need parts, the main casting that runs the drive for the pitman busted on my mower, (someone was trying to cut small trees around a pond bank or ditch bank with it, guess they were not made to do that)

again, see if you can try it out before you buy or you may just have a pile of scrap iron that will only cut weeds on a good day.

Thanks for the info and pic - it's definitely an MF32.

Thanks everyone again.

I picked up this MF32 this afternoon. Feel like I got a good price and a mower is good condition.

I have mixed feelings about buying any sickle bar mower and to some extent especially this MF32 from a parts and online forum support - just due to the number of them produced compared to a NH451 or MF41 - will see how it goes.

Had the owner demo the mower for me and it seemed to run ok. He really didn't have any tall grass to mow, but ran it through some very short grass and it cut and nothing flew apart.

Loaded the mower on my trailer and hauled it to my place, unloaded and hooked it up to my trusty MF50 diesel. Set out to mow and promptly got it clogged after about 25 ft - LOL!

The mower seems to run good, but the sickle needs new blades and an overall refresh on the cutter bar.

So the adventure begins.

Thanks again!
Bill

The mower probably needs all new guards, Look at the gap and it should be no more than 3/16 inch.then look at replacing the bar with all new sections ($120).
Now with new guards and new cutter, you bend each guard to spec with a 6 foot cheater to get the desired .035 gap at the guard/section position.
Then check he "register" that the mower is traveling the proper distance while oscillating..

Then set the mower properly for lead and cutting angle, Got all this?
It's all explained in the manual.

Got it - thanks!!!!

Bill

MF doesn't have replaceable ledger plates?