IH hay rake #5

Looking for help to age an IH #5 rake I picked up. It has a clean data plate with model 5 N T and Serial of 116P. It is a 4 bar side
delivery rake with 2 15" wheels in the front and 2 swivel 9", I think, wheels in the back. The tongue is a Y type not the V type seen in
many pictures. There is some welding on the tongue so no guarantee it is original. I am really just looking to age it or get a good guess
of it manufacturing date. Does anyone have a SN listing for these or know of a site where these numbers can be looked up?

1940s. I would seriously doubt ANY sn info exists.If it ever did.

No serial numbers and actually late 50's early 60's and it is the last version of that style made with no sale value because of the way they designed the front axle. If they would have raised the axle with a drop box at each wheel they would be good. They use a different unique tooth than all the other model rakes. I have one here that I am going to junk just because of that front axle design. If you have a nice thin flat swath to rake it is OK but you try to turn over or put 2 rows together then the material will just drag up in bunches in front of that axle. I rebuilt one for a dealer probably 3 years ago and he still has it because of that front axle. So no use rebuilding this one. If it has a roller chain drive it is a later model, steel link the earlier version. And yes thos are 9" tires on the back. I have all the books on all the McCormick rakes of that style and if I knew just where they are I could give you exact years they were made. New Idea also did the stupid with that axle, Deere used the drop boxes so they do not have that problem. Over the last 15 or so years I must have handled and possibly rebuilt close to 40 of that style rakes. 4 New Idea rakes settin in wating line for rebuilding now Along with a Deere-Dain rake.

Thanks for the feedback. I plan to just get this one running and use it a few times more as a hobby. My normal rake will continue to be primary. Odd story with this rake is that I used to use this particular rake 30+ years ago. It belonged to a friends dad who recently passed away. They were just junking everything from his farm and I was able to snag this before the scrap yard. It has more of a nostalgic value than a need to be operational. Some day my kids will view all my toys laying around as junk too but I am going to make sure they have their work cut out for them to get it all to the scrap yard.