Mower deck repair - only 11 months old - yet another example of quality manufacturing

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I bought a new riding mower about 11 months ago.  Consumer Reports recommended Sears/Craftsman 46" deck.  the mower is actually made by Husqvarna; which I thought was a decent company with good quality control.  WRONG.    I discovered one of the brackets that the mower deck is suspended from had snapped off the housing.The bracket was held on by two modest sized fillet welds on one side of the 1/8" plate.  One weld was solid, it tore out  a chunk of the deck when the bracket snapped off the housing.  The other fillet weld, which was supposed to take the brunt of the load was cold lapped onto the mower housing.  Zero penetration.  There was even paint under the fillet weld!  It was spotted on in just a couple very small locations, such that it wasn't obviously bad from the get-go.My wife asked if the mower was still under warranty.  It is, but it would take more time and effort to haul it to the repair center than it did for me to fix it.I little grinding to remove the chunk of deck housing from the bracket, some buffing to clear the paint away on both pieces, and some scraping to clear grass residue from the underside of the mower deck.  Then 1 minute of welding with my MM210.  0.035" wire, 75/25 gas, and the autoset for 1/8" thick material.Next post for a picture of the finished repair.Benson's Mobile Welding - Dayton, OH metro area - AWS Certified Welding Inspector
Reply:Lack of Quality Control!
Reply:So I welded out both sides of the bracket...  I also flipped over the deck and filled in the back side of the hole torn in the mower deck.  I hit the repairs with some rattle-can paint.  In a few weeks when I'm done mowing for the year I'll pull the deck again and weld the other bracket out as well.  I need to change the blades, and I didn't have time for the extra work this weekend.Sigh.  Just another sign of the decay in manufacturing and pride in craftsmanship....Benson's Mobile Welding - Dayton, OH metro area - AWS Certified Welding Inspector
Reply:New mowers are a joke. I could have a full time job fixing broken mowers around here if I let people fill my shop with them.
Reply:See it almost daily...my son has a a small engine repair business and it is pitiful at the workmanship that is produced nowadays.Nice repair!It is a shame that supposedly grown men cannot even type on a public forum with out including cuss words.  They do not have the common courtesy to control their tongue or fingers.
Reply:Good job on the repair... TBH I've never liked sears/crapsman mowers... they've never seemed quality to me.
Reply:That's not made by Husqvarna but it is made by the same company that makes them for Husqvarna. It's a AYP mower which is the same as a Poulan as well. Just a few parts different between the brands mostly axle and blade clutch differences. Other than that the decks and the spindles are all the same. If you've got rough ground you might want to stock up on some heavy duty aftermarket spindles for that mower as well. One hit of anything hard will snap the spindle houses where they mount.Millermatic 252XMT 304'sDynasty 280DXHypertherm PowerMax 1250Miller Trailblazer 302 EFIOptima PulserXR feeder and XR Edge gun and more athttp://members.dslextreme.com/users/waynecook/index.htm
Reply:Nice repair A DAB. I wonder if that was a robotic weld.  If so, someone obviously didn't do a very good machine setup job and yes, the follow up QC was lacking as well.MM200 w/Spoolmatic 1Syncrowave 180SDBobcat 225G Plus - LP/NGMUTT Suitcase WirefeederWC-1S/Spoolmatic 1HF-251D-1PakMaster 100XL '68 Red Face Code #6633 projectStar Jet 21-110Save Second Base!
Reply:I run a Craftsman mower also. It's finishing up it's fifth year. It has the 54" heavy duty deck made from 10 guage metal. That is the main reason I chose it but the large size is nice also. I mow a lot of rough ground with rocks. The thing will mow down anything I can drive over including catclaw, prickly pear, small mesquites, and yucca. So far it has only needed a new set of blades this year.I learned the hard way about the lighter duty stuff and it's not just a recent problem.
Reply:What can you expect when you go bought it from a big box store.  You want something decent you might have to open the wallet a little more and try an outdoor power store or tractor dealership.  Those cheapy mowers are built for a price point and apparently it wasn't high enough to pay an experienced welder.
