Mower Deck Repair

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I'd noticed that the Hustler wasn't clearing grass out as well as it used to and it was also sharing the odd amount of grass with me. I knew some of the old riveted repairs looked a little dodgy and were about due for replacement....So I pulled the deck off the machines and spent a couple of hours with a water blaster transferring all the muck form the deck to me. Holy toledo batman, did I find some holes and sheet rust and of course when the sheet rust moved off, it left more holes.Talking to the local agent about it last week and he asked where we got it and when I told him, he looked at me and said "I sold it to them about 15-16 years ago and it was well second hand then". Pity they'd never cleaned the deck after mowing.Note the smoke from the back, it's a change to have the fire in the grass on the deck and not in the grass on the ground. This is the anti-scalping block at the front of the deck, full of dirt and slaters and a big spider who decided life was too rough and scurried to the side of the deck and abseiled down on his own line.Deck hole with a 5" cut off disc for reference. Thats a thicker one but I've been using some 1mm thick flexible ones for slicing through welds with my trusty Hitachi Unwelders. They're quicker than the thick ones and don't load the machine as much. Also, having less mass, when they disintegrate, they don't have quite the same momentum. So far, I'm impressed with them. I've cut around the mounting point for the belts adjuster, so it'll stay with the top assembly for correct positioning. (how's that for lazy?)Lifetime warranty on the front edge of Hustler decks, nothing wrong there but behind the frontlines it's a bit moth eaten.Front guide wheel support. My idea is to separate the deck plate form the drive set up and then place the drive set up on a new piece of plate and mark all the holes for spindles and wheel mounts and adjusters etc so they can be drilled, prior to welding the two together.  That's if I can find enough to weld to! Also when it's photo time, the dogs arrive around your feet.Then it's "Game on" Mondo (brown dog) is 2-1/4 yrs and Kihi (brindle Mastiff) is about a year old. Endless games but she hasn't got Mondo's energy and gets a bit snappy but five minutes later is good to go again."One of the things we have to be thankful for is that we don't get as much government as we pay for." (Charles Kettering)Mitch 180 (NZ)Lincoln SAM-400-220 + ?-400 Fordson Major + 2 x Tractapac Humber 80 + Procut 40 PlasmaMiller Spectrum 375
Reply:Well i'd say that you have you're work cut out for you,probably more steel on the blade thsn the deck but a challenge is good right?Lincoln 225 ACLincoln Mig Pak 15Lincoln Mig Pak 10Purox Oxy-Acet Outfit20 Ton PressHonda Generator
Reply:Yup, now that's going to be a dandy of a challenge Tractapac.  Looks similar to the one DavidR just did.  Is the deck all or mostly flat?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:Duaneb55 - At the moment it's a bit ripply but it is supposed to be flat. The new one is flat  -- as yet! It was all 1/8" thick when new. I didn't see DavidR's one, I'll have to search.Bensweld,  Yeah, nothing like a challenge. Well when I started it looked straight forward but when you cut the plate on plate sections apart, is when you find there ain't much to weld to. Might need to get the Prairiecraft rods out, the ones for the wide open spaces.If the top piece comes off cleanly, it'll not be too bad. (I think I'm still optimistic.) I'll be at it again in half an hour, so in a few hours time I'll post an update."One of the things we have to be thankful for is that we don't get as much government as we pay for." (Charles Kettering)Mitch 180 (NZ)Lincoln SAM-400-220 + ?-400 Fordson Major + 2 x Tractapac Humber 80 + Procut 40 PlasmaMiller Spectrum 375
Reply:WOW, I have always used junk, but that is a POS. Looks like you are going to have some fun. Just be sure to take accurate measurements for the spindle mounts etc...Rust is an evil thing.  I need to go out and check my grasshopper now.Have fun and be safe.Tim Beeker.
