# Sickle bar mower



## farm-manager

Hi everyone. 

First time posting here and new to the site--I'm looking forward to having this around as a resource as I just got a job managing a 40 acre alpaca farm in Colorado. 

We are getting our last cut of hay up and we are using a Massey 440 with an Enorossi BFS 210 sickle mower to cut. This is my first time using a mower like this and putting up hay, but everything is going surprisingly well. However, I can't seem to get this mower positioned just right on the three point. I took some photos of how the mower looks when I'm running to give you an idea of what I'm having a problem with. Basically, when I put the bar down to get a decently close cut (4-8" off the ground), the break away bar is letting the mower kick back so that the bar is no longer cutting perpendicular to the tractor. Instead, it starts kicking back so the angle between the mower and tractor is more like 110* instead of 90*. 

Any input is appreciated. I've tried tightening down the spring on the break away bar and lifting the cutter up higher, but the bar won't run at 90* unless it is really high (12"+) 

Thanks,
Nathan


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## sirloy

In use the bar is intended to run along the ground with the cut height set by the skids. If it is breaking back there are some things to check.
Is there some control of the drop height so the hitch is carrying the mowers weight with the bar just on the ground.
Is the bar stroke correct so that at each end of the stroke the knives are centered in the fingers. If this is off there will be some uncut grass at each end of the stroke making tough mowing and drag on the bar.
Is the latch assembly put together correctly (you never know!)


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## farm-manager

Thanks for the reply. I'm going to try getting more of the mower's weight onto the hitch by adjusting the chain and turnbuckle on the 3 point. Thanks!


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