Welcome! Please use the navigational links to explore our website.
PartsASAP LogoCompany Logo (800) 853-2651

Shop Now

   Allis Chalmers Case Farmall IH Ford 8N,9N,2N Ford
   Ferguson John Deere Massey Ferguson Minn. Moline Oliver

Attention Forum Users: On the 28th of December 2023 at 9:00am Central Time, we will be taking the forums down for maintenance while we prepare the new forums for your use. Please click here for more information.

Implement Alley Discussion Forum

sickle mower vs mower conditioner plugging

Welcome Guest, Log in or Register
Author 
James

01-03-2004 17:24:42




Report to Moderator

Somewhere the other day, I saw a post where someone said their mower conditioner sickle bar never clogged. Is that true? I mow with a sickle mower, no conditioner. My mower plugs regularly when a 'mouse nest' hangs on the tip of a sickle guard. My sickle never plugs back at the sections, because I have them sharp with minimal clearance. However, if grass hangs on the tip of a guard, it will stop cutting and get worse and worse until I stop.

Does a conditioner not do this because the rollers help pull the grass through the sickle, or does a mower conditioner have the same hang-up problems?

[Log in to Reply]   [No Email]
T.J.-N.J.

01-04-2004 17:30:47




Report to Moderator
 Re: sickle mower vs mower conditioner plugging in reply to James, 01-03-2004 17:24:42  
Herschel Adams and I think Crary as well make a special end section that has 2 teeth on it to replace the last knife section on your sickle. They work a lot better than the standard sections but will plug if your hold downs are not set properly. If you don't have a manual for your mower get one and follow all the instructions in it about setting up your mower you will be amazed at how well it will cut when properly set its like night and day. I used the mower the way my dad taught me and he used it the way the old man he got it from taught him, I couldn't see using it working so poorly, so I got the manual and did a little book learning and it paid off a hundred times over what I paid for the manual on Ebay. T.J.

[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
Catskill Pete

01-04-2004 16:45:42




Report to Moderator
 Re: sickle mower vs mower conditioner plugging in reply to James, 01-03-2004 17:24:42  
As far as I'm concerned stub guards on a moco are the greatest thing since sliced bread, BUT they are more maintenence sensetive. They require much closer adjustment tolerance than regular guards. Regular guards you can get away with a 1/4 in of play between the knife and the top of the guard. Stub gaurds are more like ten thousands. Most of the one Ive seen that were giving problems had never been adjusted at the start of the season and had a lot of "slop". You just can't do that with stub gaurds or they perform very poorly.

[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
Dan

01-04-2004 11:38:27




Report to Moderator
 Re: sickle mower vs mower conditioner plugging in reply to James, 01-03-2004 17:24:42  
I agree on stub guards. Used a neighbor's Heston mower conditioner a few years back and never plugged even with some loose sods. Would put them on my sickle mower but not sure they will fit. Also the regular guards work much better if you have any rocks.



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
Bob

01-04-2004 05:54:55




Report to Moderator
 Re: sickle mower vs mower conditioner plugging in reply to James, 01-03-2004 17:24:42  
James, the main reason that you won't get the plugs with the mower conditioner is because that the reel keeps the materials being cut moving into the machine more evenly. Generally pluging when you have a reel occurs with poor reel adjustment. Reel adjustment may have to be made as you move from one type of hay to another (refer to your manual). You may also have to reduce your travel speed when in very heavy forage but be sure you keep your cutter bar and reel speeds at the manufactures recommendation. Good luck,,,,,

[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
Sid

01-03-2004 20:27:18




Report to Moderator
 Re: sickle mower vs mower conditioner plugging in reply to James, 01-03-2004 17:24:42  
My experience has been that a haybine while not trouble free is less hassle than a sickle mower. But I still have and use a sickle mower.



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
Rob

01-03-2004 20:16:07




Report to Moderator
 Re: sickle mower vs mower conditioner plugging in reply to James, 01-03-2004 17:24:42  
I have had 2 conditioners.It depends if you get a sickle or disc/conditioner



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
Bob Semrau

01-03-2004 18:48:25




Report to Moderator
 Re: sickle mower vs mower conditioner plugging in reply to James, 01-03-2004 17:24:42  
My experience has been that the mouse nest type of clogs still happen, but you don't get the clogs at the ends of the cutter bar, because they aren't exposed. Another advantage of the mower conditioner is that the reel helps cut downed hay - it's not perfect, but a lot better than the sickle, which sometimes can only cut downed hay in one direction. Mine is an old JD 480 - they don't have a very good reputation, but it's still better than a sickle bar mower.