Reply:Originally Posted by irish fixitThat's not made by Husqvarna but it is made by the same company that makes them for Husqvarna. It's a AYP mower which is the same as a Poulan as well. Just a few parts different between the brands mostly axle and blade clutch differences. Other than that the decks and the spindles are all the same. If you've got rough ground you might want to stock up on some heavy duty aftermarket spindles for that mower as well. One hit of anything hard will snap the spindle houses where they mount.
Reply:Thanks Irish,  just to be clear, 'cause it's Monday morning, when you mention stocking up on some spare spindles, are you referring to the blade spindles in the mower deck, or wheel spindles for the front tractor wheels?  I could see either one snapping off if they take a hard hit.My wife thought I was crazy when I started digging up big stones buried in the lawn.  Most of those are gone.  I have a couple stumps and massive tree roots to be careful to avoid.  But most of the obstacles in the yard are gone... Originally Posted by irish fixitThat's not made by Husqvarna but it is made by the same company that makes them for Husqvarna. It's a AYP mower which is the same as a Poulan as well. Just a few parts different between the brands mostly axle and blade clutch differences. Other than that the decks and the spindles are all the same. If you've got rough ground you might want to stock up on some heavy duty aftermarket spindles for that mower as well. One hit of anything hard will snap the spindle houses where they mount.
Reply:Yeah, I hear yah CD19.  I went to the local mower shop and looked at some better equipment.  But it wasn't in the budget; new house and all, you know?  I realize the low end equipment isn't made to the highest standards or designed to last 20 years.  But this particular failure was just plain sloppy, lazy, poor inspection and QC.  If I can get 5-10 years out of this mower, the next one I buy will last the rest of my mowing days.Benson's Mobile Welding - Dayton, OH metro area - AWS Certified Welding Inspector
Reply:11 months? Shouldn't it be under warranty still? That could have given you a brand new replacement deck, depending on how repairs are handled.
Reply:Originally Posted by G-son11 months? Shouldn't it be under warranty still? That could have given you a brand new replacement deck, depending on how repairs are handled.
Reply:Nice repair. It's a good thing to have the equipment and no how [ talent ] to fix everything today. I bought a John Deere lawn tractor with 48 '' deck 15 years ago from a real JD dealer and have not done anything but belts, a mower deck spring , and oil changes. Neighbor down the road has bought 4  lawn tractors from big box store since I had mine. he keeps buying the $ 900.00 throw away ones and beats them to death. It is amazing how cheaply constructed these things are. Everything is sheet metal. They don't even have a cast iron front axle. It's fabricated sheet metal. Amazing what thy can get away with.
Reply:Originally Posted by BD1I bought a John Deere lawn tractor with 48 '' deck 15 years ago from a real JD dealer and have not done anything but belts, a mower deck spring , and oil changes.
Reply:Sadly, even John Deere is going low budget with their smaller mowers.  Blowes sells some JD models and they're not put together much better than the other brands sitting nearby.  Now the bigger models that JD only sells through authorized distributors are still built tough, so far as I know.  But I didn't have $3000 to spend on a mower/tractor.  When this craftsman/Husqvarna/AYP thing dies, then I'll spring for a better quality machine.  In the meantime, I'll keep stitching this beast back together... Originally Posted by BD1Nice repair. It's a good thing to have the equipment and no how [ talent ] to fix everything today. I bought a John Deere lawn tractor with 48 '' deck 15 years ago from a real JD dealer and have not done anything but belts, a mower deck spring , and oil changes. Neighbor down the road has bought 4  lawn tractors from big box store since I had mine. he keeps buying the $ 900.00 throw away ones and beats them to death. It is amazing how cheaply constructed these things are. Everything is sheet metal. They don't even have a cast iron front axle. It's fabricated sheet metal. Amazing what thy can get away with.
