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You won't regret it. Haveing just made the switch myself (sickle/crimp to JD moco)I can tell you there is a big differance. Time is going to be the bigest differance. In my case (mowing only)it was almost cut in half and I didn't have to run the crimper. But to your question. First you need some idea of "what" should be there. Find yourself someone who has one and go for a visit. Ask questions, help them stack their hay and say thanks for the info when you leave. Second, General condition. Is everything that should be tight, tight? Are there any obvious rust holes or broken brackets. Gear boxes should be checked for play. On my 1209 I can rock the slip clutch back and forth about 1/2 inch (input to gear box) and according to the manual thats way to much. Guess what I'll be doing this winter. Third - special areas, Belts, Chains & Gears - wear, look at the teeth on the gears are they worn down to a nub. How do the belts look? New but chewed up? Are the tensioners all the way out? Stretched belts & chains will soon need to be replace and factored in. Operation - Rotate the PTO shaft, does it turn freely? Is there a lot of play in it. Are other parts moving? Everything should move - Rollers, knifes, rake. Leaks - Look for signs of gear box leaks. Grease dirt build up around gear boxes is normal. A leaky seal shouldn't be deal killer, but if its real bad (wet oil on top of dirt/dust) it may be worn to the point that rebuild is soon coming. Rollers - Most rollers are going to have some cracks in them. What you want to avoid is where it is begining to peel. Look at its timing. The rolls (lobes) shouldn't hit each other. Bad timming just tells you that it hasn't been maintained very well, and there may be other problems (stressed gear box). Knife - This is just as critical as the gear box and rollers, if not more. How do the guards look? If pointin all different directions, don't walk - run away. The guards should be uniform. The pan that holds the guards should not be bent, warped, or welded up. Both of these are good signs that this machine has been abused and thus avoided. The sickle itself is realitively cheap (couple hundred bucks) and a little rust is not a big deal. Personal opinions - I would look for either a JD Moco, 1207 or 1209, or second choice NH 488 or 489. They are rugged machines that seem to be in abundance here in OH. The basic design has been around forever and parts are generally not a problem. Almost any working mower will be pricey. Expect to spend some money on a good one ($3-5000 dealer, $2-3000 autcion). Much less and I would want to know why. Other brands will be cheaper, just make sure you have a dealer close by for support. You'll need at least a 45 hp tractor (1209), and good hyd to operate it.
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