Cub with mod 20 sickle

DanP · Mar 16, 2012

I have what I believe to be a model 20 sickle bar mower on a 1959 Cub.

The mower works ok, but the teeth are worn and chipped. a couple are missing. I am not looking to restore the mower, but would like to get it back into good working order, so I can use it.

I seen Tractor Supply has blades that look to be about the correct size and rivits. Does some one make a replacement bar that already has the teeth attached it it, or do I need to grind my old ones off and rivit on new ones?

Where is the best place to buy parts for this mower?

Has anyone rebuilt on of these and can give me a few pointers?

Thank you

Dan

old · Mar 16, 2012

You maybe able to find a ready made sickle bar or you can rebuild what you have for a 1/4 the price of the whole thing. To remove the old sections you lay the bar in a vise so that the bar part rests on the jaw and the section is down inside the jaws. Whack the back of the section a couple times with a hammer and the rivet should pop and let the section drop. As for rivets any more I use the bolts since you can then replace a bad section right out in the field

screwstick · Mar 16, 2012

That would be a Cub-22 mower. The blades from tractor supply will work. A "[b:303ee1ec30]Johnson Sickle Servicer[/b:303ee1ec30]" is the best tool for the job if you have access to one, other wise you will have to do as Old says and grind or pop the rivets with a hammer. I don't know of anyone that offers a complete cutter bar ready for use.
Check over at the Cub Forum for what you may need. People usually have extra guards laying around.

DanP · Mar 16, 2012

Should the bolts be grade 5 or 8?

mkirsch · Mar 16, 2012

They make special bolts for sickle sections. You can find them at Tractor Supply on the shelf with the replacement sections.

For a CUB-22 mower, though, you MUST use rivets.

The hold-down clips do not have enough clearance for the bolt heads.

Ask me how I know... Yes, I went and bolted all new sections on to the cutterbar, and went to slide it in. No-go.

Replacing the hold-down clips may have been easier, but it would've cost more than I paid for the mower.

Janicholson · Mar 16, 2012

As stated above the rivets are the way to go. RIveting is easy and clean
Place the rivet through the bar into the section from th bottom.
Place the bar on a heavy steel support. A rail road rail/anvil/scrap iron 1" thick/platform on the back of a 4" vice.
The rivet should stick out one to 1.5 diameters from section with the section tight to the bar.
Hammer the rivet three or so solid square hits to swell it and shorten it in the hole. Use the Ball end of a Ball Peen Hammer to round out the rivet head by lighter whacks at angles to dome over the head. Leaving hammer marks is SOP. Jim

old · Mar 16, 2012

The bolts are not any grade but a special type made just for sickle mowers. Last box I got cost around $20 but it has enough bolts to do 4 or so complete sickle bars

old · Mar 16, 2012

When I rebuilt the one for a friend we used the bolts on it and I did something to the hold downs but do not remember what but it worked just fine

State of Jefferson · Mar 16, 2012

I don't know if the sell them for Cub mowers, I always just replaced the sections on mine, but I got a complete sickle bar assembly for my model 120 mower from my local Case-IH dealer. Drop-shipped to me for about $175.
Worth some research...
The "sickle repair tools" are great for re-riveting, but aren't worth a darn for removing old rivets.

Ben

Anonymous-0 · Mar 16, 2012

to get the mower knife off just put the bar holding the knives on a good heavy piece of iron and with a hammer drive down on the back end of the knife and the rivet will break off real easy. You can use a vise also. Just let the knives hang down in the jaws and tighten just enough so they slip down and hammer on the knife end.

Cub with mod 20 sickle

DanP

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old

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screwstick

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DanP

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mkirsch

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Janicholson

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old

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old

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State of Jefferson

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Anonymous-0

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