JD #9 Mower Part ID Needed??

My cousin has a John Deere model No. 9 pitman driven sickle mower he is restoring and needs a missing part. It is believed to be a metal part which is carried on the pitman which is used to release the spring pressure on the caps holding the pitman to the ball on the end of the sickle cutting bar which is used when removing the bar from the mower for sharping or replacement. Would anyone have a parts manual from which the part no. can be obtained to assist in trying to locate a replacement for his restoration?? Any assistance in this matter is most appreciated, Hal.

You can go to the Deere parts site, jdparts.com, look on page 24 of the PDF for the 8, 8W, 9, and 9W mowers. They're all in the same PDF. I believe the part number you want is z237h, release spring, key #17. I mow with a 9W, and bought a 9 for the spare parts, but don't have that one. HTH Mark

You can also print out the parts manual from the JD parts site.
Mark

Thanks for your response and I believe you have identified the part and I will check it out through the parts site. The needed part is an item used to spread the two pieces which are shaped like a hollow half ball that connects the pitman wood to the ball on the mower end of the sickle bar. As I recall it is spring steel that is pushed down to spread the two spring loaded halves apart when replacing the sickle bar. As I recall dad would then release it with a screw driver and the two halves would then span back on to the full ball on the sickle. I gave my cousin dad's old #9 mower as he was looking for one for some light clean up mowing and has decided to restore it like he does all of his implements. Thanks again, Hal.

Mark, I found the needed part on the jdparts.com website and the part we are needing is actually #14 which is called a spring release. It is pushed down to split the two halves of the sickle bar retainers which are spring loaded to retain the sickle bar to the pitman. I found the part on eBay so all is well in finding a replacement for this missing item. Thanks again for your prompt response in resolving this matter, Hal.

I have a JD #9 that I fixed up and then let a guy use and he lost the end of the pitman that goes on the sickle bar so it is missing the same part as your looking for

Rich, Dad bought the mower new decades ago probably in the 1950's and has been sitting in the machine shed since it was last used decades ago. My cousin was looking for a sickle mower to do some clean up work around his place so I told him about it and it was something he could use. I gave it to him just to free up some space in the building. As usual he started a restoration on it like all of his implements and found that piece was missing. He did some research on the internet and found they are generally missing as they fall off from use and never seen again being somewhere in a hay field. I knew dad had lost that one because he carried a piece he made up to serve it's purpose when changing sickle bars in the tool box. Once I found the part number I found one on eBay so we are good to go now when it arrives later this week. Just didn't know how to get to the JD site being from the IH world I live in. I think the JD site might be somewhat more user friendly then the IH one and covers more older implements then the IH site. We are good to go now as problem solved through the kindly assistance of the Implement Alley folks, Hal.

I have not even tried to find that part. But yes very common part to fall off when you break the pitman stick. I also have found the #9 a pain in the back sides to hook up. The one I have was a fence row find years ago and I use parts from other brands to get it going then let my friend use it and like most stuff he touches he breaks just another one of them round to it things and probably have a part laying some place that would fix it just haven't at this time

Old, I still have that part, but it is still attached to a new pitman. Am still looking through buckets of parts that came out of an estate. Might be just that end in there somewhere. Holler back if interested.

My cousin thinks the reason that part is commonly lost is because it is held on the pitman stick with a screw and nut on the stick. Due to the vibration of the constant movement of the pitman unless you have it secured with double safeties like a cotter pin, lock or jam nuts it just vibrates loose and separates off the mower, Hal.

Glad you found it. I might have been looking at the wrong pitman picture. All 4 models are in the same parts book. My 9W and 9 parts machine all are missing that very same part. If you find one somewhere I'm interested, too. Mark

I'd like to fix the #9 I have so as to have a back up sickle mower so it the one I use all the time goes down I have one to use

Hey Old When I was growing up a neighbor had a John Deere #9 mower. He had removed the front clamps and welded plates on that allowed him to use hitch pins to mount the mower. He passed away in January at 94 years young. Went to the estate auction a month ago. All the equipment had been sold previously but they did have the original front clamps, a new grass board, and a pitman stick. Didn't stay to see those sell. BTW..he could have that mower hooked up in under a minute once the tractor(a Ford 960) was backed into place. I know because I timed him 1 morning.

Scott