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(ET) mower deck improvements




I'm planning on doing some rebuilding/improving of my deck this year. I have some welding to do, since there is cracking around where one of the arms connects to the deck. This is the earlier deck style with angle iron, and no star shaped indents for structural rigidity. I'm not using the shields underneath the deck (can't remember where I put them.... hard to lose something that big), which I know would add some structural rigidity. The side cover plate tore apart after I accidentally mower a little too close to something, and an edge got caught (it already had a little part ripped and pulling away, due to an earlier incident. Gotta be more careful). I'm planning on getting a replacement though.


Anyway - I'm thinking of a couple changes (hopefully improvements) so far:


1. Replacing the rear roller system with rear casters. I don't like the rollers. They're noisy, they catch grass, and it doesn't turn easily - likely adding more stress to the deck. Rear casters seems like a much better approach. Anyone done this, or have any thoughts on it? I've been looking at casters like this:
http://www.amazon.com/Service-Caster-Inch-Total-Lock/dp/B00O7YH828?ie=UTF8&psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=ox_sc_sfl_title_2&smid=A2B2W4OVDRYXP1

Need to figure out how I would mount it though.


2. Add some angle iron for structural rigidity (unless I find and decide to use the under-deck shields). It seems like it would be helpful to weld on a long piece of angle iron going along the entire rear of the deck, just ahead of where the rubber flap attaches.


3. Hmmm.... I know there was a three.... crap... oh yeah - would it be beneficial to put rubber gaskets between the mower mounting flanges and the deck itself, to try to reduce vibration imparted to the deck? Or would the slight wiggle room perhaps make things worse.... hmmm.... has anyone tried this?


That's all I've thought of so far - at least that I can remember right now. :)


Thanks!


Mike

P.S. That deck motor was sooooo much easier to get apart once I was informed that the screws on the bottom are really just the other end of the long bolts that come out the top, so removing the nuts from the top would get them loose. :)




Michael S. Briggs, PhD
UNH Physics Department
(603) 862-2828