Mounted disc mower conditioner update

[Ken Macfarlane]

I bought the 10 ft Pottinger NovaCat that I went to look at. It was in really good shape and sounded good while running.

It is a heavy sucker for sure, it was demo'd on a 65 hp JD 6x20 tractor and she sure let you know it was there.

I also looked at a few other tractors but a MF 5455 caught my eye. Reverser but no dyna-4, just the speedshift w hi-lo. I ran it for about 40 mins and its worked great.

High hours, 4000 hrs on a 2004 but well looked after except the steps. PTO shaft seal was leaking and the 1000 rpm shaft was likely the culprit. All rust pitted where the seal lays.

Can't find a single other one for sale with that many hours though. Wonder if the first rebuild is at 5000 hours or 8000.
 

[Ken Macfarlane]

Brought the mower home, on the way got to meet the original purchaser/owner. He's dutch and was a mechanic in Europe. The pottinger machines didn't have many problems and he found them easy to work on.

Bought 175 knifes, a full set of retaining clips and bolts, bunch of bushings and the belt tensioner pulley spares he had. He had bought them with the mower but not needed them yet.

He showed me the repairs he had done to the mower, around each retaining bolt head he laid a bead of hard facing weld on top of the original weld to keep rocks from damaging the bolt. He also had changed one turtle back when he first bought it.

I'll try to get some pics, see what the Europeans like so much with these rigs.
 

[phillip d]

I went to an ADL meeting in Summerside one time a few years ago and had dinner with a Dutch guy who was a mechanic in Holland,can't remember his name,bet it was the same guy.Newer barn on a side road off the no. 2 highway.Congradulations on your purchace!Pd.