Skid Steer Sickle Bar Mower: Flow, Tilt and What It Cuts

The Wolverine 72-inch skid steer sickle bar mower from Chupp Industrial is a grass and light-brush cutter, not a tree cutter, and it runs off the machine's auxiliary hydraulics. Here is what this sickle bar mower fits, how much flow it needs, how the tilt works and what it will cut.

Will a sickle bar mower fit my skid steer?

Yes, most likely. The Wolverine 72-inch sickle bar mower is a universal fit that will fit basically any skid steer, including a Cat 259D.

How much hydraulic flow does a sickle bar mower need?

The Wolverine 72-inch sickle bar mower needs 14 to 20 gallons per minute (GPM) of hydraulic flow. At 11 to 13 GPM the mower will still turn and run, but it will not run as fast or cut as well as it does on a skid steer with higher flow.

Look up your machine's auxiliary flow before you order. That number tells you whether the mower will run at full speed or just get by.

Can I run a sickle bar mower on a tractor loader?

Yes. The 72-inch sickle bar mower is universal and will run on a tractor's front-end loader hydraulics. The catch is flow: front hydraulics usually have less flow than the rear, so you may need to run hydraulic lines from the back of the tractor to the front to get enough.

How does the tilt work with only one hydraulic hookup?

The Wolverine sickle bar mower tilts with a 12-volt solenoid that diverts hydraulic flow to a tilt cylinder, controlled by an up/down button in the cab. The cutting blade runs directly off the skid steer's auxiliary hydraulics, and the solenoid on the sickle bar has a cord with the up/down button that runs into the cab and plugs into the cigarette lighter outlet.

1. Press the button, and the solenoid diverts hydraulic flow to the cylinder that raises or lowers the bar.
2. Release the button, and the flow goes back to the cutter.

If the cab has no 12-volt outlet, a small 12-volt power pack is available, since the solenoid needs very little power.

How far does the bar tilt?

The Wolverine sickle bar tilts up to about 90 degrees. The bar also has a slight negative tilt of about 15 to 20 degrees below straight out.

What size brush and branches will a sickle bar mower cut?

The Wolverine sickle bar mower handles branches around half to three-quarter inch in diameter comfortably. The mower can cut branches up to about two inches, but that should not be a regular habit.

The Wolverine mower will handle some brush, such as small saplings, but not heavy brush; thicker material takes time to get through. On the front of a tractor, the Wolverine sickle bar mower is best suited for grass rather than a tall, thick hedge.

Can the sickle blade be sharpened or replaced?

The Wolverine sickle blade cannot be resharpened or swapped on its own; you replace the whole sickle bar. The blade and bar are one riveted unit, so when the blade wears out, the replacement is a full sickle bar.