How Do You Get Under Your Deck to Change Blades?

[hotajax 244]

Is an engine hoist the only way?  Punt and take the deck off?  Any time saving Ideas?  Thanks.

[adsm08 4,281]

I slide mine in and out from the side.

 

Of course you have not told us which tractor or deck you are dealing with, so that might not work for you.

[Racinbob 12,873]

I use this every time I mow and for many other uses. Love it. 

 

 

 

[SylvanLakeWH 30,859]

My setup...

[hotajax 244]

57 minutes ago, Racinbob said:

I use this every time I mow and for many other uses. Love it. 

 

 

 

That is a very nice seat.  It doesn't look like anything ever made by Wheel Horse.  Where did you get it?

 

[ri702bill 11,600]

I too prefer to drop the deck and slide it out the right side. The 36" geardrive on the 854 is not so bad, the 36" on the C81 is a bit more work - and those blade nuts are tougher to remove and tighten.

[Racinbob 12,873]

1 hour ago, hotajax said:

That is a very nice seat.  It doesn't look like anything ever made by Wheel Horse.  Where did you get it?

 

Tractor Supply. It had armrests and a slider adjustment on it. The armrests drove me nuts and I had no need for the slider. I took both off. 

 

[adsm08 4,281]

4 hours ago, Racinbob said:

I use this every time I mow and for many other uses. Love it. 

 

 

 

 

Bob, that looks like it would negatively impact steering performance, and probably make the cut height very high.

[hotajax 244]

47 minutes ago, adsm08 said:

 

Bob, that looks like it would negatively impact steering performance, and probably make the cut height very high.

I use one of those devices for chopping through multi floral rose.

[Racinbob 12,873]

2 hours ago, adsm08 said:

 

Bob, that looks like it would negatively impact steering performance, and probably make the cut height very high.

Multiple passes, lowering a notch each pass. 

[pfrederi 20,084]

48" decks are getting too heavy to pull out and clean on a regular basis anymore.  I use the lift thing sometimes but lying down to clean it is also getting harder.  So the deck rusts out in the next 10 years probably will not be a concern for me anynore

[JCM 10,998]

8 hours ago, ri702bill said:

I too prefer to drop the deck and slide it out the right side. 

 

[hotajax 244]

13 hours ago, pfrederi said:

48" decks are getting too heavy to pull out and clean on a regular basis anymore.  I use the lift thing sometimes but lying down to clean it is also getting harder.  So the deck rusts out in the next 10 years probably will not be a concern for me anynore

I see your point, and I gotta agree with you.  Age is not on my side.  I just might go out and look for some sort of hoist to get it up in the air so I can work under it.  

[Pullstart 69,380]

I know I am not the poster child for safety, but whatever you do please make sure things are supported well while you are under them!  I’ve dropped plenty of heavy things, some have landed on me.  The most weight I’ve had on me at one time was over 3,000 lbs. and it wasn’t enjoyable.  My wife’s friends and family circle have lost two people in the pits from being under with no jack stand and the car letting down.

Edited yesterday at 02:53 PM by Pullstart
Typo

[squonk 45,838]

23 hours ago, hotajax said:

That is a very nice seat.  It doesn't look like anything ever made by Wheel Horse.  Where did you get it?

 

I have that seat on my C160. Best seat ever. Available all over the net

[squonk 45,838]

I have a lift similar to Bob's and use jack stands under the tire baskets.

 

Recycler decks are no fun to take on and off. Very heavy!!!

 

I bought a Bronco for my neighbor to use. Came with a deck. I had to take the deck off to get it on the trailer. I'm so used to horsing out that recycler I grabbed that regular deck and gave it a big yank! It flew out from under the tractor so fast it almost ran me over! The wife thought it was pretty funny! 

Edited yesterday at 03:24 PM by squonk

[8ntruck 8,686]

What @Pullstart said. 

 

I wrassle my decks off to work on them.  I really don't like to work on the bottom side of a suspended load - working out in the open provides plenty of injury opportunities - most of which are less than a falling weight the size of a Wheel Horse.

[sqrlgtr 2,361]

On 4/4/2026 at 12:16 PM, ri702bill said:

I too prefer to drop the deck and slide it out the right side.

. I do use front end loader on tractor fer my zero turn mower, I do have block of wood I slid under it just in case a hydraulic hose bust on tractor or sumin. 

[Racinbob 12,873]

21 hours ago, Pullstart said:

I know I am not the poster child for safety, but whatever you do please make sure things are supported well while you are under them!  I’ve dropped plenty of heavy things, some have landed on me.  The most weight I’ve had on me at one time was over 3,000 lbs. and it wasn’t enjoyable.  My wife’s friends and family circle have lost two people in the pits from being under with no jack stand and the car letting down.

 

19 hours ago, 8ntruck said:

What @Pullstart said. 

 

I wrassle my decks off to work on them.  I really don't like to work on the bottom side of a suspended load - working out in the open provides plenty of injury opportunities - most of which are less than a falling weight the size of a Wheel Horse.

 

I couldn't agree more with Kevins safety precautions and do take care. There seems to be unwarranted concerns about the lift I use. A) There's positive locking pins that engage in three working heights that must be released before it lowers, I constantly keep tabs on the welds, bolts, etc. to make sure it's in good shape, C) I'm never 'under' it, just my arm, D) getting down is not a problem but yes, getting back up is certainly not as easy as it used to be, but, it's still a far sight easier on my back than pulling the deck out from under the machine, then getting it back on. I'm cautious but feel completely safe using it. A person is far more likely to get hurt doing something that seems safe so no concerns were deemed necessary. 

[bo dawg 567]

At 64 I feel the struggles of pulling a 48" deck out and in, getting up and down on the floor. I put a electric hoist in the garage to pick heavy things out of back of truck and/or to lift up off the floor and place on a table to work off of. Thats how I clean the decks or do any work to them. I will be using the hoist to pick front of tractor up to make easier to drag the deck in/out from under it. Been playing with the idea of building a ramp/platform to drive up on and never have to get on my knees again. Lol!  

[sqrlgtr 2,361]

7 hours ago, Racinbob said:

 

 

I couldn't agree more with Kevins safety precautions and do take care. There seems to be unwarranted concerns about the lift I use. A) There's positive locking pins that engage in three working heights that must be released before it lowers, I constantly keep tabs on the welds, bolts, etc. to make sure it's in good shape, C) I'm never 'under' it, just my arm, D) getting down is not a problem but yes, getting back up is certainly not as easy as it used to be, but, it's still a far sight easier on my back than pulling the deck out from under the machine, then getting it back on. I'm cautious but feel completely safe using it. A person is far more likely to get hurt doing something that seems safe so no concerns were deemed necessary. 

I agree Bob they look pretty safe if you use them right HF puts them on sell sum times and with a coupon or two they are very reasonable, and I have thought about getting me self one. Wonder if you could use two one in front and one in back to get whole mochine in the air . Im getting to old and fat to be getting off the floor myself.