Hi there everyone, I am looking to buy a 9' sickle bar mower. Please understand I do not want a batwing, I do not want a discbine, or haybine, or brushhog. So please do not try to sell me on one of those. I am looking for a solid 9' sickle bar.

I have never run a sickle bar so I do not know much about them. My question is for those of you that have run them which seems to last the longest and give the least amount of troubles? I have come up with a number of brands: New Holland, Frontier (JD), Rowse, Befco, PGF (northerntool), & Belco. Any experience, stories, the good, the bad, the ugly with any of these brands of sickle bars?

What things do I need to look for when buying one? Balanced mower head and cutter bar or a Pitmanless mower head and cutter bar? What else is there to know about these things?

TIA! Larry

http://br-equipment.com/products/Sicklebar-Mower.htm

http://www.deere.com/wps/dcom/en_US/products/equipment/frontier_implements/hay_equipment/sb31_sickle_bar_mower/sb31_sickle_bar_mower.page

http://www.rowserakes.com/singlebar.html

http://www.befco.com/products/hayequipment/sicklebar.html

http://agriculture.newholland.com/us/en/Products/Hay-and-Forage-Equipment/Sicklebar-Mowers/Pages/products_overview.aspx

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200400615_200400615