# Sickle mower set up



## YODA (Oct 24, 2013)

Well I need help. I have an IH 1300 sickle mower. I have sharpened the blades, adjusted the inner show weight with the spring, and the outer shoe weight with the gage rod per both the IH and Rose operations manual. I have the blade nearly level with the ground, and as far as I can tell proper leed. When cutting I am not getting a clean end swath from the grass rods, so on the next pass I am getting a huge balling problem at the inner shoe, and leaving Mohawks.

My grass rod is the 2 bar type sold by Rowes. Is there a trick to bending the rods to leave a clean spot for the shoe to ride the next pass. I was thinking of adding duct tape to make it act more like a longer grass board. Thoughts?

I do have the Rowes grass plug on the end that works great there. otherwise I have had issues of bar floating up over the grass when thick when I had the inner shoe and bar pitched up. Likewise when pitched down major balling at inner shoe.

I am gutting frustrated - maybe I sharpened the knives wrong (used a grinder and matched the knife angle of 30%, they are heavy under-serrated. Should I change to heavy over-serrated. I am cutting smooth broom/timothy/ wheat grass with clover and alpha, up to 50%. Grass is thick - hard to walk through.

I try to keep the speed up to so grass flows over the bar, otherwise I get it dragging crop, but then the bar floats in heavy spots.

I am about ready to throw in the towel and get a drum mower, but I am concerned with the windrow effect and drying time. I do not have a tedder and when I try to use my side deliver rake set high to tedd, it still roles the hay from the clods when I try to level.

Otherwise my tractor (Bobcat CT 235) and baler (Hesston 4550) work like a charm, as long as I feed it the Bridon 9600 twine - I tried Tighten 9600 with miserable results - keep breaking a foot past the knotter. Still learning on best windrow size to get consistent bale length. If I get too heavy it loads up and throws short bales


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## siscofarms (Nov 23, 2010)

Well as contankurus as it can be the 1300 is a good machine . Your guard plates ???? What kind of shape are they in ?????? They are just as important if not more then the blades being sharp . You may need to adjust the blade roll back some . you can set it like you think you want it but actually as your pulling it it rolls forward . the swath board is trial and error . Bend aweay . It'll bend back .


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## Gearclash (Nov 25, 2010)

Here is how I set up our IH 1300. Put NH double rock guards on. One will have to be cut in half. All top serated knives in. Set the hold downs as tight as possible with out binding. Crank the top link until the bar is about parallel to the ground. Skids set as high as they will go. Grass rods are factory I think. This setup worked pretty well for me.


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## YODA (Oct 24, 2013)

Thanks - Guard plates are near new condition and properly bent. The rear wear plates that hold knif bar are brand new. I did adjust the hold down tighter - took out all up/down play. Ill bend away at the grass rods and see how it goes. I think I want it to move more grass away from the end.

Rain the past few days, but by next weekend we should have 5 to 7 sunny days. Ill sharpen again and see what happens. Ill also make adjustment to the bar angle and see how it goes.

Thanks - Keith


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## IHCman (Aug 27, 2011)

I agree with all the previous advice given. I run a Rowse double sickle mower with IH heads and I too feel that the grass board doesn't throw the hay far enough either. Used to have double mower with New Holland heads. the New Holland grass board has four bars and certainly works better. Been thinking of seeing if a New Holland one will replace the ones on our mowers now. Usually I only have problems if the grass is short or certain types of plants like sow thistle will push in front of the inside shoe. Certainly bend it a little more to help throw the grass farther.

I to replace my IH guards with NH ones once the IH ones are wore out.


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## YODA (Oct 24, 2013)

An update. With a bit of bending and some duck tape the grass board works better. Also the suggestion on set up have worked well. I cut 12 acres a few days ago with very few issues or leaving grass strips. I have alsi learned to touch up the knives with a good flat fil every few hours. Seems to help. I had pulled the knife bar and used a grinder and sander to get a new true edge befor starting.

Thanks for the help.


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## mike10 (May 29, 2011)

Eliminate the sharpening and go with over-serrated sections. Each time you sharpen your knife, you are reducing the stroke of the knife. Over-serrated stay sharp longer and do not need to be sharpened, ever.


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## YODA (Oct 24, 2013)

Will they work with my stock IH gurads that do not have the added serriated wear plates like the NH type have. My guards just have the smooth flat spot the knives bairly ride on when cutting if I have the hold downs properly adjusted.

Also can you recomend a particular knife brand or model?


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## mike10 (May 29, 2011)

They will work with your guards. Kondex is a brand that you might find advertised. Otherwise take one of your sections and visit your NH dealer. As long as the hole spacing is the same they will work.


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## Gearclash (Nov 25, 2010)

If you have smooth guards you will for sure want top serrated knives. Smooth guards don't work real well with smooth knives. I will hit the sides of worn guards with a hand grinder to make a nice square shoulder for the knife to cut across. The key to making a sickle work is to have an effective scissors action between knife and guard.


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