C22 Sickle bar mower vibration and radiator leaks

[Xperimental]

The original radiator on my 62 Cub began leaking at the bottom when I was mowing with a C22 mower this summer. I recently replaced the radiator with one of the Clancy radiators from Ireland. The new radiator seems fine. However, I tried mowing today with the hood off just to test things. I noticed the mower vibration really shakes the radiator inside its side supports. I strongly suspect this vibration caused the original radiator to leak. I am a bit concerned that the vibration will do the same thing to the new radiator. Keeping the C22 mounting bolts really tight helps cut down on the vibration, but the new radiator vibrates quite a bit even with very tight bolts. Any insight experience or advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

[v w]

Is there a change in vibration with a slight reduction of the throttle? Do you know the age of the mower? Mowers built before about 1955 have a 4 1/2 inch drive pulley. The engine speed was increased at about 1955 and mowers built after that time had a 4 inch pulley to compensate for the increased engine speed. Measure your pulley. If it is a 4 1/2 inch you are running above design speed. The engine increase is something like 200 rpm which with the reduction of the pulleys would make little difference in the sickle speed so it is hard to believe this would make a problem. Regardless of your current set up reduce the engine speed to see if vibration goes away, it should at some point. While you probably can mow at this speed it is better of course to locate the cause. If the radiator is shaking then it would seem the whole tractor is shaking and while any sickle mower causes some vibration yours sounds excessive. Sorry I can't be of any real help. Vern

[Jim Becker]

Go over the whole mower, not just the mounting bolts, for loose connections. Make sure you have the proper cutter bar lead (explained in the Owner's Manual). Check the knife hold down clips to make sure they are tight enough. Make sure the knife is registered properly, that is that the knife sections are dead center in the guards at each end of their travel. (Be aware that changing the lead alters the register!)

[Rick Spivey]

Jim's got you started in the right direction. Your description sounds like excessive vibration. The sickle mowers do have some inherent vibration, and it takes insuring all aspects of them are as good as possible to reduce it to something that won't cause damage or discomfort.

[Xperimental]

Many thanks to everyone, After seeing Jim's response, I took a quick look. The knife hold down clips are not holding the knife down very close or consistently along the length of the bar. I am guessing that the hold downs can be adjusted by tightening the bolts which hold them?

[tmays]

Many thanks to everyone, After seeing Jim's response, I took a quick look. The knife hold down clips are not holding the knife down very close or consistently along the length of the bar. I am guessing that the hold downs can be adjusted by tightening the bolts which hold them?

Surely they’re already tight? Check them for wear. Also have wear plates that need to be checked. Guard clearance should be checked, also. They shouldn’t touch knives, but shouldn’t have a large gap, either. If need be, smack them with a hammer

[Jim Becker]

. . . I am guessing that the hold downs can be adjusted by tightening the bolts which hold them?

The bolts should be tight. The clips are adjusted with a hammer. Hit the front to tighten, the middle to loosen. My aim with a hammer isn't that good.

[Glen]

Hi,
Below is the Cub 22 mower owner's manual. It is for 3 different models of mowers for 3 different models of IH tractors. There is cutter bar maintenance info in the first half of it, very informative.

http://farmallcub.com/rudi_cub/www.clea ... index.html

If your mower has the tapers at the front 2 mounting holes, and at 1 rear mounting hole, it is made to use the IH tapered head bolts. They help keep the mower from moving around on the mounting pads.
Keep the bolts tight, they need checking after using the mower, they can work loose. Tighten them often until they stay tight.
Also check the set screw at the bar at the square hole, it can work loose also.

Below are listing for the bolts at TM Tractor. The front 2 holes can use the 1" long bolts, the rear hole uses the 1 1/4" long bolt, with a drawbar, the owner's manual for the mower with tapered holes says.
I posted the manual above because it has the cutter bar maintenance info.

http://www.tmtractor.com/new/gb/324fp.htm

http://www.tmtractor.com/new/sp/445fp.htm

You could check the bushings on the long shaft for wear, there is a bushing at each end of the shaft.
The shaft should have no up and down movement in the bushings.
The end play of the shaft should be very little. It is adjusted by putting in the right thickness of washers at the 2 ends of the shaft.