Well, I got the push rod changed out and will be taking the old one tonight to have it straightened. I opted not to change out the bearing yet, figuring that if I only change one thing at a time it will be easier to find the problem. Got everything back together and went back to mowing today. The new push rod made all the difference. As my Grandpa would say, that mower "ran like a sewing machine"! Which brings me to another question. Is it possible for a team to be too fast for a high geared mower? I have always heard that a high gear was for a slower team, and I do have to say I have never seen a knife move as fast as this one did with my team. They really step out and cover some ground. One of my Amish friends say he thinks they will shake all the bolts out of it as fast as they walk. I really think I could do with a longer bar, but I might also want to get a regular gear, which ever one seems to do the best can be set up for mowing hay and the other would have a longer bar put in it and be for clipping pasture. I don't know if it really is possible for a team to pull any mower, high or regular gear too fast at a walk but I would like opinions.

I never heard of a team walking too fast with a mower. I do know they can run too fast but the bolts don't shake out, the frame breaks.

IHC also produced higher speed pulleys for tractor mowers. My dad had a #31 with it. It was an option for tough cutting hay.

A friend of mine had mules and he said they walked too fast for a high gear mower

get real. ground speed and knife stay the same no mater how fast the mower travels.

All in all I'm really pleased with this mower. Was just wondering if there was such a thing as too fast. I was cutting some pretty heavy stuff and the mower went right through it with no plugging. Should also mention I had put stub guards on the inside and this really helped. I was also a little concerned about the tongue weight as one of these mules had had her necked galled pretty bad before I got her. I don't weigh too much so I hung a cinder block under the seat. Had my "assistant" weigh the neck yoke end with me on and off the seat. With me on the seat with the cinder block it weighed 38 lb, w/o me 50 lb, and w/o me or the cinder block 73 lb. This got me a little curious so I had him weigh the fore cart tongue with me standing as I do a lot depending on the equipment and it weighed 40 lb. I do think I need a new seat to be completely safe but I am pleased with the added weight under the seat. I think I like it better than adding a dolly wheel.

I have a regular gear and my horses really step out. I also worried they were too fast but it wasn't ever a problem ..... except when the knife plugged. If it happens very often it can bust the pitman stick (as it should).

Perhaps the higher knife speed would help reduce plugging. I wouldn't worry too much about being too fast.

Jerry - what part are you calling a push rod? If it's the pitman, go back to a wooden one quick, as it's designed to act as the "shear pin" and break before something more valuable does.

When the bearing on the flywheel wrist pin gets worn and sloppy, it won't keep the pitman and knife in a direct line with each other as it drives the knife. That will break a pitman stick quickly (or bend/break something else).

The push rod is the tapered rod that goes from under the gear box diagonally to the inside shoe. It is the rod that is threaded in or out to adjust for lead on the outside shoe. Plugging hasn't been a problem. And it sounds like I should just quit worrying about speed of the team and keep mowing!

But apparently I'm not real clear on advantages/disadvantages of high gear vs. regular gear. It was always my understanding that high gear was for slow teams and oxen. I have also heard it said the high gear is for hilly land to compensate for the team walking slower going up hill. The Amish around me don't like the high gear and believe it will pull harder.

KC Fox, I suppose I may sound a little dumb on this and I guess maybe I am, but if the wheels drive the pitman by way of the gear box and the gears are turned by rotation of the wheels how can the knife not go faster if the wheels turn faster? If the knife only travels at one speed no matter the speed of the mower how does that work?

You are right Jerry.

I think you'll be fine with that mower. I had a Perch team that made my #9 sound like it was gonna go into orbit. Clogged less.

If you mow enough ground, the team finds the comfort spot where the mower works easier for them.

Likely to slow down a bit after a while.

Taking out the Big 4 JD on some grass this weekend with a big stepping team. I'll give a report.

I think the problem is it's the first time I've ever had a good team and a good mower together at the same time. My mowers are usually cobbled together and the team is always "willing", one horse willing to work and the other willing to let him!

The high gear mower makes more strokes per revolution of the wheel. This means that the travel foward distance is less per stroke. The ratio is fixed and the forward speed just means that you get to the corner faster. See this for details on a #7.

Front Porch: Trailer Gear Mower


Neal

The strokes are faster per foot of travel on the high gear. Lyn Miller has written some where about the rpms.
Your weight must be with the bar up; down I would guess less than 30 pounds with a 150 pound person. If it's that heavy, check to see about the spring tension on the inside shoe.

I mowed with the #9 High Gear again today. With me in the seat (170#) and bar down mowing hay, the neck yoke doesn't seems to be bearing much weight. If any at all.

The knife makes the same cuts for distance travelled. So speed dose not change how many times the knife cuts/per ft of travel. Buy, beg, borrow, steal, well maybe not the last one. Just call Uncle Joe and see if he has a copy of Millers book. I have to say it was a great investment.



Jim

Did you figure out why the pitman flywheel was heating up? This would be my concern.

Wally

I remember posting about my horses being a little too fast for a high gear last year. I think Wes is right, when they are fresh there is not much you can't chop down and you kind of hold them back a bit. After a little while they settle in and find a speed that fits better and the mower sounds a lot better.

Yes, I did find the problem with the pitman getting hot. The push rod (also called a drag rod) was bent and was apparently putting the knife in a bind. I had a spare one to replace the bent one with and that took care of the heating problem. I sent the bent one home with a neighbor last night who has a form for straightening these to the proper angle.