Sickle bar mower repair

[Nelson 634]

I need to repair the belt tightening adjustment bolt on my Cub 22 sickle bar mower. The bolt sheared off while mowing. I have tried removing rear lower belt pulley. Noting a left hand thread pattern. My problem is I cannot secure the drive shaft enough to be able to remove the pulley/nut assembly. and yes I have tried an Impact wrench. I have read several threads on the C-22 mower. Please how do you hold the shaft in place to remove the rear pulley. Walter

[Glen]

Hi,
I have removed the rear pulley by blocking the shaft from turning at the front, putting a piece of 2 x 4, or 2 x 6, whichever fits, in the front guard, and turn the shaft so the board fits in the cutout in the front weight. That will keep the shaft from turning.
It has to be wedged at the side that will prevent it from turning clockwise at the rear.

Then I have used a large wrench, put it on the pulley's place for a wrench, let the wrench hang straight out to the right, and hit the wrench with a large hammer. The blows from the hammer usually loosen the pulley. I've probably not had a pulley that was really tight. Good luck.

When you remove the pulley, it may have a date code on the inside. The code looks the same style as the Cubs have. You can see what year the pulley was made. If the pulley is original to the mower, that is about when the mower was made.

[Nelson 634]

Thanks a bunch. I'll try that tomorrow. I really appreciate your help. I have weeds to cut!

[Glen]

Hi,
The long shaft has a bushing at each end. You can check the bushing wear, see if the shaft moves up and down at the ends of the mower. Worn bushings can make noise when cutting heavy grass, I think.

I would also check the end play of the mower shaft. It should have as little end play as it can have, and still turn freely.
Excess end play makes noise, I think.
The end play is adjusted at the rear pulley, using washers under the pulley.
If you can find washers the right thickness and approximate size, you can cut out the center hole using a lathe, if the hole is too small.
There should be 1 or 2 washers at the front of the shaft also.

[Bob McCarty]

If you can find washers the right thickness and approximate size, you can cut out the center hole using a lathe, if the hole is too small.

I found the right size at ACE hardware, and added a couple on both ends to take up the play.

[Chet]

I have two questions re: sickle mower; what does the tension bolt adjacent to the pulley on the rear of the sickle shaft attach to? What direction are the threads that attach the pulley to the shaft.

[tmays]

Can’t answer the first question without looking at my mower. Second question: it’s reverse thread, left hand, cw to remove, whichever terminology you prefer

[Glen]

Hi,
Below is a page from the Cub 22 mower owner's manual, showing the belt adjustment. It goes through the hole in the rear bracket, with a nut above and below the bracket.
It is also held to the rear brackets with a 3/8" bolt, using a flat washer at the slot in the adjuster, lock washer, and a nut. You usually have to reach through the pulley holes with an extension, and socket, to hold the bolt from turning, while you tighten the 3/8" nut, after the belt is the right tightness.

http://farmallcub.com/rudi_cub/www.clea ... e%2014.jpg

Below is the whole manual, it has lots of info. It is for 3 different mowers, for 3 different models of IH tractors. It tells at the top of the page when info is for 1 model of mower.
Installing the mower on a Cub begins on page 14.

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

The rear pulley has left hand threads, turn it clockwise, looking from the rear, to loosen it.
I wrote about removing it in my 1st post above.
The nut holding the pitman on, at the front weight, has left hand threads also.

Below is a pic of the adjuster.

[Nelson 634]

Thank you Glen, I got a chance to work on the sickle bar today and your suggestion worked great. I have posted pictures as I went so everyone can see how you helped me. THANK YOU Glen!

[Nelson 634]

Next four pictures.

[Glen]

Hi,
Good that you got the pulley removed. The pics are good.

If you want to clean the inside of the pulley, it might have a date code.

[Nelson 634]

Ok I'll check that out.

[Nelson 634]

It took a while to clean the dirt and grease that was caked on there. But here's a picture.

[Nelson 634]

I think the 451357-R1 is an IH part # correct?
The HI is Internationals trademark, but what is the box or [ ] next to it?
And the 2 I have no idea.

[Glen]

Hi,
I don't see any date code in your pic. Yes, the 451357R1 is the IH part number.

A date code looks like in the info from TM Tractor below. They use a letter for the year.

http://www.tmtractor.com/id/id_004.htm

It looks like your mower could have been blue originally, hard to see for sure in pics.