Belly mower

There is no data plate anywhere I could see on this mower. It's the complete setup off a 9N. The adapter for the drive pulley on the PTO shaft was for the original 1 1/8" shaft. It's painted a shade of blue but where it's flaked off is some orange that suggests to me that it may have been state owned at some point or an industrial grade mower. The pulley guard has the "Ford" logo on it.

The individual that has it said he'd get the tractor running so I could hear the mower and watch to see how it cut. I went down to see it perform today and it was removed from the 9N and sitting on the pallet you see in the pictures. I wanted pictures before removal so I would have some idea how it went back together on my tractor. (minor alarms going off at this point)I was told several times that all the bearings were good. (alarms getting louder)I asked since I didn't get to hear and see it perform if there was any warranty that went with it. I was told "No. Not for the money I want for it. You pay your money and take your chances. (Alarms are going nuts at this point)

So, my questions are:1)Can anybody tell me a make or model of this mower so I can try to get some literature for it? 2)Anyone got an idea of a good price for this mower. This individual wants $500 for it. I was told the previous owner referred to it as a "Woods." This may have been a generic term and not an actual manufacturer. 3) Could have Ford made this for the "N" series of tractors?
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Yes there is a Woods mower, they are or were at one time top of the line. I dont know if the one in your photo is or not, but if its all there and works good 5 would be fair.Try this and there are some more on youtube. www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3hRc8Vrwyg
 
(quoted from post at 23:11:06 05/16/15) There is no data plate anywhere I could see on this mower. It's the complete setup off a 9N. The adapter for the drive pulley on the PTO shaft was for the original 1 1/8" shaft. It's painted a shade of blue but where it's flaked off is some orange that suggests to me that it may have been state owned at some point or an industrial grade mower. The pulley guard has the "Ford" logo on it.

The individual that has it said he'd get the tractor running so I could hear the mower and watch to see how it cut. I went down to see it perform today and it was removed from the 9N and sitting on the pallet you see in the pictures. I wanted pictures before removal so I would have some idea how it went back together on my tractor. (minor alarms going off at this point)I was told several times that all the bearings were good. (alarms getting louder)I asked since I didn't get to hear and see it perform if there was any warranty that went with it. I was told "No. Not for the money I want for it. You pay your money and take your chances. (Alarms are going nuts at this point)

So, my questions are:1)Can anybody tell me a make or model of this mower so I can try to get some literature for it? 2)Anyone got an idea of a good price for this mower. This individual wants $500 for it. I was told the previous owner referred to it as a "Woods." This may have been a generic term and not an actual manufacturer. 3) Could have Ford made this for the "N" series of tractors?

Hard to tell from the pictures but it doesn't look like a Woods to me and I don't see any of the belt gurads thart should be there. Even if it is a Woods $500 for an old and obviously "very experienced" mower in unknown condition is double what I would be willing to risk.

TOH
 
I hate to do it but I may pass on this and go look at a three point mower.
I need a mower for my large yard and thought getting a deck to give my 8N something to do besides sit in the shed might be the way to go.
Some accounts I've read suggests the 8N is not a good choice for this kind of work as they are geared too high, even with a Sherman under drive, and mine has the 12.4 X 28 tires on it.
I don't know. I may hook up the trailer and go buy a "stamped steel and plastic" mower at Lowe's.
 
(quoted from post at 08:43:11 05/17/15) I hate to do it but I may pass on this and go look at a three point mower.
I need a mower for my large yard and thought getting a deck to give my 8N something to do besides sit in the shed might be the way to go.
Some accounts I've read suggests the 8N is not a good choice for this kind of work as they are geared too high, even with a Sherman under drive, and mine has the 12.4 X 28 tires on it.
I don't know. I may hook up the trailer and go buy a "stamped steel and plastic" mower at Lowe's.