[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
Bernie in MA

01-03-2004 18:42:48




Report to Moderator
 Re: sickle mower vs mower conditioner plugging in reply to James, 01-03-2004 17:24:42  
I 've run a Hesston SP mower-conditioner for the last 30 years. I'm on my second used one. The first one had regular guards on it and used to drag out grass by the roots. I changed it to "stub" guards and never had any more trouble. The ends of the stub guards are even with the ends of the sickle sections. I can mow over the ends of pointed windrows and never plug up. You should be able to convert yours.

[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
Indydirtfarmer

01-04-2004 03:01:15




Report to Moderator
 Re: Re: sickle mower vs mower conditioner plugging in reply to Bernie in MA, 01-03-2004 18:42:48  
A "second' on the stub guards. They work! I went to a disc mower several years ago. Gave up on the Mo/Co's. Last summer, I bought a New Holland MoCo at an auction, with the plan of re-selling. (I since have sold it) It was equipped with the stub guards. While it was around, I thought it best to use it some, to wear some of the rust off of it. I was amazed at how well it performed. I cut about 45 acres with it, and only plugged one time. That was the result of me trying to see just what it would take to plug it. A disc mower, or discbine is still better, but if you have a mower/conditioner, and want to improve the performance, switch to the stub guards. JMHO. John

[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
John on IN

01-04-2004 05:21:52




Report to Moderator
 Re: Re: Re: sickle mower vs mower conditioner plug in reply to Indydirtfarmer, 01-04-2004 03:01:15  
What is a stub guard? Are they availible thru a NH dealer or are they aftermarket? Any info, Thanks, John



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
Jimmy King

01-04-2004 09:47:52




Report to Moderator
 Re: Re: Re: Re: sickle mower vs mower conditioner in reply to John on IN, 01-04-2004 05:21:52  
John a stub guard is the same length as the sections with no top. As how good they work in most grass I can not say, but I had an uncle who used our 479 to cut his hay several years ago. He started putting stub guards in it, starting at the outer end about 2 ft. to start. We got to noticing that in alfalfa where the stub guards were it did not cut clean. Yes you can get them from N H .



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
James

01-04-2004 05:17:45




Report to Moderator
 Re: Re: Re: sickle mower vs mower conditioner plug in reply to Indydirtfarmer, 01-04-2004 03:01:15  
I guess I should have asked this question last year before I replaced all the guards at $200+.



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
JMS/MN

01-03-2004 17:46:37




Report to Moderator
 Re: sickle mower vs mower conditioner plugging in reply to James, 01-03-2004 17:24:42  
My experience is that a moco and sickle mower plug under the same conditions.(18 years). Ran a disc mower for 12 years and never plugged it. Fantastic machine for merging windrows on point rows. Whatever goes in the front, comes out the back in a new windrow.



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
JMS/MN

01-03-2004 17:47:42




Report to Moderator
 Re: Re: sickle mower vs mower conditioner plugging in reply to JMS/MN, 01-03-2004 17:46:37  
Correction: should have said discbine.



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
[Options]  [Printer Friendly]  [Posting Help]  [Return to Forum]   [Log in to Reply]

Hop to:


TRACTOR PARTS TRACTOR MANUALS
We sell tractor parts!  We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today. [ About Us ]

Home  |  Forums


Copyright © 1997-2023 Yesterday's Tractor Co.

All Rights Reserved. Reproduction of any part of this website, including design and content, without written permission is strictly prohibited. Trade Marks and Trade Names contained and used in this Website are those of others, and are used in this Website in a descriptive sense to refer to the products of others. Use of this Web site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy

TRADEMARK DISCLAIMER: Tradenames and Trademarks referred to within Yesterday's Tractor Co. products and within the Yesterday's Tractor Co. websites are the property of their respective trademark holders. None of these trademark holders are affiliated with Yesterday's Tractor Co., our products, or our website nor are we sponsored by them. John Deere and its logos are the registered trademarks of the John Deere Corporation. Agco, Agco Allis, White, Massey Ferguson and their logos are the registered trademarks of AGCO Corporation. Case, Case-IH, Farmall, International Harvester, New Holland and their logos are registered trademarks of CNH Global N.V.

Yesterday's Tractors - Antique Tractor Headquarters

Website Accessibility Policy