36 inch rear discharge mower rescue???

[Brockport Bill 2,065]

i am trying to save/rehab a 36 inch rear discharge mower deck -- right now its at the sand blaster shop --- the face of cowlings are rusted and have rot holes ( see photo ) . Asking for your ideas for solutions??????? W.h. built them with these open slots in each side of the deck cowling steel face -- of course they fill with grass under the enclosure -- which then has to be cleaned out!! Has anyone removed the entire cowling structure? - if YES, how do they cut after complete removal? OR -- What about just cut out the rotted jagged face of the cowling to in effect to widen the original slot opening? OR -  another idea is remove the entire face piece that's rotted and replace with a complete solid piece of new steel and then the cowling would have NO opening? ---------  Any suggestions? Thanks, Bill

[8ntruck 8,157]

The 42" RD decks have been built with several different baffle configurations - including a version with no baffles at all.

 

I think I'd repair back to original.  The deck will still cut without those baffles, but might have a different look to the cut and have a different cuttings disbursement pattern.

[peter lena 9,459]

@Brockport Bill  personally don't have any, cowlings  in any deck , often referred to as, rot boxes , while  converting over ,to  typical  spindle failure  , also  eliminated those , no  grass build up at all , also  hot oil soak  all my decks , which eliminates  , grass , build up  and keeps them  rust free,  all my 42 " RD decks look like this . once my experimentation , at  chronic issues , proved itself  , just kept on with regular  , service . also have no pto bearing noise , of belt deck drive  issues , pto spin up is  quiet / smooth . pete , decks up against  wall , now , screw in eye bolt , extension spring , to  wide " S "  shaped hook , to  deck lift carriage. one you do one , you are  hooked , pete 

 

[Ed Kennell 43,109]

I've had a couple RDs but never modified or rebuilt one.    

I can see how the three circular baffles are required to discharge the clippings to the rear rather than so the side like on a  SD deck.

Would it be better to just remove the two triangle shaped cover pieces to eliminate the trap that collects crass and moisture.

 

[Brockport Bill 2,065]

i"ve seen the various underneath designs on the 36 and 42 rd's so was curious why WH felt it ok for no cowlings on the 42's but built the 36 with them? If the cutting and grass circulation and discharge worked ok in some 42s without cowling then why was it needed in the 36 ? Here is photo of a 42 rd with a really weird cowling discharge design versus open layout.

[Brockport Bill 2,065]

here are couple more photos of the rotted cowlings in the 36 rd deck - you can see the outline of the original cut out slots when manufactured by WH

[ri702bill 10,074]

54 minutes ago, Ed Kennell said:

be better to just remove the two triangle shaped cover pieces to eliminate the trap that collects crass and moisture.

 

[ri702bill 10,074]

Some models of WH decks had bolt-in cowling - something to consider??

[peter lena 9,459]

@ 702 bill , never had a bolt in cowling , but did have regular issues , thats what  made me want to  eliminate it ,  every  stage , idea , was a trial / error  set up , think the main lack of  deck build up , was my  turning point , established with  hot deck oiling , like baked on teflon . it just does not hold grass . even today  , years out  , at end of season , no grass  at all on decks , my obsession  with  lubricants , is a no brainer for me . a penetrant  first , for  spreading  effect , days out , follow with a heavier  open gear lube , for  robust  long life , with a sun bake , hot deck , seals off  protection . this on top of a deck spindle cure , of  lucas green grease , every related bearing  , cleaned out  and hand packed , never burned out a clutch disc , smooth / easy  / quiet engagement , repetitive failures , showed me the way , eliminated all of them , pete   

[Brockport Bill 2,065]

38 minutes ago, peter lena said:

@ 702 bill , never had a bolt in cowling , but did have regular issues , thats what  made me want to  eliminate it ,  every  stage , idea , was a trial / error  set up , think the main lack of  deck build up , was my  turning point , established with  hot deck oiling , like baked on teflon . it just does not hold grass . even today  , years out  , at end of season , no grass  at all on decks , my obsession  with  lubricants , is a no brainer for me . a penetrant  first , for  spreading  effect , days out , follow with a heavier  open gear lube , for  robust  long life , with a sun bake , hot deck , seals off  protection . this on top of a deck spindle cure , of  lucas green grease , every related bearing  , cleaned out  and hand packed , never burned out a clutch disc , smooth / easy  / quiet engagement , repetitive failures , showed me the way , eliminated all of them , pete   

i do oil treatment after pressure wash cleaning in fall --- then again mid season after using a few months -- then repeat again in fall before winter storage -- one thing i find amazing is the acumulated grass in photos on-line of people selling decks -- not only didn't they do basic cleaning maintenance during season, but they don't even clean for posted photos to sell the deck --- some are so filled with grass i am suprised the blades even turn let alone the grass actually discharge out the chute?????????????

[JoeM 8,913]

I have had them both ways and only seen a difference when the dividers were in place, as far as not wind rowing. I figure the tractor is moving forward and the material wants to go toward the rear Actually not having a gathering effect like the side winders with rear baffles. Marginally effective. Just cut them out. 

Like Bill shows in his pic. 

Honestly I never though rear discharge decks cut the nicest anyway. Seems like the grass just doesn't stand up during the cut. To look nice have to cut more often. 

 

 

 

Just for conversation I included these pics. When I run across odd arrangement I kind of keep track of them

this old gilson  and exmark had some interesting baffles. 

gilson

exmark

 

Of course me messing around with twin sets of blades (project Norelco)  Cut nice and made some mighty fine clippings but sucked up the HP.

 

 

[peter lena 9,459]

@Brockport Bill   @Ed Kennell  @Joe M hear you on that !  regularly refer to how easily does your  deck move at the pto / mule  drive , drive belt ?  that collective drag should be relatively easy  ,   most of horse issues  are REPEDITIVE PROBLEMS , nothing sarcastic , but thats what you want , track down every stage , verify  what's  holding everything up ?  regularly   look at  issues like that , also walk the grandkids  thru an issue , love doing that , they do too !   thanks for the feedback , pete   

[OoPEZoO 578]

I cut the baffles out of my 36" RD deck.  They were also rotted to the point of being paper thin due to stuff getting stuck in them and not being able to get out.  I had used it for 15ish years with the baffles and always thought it cut well.  I cut with it for one season without the baffles, but wasn't happy with the cut quality.  We had also just moved to a much larger property and the 36" wasn't the best sized deck anyway so it went on the shelf in favor of a 48" SD.  I also ended up with a free zero turn with a 42" deck and I now no longer mow with my WH.  I've thought about welding baffles back into the 36" deck, but I don't think I will ever use it again.