If you plan on mowing that lawn for decades to come skip Lowes and consider a nice used commercial zero turn or sub-compact 4WD tractor with a heavy duty deck. Something like that will set you back $4-$7K up front but well worth it in the longer run. Personally I like the Kubota BX series - a diesel hydrostatic lawn tractor on steroids. With PTO and cat 1 3pt they are a bit more versatile than a Zero Turn and you should be able to find one with a few hundred hours on it for around $4K. ;-)

TOH

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I'd pass on that mower pictured.
I like junk and I've had mowers/etc like that.
Can I get them to work?..yes
Do I end up having to work on them every time I use them...also yes.

TOH's suggestion of a BX can't be beat if you have the means.
(they are so handy though...you still end up needing a mower sometimes when the BX is busy with other jobs with the mower off)

I mow with a rear finish mower, does a good job with my 3-point tractors.
I am considering the Swisher pull-behind finish mower.
(the big 4-wheeled one)
Then, ALL my tractors can take a turn, 3-point/live pto or not.
 

I've had belly mowers on farmall A's and they're very versatile and handy for getting in and around for trimming, but they're a nightmare to mount and remove.

You just can't beat a Woods or like brand mower in 3 point on the back of an N for ease and economy.

You've already got the N, and I can always find a mower like mine on C/L for <$600.00.

Just my 2¢ worth, YMMV.

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I use a six-foot Chinese knock-off of a Caroni finish mower behind my 2N. It works well now that I have replaced the blades with the heavier Caroni (Oregon brand) blades. It will cut grass that is up to 8 inches tall full width in first gear.

The only problem I have with the rear mounted finish mower is that because of the geometry, the mower swings wide to the outside of turns. This isn't that much of problem if you don't have to make tight turns. We have developed a lawn layout that accomadates this, largely by using "Roundup" for a wide swath around our trees and sweeping turns at the corners.

The nice thing about the rear mounted finish mower is ease of installation/removal. You can use the tractor for something else pretty quickly. I did recently talk my wife into letting me buy an 8N for a "dedicated lawn mower" using the finish mower. I told her that I needed to have the 2N available for other tasks too often!
 
I've got a woods belly mower for my 8N and my Farmall A. They are a good mower and well built, but there is a lot of rumble and noise even when the bearings are new. I used to keep the one on the Farmall every summer as it was pretty handy. Now I don't bother and just keep cultivators on it.

I used my 8N a few times with the belly mower. Here's the problem:

An 8N is low like a utility model. I could lift the mower on my Farmall much higher when needed (think bumping up onto the shed cement, etc). On the 8N it lifted until the wheel brackets hit the bell housing. Also because it is lower you are sitting in a swirl of grass clippings. Woods mowers have a directional throw, but it doesn't come out like a lawn mower. It kind of sifts out everywhere with one side having more than others. The guy that had the tractor before me used it as his rider. You can't imagine how long it took me to get clippings out of every nook and cranny. And he was a cleanup king of guy.
 
Wish I had one of those Kubotas..I'd never have to buy another one..Zero turn not allowed in my yard..use to get a guy to cut my yard with one
if it was dry, I'd have to wash everything on the place after he mowed..My thinking is that
the blade tip speed is so fast to try to be able to fly/mow at ridiculous speed-as a result they stir up SOME dust-whatever
the problem is, they stir up twice the dust of a normal mower---I know I know 99% of
everybody who has a ZT will never go back to anything else---That's why they make regular
mowers and ZTs for big open football fields..for me I wouldn't have one.....except maybe
for my open one acre spot across the road and I can't justify one for that....at least I
don't have one problem though that some do--I could have 20 tractors and the wife would
never know it..
 
(quoted from post at 13:59:58 05/17/15)
The nice thing about the rear mounted finish mower is ease of installation/removal. You can use the tractor for something else pretty quickly. I did recently talk my wife into letting me buy an 8N for a "dedicated lawn mower" using the finish mower. I told her that I needed to have the 2N available for other tasks too often!