Reply:Actually the mower I bought does have a cast iron front axle, it's everything else that's a little lite weight.... Originally Posted by BD1Nice repair. It's a good thing to have the equipment and no how [ talent ] to fix everything today. I bought a John Deere lawn tractor with 48 '' deck 15 years ago from a real JD dealer and have not done anything but belts, a mower deck spring , and oil changes. Neighbor down the road has bought 4  lawn tractors from big box store since I had mine. he keeps buying the $ 900.00 throw away ones and beats them to death. It is amazing how cheaply constructed these things are. Everything is sheet metal. They don't even have a cast iron front axle. It's fabricated sheet metal. Amazing what thy can get away with.
Reply:The deck was out, fixed and back on the mower in an hour.  I was cutting grass while the paint dried.    But never fear, I'll pull the deck again before I put the mower in cold storage for the winter.  It needs new blades.  So I'll repaint the patches, fix the other mounting plate, clean and replace/resharp the blades. Originally Posted by BistineauWhat's to say the new deck wouldn't have the same flaw as the first? Given a new deck, he probably would have had to swap out all the pulleys and spindles from the original deck. The weld fix he did was a lot less work and hassle, and should now last for years. The other side bracket now should be done while it's out, just to make sure it stays in place. Keeping the top of the mower deck clean and free of grass clippings will go a long way in making the deck last too.
Reply:Originally Posted by BistineauWhat's to say the new deck wouldn't have the same flaw as the first? Given a new deck, he probably would have had to swap out all the pulleys and spindles from the original deck.
Reply:COME CLEAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  What didja hit with it??  "Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:That's a nice repair,if it where me i'd take those pictures and send them to the manufacturer,with a note on how I felt about there product and my future purchases,probably won't do any good,but make you feel better.either you LIKE BACON or you're WRONG!!!! "There are three kinds of men.The ones that learn by readin'.The few who learn by observation.The rest of them have to pee on the electric fence for themselves"-Will Rogers
Reply:Originally Posted by Goat DriverHusqvarna owns AYP and Electrolux now. Husqvarna is now the world’s largest Lawn & Garden Equipment ManufactureMTD (Modern Tool & Die) also makes some of the Craftsman line, I know MTD made the LT series for 2013. And the CTX series was made by B&S but it has been discontinued, they say we may see a new line in 2014.
Reply:I have a Poulan 38" rider I bought at auction 6 yrs ago and so far it doesn't owe me a dime. A couple of deck belts is all I've had to replace. It's semiretired now as I acquired a dixon ZTR this summer and I have the poulan all set up to vacuum leaves in the fall.                       MikeOl' Stonebreaker  "Experience is the name everyone gives to their mistakes"Hobart G-213 portableMiller 175 migMiller thunderbolt ac/dc stick Victor O/A setupMakita chop sawThe cast iron front axle is a marketing ploy until you see some of the gals we got around here.  I swear to God!  We're talking saddlebags here!  That azz is hangin clear down to the ground.  It almost seems like the tractor seat is growin outta their butt, it's disappeared!!  Talk about a tribute to modern engineering........It's a wonder the things don't just collapse"Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:If I had a dollar for every lawn mower deck I have fixed. I would have ALOT of dollars.Nice fix. I would still call and raise hell. My shop boss at work brought in his Cub Cadet because it was making noise. All three spindle bearings were completely shot. Mower had 70 hours on it.  He was pissed. I told him to call and get a hold of Cub Cadet and raise hell. Even if they dont send you replacement parts, it will make you feel better. If you cant fix it with a hammer, it must be an electrical problem."Boy, everyone starts with a full bag of luck and an empty bag of experience. The trick is to fill the bag of experience before the bag of luck is empty."-Grandad circa 1990ish
Reply:Originally Posted by irish fixitSpeaking of John Deere's the box store ones aren't any better than the other cheap mowers. The ones you get at the dealers are better but still not any where near as good at the old ones.
