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

Any way to straighten bent guards on a sickle bar?

Welcome Guest, Log in or Register
Author 
William Ransom

07-24-2004 12:18:25




Report to Moderator

The three guards at the left end of the sickle bar on the NI 251 mower are bent down. The second one from the left is bent so far that one of the blades can go over the part of the guard that's supposed to be over the blades. (They are all rock guards.) I tried to take the bent guards off, but I couldn't get the nuts to turn. I found a socket that fits the nuts on some of the guard bolts, but when I tried it on the ones for the bent guards, the socket slipped around the nuts. The nuts on the bolts that hold the bent guards on might be rusted fast (I really don't know if they are), but I know they are damaged so the socket doesn't fit them very well. I had thought I would take the bent guards off and replace them, but I now know I can't get them off by unscrewing the nuts with that socket. Can the guards be straightened? Since they are at the left end, do you think it would work to hit them with a sledgehammer with the sickle bar in the vertical position? Do you have any suggestions for how to remove them?

[Log in to Reply]   [No Email]
wolfy

07-26-2004 08:10:38




Report to Moderator
 Re: Any way to straighten bent guards on a sickle in reply to William Ransom, 07-24-2004 12:18:25  
One good smack with a fairly heavy hammer - hit about half way back on the guard, farther back than you would think - on the wear, ground sliding side of the guard.



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
wolfy

07-26-2004 08:22:57




Report to Moderator
 Re: Re: Any way to straighten bent guards on a sic in reply to wolfy, 07-26-2004 08:10:38  
Actually, not a very heavy hammer. I just use the flat end of the ball-pein that I use to replace rivets in sections.



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
Jim in michigan

07-26-2004 07:03:33




Report to Moderator
 Re: Any way to straighten bent guards on a sickle in reply to William Ransom, 07-24-2004 12:18:25  
just like jms/mn said, use a 1 1/2 inch pipe and lean on it,. we use one all the time here, in the past 6 years I have yet to break a guard by straightening it this way,,,Jim



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
Kelly C

07-26-2004 06:02:38




Report to Moderator
 Re: Any way to straighten bent guards on a sickle in reply to William Ransom, 07-24-2004 12:18:25  
3 years ago I picked up a $20 angle grinder. It is now my most usefull tool. Best $20 I ever spent.
I had to cut off 10 of the guards from my JD#5 when I 1st got it. Made short work of it.



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
JMS/MN

07-24-2004 17:37:50




Report to Moderator
 Re: Any way to straighten bent guards on a sickle in reply to William Ransom, 07-24-2004 12:18:25  
Straightening? Inch and a half pipe, four feet long, and lean on it! Removal, 6 point socket, oxy torch, grinder. Sledgehammer is an option- what do you have to lose? Either they straighten, or they break. Either way, you can't cut the way it is now. When you get the entire bar lined up like new- check for an adjustment as to the bar angle, if you have rocks in the field. The guards should be at a slightly upward angle when cutting in a rocky field- they will ride over the rocks instead of digging into them. Most of the time- exceptions to every rule. Rocks come in all sizes and configurations.

[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
Yo

07-24-2004 15:02:17




Report to Moderator
 Re: Any way to straighten bent guards on a sickle in reply to William Ransom, 07-24-2004 12:18:25  
Guards can be straightened out if they are slightly bent. We built a guard straightener out of a 3/8 bolt and an old shear bar from the harvester. We took the bolt and bent it in a U shape then welded it to the ledger bare about three inches from the end. It worked quite well.



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
paul

07-24-2004 14:04:24




Report to Moderator
 Re: Any way to straighten bent guards on a sickle in reply to William Ransom, 07-24-2004 12:18:25  
Guards can be adjusted a bit with a hammer to make them line up, but sounds like this is more than a small alignment.

You can heat with a torch & bend them back.

At any rate, get the nuts loose now & get things apart, someday you will break a guard when there is a short weather window & then you are sunk, trying to mess with old rusted stuff.

I'll assume you have a 12-point socket set. Get yourself a good 6 point wrench set, so that you can grip those nuts properly & get them off. Why any fool invented 12-sided socket set is beyond me. Worthless. Sockets like to pull at an angle & jump off, & these bolts are torqued down pretty tight. A good simple box end _6_ sided wrench would be best.

Don't bother going to the NH dealer for expensive replacement bolts - they just grab plow bolts out of the big bin & charge a lot. Go to the ag store & get the same sized plow bolts - that's the countersunk square headed bolt.

--->Paul

[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
RickB

07-24-2004 14:26:09




Report to Moderator
 Re: Re: Any way to straighten bent guards on a sic in reply to paul, 07-24-2004 14:04:24  
Those bolts are pretty spendy. The two sizes list for $.22 and $.44 each respectively. I semi-randomly picked NH46 mower for the price check.



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
Delbert

07-24-2004 14:18:24




Report to Moderator
 Re: Re: Any way to straighten bent guards on a sic in reply to paul, 07-24-2004 14:04:24  
Use cold chisel and hammer to cut the nuts off and as paul said go get new guards and bolts. You can get both at farm store for not to much money. As for the chisel hold it vertical to the nut and split the nut sometimes just a few hits will loosen the nut and will come right off. A little hint about the chisel clamp it in a pair of vise grips much easier on the hands if you should miss the chisel. Or angle grinder will do the job and you will be a happy mower again.

[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
Dick Davis

07-24-2004 13:02:40




Report to Moderator
 Re: Any way to straighten bent guards on a sickle in reply to William Ransom, 07-24-2004 12:18:25  
I would be amazed if you could straighten rock guards to where they are useful - probably break off. An angle grinder with a cut off wheel makes short work of rounded attachment bolts. I assume you aren't a welder with a torch? Maybe even a cut off wheel in an electric drill but that would be slower for sure. Just busting them off with a hammer still leaves you with the problem of replacing them - and you don't want to mow without the guards. My nickel Dick Davis

[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