We are no longer living in the 50's and ease of mounting a belly mower is a non-issue with a typical modern tractor. The mid-mount mower deck on most modern tractors is powered by a middle (transmission) PTO and mounts and dismounts in about a minute without any tools. Check this Kubota video out:

Kubota BX Deck Removal Video

You can't see him disconnecting the PTO shaft in the video but it is just a sleeve type coupling like the ones used on rear PTO's. You slide the collar back and then pull the mower PTO shaft forward off the output shaft on the transmission. The mower PTO shaft then comes out still attached to the deck. Even when the deck is mounted you still have full use of the rear PTO and 3pt hitch.

The JD AutoConnect system the guy in the Kubota video mentions is even faster and easier. You drive the tractor on or off the deck and it automagically connects/disconnects the PTO for you ;-)

JD AutoConnect Mower Deck Video

TOH
 
(quoted from post at 08:43:11 05/17/15) I hate to do it but I may pass on this and go look at a three point mower.
I need a mower for my large yard and thought getting a deck to give my 8N something to do besides sit in the shed might be the way to go.
Some accounts I've read suggests the 8N is not a good choice for this kind of work as they are geared too high, even with a Sherman under drive, and mine has the 12.4 X 28 tires on it.
I don't know. I may hook up the trailer and go buy a "stamped steel and plastic" mower at Lowe's.
I used to mow my yard, about 4 acres, with a Farmall Cub and a belly mower.
Then I got a little sub-compact diesel with a 3pt finish mower.
That finish mower swinging around when you turn takes a lot
of care when you are trying to mow close to your house, fence, etc!

Then I ran across a used comercial zero turn rider with a dump
from the seat bagger for $1400. I didn't use the bagger so I
sold it for $400.
Can't buy a decent new rider for $1000 around here.
Maybe a cheap box store one, but not a good one.

I've had it five years or so now. It cuts my mowing time to less
than half what it was. I've replaced one belt and one pulley.

And, if you care about what your lawn looks like when you're
done, you can't beat it. I have a JD 212 rider that will give me
just as good of finish, but at about 4 times the time.

Neither one leaves those "windrows" you get from cheap lawn mowers.
 
Interesting. I wonder how well these systems will work when the tractors (and implements ) are 30
to 60 years old! I won't be around to see, but my wager is that they won't be as easy to
remove/replace then as the videos show now.
 
Coming in a little late on this. I have a 6"' Woods belly mower on my 8N. Its a nice combination if all you use your 8N for is mowing. That is what I do. Looking at your picture, I don't think its a Woods mower. I'm thinking it may be a Ford mower made for the later "blue" tractors. In either case, $500 is a good price for it if every thing is there and all the bearings are good.

My Woods belly mower will fit just about any 1939-1975+ Fords. So the chances are good it will work.

Also, I have a Woods 3pt mower on my 600. That is a nice combination. I had it on my 8N for a few years and it worked nicely, but it was about at the limit for an 8N. Both in weight and power.

Which is better, belly or 3pt, is a personal preference. I like both. The belly mower has a smaller foot print and is more nimble. Easier to use for trimming. But is a bear to remove and install. Once it on the tractor, it stays there. The Woods 3pt seem to be a little stronger and heavier. It is a beast of a mower and does a fine job, but it sure does swing wide on a turn.

 

Like everyone else said, get a 3 pt. finish mower. 5 footer should be about right. That belly mower looks like it is trouble waiting to happen. When I got my new Mahindra eMax 22 I passed on the belly mower at the suggestion of another dealer. He said folks were returning the belly mowers and buying 3 pt models instead. I found an Italian made one at an auction, brand new, but 4 yrs. old, for $600 (they retail for over $2,000).
 
(quoted from post at 05:40:24 05/18/15) Interesting. I wonder how well these systems will work when the tractors (and implements ) are 30
to 60 years old! I won't be around to see, but my wager is that they won't be as easy to
remove/replace then as the videos show now.

Just sliding sleeves,pins, and levers like used on the old Woods belly mower but positioned and designed to make mounting and dismounting the mower a whole lot faster and easier. I fully expect the mounting points on my Kubby and RCK60 deck to be operating just as well 30 or even 60 years from now as they do today. There is a real good chance the tractor will have gone to the machinery graveyard long before the deck mounting system wears out.

TOH
 

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