Reply:Originally Posted by larphead My shop boss at work brought in his Cub Cadet because it was making noise. All three spindle bearings were completely shot. Mower had 70 hours on it.  He was pissed. I told him to call and get a hold of Cub Cadet and raise hell. Even if they dont send you replacement parts, it will make you feel better.
Reply:Originally Posted by A_DAB_will_doThe deck was out, fixed and back on the mower in an hour.  I was cutting grass while the paint dried.    But never fear, I'll pull the deck again before I put the mower in cold storage for the winter.  It needs new blades.  So I'll repaint the patches, fix the other mounting plate, clean and replace/resharp the blades.
Reply:Nothing that big, I swear!    I have uncovered a couple grapefruit sized rocks that I had to dig up, and a couple surface tree roots have flat tops on them now.  I keep the idler wheels on the mower deck at the lowest position.  This has saved me from the worst of the obstacles in the yard. I've got some really rough areas in the yard where the drainage field for the septic system has settled over time.  My front yard looks like a giant washboard.  There's a dry creekbed that crosses the backyard and I've scalped the top edges once or twice driving across the creek bed. Originally Posted by farmersammCOME CLEAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  What didja hit with it??  Attachment 505551
Reply:I got a spare set of blades free with the overpriced mulching plug for the mower deck.  I figured it would be easier to swap the new blades in and sharpen the old ones, then throw them on a shelf for 2015.  The OEM blades aren't shot, just dulled.  It wouldn't surprise me if they were dull from the factory at this point.Benson's Mobile Welding - Dayton, OH metro area - AWS Certified Welding Inspector
Reply:That is a nice looking fix.  I may be able to weld like that one day I run a JD around my rock and weed acres.  It is nothing but hard rocks and sticks.  I have burned up the spindle bearings and replaced them with a lot better bearing, I go though a set of blade every year.  I mow mostly sand and granite.  I need two belts a year.  The mower is still going.  It needs work after some gas issues.  I was running it, put it away for 2 weeks, came back and every piece of rubber and plastic in the fuel system is melted or falls apart.  Was told by JD that it was a change in gas formulas out here in kalifornia.  The rubber fuel line is now liquid rubber.  You can stretch it out and it sticks to itself.  Other then holes in the tires, dents in the mower desk, I am surprised this thing has lasted 5 years.  Buzz.
Reply:Originally Posted by blvdbuzzardThat is a nice looking fix.
Reply:Bought a Toro 18 years ago that I would not trade for anything out there today. (13 HP x 38" deck). I have a thousand hours on that Briggs with never a single problem. Only belts and blades changed out. OK, there might be a half roll of Duct tape on the seat. The new Toro's...on the other hand ...look like they're stamped out by the Chi-Coms. Being a welder...I plan to plate that old girl over till it can't move anymore. If it ever begins to rust..that is. POVERTY...is the Mother of InventionMillermatic 211Millermatic 140Miller Thunderbolt XLArcOne 100STS inverter w/TIGThermal Dynamics 38XL Victor Oxy/AcetyleneJancy Slugger Holemaker IIJet 5x6 BandsawNever enough time & sleep.
Reply:Originally Posted by bhoundThat's a nice repair,if it where me i'd take those pictures and send them to the manufacturer,with a note on how I felt about there product and my future purchases,probably won't do any good,but make you feel better.
Reply:Good thread. I have a 20 year old Statesman / AYP mower. Mower has served me well and the BS 16HP motor has given great service. I have always kept my mowers running as well as my moms, hers is a 20 year old MTD/Statesman. I have been more impressed with the AYP quality than the MTD, for the cheap mower lines. I just finished a mower deck refurbishing on mine which included a lot of welding, beating, new parts, etc. Repainted with mower deck paint from tractor supply, don't waste you money. Of course this is a thinner gauge deck like the one pictured here with a lot of wear. Once it was all back together, it did not mow evenly, blades were out of line.Had to remove the deck and turn it upside down and realign blades with a straight edge. This required, wood blocks, 1/2" x 6" bar, sledge hammer, and a straight edge. Basically I beat the deck straight again. This worked fine and now mows like it should.Just a note here to be careful on how much weld you lay down on mower decks, they will warp and cause these problems.
