Grasshopper mower advice.....

[biggmw]

Afternoon all.

Got the above and get on well with it last couple of years.

Firstly I appear to have dropped a drum? Fallen half inch and fouling the blades and the saucer. I assume bearing gone but no noticeable lateral play? How do these drums strip down?

Secondly would anyone have one lyjng about with a conditioner still on? I have lots of hydraulic hoses hanging over a liftable frame but the conditioner itself is missing.... Would like to replace but at least get idea of what and how etc?

Regards

 

[Martin Holden]

That’s a relic of the past! Would imagine you need a donor machine which must exist somewhere. Have you tried David Cowking in Lancs?

 

[Tommy]

The 3 horizontal bolts above the front pulley pinch the shaft that everything runs off. Slacken them and drive a wedge in to open it up. They may need some severe abuse to get the shaft out depending on how long it was before the last time it was removed. Be aware the top will spring up as the part. The drum should then lift off the shaft I think ( there could be some cap head bolts to undo inside the pulley) There will be three bearings inside, 2 on the top and one on the bottom if I’m remembering correctly.
The pipes and frame are probably for an autoswather.

 

[biggmw]

Wee bit far. We are in West of scotland!

Machine is overall fine just missing this conditioner!

 

[biggmw]

The 3 horizontal bolts above the front pulley pinch the shaft that everything runs off. Slacken them and drive a wedge in to open it up. They may need some severe abuse to get the shaft out depending on how long it was before the last time it was removed. Be aware the top will spring up as the part. The drum should then lift off the shaft I think ( there could be some cap head bolts to undo inside the pulley) There will be three bearings inside, 2 on the top and one on the bottom if I’m remembering correctly.
The pipes and frame are probably for an autoswather.

Thank you. Makes sense a bit similar to the Kidd clipper!!( One here too)

Autoswather maybe but the frame looks high?? And onboard oil tank etc

 

[Wellytrack]

Don't wish to be rude, but have you considered an update?

 

[Tommy]

Google Image Result for https://d1hu4133i4rt3z.cloudfront.net/attachments/342/342372-b0a362b619beb39abb9eb40e46cdddd7.jpg

Conditioner was pto powered. Not sure how an autoswather would work but it’s all I could think a frame that lifts and a oil driven belt could be???

 

[Tommy]

Don't wish to be rude, but have you considered an update?

Nothing wrong with a grasshopper. They’ll take some grief and need little looking after. You could say the perfect farmers mower

 

[Wellytrack]

Nothing wrong with a grasshopper. They’ll take some grief and need little looking after. You could say the perfect farmers mower

I'm sure your right. Just thought with being best part of 40 years old and being a fairly uncommon mower too parts supply could be slowing up.

 

[Tommy]

The biggest problem is getting them started. Huge start up torque needed. I could cut 40 odd acres in 4 fields without the drums stopping with some imaginative backing through gates and other tricks. Most bits are standard parts that are used in other things, the rest you just weld and carry on. I think we adapted Kuhn knife blade bolts as they were the closest match

 

[biggmw]

Google Image Result for https://d1hu4133i4rt3z.cloudfront.net/attachments/342/342372-b0a362b619beb39abb9eb40e46cdddd7.jpg

Conditioner was pto powered. Not sure how an autoswather would work but it’s all I could think a frame that lifts and a oil driven belt could be???

Same set up as the copy that followed... Ktwo.( Another one we have with a conditioner!!)

 

[biggmw]

Don't wish to be rude, but have you considered an update?

Nope.... Easy answer.
Don't like shiny newer stuff..... Newest tractors 35 yr old....

 

[Classichay]

I’ve got one here in the yard, it’s a brute of a mower but an absolute cluster f*ck when it decides to die or trying to set the worlds most expensive belt to run true or it just shreds itself,

Parts are far and few between now. Nothing it won’t mow but it’s very hard on electric pros. But I’d check that saucer because if that comes off when it’s up in the air it’s going to very quickly find the back of your tractor and possibly up into the cab,5ft saucer doing god knows how many rpm is a lot of momentum. I’ve a disc mower I use most of the time. If your lucky Some people may have one dead or dying in the nettles on here if your in luck, if you see any parts available regardless of price get them shipped via pallet if you wish to keep it going. I bought mine and a donor for 700.00 8-9 years ago made one good out of the two and got rid of the conditioner.

 

[biggmw]

I’ve got one here in the yard, it’s a brute of a mower but an absolute cluster f*ck when it decides to die or trying to set the worlds most expensive belt to run true or it just shreds itself,

Parts are far and few between now. Nothing it won’t mow but it’s very hard on electric pros. But I’d check that saucer because if that comes off when it’s up in the air it’s going to very quickly find the back of your tractor and possibly up into the cab,5ft saucer doing god knows how many rpm is a lot of momentum. I’ve a disc mower I use most of the time. If your lucky Some people may have one dead or dying in the nettles on here if your in luck, if you see any parts available regardless of price get them shipped via pallet if you wish to keep it going. I bought mine and a donor for 700.00 8-9 years ago made one good out of the two and got rid of the conditioner.

No issue here for electric PTO as we are all still hand clutches!!

I might be wrong but I think the saucers are static??

Why did conditioner get dropped? Not much use? The one on the ktwo isn't that great to be honest

 

[Classichay]

No issue here for electric PTO as we are all still hand clutches!!

I might be wrong but I think the saucers are static??

Why did conditioner get dropped? Not much use? The one on the ktwo isn't that great to be honest

The bottom skid is static but the top isn’t, just undo the bolts clamping the shaft, put a bottle jack under it and jack it back in. And nip the bolts, I didn’t have the HP at the time to run a conditioner. I went from a hand clutch to electric so hence it’s been parked up after a clutch pack got burnt out.
pm Me if your stuck!

 

[Barleycorn]

I remember it was a funny setup with the conditioner, the grass landed on the ground and the conditioner picked it up again. I remember a very posh chap came out with a little lorry to demonstrate one for us. We did go on to buy a KTwo mower, (the second one made), and ours was on the brochure pulled by our Marshall 100.

 

[glasshouse]

The bottom skid is static but the top isn’t, just undo the bolts clamping the shaft, put a bottle jack under it and jack it back in. And nip the bolts, I didn’t have the HP at the time to run a conditioner. I went from a hand clutch to electric so hence it’s been parked up after a clutch pack got burnt out.
pm Me if your stuck!

I remember we used to engage the pto lever before starting the tractor

 

[Chae1]

Trick with ours was to start it off in 540 get it going then switch to 1000 and get it going while still spinning.

We've still one here. Was sold but never been picked up.

 

[Lakes Nash]

Vitagrass farms near us ran 2 on their grass drying operation years ago, easy to maintain, 6 cyl JD 2wd on the front, they ran even prototypes for grass hopper if I’m correct,

 

[glasshouse]

Vitagrass farms near us ran 2 on their grass drying operation years ago, easy to maintain, 6 cyl JD 2nd on the front, they ran even prototypes for grass hopper if I’m correct,

Jd 2nd
??