mower questions

[ricenmor]

today I looked at two mowers with an interest in buying one or both. The questions are as follows. One was a McCormick #7 it had high gear written on the lid of the tool box. Were some #7s made with a high gear? I have only heard of a #9 high gear. The other was a #9 that said regular gear. Both mowers have 5 foot bars. Question #2 can those five foot bars be replaced with six foot bars?

[Donn Hewes]

Answer to question number 2. Yes, they can be changed to 6′. In a case were all the mower cutting parts were likely to be changed anyway, the addition of a six foot bar wouldn’t be a big change. For a mower were the knife and everything were ready to mow, adding parts and changing over is a good sized job with some expenses. In WY. you could also consider a seven foot bar if you have good sized horses. If you were taking the whole thing apart anyway.

I would guess they made #7 in high and reg. gear models.

[ricenmor]

Even in Wyoming a 7 foot would make a lot of side draft I would think.

[J-L]

There were a few 7′ mowers around here. My uncle still has the #4 JD that he and my dad used when they took over running this part of the ranch from my great grand dad. They used it with a good sized team for that time (1600 lb or so).
I asked my uncle if it was any worse than other mowers and he said he liked it fine. He also said they were almost fanatical about having the knives sharp and the mower timed though.
I found it hard to believe that it would be that useful on heavy grass hay. In that day they didn’t fertilize, but according to my dad they still put up some good hay crops at times.
With the little bit of mowing I have done with my 6′ mower, I don’t think I’d want a 7′ though. Hopefully this summer I can get my 5′ mower running and see which bar length I like the best. Interesting stuff.

[Donn Hewes]

Joel, What side hill adjustments would you make?

Just last year I put a seven foot bar together. I have the luxury or a 5′, 6′, and 7′. The seven works fine in everything but the heaviest mowing. Covers a lot of ground. I believe most of the miles on these mower’s were with 1200# to 1400# horses. Todays 1600# to 1800# er’s can handle the 7′ bar. As is often repeated when dicussing mowers, that seven footer had a brand new knife and perfect guards and was running real smooth.

[Donn Hewes]

Very true about the pins, and the lead. There is an a-framed piece that pivots behind where the push bar screws into the cutter bar head. Not all of the five foot mowers came with two holes at the top of this a-frame needed for a longer bar, but some certainly did. A six foot mower will be very frustrating with out making this change and a seven will not lift at all. Anyone who wants details on which pin in which hole let me know. DH

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