Reply:Okay there is some good info on this thread I want to get straight, who is making who now? I am half way in the market for a new one and I am anti JD$$$$. I have been combing CL and seeing some good deals on year old mowers.Cub Cadet is now made by MTD? What years did they go cheap?Husqvarna bought AYP so does that mean all are AYP mowers? I think the AYP plant is in SC, is that right? If they are made by more than one mfg plant, how can you tell the difference?Craftsman is made by who?Isn't the OP's deck an AYP deck?Who has the best quality of the cheap lines? I was also told Craftsman, but are they AYP/Husvarna?
Reply:I can't speak for most brands but my own research seems to suggest that all Craftsman branded mowers are either MTD(low cost) or Husqvarna(higher cost).  I know the mower I bought Craftsman YT2000 with 46" deck, hydrostatic drive, and 21HP B&S engine, is a Husqvarna.  I bought a mulching plug for it from Home Despot because it was less $ than the Craftsman labeled part.  It fit like it was made for it(because it was) and came in a box with a different label.I know you're anti JD; but for new mowers their mid to high grade machines seem to be the best lawn tractors made on the market today.  For high end ZTR mowers, I have no idea where to shop.  The JD machines you can buy in the big box stores have been 'decontented' to the point I doubt their much better than any other brand.I believe the other posters when they say that AYP made the mower I bought... Originally Posted by polarred21Okay there is some good info on this thread I want to get straight, who is making who now? I am half way in the market for a new one and I am anti JD$$$$. I have been combing CL and seeing some good deals on year old mowers.Cub Cadet is now made by MTD? What years did they go cheap?Husqvarna bought AYP so does that mean all are AYP mowers? I think the AYP plant is in SC, is that right? If they are made by more than one mfg plant, how can you tell the difference?Craftsman is made by who?Isn't the OP's deck an AYP deck?Who has the best quality of the cheap lines? I was also told Craftsman, but are they AYP/Husvarna?
Reply:On a different, but related subject.  Where's a good place to shop for lawn tractor tires?I am considering putting taller tires on my mower so that can cut the grass longer and use more of the height adjustment range that the mower comes with.  The OEM design, tires, with the correct inflation pressure, make have the adjustment range on the deck height un-useable.  The deck height adjuster has 6 positions.  Anything lower than 5 has the mower deck riding on the anti-scalping wheels.  Positions 1-3 are effectively the same height as position 4.  I have the idler wheels on the deck at the lowest setting.  Raising them up would get me another setting, but I'd scalp large areas of my lawn.The only way I can see to get more useable range from the mower is to raise the whole thing higher off the ground.  It seems to me that the simplest way to do this is by installing tires with taller side walls.Benson's Mobile Welding - Dayton, OH metro area - AWS Certified Welding Inspector
Reply:You know, this was a nice, factual discussion until you decided to take a crap here.  If you want to offer opinions on American Culture, please do so in your own separate off-topic thread. Originally Posted by BurpeeDon't knock Husq...
Reply:Originally Posted by polarred21Okay there is some good info on this thread I want to get straight, who is making who now? I am half way in the market for a new one and I am anti JD$$$$. I have been combing CL and seeing some good deals on year old mowers.Cub Cadet is now made by MTD? What years did they go cheap?Husqvarna bought AYP so does that mean all are AYP mowers? I think the AYP plant is in SC, is that right? If they are made by more than one mfg plant, how can you tell the difference?Craftsman is made by who?Isn't the OP's deck an AYP deck?Who has the best quality of the cheap lines? I was also told Craftsman, but are they AYP/Husvarna?
