A few finish mower questions

[MuncyBob]

I do not recall, but does anybody know the length of the belt on the 48" deck? Mine is looking a bit shabby and thinking having a replacement on hand would be a good idea. I know, I could just take it off and have my answer.

Regarding the hard plastic rear wheels.....what has been done to replace those with something that doesn't dig up the soft ground as much? Maybe rubber wheel that takes air?

Has anybody come up with a quicker way to adjust the rear wheel height? When I cut pasture I raise my deck to avoid hitting hidden rock or branches and while it's not a big time consuming task I wonder if somebody came up with a quicker way to do this?

 

[WilliamBos]

I'd look at the belt, 100"?!

 

[KMA]

For the hard plastic wheels, you could look into the rounded type. E.g.

Or convert them to a caster wheel, which would be more costly and difficult, but could be done.

You might be able to replace the bolts with a rod and cotter pin to speed up adjustment. Any play could be removed with washers.

 

[MuncyBob]

I just got my 10% off coupon from TSC and I'll be looking for wheels like that when I make my next trip. The caster wheel option crossed my mind but will the deck move properly since the front wheels are also casters?

 

[KMA]

Good luck! Be sure to post pics and model numbers when done. :thumbsup:

 

[KMA]

Oops... missed your question about the deck moving properly with casters.... I think so. You could make the argument it would put less "stress" on the quick connect plate and lift arms if done correctly.

 

[KentT]

Make sure there's enough room without the casters coming in contact with the front tires.

I replaced the plastic rear wheels on my 48" brushcutter with semi-pneumatic tires on metal hubs with grease zerks. Having upsized my PT's tires to 26x12x12, the rear wheels of the brushcutter will now occasionally contact the front tires when the brushcutter is lifted in the air. There's about 2" of clearance when the brushcutter is down on the ground... I don't consider the contact when lifted to be an issue, but I'm also not using swivel casters which take up more room.

 

[woodlandfarms]

Fo my pt, I put chains on mt tires then got a big surprise when the ripped the rear mower tires off. Too little clearance between the whole setup.

 

[SpringHollow]

Carl,

I did the exact same thing. I am still deciding whether I will replace the wheels or not.

Ken

 

[MuncyBob]

Kevin, I like the look of that wheel...where did you find it? TSC had some nice rubber wheels that probably would be an upgrade but they were expensive at over $30 each.

 

[KMA]

Kevin, I like the look of that wheel...where did you find it? TSC had some nice rubber wheels that probably would be an upgrade but they were expensive at over $30 each.

I just did a quick search on google for "mower deck wheel" and looked at the results for the rounded ones. I don't recall how large the OEM PT wheels were, but I'd think you'd want to get a similar diameter to allow of the same amount of height adjustment. Probably doesn't need to be perfect. If you always mow at a certain height, you might be able to go a bit smaller and just move it down the bracket to make up for the size difference.

Might be able to find some cheap on ebay too. Lawn Mower Deck Wheels | eBay

 

[cqaigy2]

I was at Boeing surplus and found a pair of casters for $5, made of aluminum with a tire of some kind of plastic. They were rated for 500lb each and have needle bearings with grease fittings. They have lasted very well.

 

[woodlandfarms]

Where is Boeing surplus? I would live to go

 

[JimRB]

https://surplus.boeing.com/Index.cfm

I have gotten wheels from TSC. First the price is not great. Second the bearings do not seem to last long. Remember when you get things from TSC they are just like Kmart, Walmart, Lowes, Harbor Freight and Home Depot for some items. They buy stuff by the container from China and mark up as they see fit. You can buy the same stuff on the internet for less money sometimes.

 

[cqaigy2]

Well, i was looking up the address on the interwebs and found this address....But also found this "Boeing Surplus Store to close"? I admit, i haven't been there in a few, used to go fairly often. So maybe online only? Maybe next time im going by Kent i might try to stop in and see if it's still open. It's probably the most amazing surplus store i've ever seen.

Boeing Surplus Store
20651 84th Ave. S.
Kent, WA 98032
Phone: 425-965-4400
Hours: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday - Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday

 

[coolconnection]

I got replacement wheels at Grainger.com. large assortment and they have roller bearings. 2 years now and work great.