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JD 350 sickle mower breaking

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Troy

06-08-2003 11:19:48




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I bought a used (buyer beware) JD 350 with 7ft bar. It runs for about 10-20 minutes and then breaks either the counterweight bolt (5/8 grade 8) or the weld at the head pin and sickle union. Any thoughts, remedies? Thank you.




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ET

06-09-2003 06:55:52




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 Re: JD 350 sickle mower breaking in reply to Troy, 06-08-2003 11:19:48  
I think the bearing under the wobble arm is gone. It has a grease fitting on it but unless you know its there it does not get greased.



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Terry in KY

06-09-2003 06:11:28




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 Re: JD 350 sickle mower breaking in reply to Troy, 06-08-2003 11:19:48  
Did you replace the bushing in the end of the sickle where the pin goes? Ours was breaking the sickle into and thats what it was. Too much play anywhere in the system creates a jack hammer effect as the sickle moves back and forth and something will eventually break. We have a JD haybine that has a bearing instead of a bushing, so yours should have one or the other. If that's not it then it may be your wobbler, but there is too much play somewhere.

There's nothing wrong with a sickle mower. If the hay isn't tangled too much and the field is smooth, I cut in 7th gear (8 speed tractor). That's just as fast as the disc mowers. I bought my 350 at an auction for $450. Try buying a disc mower for that. You have to put up a lot of hay to pay for a disc mower, and the sickle mower will last several years longer.

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cannonball

06-09-2003 19:50:33




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 Re: Re: JD 350 sickle mower breaking in reply to Terry in KY, 06-09-2003 06:11:28  
try running a sickle in tx for first cutting..the fire ant mounds will keep you reseting the trip all the time..used to run 350 sickle mowers..spent more time broke down than working...and wait till it breaks the housing where pin that wobble works on wow grab your pocket book...when we quit running them they were 570 dollars ..just bearing will cost a lot...yes when they are set up right they will cut,but try running in 7 th gear and hang a fire ant mound..was mowing in 5 th and broke housing on mower frame...trip stops mower from cutting but don't stop tractor...run disc mowers now and got rid of all sickle mower and parts...there are mowers for everybody thank god....have nice day may god bless

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Troy

06-09-2003 06:20:46




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 Re: Re: JD 350 sickle mower breaking in reply to Terry in KY, 06-09-2003 06:11:28  
I have just replaced the pin and bushing, and riveted a new head to the sickle. I am thinking its the wobble box as well and my wallet is already crying. Been intending to clean out that pesky checking account anyway. Thanks to all for the suggestions, keep them coming.



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Tim(nj)

06-08-2003 14:50:14




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 Re: JD 350 sickle mower breaking in reply to Troy, 06-08-2003 11:19:48  
That mower has a balanced-head drive (no pitman). Do you notice a lot of vibration when it runs? There should be no vibration. If the mower shakes a lot, that means there is a bad bearing in the drive.



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Troy

06-08-2003 20:03:48




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 Re: Re: JD 350 sickle mower breaking in reply to Tim(nj), 06-08-2003 14:50:14  
I wondered about the bearings in the drive. It does shake considerably when operating. This is my first sickle, so I am new to this. There seems to be a lot of play in the drive head-up and down and some left to right. I replaced the pin and sickle drive head that receives the pin, hoping that would remove some of the play. It did remove the play in the pin and head, but not the play in the part of the sickle that is bolted to the pin.

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Tim(nj)

06-08-2003 20:18:54




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 Re: Re: Re: JD 350 sickle mower breaking in reply to Troy, 06-08-2003 20:03:48  
Sounds like you need to have your wobble box rebuilt. Hold on to your wallet!



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Roy in UK

06-08-2003 11:22:21




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 Re: JD 350 sickle mower breaking in reply to Troy, 06-08-2003 11:19:48  
is the cutterbar bent?



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Troy

06-08-2003 13:16:14




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 Re: Re: JD 350 sickle mower breaking in reply to Roy in UK, 06-08-2003 11:22:21  
I do not think the bar is bent. It seems to move freely with no apparent rubbing or shiny spots. Thanks.



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Roy in UK

06-08-2003 14:05:55




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 Re: Re: Re: JD 350 sickle mower breaking in reply to Troy, 06-08-2003 13:16:14  
To be honest with you,its many years since I had anything to do with "sickle mowers" ( a bit rare here in UK,now its all disc mowers and drum mowers here! )but that was my first thought, hmmm... now what, blunt knife? incorrect stroke setting?



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Bill Richardson

07-04-2004 13:01:12




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 Re: Re: Re: Re: JD 350 sickle mower breaking in reply to Roy in UK, 06-08-2003 14:05:55  
Another JD 350 problem. Mine swings to the right when I start the pto. Do I need to adjust a chain link somewhere? Help. This thing is nothing but trouble. The previous owner solved the reset all the time problem by tack welding the release block in place.

Thanks,

Bill



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