Ugliest mower deck ever

[kpinnc 14,711]

I've got a couple Lexmark style decks that are modded to work on a Wheel Horse, but both still need a couple tweaks before full time use, and I just haven't had time for much tinkering lately. Hopefully things will return to some form of normal in the next few weeks... 

 

But I like the 48SD Wheel Horse decks. Unfortunately I gave my best two away some time ago in a trade. I didn't realize how bad of shape the last one was really in... 

 

This is the most pitted deck I have ever owned. The top is actually much worse that the underside. Not to mention the fact that someone tried to mow over a fire hydrant with it. The blades had cut a 3 inch wide hole out of the front, and contacted both sides in the back. I beat everything out straight, welded a reinforcement bar on the front and patched all the holes, as well as welding up the spots where it had rusted all the way through. I also welded in flat bar across the back where the carrier attaches. Also had to make a new middle scalp wheel carrier behind the additional reinforcement.  

 

Just for giggles, I cut the outer 3 inches of overhang from the discharge. The blade now is only 1/2 inch underneath the edge. Most newer decks are set up this way now. I hope that allows for better clippings dispersal. I added some reinforcement there as well. 

 

I'm not the biggest fan of POR-15, but this deck needed some additional protection underneath. So it got two coats. 

 

I got all the rust out of the pits on top, but they are deep. Hopefully I'll get a couple seasons out of it, or until I get my other decks sorted out. 

 

 

Edited Sunday at 02:58 AM by kpinnc

[ri702bill 9,532]

Nice! Funny how the welds match the pits!! Some folks would have used a swipe of JB Weld on the top of the bare deck to "fill" the heaviest pits prior to painting. Those "recycler" decks with the welded on circular baffles always collect dampness & rot. Look at it this way - it is a weight reduction with the pits!!

[cleat 7,296]

Keep the deck clean and it may well last a long time now that you have breathed new life into it.

 

Good job !

 

[peter lena 9,309]

@kpinnc good adaption  to the issue !   thats important that you even thought of  maintenance  , or looking after it  !  my experimentation  on the similar  issue , was to  BREAK THE GRUNGE  CYCLE / STAGE . nothing sarcastic  implied , but what you want  a  REPETIVE  ISSUE ,  so you can plan its elimination . personally  removed all my baffling, and started sun drying out my decks , and lubrication soak in . not found a better , metal protectant  than , hot sun baked chain and cable spray , deck is hot from sun and lubricant  adheres  /  stains  all related metals .,   my 3 decks  look the same , regular  statis checks . tralis, realise  we all look at any issue , differently , this also enhanced my deck bearing noise / failure issue , stay at it , pete

 

[Brockport Bill 1,971]

i came upon a few older neglected and abused heavily pitted decks that looked like that shell. Frankly, the wire wheel, or a pneumatic scaler, or a 90 degree disc pad all work only modestly - - but for me when they are pitted that extensively it's worth the $$ to have professionally sand blasted to remove all the corrosion in the recessed pits  ----- then i am confident primer then paint will be more effective with longer life instead of painting over the rust pits that still have some corrosion in them.

[Bill D 2,277]

Nice job on the deck.   With good deck shells getting harder to find, has anyone considered trying to fabricate new shells?  I personally would like to find a deck from another brand that would be simple to convert, but I haven't had much luck.  I did one from a Bobcat but I wasn't totally happy with it.  Most 48" decks are too big to fit under a Wheel Horse without the swept forward front end.  Pulley height is also an issue, especially the center double pulley.

[ineedanother 1,674]

That looks like a great save @kpinnc. I really like how you cut the chute and added some reinforcement. I saved a 48" last year that wasn't quite that bad and I think that's because the center shaft failed so it got left in a barn. Mine had some small holes and some thinning spots that I reinforced with epoxy and 8# fiberglass cloth. It won't fit through the gates in my fence so I'll probably never get it under a machine but it's sitting under my deck if something changes...or if I can find a 36" to trade for 

 

[kpinnc 14,711]

4 hours ago, ineedanother said:

I saved a 48" last year that wasn't quite that bad

 

That deck looks to have been trimmed at the chute a little as well. Those decks have over 4 inches of overhang past the blade tips, and the chute definitely gets progressively smaller before the opening. 

 

The reason I cut the chute in a straight line is to ensure no part of the blade extends past the vertical (front or back) of the deck. That reduces the chance of sending projectiles any direction other than where the chute is pointed. 

 

My deck still has 1/2 inch overhang at the closest point to the edge. But the overall width of the deck is now just over 49 inches, as opposed to almost 53 inches of the original. It's also nearly 2 inches wider at the exhaust.