30-INCH SICKLE BAR
ARTICLE 5637

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS

When sickle bar is used with the 5-speed tractor, 1st speed, as illustrated, is recommended for average cutting. If cutting is extremely light, 2nd speed can be used advantageously.

When cutting dandelions and plantain seed stalks in a lawn, 3rd speed is recommended. When sickle bar is used with the Model V 5 H.P. tractor, the sickle drive belt should be placed in the smallest groove of the engine pulley, and the tractor operated in 1st gear for average cutting, or 2nd gear for light cutting. Avoid cutting dead grass when it is damp.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR ASSEMBLING

1. To conserve shipping space, sickle bar frame is assembled to the cutter bar backwards.  Remove frame from cutter bar, reverse and reassemble as shown, tighten clamps at (1) and (2).
2. Bolt Pitman (3) to bell crank (4) and bell crank to sickle head (5). Lock with jam nut (6).
NOTE--ADJUSTMENT AT (X) ON SICKLE BELL CRANK SHOULD BE MADE TO FIT CLAMP SNUGLY AROUND SICKLE HEAD BUSHING AND YET NOT BIND.
3. Bolt finger bracket (7) to main frame. Hook right and left grass fingers (8) and (9) into shoes and clamp grass fingers to bracket (7).
4. Remove idler lever (11) from frame extension and reassemble as shown, locking with cotter pin in hole provided.
5. Remove tape from sickle bar crank shaft. Place pulley (17) on shaft with hub to outside as shown. Tighten set screw.
6. Attach sickle bar to tractor. (See special Quick-Hitch instructions on page 3.)
7. Mount V-belt on engine and sickle bar pulleys, placing belt under idler pulley (10) as shown.
8. When using sickle bar on Model L or L-1 tractors, idler pulley should be mounted at bottom of slot in lever (11). For Models M, M-1 or V tractors, mount idler pulley at top of slot in lever (11).
9. Attach the lower clutch rod (12) to the idler lever (11) and to the lower clutch lever (13) using the upper of the two holes.
10. Adjust belt tension on spring (14) with set collars. To avoid damaging belt, use the minimum amount of tension required to drive the sickle.
11. Adjust Pitman (3) so that sickle will register with guards at the end of the stroke.
12. With upper clutch lever in rear position, set belt stops (15) to within 1/8" of belt. This setting is important if sickle is to idle freely.

OPERATION INSTRUCTIONS

If clean cutting is to be accomplished, sickle knives must register with the guards at the end of each stroke. Adjustment is provided in the Pitman (3).

It is desirable to have tractor wheels at widest position. For cutting fine grass, such as June grass, the cutting unit must be kept in first-class condition. The sickle must be sharp and held close to the ledger or guard plates by the sickle clip and supported by wear plates that are not badly worn. To adjust sickle clips (16), remove sickle from bar and adjust clips by tapping with hammer until sickle is held close to the guard plate. Wear plates under the clips must be replaced when they show wear.

NOTE -- BE SURE THAT ALL JAM NUTS ON SICKLE BAR ATTACHMENT ARE SECURELY LOCKED.

LUBRICATION

Lubricate the 6 grease fittings every hour. At the same time oil the bell crank connections and sickle bar clips (16) with machine oil.

[Source: Owner's Manual and Parts List, Simplicity Garden Tractors and Implements, date unknown, courtesy of Mark Waite & Joel Wicker]

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