(ET) Support bracket for deck chute hole.

[Chris Zach <cz alembic crystel com>]

So it's time to switch the tractor from summer to fall mode. This means 
taking off the side discharge/rear discharge plate and installing the 
large plastic leaf vacuum elbow. Which brings me to a perennial problem:

The mower deck was designed by dingbats.

The big problem is the right (passenger) front wheel on the deck: It is 
supported by *nothing* to keep it from going forward and bending 
backwards. Oh there's the side discharge plate, but that's weak and I 
find that I have to replace it every 5 or so years because it 
rusts/flexes/breaks at the bolts. This year I tried the side discharge 
chute but even though it is seriously *heavy* steel it bent (pics at: 
https://i.imgur.com/UreRACO.jpg )

Long time ago I bent some flat steel bar to make a support that went 
across the discharge hole and tied in to the bolt at the front and side 
of the deck. That worked *well* and I stopped losing rear discharge 
plates. However when I run the vacuum the leaves pile up and jam around 
it which has been a pain.

So in order to do something better I took some aluminum flat bar (3/4 by 
1/8 or so) and using the torch heated it up and bent it into a new shape 
that would go across the bottom of the discharge hole and still attach 
to the side and front bolt holes. We'll see how this holds up over the 
winter, but it makes a much larger hole for leaves to be sucked up by 
the vacuum elbow.

Pics here. https://i.imgur.com/h8u4O3S.jpg

Anyone else do something similar?

CZ