Re: (ET) Deck baffle plates and such

["Ralph G Vogan" <ralphgv CenturyTel net>]

Chris wrote

> While mowing today I heard the blades strike the deck. I checked the
> deck itself and it looks like the plate that seals off the side
> discharge is rusted and the bolt ripped out. Thus the front right wheel
> has nothing to support it and winds up letting the deck "fall"
>
> Anyone know of a source for baffles and more specifically the mower deck
> side discharge plate? Without it this thing is not going to mow.


Chris,     When I got my E20 someone had put something heavy on the deck.
It had a side discharge with no chute on it.  The discharge side of the 
deck
was bent so the front wheel was on an angle and didn't steer right.  I put 
a
turnbuckle across the bottom of the chute opening and pulled the front of
the deck back so the wheel was straight again.  I welded a piece of 1 inch
angle iron to the rear roller support and acrossed the deck to the side of
the front wheel bracket.  I drilled two hole thru the angle iron and side 
of
the front wheel bracket, and bolted them together.  The front wheel bracket
can still be taken off for repairs, and the deck is much stronger now.

    I have converted the deck to a rear discharge now.  The side plate is
just a piece of sheet metal cut to shape.  If you can get the old one off
use it as a templet to get another one cut out.  The deck has to be held in
it's original shape to get the holes to lined up on the new side plate.

Good luck
Ralph V
ralphgv centurytel net