Reply:As Neil Young said, "Rust never sleeps"It's a pretty good reason for blowing them down or a quick power wash after use and then a chance to dry and store them under cover.The spindle assemblies mount through double plate, so as long as the top (drive) piece stays in one piece, they'll be easy to transfer to the new deck. (I think, I hope)I'll post a progress report shortly, I just need to get the camera in."One of the things we have to be thankful for is that we don't get as much government as we pay for." (Charles Kettering)Mitch 180 (NZ)Lincoln SAM-400-220 + ?-400 Fordson Major + 2 x Tractapac Humber 80 + Procut 40 PlasmaMiller Spectrum 375
Reply:Reasonable progress, it's a bit like deconstructive surgery. Which bit can I take off next, so I can see the next bit. Trying not to do too much damage to the bit I want in one piece.I wondered how long it would take. Pretty good range with a grinder it's about 10 feet.With most of the deck removed, you can see the spindle mounts and belt tensioner mount.All the way from Kansas!Probably won't get much more use from this bit."One of the things we have to be thankful for is that we don't get as much government as we pay for." (Charles Kettering)Mitch 180 (NZ)Lincoln SAM-400-220 + ?-400 Fordson Major + 2 x Tractapac Humber 80 + Procut 40 PlasmaMiller Spectrum 375
Reply:I just did a 72" Cushman deck.   It wasn't quite as bad as yours and built a little different.  There was structure for the spindles, so I didn't have to take them out. David Real world weldin.  When I grow up I want to be a tig weldor.
Reply:That's quite an interesting repair. Did you weld around the periphery of the insert and tack around the spindles?That deck looks to be centre spindle forward and all blades turn the same way. The Hustler has one Clockwise and 2 anti-clockwise, discharging to the rear at both sides. 1/3rd grass goes right, 2/3rds goes left.You've got me thinking now! I could have done that and got away with it. Probably the exception is that I'm doing it for us and time is not such an issue as there is no hourly rate involved. Also with the extra rust and the deck plate being a "simple" 72" x 39" with a 1-1/4 fold at the front it seemed a good idea to get rid of as much rust as possibl and then treat what has to remain and paint the mating sufaces before welding them back together.1/8" sheet in a low alloy high tensile that the plate shop had sitting there cost $130 (US$65) including the fold and a few offcuts thrown in for gussets and grass deflectors. So far about 8 hours labour. There was a lot of distortion caused by the rusting between the double skins. Just like an old Jaguar! Never heard of a Cushman, google, here I come."One of the things we have to be thankful for is that we don't get as much government as we pay for." (Charles Kettering)Mitch 180 (NZ)Lincoln SAM-400-220 + ?-400 Fordson Major + 2 x Tractapac Humber 80 + Procut 40 PlasmaMiller Spectrum 375
Reply:Originally Posted by TractapacThat's quite an interesting repair. Did you weld around the periphery of the insert and tack around the spindles?
Reply:Wow Tractapac you have a mess there.I don't know whethere there's acid, or simple sugars, in grass.  Either way, it's pretty corrosive when it gets packed on over time.  Or maybe it's just that it holds moisture.  I'm not sureThose little thin cutoff wheels are a Godsend sometimes.  Flexovit makes them too"Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:Originally Posted by David RSure did ALL the way around.  Then on top I put 1/8 X 2 X 2 angle where the structure had rotted away from the deck.  It ended up pretty good, about 6 - 8 hours, one sheet of 1/8"  ($71.00) and a bunch of angle.  Customer was real happy.
Reply:Originally Posted by farmersammWow Tractapac you have a mess there.I don't know whethere there's acid, or simple sugars, in grass.  Either way, it's pretty corrosive when it gets packed on over time.  Or maybe it's just that it holds moisture.  I'm not sureThose little thin cutoff wheels are a Godsend sometimes.  Flexovit makes them too
Reply:Post 64 and 65http://weldingweb.com/vbb/showthread.php?t=29041&page=3I didn't take pics of the top of the deck, I finished it and returned it hot.  David Real world weldin.  When I grow up I want to be a tig weldor.