Reply:Originally Posted by mla2ofusI have a Poulan 38" rider I bought at auction 6 yrs ago and so far it doesn't owe me a dime. A couple of deck belts is all I've had to replace. It's semiretired now as I acquired a dixon ZTR this summer and I have the poulan all set up to vacuum leaves in the fall.                       Mike
Reply:In the old day's (before the 90") you can get a US made garden tractor from Cub Cadet, John Deere, Massey Ferguson, Simplicity, Wheel Horse, Gravely and many others... with a iron cast differential, hydraulic lifting deck and even a mechanical rear PTO! Today anything under the 700 series in the John Deere line is consider a lawn tractor.You have to spend over $5000 to get a lawn tractor with a "Fabricate" deck and a plow capable transaxle with a spin on hydraulic oil filter, (Tuff Torq K66+ or Hydro gear G700+) In 1976 the price tag of my Cub Cadet Quiet line 1650 was $3300! It was 37 years ago! Some Craftman model have been build by MTD and other by Husqvarna, Some Toro and New Holland model have been build by Simplicity. Some of the Craftman LT frame build by Husqvarna was so thin they broke just over the transaxle...Today Husqvarna are good but don't take the cheap engine ( B&S/Kohler/Kawasaki have all a "Cheap series") If I have to spend money on a new one I take this http://www.husqvarna.com/us/products...specificationsAWD work really well with snowblower....They got a bigger one in Europe I wish Husqvarna export here...http://www.husqvarna.com/uk/products...-awd/#featuresMiller MM211Esab Mini Arc 161LTSEsab Handy Plasma 380Duck tapeTy- rapKool-aid
Reply:My 1 yr old JD X300 needed new spindles at 34 hours.  when i called the dealer to see about warranty, the forst thing he said was "I bet your mower gets washed after every use, and the top of the deck is spotless...."  Yep...sure is, and I do wash it after every use.Turns out the spindles are not water-proof from the top.  I would run the decks after hosing it won to shed the water from the spindle tops, but that did not keep them from destructing.The dealer said we will warrnaty them "until JD gets with the program and starts using sealed spindles again".  So now the top bgets blown off with air, and the bottom gets hosed out with water.AutoArc 120 MIGMontgomery Ward AC/DC 230r.i.p. - Miller Thunderbolt 05 Jeep Liberty Renegade
Reply:Straight6jeff, that there is a handy piece of advice.  Thanks for posting.  I'm not one to hose down equipment after every use; so perhaps I've accidentally done myself  a favor... Originally Posted by straight6jeffMy 1 yr old JD X300 needed new spindles at 34 hours.  when i called the dealer to see about warranty, the forst thing he said was "I bet your mower gets washed after every use, and the top of the deck is spotless...."  Yep...sure is, and I do wash it after every use.Turns out the spindles are not water-proof from the top.  I would run the decks after hosing it won to shed the water from the spindle tops, but that did not keep them from destructing.The dealer said we will warrnaty them "until JD gets with the program and starts using sealed spindles again".  So now the top bgets blown off with air, and the bottom gets hosed out with water.
Reply:I don't hose off either, and I installed grease fittings on my deck spindles, never replaced one after 20 years.
Reply:Originally Posted by straight6jeffMy 1 yr old JD X300 needed new spindles at 34 hours.  when i called the dealer to see about warranty, the forst thing he said was "I bet your mower gets washed after every use, and the top of the deck is spotless...."  Yep...sure is, and I do wash it after every use.Turns out the spindles are not water-proof from the top.  I would run the decks after hosing it won to shed the water from the spindle tops, but that did not keep them from destructing.The dealer said we will warrnaty them "until JD gets with the program and starts using sealed spindles again".  So now the top bgets blown off with air, and the bottom gets hosed out with water.
Reply:Originally Posted by A_DAB_will_doYeah, I hear yah CD19.  I went to the local mower shop and looked at some better equipment.  But it wasn't in the budget; new house and all, you know?  I realize the low end equipment isn't made to the highest standards or designed to last 20 years.  But this particular failure was just plain sloppy, lazy, poor inspection and QC.  If I can get 5-10 years out of this mower, the next one I buy will last the rest of my mowing days.