856… Only pre attach a matic decks fit?

[FLtractor 134]

Evening,

wondering what year or model .. even niche size decks fit a 856.

[702854boy 583]

I believe the 856s would have either a 32 or 36 inch deck, however, they do not make the 32 inch blades anymore so it would be better to get a 36 if you find one, I'll find a photo of one and post it.

[702854boy 583]

[FLtractor 134]

9 minutes ago, 702854boy said:

I believe the 856s would have either a 32 or 36 inch deck, however, they do not make the 32 inch blades anymore so it would be better to get a 36 if you find one, I'll find a photo of one and post it.

My 856.. previous owner told me needs new gauge wheel and spindles.. I have not yet taken off deck to look exactly how bad or what it needs.. just wondering if all those parts can add up to more than just finding a complete replacement deck.. 

one seller near me is selling a 312-8 deck with small hole for $85.00

Another seller selling 32 inch deck in good rebuild able condition- but as you just informed me no longer make those blades. Unless could buy them on marketplace given not many Wheelhorse deck opportunities central Florida.

Have attached the for sale decks

312-8 deck 1 picture 

32 inch deck 3 pictures 

[702854boy 583]

The 36 I'm not sure if it would be able to be modified to fit or not but the 32 inch deck, the blades look pretty decent and barely used, and if taken care of properly they could probably last you a while, we still have the original blades from the mower deck for our 702 and they are still usable. 

[702854boy 583]

If you decide to get one of them, definitely pay attention to how the blades go on the 32, as they appear to be on the opposite sides they are supposed to be in the photos.

[FLtractor 134]

21 minutes ago, 702854boy said:

If you decide to get one of them, definitely pay attention to how the blades go on the 32, as they appear to be on the opposite sides they are supposed to be in the photos.

Will have to keep that in mind if I do get it.. what is the proper way to measure a mower deck I can measure mine? What does a set of spindles cost for a 32 inch? 

Edited yesterday at 02:49 AM by FLtractor

[702854boy 583]

17 minutes ago, FLtractor said:

what is the proper way to measure a mower deck

I think just edge to edge but I'm not sure

 

18 minutes ago, FLtractor said:

What does a set of spindles cost for a 32 inch?

They don't use a spindle like the later decks do. There is a shaft that goes through and then there are a couple of thrust washers in there and then on to each side has a gear on top that is held on with a snap ring. You might not even need to get spindles and you might get lucky with just having to tear everything apart, clean it up, and put fresh grease on everything. I'm sure there a handful of people here that have a little bit more knowledge than me and could better answer your questions. And if you tear it apart put the belts on before you put the gears back on and everything bolted in place. It's not fun to have to take it back apart to fix. Another to watch out for when tearing apart and putting back together is making sure you have the gears in a position where the blades wont hit each other.

[FLtractor 134]

32 minutes ago, 702854boy said:

I think just edge to edge but I'm not sure

 

They don't use a spindle like the later decks do. There is a shaft that goes through and then there are a couple of thrust washers in there and then on to each side has a gear on top that is held on with a snap ring. You might not even need to get spindles and you might get lucky with just having to tear everything apart, clean it up, and put fresh grease on everything. I'm sure there a handful of people here that have a little bit more knowledge than me and could better answer your questions. And if you tear it apart put the belts on before you put the gears back on and everything bolted in place. It's not fun to have to take it back apart to fix. Another to watch out for when tearing apart and putting back together is making sure you have the gears in a position where the blades wont hit each other.

I’ll have to ask around once I get the deck off and checking it all out .. thank you very much for all the help 

[gwest_ca-(File Mod) 12,066]

Decks are sized by their width of cut - not the width of the deck.

Same manual for 32" RM-326 and 36" RM-366 in 1966. Last digit 6 is for 1966.

 

 

[ri702bill 11,537]

5 hours ago, FLtractor said:

put the belts on before you put the gears back on and everything bolted in place. It's not fun to have to take it back apart to fix. Another to watch out for when tearing apart and putting back together is making sure you have the gears in a position where the blades wont hit each other.

All part of owning an early gear drive deck. Post what you are looking for in the "Wanted" section...

[Handy Don 16,052]

On 3/29/2026 at 10:27 PM, 702854boy said:

If you decide to get one of them, definitely pay attention to how the blades go on the 32, as they appear to be on the opposite sides they are supposed to be in the photos.

One possible reason for the extremely light wear on the blades of that 32" gear deck (and maybe part of the incentive to sell it?) could be that the blades are on the wrong spindles and thus “leading" with their backs to cut instead of the sharpened edges. Pretty lousy cutting performance that way. 

Correct rotation is that the cutting ends sweep toward the rear of the deck along the outer edge and then toward the front of the deck in the center.

That bracket at the rear underside of the gear deck should have an anti scalp roller in it. 

[ri702bill 11,537]

The timing of the blades appears to be adequate, but not optimal. As shown, one should be vertical, the other horizontal. The swept path is an overlap - the blades must be timed so the tips do not collide - think  about a WW1 fighter plane shooting a machinegun where the bullets go thru the spinning propeller. Similar results if not timed!!ing is done thru the mesh of the cross shaft end gears to the spindle gears.

 

Edited 3 hours ago by ri702bill