JD A and rotary mower?

49deere · Oct 2, 2016

I have a '49 A that I'd like to use with a 6' ( deere mx6) rotary mower. I think it's a hair light in PTO power but was wondering if it could handle it? Any thoughts? I'd like to know before I spend money on a 3pt system.

Thanks for your time, I appreciate it.

RayP(MI) · Oct 2, 2016

We used a '49 B on a 6' generic brush hog. Handled it fine in some pretty heavy hay.

ericlb · Oct 2, 2016

the A shows to have 23.6 hp at the pto, according to tractor data, it may handle a 6 foot as long as your mowing short or sparse stuff, 23 hp, is pretty light for a 6 foot, a 5 footer mower would be much better, or take 3/4 swaths, you would just have to experiment as see if it works on your property

Richard G. · Oct 2, 2016

I use to pull a 6 footer with a 39 A which had a lot less HP than a 49.
The biggest problem with it is the PTO gearing if you hit something like a stump.
It also might be light on the front end with a 3 point mower.
Mine is a pull type.
I am a 2 cylinder fan, but the PTO's were designed in those days for combines and sickle mowers.
Richard

49deere · Oct 2, 2016

Thanks guys.

I love my A, just trying to find uses for it around the farm.

Lyndon - AB · Oct 2, 2016

I used my '52 A on a pull-type 5' Woods heavy brush cutter and it worked fine on heavy grass and weeds. The big thing to watch is the hardware on the mower, especially holding the blades to the gearbox. The bolt on the gearbox came loose due to the 2 cylinder vibration through the driveline, and all of a sudden my blades were sitting on the ground behind the mower!

Also, don't try to take on saplings; did that with this mower behind a '53 Minneapolis U, and boy did it make that tractor snarl!

Richard G. · Oct 2, 2016

I grew up on a 49 A on my Grandma's farm pulling an AC combine and plowing and discing.
Some of the best memories of my youth. That old A was a strong hoss.
I have a 42 H now that I love to work my garden with.
Richard

fixerupper · Oct 2, 2016

You will be OK. A 49 A should have somewhere around 36 HP at the PTO. A 35 A is in the mid-20's. I have a 6' Woods Brush Bull behind a 630. The only time it uses full HP is when I am cutting real close in extremely heavy rank brome grass in third or fourth gear.

coonie minnie · Oct 2, 2016

I would recommend some kind of over running clutch on the PTO, being that the A does not have live PTO. The momentum from the mower could theoretically push you somewhere you do not want to go, as the mower will be geared directly to the transmission whenever the PTO is engaged.

BushogPapa · Oct 2, 2016

If ya don't let the tractor pull down that far, there is no "vibration" because of it being a 2-cyliner..

You didn't say if your "A" is Gasoline only or "Tractor Fuel"..the Gas version pulls much better..

I had an "All-Fuel" A and it would only pull a 3-14" plow in Creeper gear..!!

My advice to you is to adjust the throttle/Governor to ADD 100-200 RPM above that 975 you have now and it will power thru much more..

I use my '52 JD"B"on my 6' Bushog (pull-type) with no problems..like said above, adjust it for conditions,,

I would advise you to not get one any narrower than 6'....any narrower and ya need to over-lap each pass by 1/3 the width of the mower..

Sharp blades make a huge difference..Always set a Bushog-type mower to have the Rear higher than the front proportionatle..depending on the amount of trash you are mowing so it can exit the mower and not choke it..

BushogPapa · Oct 2, 2016

Correction...that was an All-Fuel JD 60..not an "A"..but the results are the same..

gene bender · Oct 2, 2016

There again tractor data is wrong that A has more HP than 23.

NIK OWEN · Oct 2, 2016

HAVE 44 D, G'PA 50 B...THERE IS ABSOLUTELY VIBRATION IN PTO LINE OF 2-CYL, CAUSED BY IRREGULAR FIRING IMPULSES IN ENGINE...COMPETITORS ALWAYS USED THAT TO SELL THERE TRACTORS...BE BLESSED, GRATEFUL, PREPARED...

BushogPapa · Oct 2, 2016

Those engines are very well balanced and the Flywheels are plenty heavy..2-Cylinder JD's ( maybe excepting the "D" that only turns 800-900 RPM), if operated

properly will NOT cause damage to PTO equipment..

Maybe you have something wrong with yours, that they Vibrate..???

Mine do not when working...

Lyndon - AB · Oct 2, 2016

(quoted from post at 16:05:56 10/02/16)
Those engines are very well balanced and the Flywheels are plenty heavy..2-Cylinder JD's ( maybe excepting the "D" that only turns 800-900 RPM), if operated

properly will NOT cause damage to PTO equipment..

Maybe you have something wrong with yours, that they Vibrate..???

Mine do not when working...

My '49 R sure vibrates. When parked running the bugger bounces pretty good. And no, there's nothing wrong with it, it runs perfectly.

My A doesn't have a bone jarring, noticeable vibration, but because of the way a 2 cylinder is designed, it does have a power pulse to it. On my mower, it was just enough to rattle the main retaining bolt loose. I've also heard of the big diesels knocking gearboxes out on pull-type combines.

MikeinKy · Oct 2, 2016

Tractor data got their numbers mixed up. I looked up the Nebraska test and it was 35.8 on the belt and 26 drawbar.

megabyts · Oct 2, 2016

(quoted from post at 09:43:47 10/02/16)
I have a '49 A that I'd like to use with a 6' ( deere mx6) rotary mower. I think it's a hair light in PTO power but was wondering if it could handle it? Any thoughts? I'd like to know before I spend money on a 3pt system.

Thanks for your time, I appreciate it.

I have a 50 AN.. it will do the job

Brendon-KS · Oct 2, 2016

TractorData doesn't have their numbers wrong in this case. There is a dropdown at the top of the "Model A" page to select the year range you want and if you select 1947-1952 it gives the max power at 38hp on the belt. (The 35.8 hp you reference is the operating power, not the maximum that TractorData lists on their page, so there is a bit of difference.)

racsan · Oct 2, 2016

I've rigged up a 3-point to pull a 5'mower behind a '49 A. Works ok as long as I don't cut too low, it's nice having the visibility up on the A. It is a bit of a pain though not having live Pto, and if it's really hot out the tractor will run a bit on the hot side itself. Love using the old iron, but wow- the fuel that tractor will go through!

brutus49DC · Oct 2, 2016

If you pull it very hard eventually you will ruin the gear box. I seen it happen with a 720 gas on a finish mower. The gear had two spots where the teeth were destroyed. Exactly where the two cylinders fired. Two bangers ought to have the pto removed or cut off with a torch. BTW they have ruined several pto farm generators also due to the uneven speed.

brutus49DC · Oct 2, 2016

Won't cause damage? I'm going to wave the BS flag on that statement.

C. Amick · Oct 3, 2016

Ever think of buying just a pull type rotary mower? I have a 5 ft. one that I use with my '49 Case SC. The SC can't be more than 25 HP. I would think a JD A would pull a 6 ft. one. You don't have to take a full 6 ft. swath if the grass is heavy.

BushogPapa · Oct 3, 2016

Believe what you like...We have never had PTO universal problems and we STILL use 2-cylinder JD's..!!!!!!!!

You must be a Binder lover...!

JD A and rotary mower?

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